Throughout past 5-6 months, it is mainly taxi drivers who leave Gyumri for Russia. There are people who have left for residing in Russia with families. Solely by the example of Ani district, one can state that still from May to June the majority of working taxi drivers were not in the fatherland anymore. Let us notice that some online taxi services have entered Gyumri market, which is rather affordable. This also, so-called, is to the detriment of private taxi drivers.
What are Gyumri taxi drivers engaged in Russia and why did we give this question to the ethnographer, “Compass” research center expert, Artashes Boyajyan? He explained that they have not made a research relative to taxi drivers’ case in particular, however, he presumed that the Russian Federation is more profitable to them from the perspective of the work and there is a demand. “It is natural that in this case, they should aspire to go there to work as a taxi driver. To say that an intended policy, a tendency is in place to make drivers leave Armenia, no such thing exists. I myself have a relative who works in Russia, but with Russian driving license. If one of the drivers goes there, he can take the others with him, usually it goes that way – if one acquires a job in another country, sends a message to his friends, helps them go and adapt”, informed the ethnographer.
We were informed from the drivers left for Russia that it is not possible to deliver taxi service via Armenian driving license in Russia, in this case, one can drive solely for him/herself. Russian driving license can be acquired only by 40-70 k. Rubles, which amounts to 370-580 k. AMD. As stated by Mr. Boyajyan, the demand of drivers is big in large cities – Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg.
Nune AREVSHATYAN
