The protests have been joined by opposition Democratic Party parliamentarians>
TIRANA, March 6 – Hundreds of furgon minivan taxi drivers have held several protests, blocking traffic and asking authorities to be allowed to resume full operations after the government decided to implement restrictions citing law enforcement and safety.
Following an agreement with police, the drivers left their minivans behind at parking lots before being allowed to protest on foot in downtown Tirana.
In front of the main government building they asked for a meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama pledging to continue their protests.
A law passed 16 years ago and updated during the former government of the Democratic Party allows registered taxi minivans to transport passengers only one way, which, they say, makes their businesses unaffordable.
The protests have been joined by the main opposition Democratic Party, whose parliamentarians walked together with the protesters.
Inter-city minivan transport is a main means of transport in post-communist Albania and furgon minivans have been its workhorse — being faster than buses. But they have also been involved in tens of deadly accidents.
The government says that vans are not entitled by law to offer regular trips and should respect their status as taxis. The protesters say that the government wants to create yet another private monopoly as it has done in the past with urban transport in Tirana.
Furgons are the main mean of interurban transport in Albania and are infamous for breaking road rules, often with deadly consequences.
And they have rivals. Another association, this time of the buses and small taxi drivers, came out saying they strongly support the government stop of the minivans as they are breaking the laws. They said they would also come out in protests.
On Tuesday, the bus drivers held their protest in capital Tirana saying they support the government in blocking of the informal activity from the minivans or whoever else.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic Party, came out to support the first protests of the minivan drivers. Its leader, Lulzim Basha, said the party strongly supported the protests.
