As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Association of Croatian Bus Carriers (UHAP) is still not remotely satisfied with the approach being taken by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure to the amendments to the Law on Road Transport and demands market liberalisation.
They pointed out that the public bus transport market in Croatia has not been liberalised, nor is it in line with European Union (EU) regulations. While almost all other member states have opened up their markets for the benefit of the population, the aforementioned ministry has not yet made a concrete move in the same direction for Croatian bus companies, according to UHAP.
According to them, there is a group of carriers operating in the Republic of Croatia who persistently want to maintain the current situation and “use the opportunity to get money for public service work without a public tender under”. If the liberalisation of the market for Croatian bus companies is not carried out, the Transport Ministry will continue to be under the attack of various sorts of blackmail, the association pointed out.
“Cabotage, which makes up only 1% of the Croatian market, cannot be the only major focus of changes within the law, without working on other segments as well,” stated the president of the association, Kresimir Cumbrek, who emphasised the fact that the recently carried out IPSOS research confirmed that more 80 percent of citizens want an open and free market for Croatian bus companies with better service and more competitive, cheaper ticket prices.
“It’s already more than clear as day to them that free, fair and greater competition will bring them lower prices, better service, a larger offer, and more jobs,” Cumbrek concluded.
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