Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Possible Tbilisi Minibus Withdrawal

March 30, 2006

Possible Tbilisi Minibus Withdrawal

The population of Tbilisi is against the withdrawal of minibuses and private taxis. As they believe there is such a withdrawal plan within the Tbilisi municipality. The plan is believed to be implemented at the end of the year. Drivers of such vehicles held a warning strike in the hippodrome area and say if the plan is implemented, they will hold even bigger strikes.

The drivers have to look after their families: “As we know there will be cash machines in the taxis soon, the taxes will rise, the fees for taxis will also naturally rise, we won’t have clients and we will go bankrupt. We warned the government that we will strike and sit in front of the Mayor’s building, I think that our clients will back us too.”

One of the drivers, Murmna Qiria, says that he earns 20–25 lari a day. From this 10 lari is for petrol, 5 lari for his license, and 5–7 lari he takes home: “If they ask us to install cash meters, I can’t afford it, it costs 300 lari and then they raise taxes too and we to must raise the fee. If a taxi fee costs 5-8 lari for short distance, nobody will use it. We have to live, if they want to do this, they should provide us with jobs, they should open free bars and cafes. Do they want people to go hungry and beg for a piece of bread?”   

The opposition party confirms this information. Soso Shatberashvili, a member of the Labour party tells us there is a plan in the council according to which the minibuses and private taxis will be withdrawn.

Soso Shatberashvili states: “As we know they want to take the minibuses and taxis out of use. We heard about this after they brought the yellow busses from Holland. Everyone knows that the parents of the President’s wife are behind it. Mai Nadiradze’s husband, who is head of the countries transportation board, is involved in it. The process has already started; the one obstacle to the yellow busses are the minibuses. They can’t remove the minibuses and taxis right away. So instead they try to install meters. The drivers won’t be able to work and will be forced out of the market. This is very sly plan”         

The head of the Transportation Board, Zurab Chikviladze, does not deny rumors regarding changes to the transport system in Tbilisi. But he says that information spread amongst the population is an absolute lie: “Are they not fed up with so many lies? There won’t be cash meters in the taxis. They spread false information. There will be ticket systems in buses, which is necessary to have more revenues. They will be a tender on the ticket machine, and the winner will import these. The changes are not connected with taxis. But the system will be radically changed soon. The ticket machines will be installed.”

There are 2300 taxes in Tbilisi. They do not know how many minibuses are necessary or adequate. As Chikviladeze stated, this would only be known after foreign experts conduct a survey: “The new transportation system should be adjusted. The European bank gave us 2-million lari in credit. Foreign experts will come this year and find out what kind of vehicles we need, after this there will be a new plan. There is no plan at present. There are 375 yellow busses and 2300 minibuses in Tbilisi.” 

Eka Gulua

 

News