Chisinau, October 21 (Infotag). The Association of Transport Patronage of Cahul demands from the local authorities to observe law and provide loyal competition in the Cahul public transport. Chairman of this Association Oleg Retchii said it at a press conference in Infotag on Tuesday.

According to him, Cahul Mayor Gheorghii Zagorodnii dictates not only the mark and the color of the buses to be admitted to serve the routes, but he directly says where to buy them.

“His actions and demands, which oblige the route owners to remove the re-equipped buses from the routes by the end of the year, are not correct, they deprive the drivers of their earnings and the possibilities to support their families”, Reutchii said.

He asserts the Mayor’s office and the traffic police ordered at first to remove the right row of seats in the microbuses, changing thus their technical specifications in order to make it more convenient for passengers to stand. It is considered now to be a violation and such buses are not allowed.

“We have no chance to purchase new buses for $40 thousand, as nobody subsidizes us and nobody gives us state guarantees for credits. Alongside with it, the Mayor’s office fixed a 1.5 lei fare, children – free of charge, pensioners and invalids – 1 lei. Under such conditions, it is possible to return the cost of a bus for seven year, but nothing remains from buses on such roads”, Reutchii said.

He reassured that the association is ready to fulfill any reasonable demands, but only in the frame of the law, otherwise the drivers will continue protest actions.

The first protest meeting of the Cahul transport workers took place on November 11, the second is slated for November 27. The association includes 30 economic entities, which use about 50 vehicles, 80% of them were adapted from cargo vans.