The international passenger and parcel carriers in the evening of August 6 staged a protest at the Leușeni customs post, blocking the access way to the customs post. They said they are not allowed to enter Romania and the authorities do nothing to enable them to work. One day after the protest, employers road transport associations issued a statement, expressing their indignation at the protest of the so-called carriers, IPN reports.
The protesters said that the authorities earlier issued international licenses to them for being able to transport passengers and parcels. In several months, they were stopped by representatives of the National Road Transport Agency. They are examined and have the license plates withdrawn. They are not allowed to work to maintain their families, but many of them have units of transport bought in leasing.
A representative of the National Road Transport Agency told them that the Agency does not make laws, but implements them and has inspection powers, as it is provided in the Road Transport Code.
After the protest, the Border Police issued a press release, saying the protest was illegal. “Moreover, most of the protesters provide illegal transport services and their activities were determined by the authoress of the European states and the Republic of Moldova is thus punished at international level,” said the Border Police, noting the border police officers only examine the documents on the exit of Moldova, while the Romanian side performs thorough checks.
In a statement, the employers road transport associations said the international haulage as simply national invention and the diaspora’s necessities to send parcels to relatives are used as an instrument for hushing up the illegal activities of persons who call themselves “carriers”. During the state of emergency, the share of illegal transport increased because “the restrictions didn’t affect them”. The number of units of transport involved in illegal national and international passenger transportation activities is alarming.
“We call on the public authorities to show maximum prudence when examining the requests of the “carriers” that protested at the Leușeni customs posts and hope that after a decision concerning them is adopted, the legal carriers will not have to protest,” runs the statement.
