Monday, April 15, 2019

Slovakia Notebook: Communism's Central-Planning Mindset Dogs Europe Still

Thirty years ago, I traveled throughout Europe reporting on the fall of Communism for the Wall Street Journal.

So this year I looked forward to retracing my steps in the countries that kicked central planning to the curb.

I then saw that the recommended local taxi companies were nowhere to be seen in the taxi ranks.

The taxi driver took my bags and turned on the meter, which registered a starting fare of three euros.

Since April 1 of this year, the taxi app Bolt Taxify has seen 80 percent of it drivers leave the service - after regulations started requiring their drivers to meet stiffer standards.

As a Slovak commentator on TripAdvisor warns: "You might end up paying 50 euros for a 2 to 3 mile trip. These 'so called' taxi drivers have very bad reputation, work as a cartel, and don't even let regular honest taxi drivers pick up the customers" at the airport or train stations.

Lucia Rakayova, a local Slovakian businesswoman, tells me she has railed for years at the taxi cartel.


https://www.nationalreview.com/2019/04/slovakia-communist-central-planning-mindset/

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