BRATISLAVA, July 29, (WEBNOVINY) — Interior Minister Daniel Lipsic has ordered an inspection into police actions against hauliers in January and February who were protesting against the e-toll collection system that was launched in Slovakia at the beginning of the year. Lipsic made this decision based on the serious information he has received, he stated after a meeting with representatives of hauliers. “Police always has to stand on the side of decent people. Hauliers, who protested against unjust toll, were decent people. Police have to protect them not harass them under various pretexts,” Lipsic stated.
This is not only about hauliers, stated civil activist Lucia Janovic, who also met with the minister today. The situation also concerns citizens, who joined the protest and expressed their opinion this way. She estimated that this concerned approximately 1,000 cases and added that many people have already paid fines. Lipsic stated that under his leadership at the interior department, no one will be persecuted by any component of the police for expressing a personal opinion. “Hauliers were in the right, even in the form they chose, since the toll system was unjust in the way it was prepared and performed,” the minister emphasized.
Hauliers started their protest against e-toll collection system in January. It spread from Bratislava to the majority of county towns and cities. In the capital city they paralyzed the Roznavska Road where discontent hauliers were prevented from leaving for several days by the police. The strike also repeated in February; however, police acted more vigorously and fined drivers who blocked roads or were driving too slowly. The police were taking away or intimidating some drivers without explanation, according to hauliers who associated in the Union of Slovak Motor Carriers (UNAS). Hauliers finally managed to fight out some concessions from the state, apart from other things the excise tax on diesel was reduced and particular measured sections of roads were made shorter.
SITA