The work stoppage of taxi drivers ended after the intervention of the Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Giannis Karousou.
In the morning, a meeting was held at the offices of the Road Transport Department in Larnaca, which was attended by the Minister of Transport, the President of the Licensing Authority and the representatives of the taxi drivers.
In his statements, the Minister stated that "the profession of taxi drivers faces many problems and we have shown that we want to upgrade this sector, make it more sustainable and more competitive for the good of all, professionals in the field of tourism and in general of the economy".
That is why, he noted, "and we have launched several initiatives, one of which is the preparation of a relevant bill to combat piracy and an effort to create a bill to reform the taxi sector."
He added that there are regular contacts with the organized groups of the taxi sector in order to "discuss and solve any problems that exist". One of the problems that arose, he added, "is the changes we want to make to the way taxis operate at airports." He noted that "there are some differences, but we are not far from concluding and finalizing the agreement in order to completely change and for the better the way taxis operate at the airport."
The Minister of Transport pointed out that "everyone accepts that there should be transparency, that everyone should have the same share in short and long distances and everyone accepts the way it works with the double ramp".
It remains, he stressed, "to resolve some issues, especially that of how to control who will be responsible and what penalties will exist in case he does not comply with what we have agreed."
Asked whether officials of the Licensing Authority will go to Larnaca airport to undertake to coordinate taxi drivers, the Minister of Transport replied that "together with the President of the Licensing Authority we undertook today that by the end of the week we will submit our final proposal."
As he said, "we are not far from the starting positions, everyone agrees that there should be transparency, that at the end of the month the partition of transfers from the airport should be in about the same numbers and the way of control remains".
We are ready, he continued, "to put staff ourselves to check (the taxi drivers) or even to have a cooperation with the taxi owners".
He said that by the end of the week they will discuss it with the President of the Licensing Authority because the effort is common and they will submit their final proposal. "I believe that we are close to closing this issue, in order to upgrade the service we offer to the visitor but also to have equal competition and equal treatment of taxi drivers," he added.
Mr. Karousos also said that both he personally and the Services of the Ministry of Transport "are always at the disposal of the taxi professionals whenever they need us for any issue and we are by their side".
He added that "this is an area that I personally have as a priority to upgrade" and noted that "there are several cuts, several changes, we have announced for example fixed fares to and from airports while there is excellent cooperation with both the Authority Licenses as well as with the organized ensembles and the bodies of this profession ".
The prospects, said the Minister of Transport, "and the expectations are very high, we will proceed with an exchange of views, listen to the views and suggestions of taxi drivers and go ahead and solve any problems that exist, some of which are not directly related to Ministry of Transport but we have undertaken to transfer the requests to the competent Ministries ".
Among them, he explained, is the extension of bonuses after March, to apply to professional taxi drivers as well as other issues that have been raised before them at today's meeting.
Asked about the bill on piracy, Giannis Karousos replied that "the goal is to have the bill on combating piracy in the taxi sector, in the transport sector, ready within the next three months." This issue, he noted, "is very serious because there are also safety issues, there are issues of viability of the taxi profession, since today there is essentially unequal competition."
He also said that "finding a way to fight piracy is essentially protecting the taxi sector, the professionals working in the sector and making them more sustainable."
However, he said, "there are still safety issues, quality issues, not everyone can own a car and make illegal transports, which at the end of the day, if anything or any accident occurs, may not even be covered by insurance and there are other legal problems. "
For his part, the President of the Licensing Authority, Christos Karas, said that "competent and taxi drivers agree that it is time to modernize the profession, it is time to upgrade the sector. We believe that with their contribution, with the proposals and with the will of the Ministry that exists today, soon there will be a noticeable change in the field of transport and especially in taxi drivers ".
Besides, Panagiotis Kililis, representative of the taxi drivers of Larnaca, Nicosia, Paphos and Famagusta free province, described the meeting they had today with the Minister of Transport and the President of the Licensing Authority as "constructive" and noted that after the Minister's intervention the strike.
We, as taxi drivers, continued "we are very optimistic about the upgrade of the profession, because it seems that at the moment they are in the mood and decisions have been taken by the Ministry and the Licensing Authority for the upgrade of the taxi. We must all help them, stand by them to perform the work that should and is in the interest of the taxi driver ".
He also noted that "with the bill promoted by illegality, which is the biggest evil in our profession, we will solve many problems. Our illegality has taken root and at the moment piracy is over 50% "in relation to professional taxi drivers.