Taxi drivers from Podgorica who failed to pay the taxes now owe more than 10 million EUR to the state, of which 5 mil is the base debt, and 5 mil are interests, Dnevne Novine daily writes.
Union of taxi associations, registered again as Professional syndicate and reorganized due to long term problems, will attempt to bring taxi drivers back to legal flow, which would create better conditions for the professionals in the field.
Tax Administration offered them a possibility to renounce interests and pay only the base debt, but most taxi drivers do not want to do that.
Taxi drivers are currently negotiating with Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Traffic and Maritime Affairs on resolving their tax debt and contributions for obligatory social insurance.
Representatives of taxi companies, who are mostly taxi drivers themselves, work alone or are a part of community and pay membership. Earlier, they asked that the number of taxi licenses be decreased and that the control of taxi drivers in the Capital be stricter, with introduction of TX registration for cars.
Secretary of Secretariat for communal affairs and traffic Marko Rakocevic said that their requests comply with the work Secretariat has been doing for the past two years.
“We pointed to the issues in this field, especially in the gray area, because Podgorica has something between 300 and 400 unlicensed taxi drivers, who look like legal taxis, but do not have the license”, Rakocevic said.
He added that the Capital supports taxi drivers as long as they comply with laws.
“We will be very strict in the following period. We had made agreements with state institutions, Tax Administration, Directorate for Inspection Affairs and Communal inspection, and there will be rigorous controls of taxi drivers, taxes and contributions will be paid, and work contracts respected. Our desire is to fight the gray zone and ensure quality taxi services”, Rakocevic said.
Tax drivers who do not pay their debts will not be able to have their licenses prolonged.
On February 15th, a new law came into force, that pertains to debts of commercial companies, which includes regulation of taxi drivers and offers them an ability to pay tax debts in 60 monthly rates.
“There are many of those who have not paid their debts to the state in 10-15 years, and we believe that we must enforce taxes and contributions. Only those who sign the reprogramming of debt will be able to get a licence. We will have those dissatisfied and those who will work illegally, but we will attempt to establish control and order”, Rakocevic said.
According to him, during last year, 200.000 EUR of punishments were written in three months, and they are well on their way to diminish gray area in taxi services.
Ministries will enable taxi drivers to meet with local authorities and attempt to resolve the issue. They believe that the present situation is in part caused by inaction of the local government.
Still no TX registration
There is a plan to introduce TX registration, that Budva drivers have had for years. Rakocevic said that they have not given up on this idea in Podgorica, because this registration offers the best protection, but the price of 600 EUR is often insurmountable for taxi drivers. The following period will see continuation of negotiations about this issue.
Soon there will be corrected prices per kilometer
Secretariat is attempting to introduce minimum and maximum prices of taxi services, and these decisions are currently up for public debate. It is expected that the minimal price per kilometer will be 60 cents.
“Podgorica is a growing city. There must be a good environment for both citizens and taxi drivers. Taxi should be a luxury, and it will become so once we get adequate public city transportation. We are working on that”, Rakocevic said.
