The group of auto taxi transport of the City of Skopje warns that the taxi business in the capital is facing serious and long-standing problems and appeals to the competent institutions to urgently take measures to overcome them.
From there they say that for nine years unresolved issues have been piling up that directly affect the work of taxi carriers, the safety of passengers and the method of charging for services.
-Despite numerous indications and initiatives, the institutions have not yet reacted to overcome the problems – the Group announced, pointing out that on February 17 this year they submitted requests and proposals to the City of Skopje, and on the 19th of last month to the Government.
According to them, the citizens complain about the lack of taxis, wildly stolen taxi meters and unregistered drivers, while in the field, as they say, unlicensed taxi carriers also operate.
At the same time, they are reacting to the decision of the City of Skopje not to issue and renew licenses for taxi vehicles older than 2011.
– This means that hundreds of vehicles will not be able to work. Instead of an age limit, environmental standards should be applied as a criterion, as is the case in European countries. We asked to remove vehicles with Euro 1, Euro 2 and Euro 3 standards, but to give a reasonable period of one year for adjustment – the Group states.
They claim that this approach will force some taxi drivers to rent vehicles from several larger companies, which is why they are announcing protests in coordination with the Trade Union.
– The revolt among taxi drivers is big. We are in constant contact with the Trade Union and these days the date, place and method of the protest will be agreed upon, for which the public will be promptly informed – the announcement states.
In the request to the Government, the Group requests amendments to the Road Transport Law, which would re-introduce the obligation for every taxi-vehicle to have at least one employed driver, as was the case before the legal amendments in 2018.
They also propose greater powers for the traffic inspectors of the City of Skopje, who could check on the ground whether the drivers are registered, whether the taximeters are properly registered and whether they have the appropriate certificates.
The Group is also demanding enhanced controls from the State Labor Inspectorate, the State Market Inspectorate and the Public Revenue Administration, with the aim of detecting unregistered drivers, controlling taxi meters and checking the operation of taxi companies.
According to them, the current situation creates unfair competition and puts carriers who regularly register their employees and pay their legal obligations in an unequal position.
– The limitation of 15 years is unfair and unrealistic. The Euro standard is the true indicator of pollution, not the year of production. A well-maintained vehicle from 2006 can pollute less than a poorly maintained vehicle manufactured in 2016, according to the Auto Taxi Transportation Group.
