The Law on Road Transport Has Been Adopted, Doubling the Number of Taxi Drivers

The Croatian Parliament adopted the Law on Road Transport on Friday, which is expected to enable the liberalization of taxi transport, facilitate the obtaining of licenses, and abolish the requirement to pass an exam on the knowledge of the area where the transport is carried out.

The government estimates that the liberalization of the taxi service market will double the number of taxi drivers. Currently, there are about 3,000, which is too few for Croatia as a tourist country, and a decrease in taxi service prices is also expected.

>>>HGK supports the liberalization of the taxi market

However, the president of the Taxi Transport Association at the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK), Božo Miletić, stated in a press release immediately after the voting that the new Law is a half-measure to the situation caused by the relevant authorities’ failure to implement the existing law, and questioned whether Minister Butković would take responsibility when a traffic collapse and non-compliance with the new Law occurs.

– We have never been against liberalization or increasing the number of taxi licenses, provided it is implemented in accordance with the profession. We opposed the illegal operation of Uber and will continue to do so if the law continues to be violated. It took the state over two years to designate Uber as a provider of taxi transport, during which time Uber, as a foreign company not registered in Croatia, strengthened its market position as unfair competition, Miletić stated.

>>>Ordering taxis via an app is introduced, the limitation on the number of taxi licenses is abolished

He warns of the consequences of an unlimited number of taxis in local units, which, he says, should have retained control over traffic on their own roads.

– We strongly oppose Minister Butković’s statement that there have always been crowds and that they should not be feared – this is not environmentally acceptable, harms the local economy and citizens, and can especially negatively impact tourism, Miletić stated.

Miletić particularly emphasized that numerous mayors and local leaders have warned about the problem of potential crowds that will significantly endanger passengers in the upcoming tourist season, and that taxi drivers will continue to warn about the harmfulness of taking away local authorities’ powers to decide on licenses.

>>>Butković: The Law does not favor Uber, citizens receive cheaper taxi services

He regrets, he says, because the state has favored a foreign company that avoids paying taxes in Croatia, instead of encouraging the expansion of domestic taxi operators and companies to broaden their business.

With this law, he says, it is clearly defined that everyone must operate under equal conditions.

– Accordingly, apps like Uber’s can only be used by licensed taxi drivers. Therefore, I ask: Will the government finally be able to ensure the enforcement of the Law it has enacted?, Miletić wonders.

The Parliament also adopted the Law on the Implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation

On Friday, the Parliament also adopted the Law on the Implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation, which comes into effect on May 25 and is expected to ensure more careful and responsible handling of user data.

It prescribes the establishment of a supervisory body, the Agency for the Protection of Personal Data, and establishes the authority to impose administrative fines for violations of this law.

>>>Taxi drivers persistent: Butković is not telling the truth and is misleading the public

The Parliament also accepted the Annual Report on State Aid for 2016 and sent the Law on the Agricultural Chamber, the Law on Audiovisual Activities, the Law on the Capital Market, and the Law on Probation for a second reading.

The parliamentary agenda has also been expanded with several new items. Among them is the final proposal of the Law on the Management of State Property, amendments to the Statute of the Agency for the Protection of Market Competition, and a proposal for a conclusion on initiating negotiations on amendments to the agreement between the Holy See and Croatia, as well as the Report on the Work of the State Attorney’s Office for the past year.