Pharmacies reopen tentatively

They decided against continued strikes, but reserved their right to do it again in the immediate future. According to their announcement, they will be “temporarily opening” their pharmacies come Tuesday. Next Saturday, March 22, they will be convening their union's general assembly to vote again on further strikes.

The Panhellenic Pharmacy Union has called the strike as a preemptive move against alleged Troika demands that their profession be liberalized and pharmacies can be opened by non-pharmacist businessmen. According to reports, government officials have been trying to withstand pressure from the auditors, but they are expected to give in.

That is not the only issue the pharmacists object to. They are fighting against deregulation of nover the counter medicines and the full liberation of their working hours. Today's decision by their union is more of a postponement, rather than the end of their strikes. After the end of the Troika negotiations, they will be reassessing the situation and are expected to resume strikes.