Russia's Platon truck tax system has collected 800 million rubles ($11.9 million) since its introduction on Nov. 15, the Transport Ministry reported Thursday.
Truck drivers have imputed 988 thousand routes into the system, Platon's operating company director Alexander Sovetnikov said, the ministry reported.
Investment in the Platon system has already reached 30 billion rubles ($454 million), with 27 billion taken in credit from Gazprombank.
The new levy sparked outrage among the heavy truck drivers which resulted in wide scale protests around Russia. The truckers were planning to organize a manifestation in Moscow on Nov.30, but it was cancelled due to police interception.
Last week the Transport Ministry requested 7.9 billion rubles ($123 million) of government funding to sustain the Platon truck taxation system.
The funds are to be included in the 2016 budget and allocated as investment. Upon receipt of the funds, the ministry is to transfer the money to the Platon operator, RT-Invest Transport System.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
