Romanian Taxi Drivers Initiate Hunger Strike
Romanian taxi drivers initiated a hunger strike on Wednesday after three days of organized protests and unsuccessful negotiations with the government. The extreme move involves about a dozen people.
site.btaOver 500 Taxi Drivers Protesting in Bucharest
Over 500 taxi drivers from Bucharest, Brasov, Timisoara, Cluj, and Arges protested in the Romanian capital on Wednesday. The restrictions imposed over the demonstration caused huge traffic jams in downtown Bucharest.
The protesters demand a series of legislative changes concerning taxis, alternative transport and companies for shared travel. Viorel Radu, who heads an association fighting for the rights of independent taxi drivers, said they will demand an increase of the age of taxi cars to 15 years from the current 10 years, because after the economic crisis, taxi drivers have been unable to purchase new cars. "If the legislative changes are not made, we have no other option but to remain in the street indefinitely," he commented.
The protesters complain that the companies and persons offering shared travel services are not subject to the same conditions for tax payment, and they demand a removal of unfair competition and the so-called dynamic pricing for Uber and Bolt. One of the protesters commented for BTA that since this is one and the same category of passenger travel, taxes and fees should be the same, the number of licenses should be equal and so should the third party liability insurance.
The protesters have been invited to negotiations at the Government's building.
/KK/
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