Portuguese fishermen decided Wednesday to end a strike against fuel price hikes, but urged the government to take further measures to improve their working conditions.
The fishermen decided to accept the proposals presented Wednesday by Agriculture Minister Jaime Silva.
The measures include a 40-million-euro (62 million U.S. dollars) loan over five years, a cut by half in the 4-percent port tax for fishermen and the creation of a working group to address future difficulties facing the sector.
However, the fishermen said they are still unsatisfied with soaring fuel prices and the government should take further actions.
"We'll go back to sea but we expect the government to take additional steps," Miguen Cunha, president of the Union of Shipowners and Industrial Fishing, said after a meeting at the agriculture ministry.
The Portuguese fishermen began the strike on Friday, echoing their companions in France, Spain and Italy. Some Spanish fishermen voted to return to work on Monday.
Government officials from the four countries will meet in Madrid later this week to work out a common proposal, the Spanish government said on Tuesday.
Source:Xinhua
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