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TV programme: taxi business in central Tallinn under mafia control

02.10.2008, 10:43

Popular Estonian TV programme Pealtnägija has proved that the taxi business in central Tallinn is controlled by mafia, writes Postimees.

The authors of the programme who studied the situation on the taxi market for one month said that the big question is whether the authorities are unable to restore order in the market of taxi services or they don’t want to do that.

Pealtnägija that embedded its own journalist among taxi drivers said that its study shows that the claims made by the Estonian Association of Taxi Drivers that there is no mafia in the taxi business are not true.

Taxi drivers themselves claim that in the most attractive and popular areas in central Tallinn there are at least twelve areas controlled by mafia where only taxi drivers who pay mafia are allowed to wait for customers.

According to rumours, taxi drivers pay the highest fee to mafia for the right to wait on the square in front of Hollywood nightclub in the Old Town. Although there is officially no taxi stop on the square.

Taxi drivers themselves say that these areas are protected by mafia and “unauthorized” taxi drivers could easily have their tires punctured by mobsters or face mugging.

Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Jaanus Mutli said that the city simply has no possibility to take the situation under control. Although he has earlier said that Tallinn has one of Europe’s best taxi services, Mutli admits that problems are real.

“The situation is actually getting worse since last year the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling in which it said that the driver of an unlicenced taxi is not a taxi driver and could not be punished under the public transport law. In essence this ruling legalized illegal taxi service in Tallinn,” said Mutli.

“We can check taxis only when they are standing in taxi stops. If it is moving and has customers then we are not allowed to stop it, only the police. However, the police say that they have other priorities, so there is real danger,” he added.

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"Deputy Mayor of Tallinn Jaanus Mutli said that the city simply has no possibility to take the situation under control."

That is true Deputy Jaanus Mutli. To be more exactly, you are even not able to protect the civil rights of the people, if it's not about killing, right?

Well, I understand that the government made the stupid decision to dry off the police capacities, even if the staff has been already before on a critical low level.

But this status quo is not acceptable for the honest and civilized citizens in this country.

Also I suggest you to clean up the corruption in your own organisation.

For example I think it would be a great idea to check, whom of police workers are also working in nightclubs for private security companies.

From my very own experience, police workers should be also trained more properly and also should now at least the simpliest rules, like that they must identify themself as such.

~knut [06.10.2008, 13:14]

I hope one day Estonians will realise, that corruption is not good to anyone and destabilise the whole environment.

Actually regarding transparency international, Estonia should be not that worse and not have these problems.

Now I know why this is so. No one claims and where no one claims, officially corruption does not exist.

Btw, for you information. If you have been a victim of corruption, then you can consult corruption-free Estonia here:

http://www.transparency.ee/?s=34

~knut [06.10.2008, 12:58]

I have heard about somebody who has was stopped by police because he was crossing the street outside of zebras next to Viru Keskus. That's a priority!!

~ubik [05.10.2008, 23:22]

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