The private bus operators, who are protesting by blocking the "Ilinden" boulevard in Skopje, after not receiving an answer to the request for a meeting with the mayor of Skopje Danela Arsovska, yesterday asked to be received by the Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski.

On the other hand, the Vice Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Fatmir Bitici, spoke against taking away the competences of the City of Skopje for bus transport in the capital, assessing that this would mean going back 20 years in the decentralization process and would be detrimental not only to the citizens, but and the overall functioning of the system.

The representative of the association of private carriers "Sloboda Vraviz", Qemal Muric, said yesterday that in conditions where they do not have an answer from the mayor of Skopje Danela Arsovska to their request for a meeting, they hope to be accepted for a conversation by Prime Minister Kovacevski, which would be discussed about the current situation with city public transport. If the meeting does not take place, according to him, it is possible to radicalize the protests.

- We don't know when we will be called. It is up to them, depending on the Prime Minister's commitments. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if they hadn't called us. Most likely, there will be a radicalization of the protests, but for that, the coordinating body of the private carriers should meet beforehand and agree on further steps, Muric pointed out, adding that the city authorities do not show any interest in trying to solve the situation.

Representatives of the private bus carriers yesterday held a meeting with acting the president of the Alliance for Albanians, Arben Taravari, who said that it is necessary to find a solution to their problem and that the Government should engage more seriously in this case.

– We are concerned about the situation. It is about more than 500 families who have been protesting by blocking streets for several days. This is not a solution. The state capital is blocked. I am concerned that the mayor does not communicate with them at all, and a solution needs to be found and a solution must be found. I agree with one proposal they made, possibly to revoke her credentials and for the Government to engage seriously in this direction. It makes no sense not to pay for five months and to reach such a level, not to sit down and talk with them, said Taravari.

In relation to the requests to take away the competences of the City of Skopje for public transport by the Government, Vice Prime Minister Bitici said yesterday in response to a journalist's question that the Government is always there for the citizens, but that the problem with private bus carriers should be solved by the city authorities.

According to him, the possible revocation of the authorities of the city authorities would represent going back 20 years in the process of decentralization and entering into essential and systemic changes to the detriment not only of the citizens of Skopje, but also of the entire functioning of the system.

- Public transport in the City of Skopje is under the authority of the City of Skopje and by law. I believe that the City of Skopje should dare and finally sit down to solve the problem. If it is not possible, we have proven that we are always here for the citizens. We have solved the problem with heat energy, we are solving the problem with electricity in the whole country, and maybe we will already enter into negotiations, but then it will mean something else - is it also taking away powers for the City of Skopje, entering into essential and systemic changes, no I know, because it is to the detriment not only of the citizens of the city of Skopje, but also to the overall functioning of the system, said Bitici, adding that no one is harmed by the talks.

The private carriers from "Sloboda Avvoriz" and "Makexpress" started a blockade of the capital on November 28, when with about 30 buses at the intersection near TC "Mavrovka", i.e. "Goce Delchev" and "Krste Petkov Misirkov" boulevards, they demanded to be debts paid off so they can start working again.

After there was no result, on December 5 of this year, private carriers with about 200 buses set up blockades at several main points in Skopje, that is, at the intersections in front of TC Mavrovka, Crven Krst, as well as "Ilinden" boulevard. On Friday, they unblocked the intersections near Mavrovka and the Red Cross and remained to protest only on Blvd. "Ilinden" in the vicinity of the City of Skopje.

Yesterday, the private bus carriers called the citizens to visit their buses with which they blocked the "Ilinden" boulevard.

– Anyone who wants to bring their child or grandchild, to see the inside of the buses, to sit in the driver's seat, to blow the horns of the buses, to hold the steering wheel in their hands, to feel like a bus driver... you are welcome, and all this will be supervised by a person in charge of supervision in your presence, said the association of private carriers "Sloboda prevoz", stating that they are in front of the headquarters of the City of Skopje 24 hours a day, and the best time to visit is from 9 a.m. to 17 p.m. .