UNM initiates to boycott Yandex Taxi
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, August 30
A member of the parliamentary opposition United National Movement (UNM) party and ex-head of Georgia’s National Bank, Roman Gotsiridze, has appealed to the public not to use Russia’s Yandex Taxi service in Tbilisi, as Yandex indicates that Georgia’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are independent republics.
“We shouldn’t call for this service; drivers shouldn’t be involved in the system and the company will not be able to stay in Georgia if we don’t fund it,” Gotsiridze said.
Gotsiridze says that taxis are one of the cheapest services in Georgia, which he believes is due to‘freedom’ and a ‘high rate of concurrence’.
“However, quality is a different aspect which must be improved,” the UNM member added.
Russia’s Yandex Taxi Service entered the Georgian market in January this year.
Tengiz Veliani, Yandex Taxi’s regional manager, said they knew that Yandex’s map with Georgian de-facto regions listed as independent republics would be a problem.
“The Yandex Taxi Service, which is part of the Yandex company, has already changed Abkhazia and Tskhinvali to being labelled as Georgian regions. However, the Yandex company map still maintains the independent status for the regions as the company’s headquarters is in Russia and Russia recognizes Abkhazia and Tskhinvali as independent republics,” Veliani said.
He added that correcting the company’s map would be “quite complicated.”
Veliani stated the Yandex Taxi had negotiations with six local taxi companies and promised a high –level taxi fleet and service, as well as the protection of ecological norms.
