Some of the minibus drivers running on municipal routes didn’t join the protesting carriers because the current fare is suitable for them, chairman of the Board of the Employers Association of Motor Transport Operators Oleg Alexa stated for IPN. He noted that corruption schemes are being employed.

“There are four such routes in Chisinau …We know about those schemes, but thought they would also protest. It was known that the fare of 3 lei suits them. Regrettably, several routes where the situation is very bad also didn’t join in. I don’t know why. Probably because they are serviced by the same firms, like route No. 103. Particular corruption schemes are employed there as they run on Stephan the Great Blvd, but other minibuses are banned from travelling on this street. I suspect the firm that services route No. 103 instructed the other routes of theirs not to protest. It is their choice,” stated Oleg Alexa.

He also commented on mayor Ion Ceban’s statements that if the protests continue, the Urban Bus Company could contract private minibuses and buses so as to cope with the flow of passengers. According to Oleg Alexa, this is something of a phantasy as there are no carriers with available vehicles that could replace them.

Oleg Alexa also said that the carriers will continue to demand that their rights should be respected. The fare of 3 lei can be kept if subsidies are provided from the budget. “We want this to happen. The routes must receive differentiated subsidies as some of them are profitable, but there are only four such routes in Chisinau. The others should get subsidies so that we can cover those sectors of the city where the buses and trolleybuses do not run and will not run because of the streets and because the passenger flow there is small,” stated Oleg Alexa.

The carriers’ protest lasted until 10am on February 24.