Tbilisi taxi drivers announce protest over tariffs, working conditions

Taxi drivers in Tbilisi are planning a large-scale protest today, demanding the regulation of tariffs and improved working conditions.

According to the organizers, the demonstration will begin at 2 p.m., with participating vehicles departing from central Republic Square and heading toward Tbilisi International Airport.

Drivers say the protest is aimed at pressuring both Tbilisi City Hall and major taxi companies – particularly app-based services like Bolt – to address their concerns over falling fares and what they describe as deteriorating labor conditions.

One protester said that the group had already made an impact by disrupting operations at the airport. “We are on strike, in fact, we have paralyzed Bolt and the Bolt application at the airport”, he claimed.

The same driver criticized the current pricing structure, noting that fares from the city center to the airport have dropped to just 18 GEL (approximately 6 USD). “There is no country in the world where taking a passenger to the airport costs 6 dollars. The state should intervene and meet with the Bolt administration, take into account our demands,” he added.

Organizers have not ruled out the possibility of further actions that could paralyze traffic across the city if their demands are not met.