Konaković Approves Crime: Sarajevo Taxi Members Charge 40 Euros from the Airport to Baščaršija

It is an open secret that taxi transport in Sarajevo Canton is a web of politics, lobbying, and the principle of the strong dominating the weak. It is increasingly being said in Sarajevo circles that the informal boss of Sarajevo taxi drivers is the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Elmedin Konaković. The Sarajevo Taxi Association, headed by Enver Suljagić, has 950 members, although according to the records of the Ministry of Transport, there are 758 individuals performing taxi transport, writes the Patria agency.

In Sarajevo Canton, there are seven registered legal entities engaged in taxi transport. They have a total of 95 vehicles. Taxi transport is performed by Crveni taxi (40 vehicles), Samir i Emir (27), Paja taxi (15), Kale taxi (5), Holand Company (4), Adin&Benjo (2), RHR (2). Although some of these companies requested additional supplementary license plates from the Ministry, their request was not granted.

All the taxi drivers we spoke with state that a monopoly has been introduced in taxi transport in Sarajevo by individuals from the Ministry of Transport and even the Prime Minister Konaković himself. They cite the example that supplementary license plates were mostly given to individuals, even though legal entities also submitted requests.

- Well, you have constant complaints about the work of taxi drivers from Sarajevo Taxi. They charge 40 euros from the Airport to Baščaršija. Why doesn't the Prime Minister see that and sanction it? – says one taxi driver.

A special story concerns licenses, of which there is a certain number, given that according to the law on taxi transport, there is one taxi vehicle per 700 inhabitants. Practice shows that Sarajevo needs an additional number of taxi vehicles. The purchase and sale of licenses has become a real business. Prices range up to 100,000 KM. Another problem is the inheritance of licenses. Taxi drivers believe that after a taxi driver retires, the license should be taken over by the Ministry and then awarded based on a public call so that all interested parties have an equal right to become taxi transporters. However, it is obvious that such a form of transparency does not suit the Ministry of Transport.

Precisely because of this method of awarding supplementary license plates and the „circulation“ of licenses, individuals are forced to register their business in another canton and work illegally in Sarajevo. In no way do we justify illegal work, but it is high time that everyone who wants to work is given the right to do so if they meet the conditions.

That something urgently needs to change in Sarajevo's taxi transport is also shown by the frequent complaints of tourists and citizens. Thus, there are numerous examples when taxi drivers from Sarajevo Taxi do not want to drive from Ilidža to the city because of traffic, or they refuse shorter routes because they lose their place at the stand. It is obvious that they themselves do not respect the law in force, which in Article 9 states when they can refuse transport:

- A taxi driver may refuse transport in cases if the person is under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants; if the person or their luggage is so dirty that it could damage or dirty the interior of the vehicle or the luggage is so bulky that it cannot fit in the luggage compartment; if the person requests transport of a pet; if the final destination of the transport is not within the Canton; if transport is requested to a destination that cannot be reached due to force majeure.

Likewise, the law stipulates that if the taxi driver does not turn on the taximeter at the start of the ride, you are not obliged to pay for the transport.

- The taxi driver is obliged, upon completion of the ride, to issue a receipt to the passenger for the transport service provided – states the law.

However, there is no one at the airport to warn tourists of their rights. Although Prime Minister Konaković is trying to „organize“ the tourism sector in Sarajevo Canton, thus placing his friend Nermin Muzur at the head of the Tourist Board, it remains unclear why he does nothing to prevent the robbing of tourists and the illegal behavior of Sarajevo taxi drivers. Numerous guests who will visit the Bosnian capital on the occasion of the 23rd edition of the Sarajevo Film Festival, and who are already arriving in Bosnia and Herzegovina, will also face this problem.

Ajnadžić gave Sarajevo Taxi 200,000 KM

In May of this year, the Mayor of the Centar municipality, Nedžad Ajnadžić, approved 200,000 KM for the Sarajevo Taxi Association to establish a Service for the Transport of Injured and Affected Population in the event of a natural or other disaster. The Association confirmed to Patria that the formation of the Service is underway, with a deadline of one year.

The Association committed to determining the personal formation of the Service according to the obligation and scope of work, filling it with appropriate professional staff, determining the material formation of the Service which should include all means and equipment by type and quantity necessary for the Service to efficiently perform all protection and rescue tasks within its competence. The Association also committed to regularly conducting training for Service members to enable them to efficiently, correctly, and fully perform all tasks and duties, and to plan and implement all preventive protection measures within its regular activities. The Service receives orders from the Municipal Headquarters, and all equipment is owned by the Centar Municipality.

In the explanation of this decision, Mayor Ajnadžić said that „they assessed that this is the best way to try to react quickly in emergency situations with their infrastructure.“

After this decision, stories emerged in the corridors that Mayor Ajnadžić was thus returning a favor to the Sarajevo Taxi Association, which helped Ajnadžić during the last election campaign. The largest number of members of this Association are from the area of the Centar Municipality.

Another question is whether this money could have been spent in a better and more useful way.