The transport industry is preparing for protests, reports BNR.
The reason is the serious difficulties it is experiencing from the drastic increase in fuel prices.
The companies in the sector claim that they are being put on the brink, and the lack of state support is leading to serious tension among carriers. They expect measures to be taken in their support next week, news.bg pointed out.
Some of the transport companies have started organizing protest actions, discussing the suspension of transportation and putting employees on unpaid leave. Bulgarian carriers are already losing their positions on the international market and therefore insist on taking urgent and adequate measures.
This is the last call that the sector is making, warned the executive director of the Chamber of Road Carriers in Bulgaria Dimitar Dimitrov.
"We are actually holding meetings and talks, but the result is questionable and a bit doubtful at the moment. We are aware of the situation we are in with regard to the caretaker cabinet, with regard to the extended budget. That is why we have proposed measures that we believe will work in a similar situation and which are applied in other European countries, so we see no reason for the government to delay so much with their announcement," he noted.
As an urgent measure, Dimitrov highlighted the need to introduce the so-called transport tax credit, which will provide immediate liquidity to companies. The proposal includes the creation of a protected platform through which part of the fuel costs can be used to cover tax and social security obligations:
"According to the Italian model, where based on fuel costs and under certain criteria, carriers receive funds with which they can reduce their obligations to the state in terms of social security contributions, VAT and other taxes. I hope that within the next week, early to mid-week, we will have announced specific measures with budgets and that steps will be taken towards their implementation," explained Dimitrov.
The industry also wants targeted support for the bus sector, including for non-subsidized lines, so that there is no social tension.