Starting February 17, healthcare workers in Kenya will strike nationwide. This strike is being organized by The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) following the Kenyan government’s reported inability to uphold the established Collective Bargaining Agreement. The exact start time and duration of the work stoppage is unconfirmed, though it could possibly last several days to weeks.
From 6:00 AM February 19 to 6:00 AM February 20, unionized taxi drivers in Athens are planning to strike. The Attica Taxi Motorists’ Union (SATA) is organizing the strike to advocate for several demands. This strike will disrupt taxi services throughout Athens and the broader Attica region. Associated demonstrations are also possible.
Belgian public transportation is expected to be disrupted on February 12-13 amid a nationwide strike protesting government’s pension and labor market reforms. Associated demonstrations are expected. Major cities Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, Ghent, Charleroi, and Liège are expected to be heavily affected. The Brussels Airport (BRU) and Brussels South Charleroi Airport(CRL) cancelled all flights on February 13.
The Greek Government has declared a state of emergency on Santorini until March 3 due to the risk of landslides from ongoing earthquakes. Thousands of tremors have impacted Santorini, Amorgos, Anafi, and los since late January, including a 5.2 magnitude earthquake on February 5. Schools on the four islands will be closed until at least February 14.
From February 10-11, employees of the Berlin Transport Company (Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe, BVG) are planning to strike. The strike is expected to begin around 3:00 AM on February 10 and last until 3:00 AM on February 11. During this time, all trams, subways, and most buses operated by the BVG will likely be out of service.
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Citizens of Ireland are leading anti-migrant protests more frequently nationwide due to the steep increase in asylum applications over the past year. Many such protests have turned violent, with protestors setting fires and clashing with police. In the coming weeks, an increased security presence and travel disruptions near asylum sites due to unrest are likely. Although the government is working on a better approach to immigrant integration, it will take time to implement new policies.
Cities in Mexico are at risk of running out of clean drinking water due to low-capacity reservoirs and diminished aquifers caused by droughts during the El Niño season. The water crisis will likely persist in the coming months due to a lack of rainfall; however, Mexico’s government has announced intentions to repair and create water infrastructure to help mitigate the water shortage, which will affect water flow throughout the cities. Demonstrations and roadblocks in response to the ongoing water crisis have caused travel disruptions throughout several cities.
The dissolution of a Parliament is the simultaneous termination of all its members in preparation for a new election occurring before the general election. French President Emmanuel Macron set forth a dissolution and terminated the lower house of the French Parliament, moving forward with the election process.
In May 2024, Georgia’s parliament passed a controversial foreign agent bill requiring organizations receiving over 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. As a result, such organizations are subject to additional scrutiny from the Georgian government via targeted legislation and additional auditing/reporting of operations. This legislation received backlash, with opposition arguing that it stifles freedom of speech and is similar to suppressive Russian laws. Protests have since erupted with demonstrators clashing with police, who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds. SafeAbroad analysts assess that this has created an unsafe environment for travelers, especially in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi where protests are more frequent and intense.