Prague Taxi Drivers Revolt: Protest Governments Uber Deal

Prague Taxi

Prague/Brno, May 2 (CTK) – The Association of Czech Taxi Drivers has called a protest rally against a memorandum signed by the government and Uber representatives on Monday, with the protest to be held in Cestlice near Prague on Friday morning, the association said on Facebook.

 

The association is criticising the fact that Uber drivers can provide services not using taximeters.

 

Prime Minister Andrej Babis told CTK today he did not understand the taxi drivers’ protest.

 

In the joint memorandum, Uber pledged to apply for a Czech taxi driving licence, to provide data on rides because of tax collection and to use the EET (electronic registration of sales) system.

 

“I thought the taxi drivers wanted to thank us (for our efforts),” Babis said.

 

The taxi drivers say Uber does not have any taximeters but how is that possible? Babis asked. “It’s because if you order Uber’s service you know in advance how much you will pay. So (Uber) needs no taximeters, which sounds logical (to me),” Babis said.

 

According to him, it was not easy to negotiate the memorandum.

 

The association wants to launch a two-hour protest in Cestlice on Friday at 05:00. Cestlice is near Pruhonice, where Babis lives. The form of the protest is unclear at the moment, and a decision will be made on Friday morning, the association and taxi dispatchers have said.