Carriers have announced a protest with the cessation of routes for February 27, 28 and 29. In a press release, the Employers’ Association of Motor Transport Operators (APOTA) asks the government in the Road Transport Code to stipulate regulations applicable to routes going to a locality in a state with which the Republic of Moldova instituted a liberalized transport regime and regulations regarding routes going to states with which the liberalized transport regime is not established.

It also requests to exempt at least the carriers serving international routes from the obligation to have only bus stations as transit and route end points, to introduce balanced regulations on carrier-bus station relations and raise the level of taxation in regular passenger transport, IPN reports.

The carriers regret that the officials spread the idea that the protesting carriers are those who want to operate as in the past and don’t want to comply with the new rules. They express their conviction that the adoption of regulations similar to those in the European Union, including those proposed by carriers, will link the transport sector not to the past, but to the future.

In a TV program, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spînu said that the transport strike will affect the citizens. Carriers’ demands aren’t clear. The National Motor Transport Agency could sanction transport operators that will go out on routes.

APOTA Council Chairman Oleg Alexa described Andrei Spînu’s statements as threats. Every citizen has the right to choose the form of protest through which to manifest their dissatisfaction with particular things promoted by the authorities.

The legislative initiative to amend the Road Transport Code was adopted by Parliament on December 22, 2023 and will enter into force on March 1.