Taxi fares in Bulgaria's capital must go up by around BGN 0.20, meaning that a middle distance of up to 5km will cost BGN 1 more and long trips will cost up to BGN 2 more, according to Kiril Rizov, Chair of the Taxi Union.

"Analysis also point to another trend  - after we made all possible corrections to the Law on Automobile Transport and the related ordinances #34 and #35, from 2000 on, we are talking about Sofia, the taxi park shrank to 6000 vehicles, given that there were around 12 000 cars after 1989-1990 " Rizov explained Monday in an interview for the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR).

"From 2010 on, the worrying trend for the sector shrinking settled in. In 2011, the taxi park consisted of some 5100 -5200 vehicles because taxi fare updates had not been introduced for 5 years in a row. As a result, taxable persons are rendered destitute and gradually drop out of the sector," Rizov added.

He suggested that the taxi fare revision would restore the optimal level of around 6000 taxis in Sofia.

"We  shall most likely introduce new tariffs in September or in early October. I still cannot specify the exact percentage and the exact date of the new rates 'entry into force," said Lyudmil Lazarov, head of the biggest taxi company in Sofia, OK Supertrans.

He said that the taxi fare hike was yet to be discussed within the company.

Taxi fares in the northwestern city of Vidin have already gone up due to the constant fuel price spikes.

In the northeastern city of Targovishte, taxi drivers do not plan to change tariffs.

At present, taxi fares in Sofia are, as follows, BGN 0.54 – 0.59 per kilometer, daytime tariff and BGN 0.64 – 0.70 per kilometer, nighttime tariff.

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