Around 70 taxi drivers have been stationed in front of the Brussels parliament since Friday at 13:30, while MEPs call on the Brussels minister of Mobility Pascal Smet on the new taxi plan, said Brussels-Ixelles police spokesman Ilse Van de Keere. Rue du Lombard has been closed to traffic between Rue du Midi and Place Saint-Jean.
This is a spontaneous mobilisation of taxi drivers. President of the Belgian Taxi Federation (FEBeT) Khalid Ed-Denguir said that many drivers want to strengthen the ranks of the protesters but are blocked by the closure of traffic. He points out that there is no place for other cars in the rue du Lombard.
"This mobilisation shows that drivers are demanding a negotiation to discuss the future of the sector", said Khalid Ed-Denguir. "The minister is not aware of the impact of his plan on the workers. According to his plan, he wants to give the drivers rights and we, the bosses, become the bad guys? This plan was made for Uber and was intended to make drivers self-employed and to liberalise the sector."
The Brussels Times
