The associations involved in the taxi-driver protests on Wednesday are unanimous in condemning President Armengol and transport minister Marc Pons for not meeting them on the day. The associations were told that this was because of previous engagements, but they believe that they were snubbed and that the government showed what it thought of the taxi sector.
According to the associations' leaders, they had asked to meet President Armengol in a request that was sent at the end of January. They have been told by the Consolat de la Mar that no proof of such a request can be found.
There was, though, another meeting yesterday at the transport ministry, which the associations didn't expect to go on very long. "Our attitude is to listen, but if they are going to say more of then same, then we will get up and leave." The main outcome of the meeting was the announcement of further protest action on 6 March.
The associations are also saying that there is a great deal of opacity when they are demanding maximum transparency. Biel Moragues, the most prominent of the associations' leaders, says that the government keeps changing the content of the project to please some and others. "This is why we are not going to accept the changes. The taxi drivers are indignant, and anything could happen from now until the summer."