In Podujevë, the increase in the entrance fee at the Bus Station is opposed

Passenger carriers on the Podujevë-Pristina route are opposing the increase in the daily entrance fee at the Bus Station in Podujevë. The price from 2 to 3 euros has forced them not to enter the Station at all, but to take a private parking lot to stay during the passenger pick-up time. The chairman of the Association of transporters in the Podujevë-Prishtina-Podujevë route, Beqir Mustafa, said that they will also go on strike from Monday.

"There are problems because the Municipality has increased the entrance fee to the station. We used to have it for 2 euros, now they have made it 3 euros, while normally it should be 1 euro. Now, during the pandemic, they have made it 3 euros, we have not been accepted and they have removed us from the station. We have taken a private place and we are starting from there. We do not enter the station once because we have been presented with the strike since Monday, because the illegal taxis are also taking our passengers and now we have done both together", Beqir Mustafa told KOHË.

He says that after the war, the price for daily entry to the Bus Station was 1 euro, while he voluntarily said that they made it 2 euros.

"Now, during the pandemic, a decision was made to make this payment 3 euros. We refused to pay 3 euros, we were even forced to go out on the street, we got a private parking lot from the street. We have also informed the police commander that we are now leaving from a private place near the station. While we have been on strike since Monday, we have gone to the municipality, until they remove the taxi drivers and reduce the price", said the chairman of the Association of Transporters in the Podujevë-Prishtina-Podujevë connection. "It has been a week since he made the new price. And we haven't entered the station for a week. According to the regulation, how much is a Podujevo-Prishtina ticket, and the ticket is 70 cents. Since it is pandemic time, we have proposed 50 cents on behalf of the association, until we get out of this situation. They did not accept, and they closed our doors."

But the spokesperson of the Municipality of Podujeva, Fatri Zhitia, has said that the opposition of the passenger carriers is more politically motivated. According to him, the price of the entrance fee has been increased by the Bus Station Board. However, the director of the Municipality Administration, Bahri Selimi, is also a member of this Board.

"As for the price, this is not decided by the municipality, but by the Bus Station Board, and the Board has decided this price from 2 to 3 euros. Their request was to make 50 cents, but this is impossible, because the expenses inside the Station cannot be covered. As far as we have information, this is more politically motivated, as some people intend to oppose the government and do not have so much of a problem with the issue of payment. Even last week they warned of a protest. I believe that the mayor will meet soon and find an agreement with them", said Fatri Zhitia.

The spokesperson of the Municipality says that the municipal inspectors are on the ground all day to remove illegal taxi drivers.

"Since the morning, the director of the Inspectorate is on the ground to remove the illegal taxi drivers and we are looking at the possibility of finding an alternative for the illegal taxi drivers to register and then start paying and also operate somewhere else and not where they currently park". he said.