Skopje, 27 November 2024 (MIA) — The protest of Skopje's private bus drivers will continue on Thursday, after they stopped providing bus service to the city's commuters Wednesday afternoon over the Skopje City council's refusal to consider their appeal to raise bus fares, MIA has learned.

According to Jovica Zafirovski, who spoke to MIA on behalf of private bus drivers who operate some bus routes, all their buses will remain parked until further notice.

On Monday, private bus drivers stepped in to alleviate the public transit crisis in the capital, which resulted from the city's public bus service operator, JSP, not being able to procure fuel.

All but 25 city buses stopped running last Thursday. 

The government, at an emergency session, decided to allocate seven days' of fuel from state reserves to the public city bus operator. The Skopje City council welcomed the government’s decision, urging mutual talks to solve the capital's public transit problem.

On Wednesday, council chair Trajko Slaveski said the private bus drivers' request had been submitted too late to be considered at their Wednesday session.

He also said Skopje Mayor Danela Arsovska needed to review their request before the council could put it to a vote. mr/