Transport Ministry Continues Talks with UNAS as Hauliers Prepare to Protest

Bratislava, May 20 (TASR) - The Transport Ministry is continuing negotiations with transport operators, aiming to find a balance between their demands and the state's capabilities in response to a statement made by the Union of Slovak Road Hauliers (UNAS) on Sunday (18 May) in which it said that it will launch protests over unsuccessful negotiations with various ministries, while calling for reduced tax and fee burdens on hauliers. "The Transport Ministry is in continuous negotiations with representatives of UNAS. We plan to organise another round of talks shortly, and we hope that UNAS will accept the ministry's arguments. We'll certainly strive to find a balance between the demands of the carriers and the capabilities of the state," said ministry spokeswoman Petra Polacikova. UNAS hasn't yet specified the time and location of any protests. However, it's expected to focus on the transaction tax, the method of categorising vehicles for toll rates, and the toll rates themselves. The hauliers also intend to protest against what they consider to be the state's inefficient handling of public funds. "This results in the need for drastic measures to consolidate the state budget, which severely affects hauliers and, consequently, ordinary people as well," said UNAS chairman Stanislav Skala. lin/df