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Free press
The third day in Dagestan fighters of Regardie and Riot police block hundreds of truckers protesting against the system “Platon” in the village of Manas. The drivers had intended to go to the rally to Makhachkala.
So who burned the trucks?
All-Russian action of protest against the introduction of the “Plato” was launched in Russia on Monday, 27 March. It was organized by the Association of carriers of Russia and the interregional trade Union of drivers-professionals (MPVP). According to them, the most active protest in Dagestan, where in the boycott attended by more than 90% of heavy vehicles.
An exaggeration, given that, according to the official Rostransnadzora, the Republic was 110 thousand trucks (of which 31 thousand – carrying capacity over 12 tons, on them and is subject to the “Plato”). Still a lot, according to various estimates, up to two thousand trucks gathered at Manas.
During the previous campaign, which took place in November 2015, Dagestan was also one of the “protest” of the regions. Recall that this region is bordering with Azerbaijan, and a huge number of people earn on the transit of goods. One of the protesters, the driver of Alamagordo Rustam, said that managed to completely block the movement of trucks from Azerbaijan and back. The drivers starting Monday, stopped servicing transportation: their cars are either near roads or in garages.
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Those drivers who, in spite of the boycott, yet continue to go out on the road, their colleagues act tough. Truckers spread in social networks photos in which – several trucks Man, Daf and Mercedes with Azeri license plates… and broken windshields, and one is a middle of the road burned (the number value). A very eloquent reminder for those who decided to ignore the boycott.
After the video of the Azerbaijan newspaper reported that was attacked the trucks that are accompanied by cars of traffic police followed the territory of Dagestan from Azerbaijan (in the direction of the Central regions of Russia). And supposedly at the hands of Dagestani drivers injured more than 30 cars. How many trucks were actually burnt, and has remained a mystery. For some reason, on this account remained silent and the Dagestani interior Ministry.
While the truckers claim that their machines were affected. Broken four trucks, and that despite this heavy guard.
Artillery of the people’s Republic
Gathered from different parts of Dagestan (including Manas, Kizilyurt, Kizlyar, Khasavyurt), on Tuesday, the truckers made a run on the highway ring around Makhachkala. Then most of them went back to the village of Manas, where at the roundabout of the highway R-217 “Caucasus” and organized protesters Parking their cars.
At a meeting with protesters has arrived the Deputy Minister of transport, energy and communications of Dagestan Jakub Hudjaev, which addressed the drivers and asked them to find a group of 10-15 people together with officials of the government of Dagestan to formulate specific requirements for Moscow. Truckers demanded that the Deputy Minister to the meetings of the working group in the government were definitely the crew of “First channel”.
The protesters, despite official exhortations, refused to disperse from Manas. Moreover, the number of participants (court posted daily in social networks video) only grew: they were joined by drivers from Buynaksk, Levashinsky, Khasavyurt area of Republic.
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Finally, on Friday, March 31, they were going to run a convoy from Manas to Makhachkala on the highway “Caucasus”. To prevent this action, on Friday morning for a meeting with the drivers from the capital of Dagestan arrived the Vice-Premier of the Republican government Shamil Isaev, acting Minister of transport, energy and communications Arslan Arslanov and head of Rostransnadzor NCFD by Murtazali Murtazaliyev. The first person in the Republic on the situation at all for all time did not respond.
Truckers put forward specific requirements: to reduce the number of weight points on the roads, reduce the vehicle tax and fuel excise duties, to increase the validity of the cards, access to international transport. As soon as the officials left the protesters, as protesters took in a dense ring arrived in Manas armed employees of Regardie and Riot police. To the place of action was contracted armored vehicles, and over the village, circled a military helicopter.
Fear caught in social networks
“No threats in our address is not received. Riot police lined up along the road from two sides at a distance of approximately two meters from the cars, not allowing them to leave the track and not letting the us cars, which descend from the mountains to join the strike. Yesterday drove a lot of military equipment,” – says one of the participants Ruslan Magomedov.
According to the Deputy head of Association of carriers of Ukraine (ODA) Sergey Vladimirov, under the Manas security forces blocked more than a thousand cars and over two thousand drivers. On behalf of the Association Vladimirov appealed to all political forces and human rights organizations of Russia with the requirement to prevent massive bloodshed in Manas.
Unlikely, of course, that it would come to this: Vladimirov obviously exaggerating, increasing the degree of protest. Appeared in social networks and other “horror stories”, claiming that protesters in Manas completely blocked mobile communication (however, if it is not clear how regularly have you a video of the action captured on camera phones), and from the neighboring Stavropol region, the transfer of heavy armor.
However, to rule out the worst case scenario today is also impossible. “Drove – well done! Keep it up! The systemic crisis in Russia will bring to the streets all the new people. Regardie dare to shoot at unarmed?! Come on, try it, this is not the protests of the intelligentsia with white balloons and ribbons,” said the former Deputy of the State Duma from “Fair Russia” Gennady Gudkov.
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It is symbolical that simultaneously with the protests of truckers at Manas in the Republic’s capital protested the market vendors. People brought to the streets occurred on March 31, a fire in the largest market “Dielectronic”, in which dozens people were left without work and livelihood. Demanding from the authorities of Makhachkala guarantees of support, several hundred people blocked the Central Avenue Gamidov. They parted only when negotiations with the protesters on the spot had the mayor Musa Musayev.
Even more symbolic that immediately after the conversation with the market traders Musaev went to a meeting with interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, who has arrived to Dagestan. The details of the visit are not reported, stubby press-service only to realize that he appreciated “the operational situation in the region.” And she, needless to say, breath-taking!
Now the truckers promise of a meeting with deputies of the state Duma, so they can negotiate with them about their problems.