Budapest, January 21 (MTI) – Taxi drivers ended their demonstration against ride-hailing company Uber in downtown Budapest after talks with the development ministry on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, two state secretaries from the development ministry, Gabor Czepek and Laszlo Taso, met representatives of the taxi drivers for talks.

Zsolt Gelencser, one of the demonstration’s organisers, told a press conference after the meeting that an agreement was reached with the government representatives on starting talks next week concerning the law on taxi services and how the operations of Uber may comply with rules governing taxis.

He thanked members of the public for their patience during the protest and he also thanked the police for their help. He added that the demonstration had met its goal.

Another organiser, Csaba Czifery, said government representatives at the talks declared they were on the side of taxi drivers. He said the taxi drivers will be represented by a delegation at next week’s talks and they expect that at least four to six weeks will be necessary to introduce effective rules.

The development ministry said the taxi drivers’ representatives promised at the talks that the demonstration would end on Thursday afternoon. The government representatives said they are “on the side of the taxi drivers who obey laws and pay taxes”. The ministry added in a statement it had been agreed that taxi services can only be provided according to the rules of a government decree and under equal conditions for all participants. Talks will continue next week and the ministry said it awaits proposals from taxi representatives.

The demonstration in the junction of Bajcsy-Zsinlinszky Road, Jozsef Attila Road and Andrassy Avenue entered into its fourth day on Thursday morning, with police securing the area and controlling traffic. Cars were allowed to use one lane in each direction.

The government yesterday said it would heed to calls by taxi drivers for a level playing field and talks would be started soon on fairer regulations for the long term. It also said banning Uber would not be ruled out if the company did not stick to the rules.

Government office chief Janos Lazar told a regular press briefing on Thursday that the government needs to help taxi drivers because it is a regulated market, and if the state regulates a market, it should involve protecting it. A common denominator needs to be found with the taxi drivers on how things should be regulated, he added. The government wants everybody in Hungary to respect the law and pay tax, plus it wants to ensure the high quality and transparency of taxi services, Lazar said.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban asked people at the cabinet meeting whether the government members were using Uber. None said they did but the majority of younger people working for the government are Uber users, Lazar added.

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Budapest, January 20 (MTI) – The government has adopted the position that the taxi drivers demonstrating in Budapest should be supported in their call for fair conditions on the passenger transport market, state secretary Bence Tuzson said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

The government sees strict regulation justified in this case, which would apply to all players, he said. The government will start talks with taxi drivers about long-term regulations which can benefit everyone, include sanctions for offenders and are feasible from a tax point of view. On the other hand, until this agreement is reached, for at least six weeks, a temporary system needs to be put in place which can exercise sanctions against those who break current rules. This temporary system is likely to include audits by the tax authority NAV.

The government asks taxi drivers to stop demonstrations and start talks. The National Development Ministry will represent the government during the talks, Tuzson said.

Asked if ride-hailing company Uber would be banned, Tuzson said there is no talk of banning, it is all about across-the-board conditions and strict regulations for passenger transport. He added however that the end of the whole process could be that if Uber does not keep to rules it will be banned. The government will not hold talks directly with Uber nor will it invite them to negotiations, he said.

Taxi drivers have been obstructing traffic in central Budapest since Monday morning, protesting against Uber.

Photo: MTI

Budapest, January 20 (MTI) – Budapest’s taxi drivers are open to holding talks with the municipality and the government on their demands but will continue their demonstration until the sides reach an agreement on new passenger transport rules that will apply equally to every player in the sector, an organiser of the demonstration said on Wednesday.

The drivers started to demonstrate on Monday morning, urging government action against car dispatcher Uber.

Zsolt Gelencser told a press conference that taxi drivers want the government to convene talks with the parties involved by Friday at the latest, with an agreement being reached by the end of next week. Gelencser said that if this demand is not met, taxi drivers will begin demonstrating throughout the country.

Gelencser said the drivers had asked Peter Juhasz, deputy leader of the opposition Egyutt party, to get Hungary’s political parties involved in the debate so that their cause can gain more support. He said taxi drivers want fairer competition in the passenger transport sector.

Juhasz said he did not want the matter to become one of party politics, adding that it should strictly be about ensuring fair competition on the market. He called it unacceptable that while taxi fares are regulated centrally, certain other market players can get away with changing their prices. Taxi drivers having to pass strict checks while other players do not is also unfair, he said.

Juhasz said imposing similar strict regulations on other players in the sector may not necessarily be the best solution. He said taxi drivers are ready to continue working under the same regulations but then expect them to apply to other players as well, and are also open to the loosening of transport rules. Juhasz said any new regulation will have to reflect the new market conditions.

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Budapest, January 20 (MTI) – A continued demonstration of taxi drivers has considerably slowed traffic in the Deak Square area in central Budapest.

Similarly to Monday and Tuesday, the protesters blocked the junction of Bajcsy-Zs. Road, Andrassy Avenue and Jozsef Attila Street, leaving only one lane in each direction for traffic to pass. The blockade has caused jams on Grand Boulevard and along the Danube’s Pest-side embankment, too.

Taxi drivers started their demonstration on Monday morning, urging government action against ride-hailing service Uber.

Photo: MTI

Professional transport organisations and taxi drivers have demanded that the government apply the relevant laws to all transporters, including Uber drivers.

Representatives told a press conference on Tuesday that taxi drivers protesting in the street despite the cold weather want the government to make clear that Hungarian laws apply to everyone.

The Budapest Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the National Association of Transport Businesses and the National Taxi Association have asked the prime minister to appoint an authority to coordinate activities and issue fines for abusers. Around 500 drivers working for ride-hailing service Uber lack the licences and equipment necessary to carry out such activities, and can thereby defraud the treasury, they said. Online access to Uber should suspended until they comply with regulations, they added.

Head of the National Taxi Organisation, Zoltan Metal, said Uber may have a price advantage but it is not legal. The national transport authority stated last year that the activities linked to Uber are unlawful in Hungary, he added. Uber does not have registered employees and the drivers lack relevant tax numbers. According to certain estimates, Uber deprives the treasury of 3 billion forints (EUR 9.52m) each year, he said.

Head of the transport department at the Budapest Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Zoltan Dudas, called Uber “dangerous” because it highlights how income can be made tax-free. He added that once Uber destroys Hungarian businesses services would become much dearer.

Taxi company Fotaxi said it would sign the joint statement issued by taxi professional associations and unions. The company expressed hope that its 1,000-plus employees and 1,000 contracted taxi drivers can rely on laws being applied to all.

The deputy state secretary for taxation at the economy ministry said that Uber drivers could expect more roadside checks, and sanctions against violators will increase. Zoltan Pankucsi told a press conference that practically all Uber drivers failed to meet the regulations and the current sanction is up to 2 million forints.

Taxi drivers continued to demonstrate against Uber in Budapest on Tuesday.

The taxi drivers started their demonstration early on Monday, snarling traffic on a section of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street, a thoroughfare in the city centre. Demonstrators told police they wished to continue the protest until midnight on Wednesday.

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