German pharmacists stage strike to protest government

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Pharmacists pulled down their shutters across Germany on Wednesday as part of strike action to protest underfunding, excessive bureaucracy, and medication bottlenecks.

Hundreds of pharmacists and pharmacy workers marched through the streets of the German capital Berlin, and held a demonstration outside the Health Ministry.

They carried banners bearing the messages “Pharmacies are at their limits,” “The austerity measures are eating us,” “The government is letting us down," and “Billions for weapons, no euros for medicine supply.”

Andreas May, the co-chair of the trade union ADEXA, said hundreds of pharmacies have been forced to shut down in recent years, due to rising costs and lack of support from the government.

“The government’s saving policy, which has been going on for many years, is showing its negative impact. Unfortunately, the number of pharmacies in the country has fallen to 18,000. When a pharmacy closes, many people in that area cannot be supplied with medicine,” he said.

Protests were also held in other German cities, including Dusseldorf, Stuttgart, and Munich.