A Genoa taxi driver on Monday attacked
one of the vice presidents of Italian Olympic Committee (CONI)
insisting that due to upcoming budget rules only cash payment of
fares was now legal.
The VP of Italy's supreme sports body, former Italian hammer
champion Silvia Sais, tried to pay a 32 euro fare for getting to
the aiport with her credit card but was refused by the driver
who said he was only accepting cash payments.
"The party's over for the banks", the man allegedly told the
37-year-old former hammer throwing champion.
"In the face of my objections he started shouting at me with
arrogance that now he can do what he wants, he can finally do as
he likes".
The former Olympian added: "But I'd like to thank all the honest
cabbies who get equipped with the proper credit card machines
and accept all types of payment, since they're the vast
majority".
The Bank of Italy on Monday took issue with measures in the
government's 2023 budget bill regarding cash payments and a
so-called 'fiscal truce' with taxpayers.
The bill raises the limit for cash payments from 2,000 euros to
5,000.
It also enables retailers to refuse to accept card payments for
amounts of up to 60 euros in order to stop them having to pay
commissions on small payments that make the transactions less
worthwhile to them.
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