CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN CONSUMERS' ASSOCIATION OPPOSES CANCELLATION OF YELLOW NUMBER PLATES ON TAXIS
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Armen Poghosyan, chairman of the Armenian
Consumers' Association, speaking Friday at a news conference, voiced
opposition to the traffic police's proposal to replace yellow number
plates on taxis with special certificates.
This proposal was backed by the government-affiliated center
for coordination of laws, but Poghosyan said he finds this idea
illogical and unacceptable, since yellow number plates serve as
excellent evidence of one or another taxi service's legality, while
the certificate that is proposed to be fastened on the back window
of the car is not clearly visible.
He also finds everyday technical fitness and medical examinations
unfeasible, but thinks regular examinations, at least twice a month,
are necessary.
The bill also implies tougher penalties for providing transportation
services without a license - wrongdoers must be fined AMD 20,000 to
AMD 50,000.
Gevorg Dosturyan, head of the Civil Position nongovernmental
organization, speaking at the same news conference, said that
replacement of yellow number plates with certificates will leave room
for forging the certificates easily.
"The traffic police department has not solved the problem of illegal
taxis yet, but it is already coming up with a new initiative,
which will create larger room for illegal passenger transportation
businesses," he said.
According to the Armenian Consumers' Association, there are 15,000
taxis in Armenia, the nulk of which work in Yerevan. Of them, 30%
have no licenses.
There are some 9,000 licensed taxis in Armenia now. Of them, 7,000
belong to 500 taxi services.
The bill will be considered by the government within the next few
weeks and if approved, it will be sent to the National Assembly. The
changes will come into effect six months after they are passed in
the parliament. -0-
YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Armen Poghosyan, chairman of the Armenian
Consumers' Association, speaking Friday at a news conference, voiced
opposition to the traffic police's proposal to replace yellow number
plates on taxis with special certificates.
This proposal was backed by the government-affiliated center
for coordination of laws, but Poghosyan said he finds this idea
illogical and unacceptable, since yellow number plates serve as
excellent evidence of one or another taxi service's legality, while
the certificate that is proposed to be fastened on the back window
of the car is not clearly visible.
He also finds everyday technical fitness and medical examinations
unfeasible, but thinks regular examinations, at least twice a month,
are necessary.
The bill also implies tougher penalties for providing transportation
services without a license - wrongdoers must be fined AMD 20,000 to
AMD 50,000.
Gevorg Dosturyan, head of the Civil Position nongovernmental
organization, speaking at the same news conference, said that
replacement of yellow number plates with certificates will leave room
for forging the certificates easily.
"The traffic police department has not solved the problem of illegal
taxis yet, but it is already coming up with a new initiative,
which will create larger room for illegal passenger transportation
businesses," he said.
According to the Armenian Consumers' Association, there are 15,000
taxis in Armenia, the nulk of which work in Yerevan. Of them, 30%
have no licenses.
There are some 9,000 licensed taxis in Armenia now. Of them, 7,000
belong to 500 taxi services.
The bill will be considered by the government within the next few
weeks and if approved, it will be sent to the National Assembly. The
changes will come into effect six months after they are passed in
the parliament. -0-