APOTA threatens protests over Moldova transport reforms

The Patronal Association of Road Transport Operators (APOTA) has threatened protests in front of the Government and the EU Delegation in Chișinău if the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development (MIDR) proceeds with proposed reforms to the Road Transport Code.

In an open letter to Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, APOTA accuses the ministry of using the transposition of European Union legislation as a cover to promote group interests and corruption schemes. The association identifies three primary concerns: the potential for operators to lose existing authorizations through reduced or canceled terms, the imposition of administrative minimum vehicle capacity requirements for inter-regional routes that may not reflect actual passenger flow, and a pilot program in two specific districts that APOTA claims would benefit a single entity already possessing the necessary infrastructure.

APOTA demands that EU regulations, specifically Regulation No. 1370, be transposed in a concomitant and harmonized manner alongside a thorough impact assessment. While the MIDR has rejected these accusations, stating the project aims to modernize the sector and improve service quality without redistributing routes, the transport operators maintain that the current proposal risks forcing many businesses out of operation.