Bus drivers protest to demand relaunch of public transport (PHOTOS)

Nearly 300 Ukrainian bus drivers and small business entrepreneurs held a rally on May 13 in front of the Cabinet of Ministers.

They parked their buses on European Square to demand the government allow the relaunch of public transportation and ease lockdown measures introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Demonstrators held up posters which read “Why does transport work in Europe but not in Ukraine?”, “The economy doesn’t work without transport”, “We need jobs” and more.

This wasn’t the first business protest against the quarantine.

On May 6, around 200 Ukrainian entrepreneurs took part in a protest called “Government into Quarantine!” in central Kyiv. The demonstrators demanded that the government provide support for small businesses and ease quarantine restrictions introduced in March.

On May 2, nearly 100 restaurant owners and other protesters set up tables and served food outside the President’s Office during a rally organized to demand the government allow restaurants in Ukraine to resume table service at outdoor terraces during the quarantine.

And, on April 29, several hundred small business owners gathered outside the Cabinet of Ministers building, demanding more government support, equal working conditions for all companies and an easing of Ukraine’s coronavirus lockdown.

The government heeded their call. On May 4, it announced that it would prolong the quarantine until May 22, but would ease restrictions and allow a number of types of businesses to reopen after May 11. The government openly admitted that this was a concession to the business community.