The National Council of Students (CNE) accuses the County Councils (CJ) and the country’s transport operators of leaving students without free transport, even though the new law on pre-university education 198/2023 guarantees them this right.

Young people talk about “abuse of power” and say that although the schools and the County School Inspectorate (IȘJ) have done their job, the CJ and the operators have other interests, “not enough honesty”.

The CNE is asking the government and the Ministry of Education to retroactively pay students’ school transport passes for September and October and introduce sanctions for those who do not comply with the law.

In a press release, the CNE criticizes the changes that Law 198/2023 has undergone in Parliament.

“In the form that the Government sent to the Parliament, there was even a simpler algorithm for observing this fundamental right of students. However, the current formula was reached in the parliament under the pressure of the district councils. This can be viewed with optimism for the most part, as it is a step forward towards being free of charge, starting with lump sum payments in the 2022-2023 academic year.

During the publication in September of the draft methodology for the provision of transport regulations, the National Council of Students expressed concerns about the functionality of the provisions in the context of students who use multiple transport operators to get to school,” the students explain.

They claim that the transporters and the SJ did not fulfill their duties as stipulated by the law, and because of this, the students were left without free transport to and from school.

“We are once again observing the abuse of power by transport operators and representatives of county councils who do not comply with their duties stipulated by GD 810/2023.

After consultations carried out in the territory, it was established that the schools and ISJ fulfill their obligations, collect the necessary data and follow the algorithm established by the new legislation. However, the whole process was blocked at the moment of determining the priorities of interests due to the lack of integrity of the district councils, which are closely linked to the transport operators,” the CNE press release states.

“Students are still forced to buy a subscription, although the current legislation promises it for free”

The students strongly condemn “non-acceptance and respect for the new government decision on the part of transport operators and representatives of the district authorities”.

“It’s already October, and students still need to buy a subscription, although the current legislation promises it free of charge,” the students draw attention.

The CNE is asking the government and the Ministry of Education to pay students retroactively the amounts they spent to get from home to school and vice versa for September and October.

“The whole process could be successful only with the real support of the district authorities. The introduction of significant sanctions could significantly increase the degree of implementation of the new RD. We also want all educational stakeholders (students, parents, teachers) to be involved in the discussions held with UNCJR representatives and carriers.

It is necessary to continue to keep the same basic idea of ​​HG 810/2023, not to return to one-time payments or to regulations of recent years, which have already proven their inefficiency,” the young people explain.

CNE president Miruna Kroitoru says that, given the situation, “the only solution now is to calculate the subscription for September and October.”

“It’s already October and we see how defiantly the district authorities and transport operators have decided to ignore the new GD that regulates free student transport,” Miruna told Kroitoru, according to the same press release.

And the Association of Constanța Students (AEC) criticizes the authorities for not offering students the free transport required by law.

“If the Ministry of Education and the Konstanz County Council continue to refuse free tuition, we will not hesitate to take all legal action against those who violate students’ rights,” the AEC said in a press release from early October.