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Transport Companies Want to Postpone Road Toll By Six Months
Monday 28 December 2009 Zoom in | Print page
Zvolen, December 28 (TASR) - Some 150 Slovak transport companies have called on the Transport, Post and Telecommunications Ministry to postpone the launch of the electronic road-toll system from January 1 to July 2010, Jaroslav Polacek from firm Fura told TASR at a meeting of transport companies in Zvolen (Banska Bystrica region) on Monday.
"We'd like to put off the introduction of the electronic road-toll system to July 1, 2010, as the system is not ready yet," said Polacek.
The transport companies have also asked for a meeting with Transport, Potsts and Telecommunications Minister Lubomir Vazny (a Smer-SD nominee). "We'd like to discuss this issue with him on Wednesday (December 30) and we're calling on all transport companies to come on down to Freedom Square in Bratislava (the address at which the ministry is located) and support us," announced Polacek.
According to him, the transport companies haven't had enough time to make sufficient preparations. The regulation regarding electronic toll came into effect on October 15 and the complete set of information is still lacking to date.
Another problem represents the banker's guarantee, which is mandatory for every transport company willing to register into the system. "That's convenient for all domestic transport companies," said Polacek. He added, however, that the banker's guarantee takes certain time for a bank to approve.
Polacek estimates total installation work costs per vehicle to be in the area of €800. "For instance, 10 vehicles amount to €8,000. What transport company can secure all this from October 15 by December over the holidays? The company needs to provide for its employees, pay the social insurance, the salaries. The installation works represent an extra work, and not an easy one at that," said Polacek.
The Transport, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry representatives haven't commented on the issue yet, for they received no official letter of complaint or request from the companies. "After this happens, we'll make our stance," said ministry spokesman Stanislav Jurikovic.
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