Journalists: 17,000 protesting truckers in Dagestan is a real number

The estimate of 17,000 striking truckers in Dagestan is quite realistic, believe local journalists and Valery Voitko, the chairman of the trade union, "Dalnoboischik" (Trucker). However, Alexander Brod, a member of the Public Council of the North-Caucasian Federal District (NCFD) has treated the number as strongly exaggerated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Russian truckers are protesting en masse against the introduction since November 15 of the "Platon" system, which assumes to collect tolls from heavy-duty trucks for using federal highways. On November 19, Sergey Voloschuk, a deputy chairman of the inter-district trade union of truckers, stated that in Dagestan the protest was supported by 17,000 persons.

In the opinion of Magomed Khanmagomedov, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Dagestanskie Ogni", 17,000 truckers is a realistic figure for Dagestan, given that the republic is mainly engaged in logistics.

Mairbek Agaev, his colleague from the "Chernovik" weekly, said that the figure of 17,000 strikers is even underestimated. According to his version, drivers are very actively supporting the action.

It is impossible to define the exact number of strikers, because the companies, where truckers work, as well as individual entrepreneurs, are exposed to pressure by the authorities, who demand from them to withdraw from protests, said Gadjimurad Sagitov, the editor-in-chief of the edition called "Novoe Delo".

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.