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Toll System to Change, Hauliers Considering Halting Protests
Monday 11 January 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, January 11 (TASR) - After less than two weeks in operation, the newly-introduced toll-collection system will undergo changes. The tariffed road sections on the so-called first-class roads will be divided into smaller parts, which will raise their number from the current 826 to 1,068. Meanwhile, sections will be free for hauliers.
That's the decision announced by Prime Minister Robert Fico after meeting representatives of employers, Unions, transporters, Slovnaft refinery and the ministries of finance and transportation on Monday.
This means that between January 14-31 hauliers - who have been protesting against chaotic road-toll system for five days now - needn't pay for using first-class roads. However, Fico underlined that this will not apply to motorways and highways.
Representatives of the Slovak Road Transporters Association (CESMAD) see this temporary measure as compensation for the practice so far - which, among other things, they criticise for its chaotic tariffing format.
Since the launch of the system on January 1, they had to pay for longer sections than they used. This triggered protests during which they blocked several important traffic arteries into Bratislava, and the protest was still going on as the talks wrapped up.
Another amendment to the system will be marking the tariffed sections of first-class roads on the spots where the sections start and end. This should be secured by the National Highway Company (NDS) by the end of June.
However, the premier did not meet with the Slovak Road Transporters Union (UNAS), which organised the blockade protest. "I repeatedly asked them to stop violating the law," said Fico, referring to the blockade on Roznavska Street and lorry-jammed roads in other cities across Slovakia.
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