Transportation Prices Increase

Mariam Imerlishvili

The promise that the tariffs of Tbilisi mini-buses 50 tetri will stay the same remains to be a promise. Four companies selected in the tender on “marshutka” lines are:  TbilCar, Ltd. TbilLine, Ltd. Capital Group and PublicCar which divided the city according to the received points.

These companies are monitored by the transportation company Tbilisi Mini Buses which was supposed to replace all “marshutkas” with new cars till the year of 2012, employ all drivers who have been working in this sphere for years and offer the conditions which should have been profitable for both sides.

The main obligation was not to increase the transportation price. However, transportation price both on the new and old “marshutkas” has increased that contradicted the agreement conditions.

At first, the tariff changed on “marshutka” line #4 and then other lines followed. The result is complete chaos and a drastic decrease in the number of marshutka line passengers. As the drivers state in the private conversations, the government coerced the owners of other “marshutka” lines to increase the prices as well. The price on the long “marshutka” line is 80 tetri and on the short lines – 50 or 60 tetri.

“They coerced us to increase the price of the old “marshutkas” since nobody used new “marshutka” lines. We are in the hopeless situation right now. The saddest thing is that both the Tbilisi City Hall and Tbilisi Mini-Buses accuse us but we have no share in this,” – stated the driver of one of the “marshutka” lines Vakhtang Gigineishvili.

The government denies the fact of participation in this process and explains the increase of prices by disobedience of “marshutka” drivers.
Increase of transportation caused displeasure in the city. The protest statements led to the actions. The actions were held in front of Parliament building, City Hall and City Council.

The warning action in front of the City Hall was organized by “Future Georgia.” The request was to bring back the old tariffs.

“People are very poor. We, Tbilisi residents are not employed and how can we pay 1.60 GEL for transportation when we do not even have money for bread?! What can pensioners and socially vulnerable do?! Can’t the government consider our situation and bring back the old prices?” – noted one of the participants of the action Natela Mshvenieradze.

The action participants wanted to meet with the mayor Gigi Ugulava but it did not work out. The press speaker of the City Hall Bacho Dolidze talked to people. He gave such explanation: “We cannot regulate this market, neither City Hall nor City Council can. Our main mission is to compete against these tariffs by the help of metro and autobuses.”

Later the action organizers submitted resolution composed by the action participants to the City Council addressed to Mikheil Saakashvili, Gigi Ugulava and Zaal Samadashvili. According to the action organizer Beka Kemularia, their main request is such: “We are requesting to take into consideration the interests of us, the subscribers and replace the illegally increased cost with the prices existent before July 15th.  Stop pressure against “marshutka” drivers. We are requesting Tbilisi Autobus to be obliged to change the old “marshutkas” with new ones, carry out the investment and do not take the cost of the transportation out of the population. Carry out all this in the terms of keeping 50 tetri. We are requesting increase of number of buses, lengthening of existent distances of bringing back the old lines.”

The parts of the drivers who would keep their jobs according to the term of the agreement and would have daily payment 10 GEL are unhappy as well. Today it was found out that the terms of agreement the company Tbilisi Micro Autobus plans to sign with the drivers are completely different. According to these terms, the drivers will receive the cars from the company under lease and will pay 463 Euros in a month. Besides, after the agreement is signed they will have to submit 500 Euros money for guarantee under the balance of the company. Besides, the driver, after seven years (!) will receive a mini-bus for which approximately 50 000 Euros has been paid when the cost of mini-bus does not exceed 18 000 Euros.

The City Hall declined the responsibility regarding the increase of tariffs and passed it onto the company Tbilisi Micro Autobus. Human Rights Center tried to contact this company but the telephone of its PR manager Teona Nioradze is constantly turned off or out of service area.