Minibus drivers attempt to block Chisinau's main artery

Police prevented an attempt by a group of minibus drivers picketing the Chisinau City Hall today to block Stefan cel Mare Boulevard in a strike action, Info-Prim Neo reports. The drivers gathered at the City Hall on the second day of a strike that was initiated in a bid to persuade the municipal authorities into raising fares from 3 lei to 5 lei. The drivers and their administrators are complaining that they have been operating at a loss for several months now, lamenting the increase in fuel prices, the high costs of repair and maintenance, and the harsh traffic fines for carrying passengers in the standing room. They also complain that the authorities are imposing requirements without creating proper conditions for work: many streets are lined with cars that are parked in an unauthorized manner, preventing minibuses from stopping at stops and thus drawing further fines. An apparently unyielding Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca came out to talk to the protesters, reiterating his position that he was ready to negotiate only on condition that drivers strictly observed traffic and safety rules, including the no-standing-passengers requirement. Disgruntled by Chirtoaca's statements, the protesters accused him of betrayal.