Coalition against Discrimination strongly condemns the discriminatory recommendation of the Taxi Association of Serbia stating that taxi drivers should not drive asylum seekers, and reminds that the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination, Article 17, recognizes the refusal to provide public services as a form of discrimination.

Aleksandar Bijelic, president of the Taxi Association of Serbia, said for Blic Daily as of 24 March 2015: ”Taxi drivers are recommended not to drive asylum seekers as they can may find themselves in an unpleasant situation. The police which finds asylum seekers in a taxi will temporarily take a taxi away and a court procedure will be initiated.”

Such discriminatory acting of Taxi Association contributes to spreading of xenophobia and intolerance towards asylum seekers. We recall the case of racial segregation in public transportation in America in 1950s and express concern that the same happens 60 years later.

The recommendation to taxi drivers not to drive asylum seekers and explanation of possible problems with the competent authorities clearly indicate the lack of the state’s systemic response to mixed migrations and an efficient system of protection from discrimination.

The members of the Coalition against Discrimination are: Center for Advanced Legal Studies, Civil Rights Defenders, Labris – Organization for Lesbian Human Rights, CHRIS network, Association of Students with Disabilities, Gayten LGBT, PRAXIS and Regional Centre for Minorities.