Penza, 23 November 2015. PenzaNews. Over 130 long haul truckers took part in another public rally in protest against the federal road toll system Platon. The protest was held by the main entrance of the Penza Olimpiysky park in the afternoon of Monday, November 23.

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Unlike the protesters that had gathered at the Dzerzhinsky public garden on Thursday, November 19, the people did not have any big banners with slogans. However, some were holding letter-sized sheets of paper reading “Toll Roads – Rising Prices” and “No to Platon.”

Some of the people who joined the protest also carried CPRF flags.

Olga Rudakova, individual entrepreneur, was the first to address the people.

She thanked those who found an opportunity to join the rally, and said it is a part of a large protest campaign throughout Russia.

“The State Duma already held the hearings on canceling or delaying this Platon project for three years. Practically, the majority was for canceling the law with a three-vote majority, but United Russia still rebuked the draft. Nevertheless, again people submit petitions, put this issue up for discussion. I think that was not the last State Duma meeting on this issue, especially since truckers from Afghanistan are very steadfast. They will be on strike until November 30 – they don’t disperse, they sleep in their trucks. If their demands to cancel the law are not followed by the 30th, they will be going to Moscow on trucks, and not only them,” she announced.

Olga Rudakova placed particular stress on the fact that this is not an act of insubordination but an attempt by drivers to attract attention of the authorities towards the issue.

She also expressed her disappointment over the fact that the protests are not reflected in the federal media, and proposed the crowd to print out leaflets that explain the reasons behind the protests and give them away to neighbors and friends.

“I think nobody ever saw trucker strikes on the federal TV. Most people think nothing happens at all – that we don’t’ exist, that all is well in the country,” Olga Rudakova said.

After her speech, several people from the crowd had an opportunity to speak out.

The drivers not only expressed their opinion towards the launch of Platon system, but also proposed their visions of further protest movement in Penza.

Among other things, several voices from the crowd urged people to “organize a Maydan” and block the entrance to Platon service center; however, these proposals found no support among the people.

In another speech some time later, Olga Rudakova told the people that truckers must not rebuke.

“Because otherwise this law is going to wring us dry, half of us will go broke. We need to make it to the last stand if necessary. All say this week will be decisive. I realize you all have children, families to feed. I understand that many of you will go [to work] even after this rally. In any case, friends, even if you went out and earned yourself a buck, let’s keep on with the strike. Let’s refrain from going all out to work, let’s stay until the law to stop Platon system passes,” she urged the Penza long haul truckers.

After her call, a voice from the crowd pointed out there are no officials at the public rally.

That’d be great if some deputy would come. We could carry the information to the Penza government and the state overall through this deputy,” said the person, who did not introduce himself.

Another driver again called for holding the protest on Lenina square, the central landmark of Penza city.

In conclusion, the truckers agreed to continue protesting for their rights; organize a union for managing their joint activities, including such public rallies; more actively spread the word among the people on reasons behind the strikes; and refrain from supporting the project through business as usual.

As of 15 November 2015, all vehicles that weigh over 12 tons will be subject to toll fare for using all federal roads in Russia (through Platon system), with exception to standalone toll roads.

Between 15 November 2015 and 29 February 2016, the toll will be calculated based on the distance traveled by each vehicle at 1.5293 rubles per kilometer. From 1 March 2016 and until 31 December 2018, the toll will be increased by two times, up to 3.06 rubles per kilometer.

Under a concession agreement with the company “RT-Invest Transportnye Sistemy,” the monitoring will be conducted by a mobile network of 100 vehicles and a stationary network of 481 frame-mounted detectors.

According to official statistics of Rosavtonadzor as of November 21, over 70,000 transportation companies and individual businessmen already registered more than 600,000 trucks in the system, with a total of 191 million rubles collected for the federal road fund so far.