Taxi operators in Romania have once again voiced their complaints about the companies offering passenger transport services via online platforms, such as Uber or Taxify.

The Confederation of Authorized Operators and Carriers from Romania (COTAR) asked the Romanian authorities to start an investigation to determine how companies such as Uber, Taxify or BlaBlaCar entered the Romanian market. Otherwise, the taxi operators in Romania say they will start a tax strike, reports local Adevarul.

COTAR has asked the Government and the public authorities to "rapidly put in place measures to regulate this category of transport services in order to create a real competitive framework and ensure predictability for investments,” according to a statement.

“In this way, we will make sure that we share the desire to provide safe and comfortable public services, and we are willing to support any effort aimed at increasing the quality of citizens' lives. Otherwise, we reserve the right to resort to all forms of legal protest, from the tax strike to the total cessation of transport activity.”

“During our tax strike, the state budget could be fueled by the taxes paid by pirates.”

COTAR also asked the tax agency ANAF, as well as the Traffic and Local Police to do more traffic controls and mainly verify the unauthorized activity, “not only authorized companies.”

“Given that the pirates' activity is carried out with maximum transparency, as their websites and apps are offering various information, the authorities can easily verify the way in which people are being transported. All the information is one click away, which means that the unauthorized apps of individuals and companies who have been carrying unauthorized transportation services for several years can be detected in only a few minutes,” reads the COTAR statement cited by Adevarul.

The transporters want the online platforms providing such transport services in Bucharest and other major cities to be shut down. They also demand the establishment of a common database for the taxi authorizations issued in Bucharest and the administrative-territorial units in Ilfov County, which would facilitate the controls of the national and local police structures, and help combat piracy.

Update: In a response, Uber said that COTAR's threat "is absurd," and that "the consumers and their right to choose should prevail over COTAR’s pressure".

"COTAR’s threat is absurd. Basically, they say they will protest against UBER - a 100% fiscalized, transparent service - by refusing to pay tax. Absolutely all UBER partners are registered as fiscal entities (PFA or SRL) and pay annually millions of lei in taxes, while passengers receive a fiscal invoice at the end of each trip, no exceptions. Also, UBER has a subsidiary in Romania, and contributes to the state budget, according to the legislation," said Alexandra Corolea, Uber spokesperson.

COTAR has previously accused Uber drivers of unfair competition as their activity is not regulated similarly to that of the taxi services. At the end of April, some 3,000 drivers and transporters who protested in front of the Government in Bucharest managed to convince the Government to change the taxi law.

Uber vs. taxis: Quarrel continues as Romanian authorities work on changing taxi transport law

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com