Taxi drivers and operators are prepared to take lawful protest action following the decisions made on September 24 concerning access to bus lanes and an update to taxi fares in Sofia, according to a joint position the Bulgarian News Agency has received from the Union Taxi, the Еurореаn Confederation of Taxi Chambers, Associations and Unions, and the European Center for Transport Policy.
The organizations noted that, within a single day, the parliamentary Committee on Transport and Communications rejected a proposal allowing taxis to use bus lanes and the Sofia Municipal Council approved a 5.3% increase in the minimum and maximum taxi fares. Neither decision is in line with the proposals put forward by the taxi industry organizations, they added.
According to the position, the decision on fares was taken despite objections from the industry regarding the calculation of the fuel component and calls for the agreed methodology to be applied correctly.
“The taxi industry feels deceived, betrayed, and disadvantaged,” the three organizations said.
They noted that for years, drivers, operators, and their representatives have participated in meetings, committees, and public consultations, submitted positions, and proposed regulatory and organizational solutions. According to them, the institutional dialogue so far has failed to produce the expected results.
The organizations are now expected to discuss the nature, scale, and timing of any potential protest action. The position does not specify a date for a protest.
“Our goal is not confrontation but a genuine and productive dialogue in which the proposals of the taxi industry are considered on their merits, transparently, and with equal treatment of drivers and operators,” the organizaions said.
Late on Thursday, the Committee on Transport and Communications voted three in favor and four against, with 15 abstentions, to reject at first reading a bill submitted by MP Ivo Mihaylov and a group of lawmakers that would allow taxis to use bus lanes while carrying passengers, unless explicitly prohibited by road signs or markings. Earlier that day, the Sofia Municipal Council voted 35-6, with five abstentions, to increase taxi fares for passenger transport within the Sofia Municipality by 5.3%, effective January 1, 2027.
Taxi Organizations Warn of Protest Action over Bus Lane Access, Fare Increase THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-09-25 08:07:07
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