TBILISI, DFWatch — The company which runs the minibuses in Tbilisi has given striking drivers an ultimatum: If they don’t agree with the company and end their protest, the company will fire them and announce new vacancies.

But despite the threat, the drivers have decided to continue their strike, which has been continuing for about a week, placing Tbilisians in a difficult condition.

Gigla Jiblashvili, Chair of Tbilisi Minibus Ltd said at a briefing on Wednesday that the company has been in negotiations with the striking drivers for a few days and they have accepted a number of demands, but an agreement has still not been reached. He said that if they do not agree within three days, the company will tear up their contracts and announce vacancies for new drivers.

The main point which drivers and the company cannot agree upon is to decrease the daily payment for drivers by 30 percent.

Jiblashvili said this will cause the company great financial loss and is impossible to implement.

“We also accept the demands of the population in capital and we cannot let this paralyze Tbilisi,” he added.

The drivers, who were gathered at Tbilisi City Hall all day Wednesday, made a decision to continue their strike. They still demand to decrease the daily license fee and then they will agree with the other conditions proposed by Tbilisi Minibus Ltd. Drivers also demand to conduct a financial audit at Tbilisi Minibus Ltd appealing to the Finance Ministry with this request.

The rally will continue on Thursday at the office of the Finance Ministry.