Russia is finding out wars cost money:
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Russian truckers 'march on Moscow' in biggest outbreak of industrial unrest in years
Lorry drivers drive on Moscow after the government would not back down over the introduction of a new road toll
Several trucks stand on the sidelines as another drives past to take part in a demonstration, on the outskirts of Moscow outside Volgograd, Russia Photo: AP
By
Roland Oliphant,Moscow
12:15PM GMT 30 Nov 2015
A cat-and-mouse game was developing on Russia's roads on Monday as police tried to prevent hundreds of long distance lorry drivers converging on Moscow in one of the country's most serious outbreaks of industrial unrest since
Vladimir Putincame to power.
Truckers from across Russia vowed to bring their vehicles to the capital on Monday after the government refused to back down over introduction of a new road toll.
While police managed to intercept dozens of convoys overnight, truckers groups said smaller groups using back roads and maintaining radio silence still hoped to make it through.
A Russian traffic policeman stops a truck driver going in the direction of Moscow to take part in a demonstration Photo: AP
“We’re protesting because we need to feed our families,” said Alexander Lushavin, one of the organisers of the protest. “And add to that what it means for the country: most food in
Russiais transported by road – this extra cost is going to massively drive up food prices for everyone.”
Road side protests broke out three weeks ago when the government introduced a new toll system for heavy goods vehicles called Platon.
Heavy vehicles of 12 tons or more must now pay 1.53 roubles (1.5p) per kilometre driven on federal highways. The tariff is set to raise to 3 roubles and 6 kopecks (about 3p) in March.
Truckers have to either install electronic devices that measure distance travelled on federal roads, or pay in advance after providing a detailed map of their route to the system’s enforcers.
Refusal to pay is subject to a 40,000 rouble fine for self employed drivers or 450,000 rouble fine or trucking companies.
Launched on November 15, the new levy is meant to pay for road building and maintenance, and raised 191 million roubles in its first five days of operation.
But it drew immediate protest from lorry drivers, who say the fee – and especially the fine for not paying – would be crippling.
Truckers have also expressed anger that the company running the system is linked to Igor Rotenburg, the son of Mr Putin’s friend and judo partner Arkady Rotenburg.
A series of demonstrations in dozens of regions has gathered pace in the weeks since. According to Novaya Gazeta, one of few Russian newspapers to cover the protests, by last week a two-column convoy of lorries, stretching tens of miles, was parked on the side of the M29 federal highway in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan.
Russia’s federal roads agency has offered concessions, saying no fines for non-payment have yet been issued and that parliament will pass a bill to slash the size of fines to a more manageable level.
But drivers’ groups have complained government officials have refused to meet with them, and announced last week that they would drive on Moscow if the Kremlin failed to respond to their demands.
Organisers have called for a “legal and peaceful” protest, but some truckers have threatened to blockade of the Moscow ring road, the Russian capital’s equivalent of the M25 and a
crucial transport artery that links most of the country’s major highways.
Organisers were planning to gather lorries at several staging points near Moscow by 6am (8am GMT) on Monday, but police have moved to intercept several convoys approaching the capital overnight.
“They stopped vehicles up to 500 kilometres from Moscow, which is entirely illegal – they were not breaking road rules and simply exercising their right to protest,” Mr Lushavin told the Telegraph on Monday morning.
“We’re now trying to work out how many made it through, then we’ll work out our next move.”
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