Taxi drivers strike over the planned installment of cash registers

Yesterday's taxi drivers protest gainst the governments plans to introduce cash registers in taxis from the beginning of 2004, failed to paralyze Warsaw, instead only hindering the progress of traffic in several major streets in the city center. According to the organizers of the strike, more than 3.000 taxis took part in the demonstration but police claim there was only 2.000 vehicles. The police managed to prevent the paralysis in the city breaking the line of taxis into small groups. Taxi drivers submitted a petition in the Finance Ministry in which they reiterated their demand to lift the future obligation of installing the cash registers. The protest proceeded in a peaceful manner except for a group of youngsters who threw eggs at the protesters. In the afternoon, the drivers blocked Świętokrzyska street. A delegation of the protesters went to the Sejm and the President but they were denied admission. Another protest is due to take place today. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A7) A.Z.