The taxi industry is opposed to the Estonian Bolt monost in Latvia / day
Representatives of the associations inform that on Tuesday, the Ministry of Transport (MoU) took place at a meeting discussing the impact of Bolt platform on the Latvian market and increasing threat to local carriers.
The taxi industry emphasized at the meeting that Bolt’s « Bolt » registered in Estonia, « systematically » squeezes « from the market Latvian taxi companies, setting the rules of the game, thus not ensuring fair competition.
Societies emphasize that the number of taxis registered in Riga in recent months has decreased by more than 200 units, the platform deliberately reduces tariffs on licensed taxi carriers, while supporting « white numbers » without clear control mechanisms, « Bolt » determines prices and discount policies unilaterally.
Similarly, in the view of associations, the foreign company Bolt optimizes tax payments in Latvia, thus gaining an unjustified advantage over local taxi companies, including the only national platform « Smile Taxi ».
At the LAKRS, the union emphasized that in order to earn the minimum wage in the country, taxi drivers had to work double. However, there is no guaranteed minimum wage, as three different information about the work done by the taxi driver can come to the State Revenue Service (SRS). The arena emphasized that it would meet the SRS for an explanation for the taxes calculated on taxi.
At the meeting of « LAKRS », Inga Vējiņa emphasized that before the tourist season, Riga was threatened with a taxi deficit.
According to the associations, the MoU agreed with the participants of the meeting that by May 15, the parties would prepare specific proposals to agree on specific steps and to restore fair competition.
It has already been reported that Bolt was established in 2013 by Marcus Villig, who currently owns 16.87%in the company. Bolt is a transport service platform in Europe used by more than 200 million customers and more than 4.5 million partner shows and partnerkers in more than 50 countries and 600 cities in Europe and Africa.
The Latvian Light Taxi Employers’ Organization was established in 2007 and is led by Alexei Ignatjev.
« Lakrs » is a non -governmental organization that brings together employees of different professions and currently employs more than 200 different companies and institutions in the public and private sector. The aim of the Society is to combine workers to the common action on the recognition of the trade union and to increase its influence in the implementation of legal requirements.
