Bulgaria Launches Investigation Against Uber's 'Illegal Practices'

The Ministry of Transport has launched secret inspections of the cars used by electronic joint travel service Uber.

Employees of the ministry will be used as secret customers and thus will be able to establish if any violations to the Bulgarian law are being committed. If so, the clues found will be then submitted to courts as proofs of illegal services provided on the part of the company, as reported by Trud daily.

This allegedly has been deemed the only way of gathering the necessary information that can serve as a valid proof in court.

Over a month ago the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office ordered that more information is gathered on the reported statement that the company has been operating in Bulgaria without a license.

The signal was submitted to the court by competing taxi companies that claimed to have been negatively affected by unregulated competition on the market. Taxi drivers have even threatened that they are willing to stage protests against the company's activities in Bulgaria. 

Currently, the State Agency Automobile Administration to the Transport Ministry, as well as directorates to the Ministry of the Interior and the State Income agency (NAP).

Difficulties have been encountered in the process of the investigation as inspectors have been stopping taxis on suspicions that they are illegally providing a service, but passengers have been denying having paid to the driver.

Meanwhile, an MP from the socialist party BSP Georgi Kadiev has started gathering information on the case and preparing a law amendment that would legalize services like Uber in Bulgaria.

Uber, on the other hand, announced last week that Bulgaria is among its fastest growing markets and that the company has no intention of stopping its services. 

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!