Between 6,000 and 7,000 drivers and their vehicles, including trucks and busses, are expected to take part in a transporters’ protest in Bucharest’s Victoriei Square today, December 17. The protests will take place between 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM in front of Romania's Government headquarters.

The local authorities have restricted the traffic on the Kiseleff Road, between the Free Press Square (Piata Presei Libere) and the Victoriei Square, for this event.

The transporters will protest against the high mandatory car insurance (RCA) premiums they have to pay after recent developments in the local insurance market. The protesters represent several professional transporters’ associations, including freight carriers, passenger carriers, and taxi drivers.

The transporters’ representatives say that the measures the authorities have taken lately affect not only the transport companies but every car owner in Romania. They have asked the Government to work on reducing the mandatory car insurance (RCA) premiums and to eliminate the extra excise on fuel starting January 1, 2016. The RCA tariffs have increased more than fourfold in the past six months for freight and passenger transport vehicles, including taxis, according to the protesters’ representatives.

The passenger carriers are also unhappy that they have to pay a monthly copyright tax if their vehicles have radios.

The transporters have initially asked the Bucharest City Hall to allow 10,000 vehicles to the protest, but the local authorities considered the high number would completely paralyze traffic in the city center. The City Hall gave its approval for the protest but asked the protesters not to go beyond the designated area so as not to block the city’s traffic, according to Mediafax.

editor@romania-insider.com