From January 1, 2024, cars older than 2014 cannot be cleared through customs. In 2017, the Government of Kosovo adopted a law which states that "road vehicles imported into Kosovo cannot be older than 10 years".

Vehicles older than 10 years are not allowed to clear customs in Kosovo, thus Kosovo Customs has made a reminder to citizens that vehicles older than 2014 will not be able to clear customs from January 2024.

With the law on vehicles that was approved in the Assembly of Kosovo, it is clearly stated that cars that are older than 10 years cannot be imported.

"In Kosovo, cars older than 10 years cannot be imported. In Kosovo, cars that do not meet the Euro four standard cannot be imported), it is stated in article 44 of the law on vehicles.

Also, the law provides that road vehicles imported into Kosovo must have a certificate of conformity for new vehicles and proof of origin and ownership of the vehicle or special parts installed.

Otherwise, many citizens have opposed the law that is in force for vehicles, while experts estimate that importing cars older than 10 years has negative effects.

It has been several years since the deputy of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Mergim Lushtaku, initiated the amendment-amendment of the law on the import of cars, where the removal of the seniority restriction is requested, but such a decision has not yet been made.

According to him, this law in Kosovo was created with a double standard, while emphasizing that such a thing seems unfair, but that it is not finding the consent of the majority of deputies to participate in the vote.

"These criteria are neither in Switzerland, nor in Germany, nor in the Balkan countries that are members, that are part of the European Union, that's why I think it's unfair and as such I asked for the amendment of the laws on vehicles, but unfortunately I have not found the consent of the majority of deputies to participate in the vote".

Cars older than 10 years in Kosovo are 80 percent depreciated and that in this direction there should be greater supervision by state bodies.

This is what traffic expert Nol Dedaj says, adding that the citizen must choose between the new car with the cheapest maintenance cost and the old one with a more expensive price.

"Vehicles that are more than 10 or 12 years old are considered to be depreciated for 80 percent, from this position if we look at it, then they should have a greater care from state bodies, in terms of technical control. We know that in Kosovo we have periodic technical checks for official vehicles or for those that are in service for the third party, as well as regular checks, especially we have extraordinary checks".

According to him, in parallel with the amendment of the Law on Vehicles, there should also be the amendment of the Law on Customs of Vehicles.

"Parallel with the amendment of the Law on Vehicles should be the amendment of the Law on Customs of Vehicles, because the citizen should be offered the same price of the 12-year-old with 6 years, where in this form then we would have been able to maintain traffic safety, refresh cars for a period of up to 5 years to 10 years, where then the analysis for the introduction of the ecotest should be done".

The traffic expert emphasizes that the current customs procedures have made it possible to import old cars.

In our country, the law remains in force by which a car can be registered and equipped with RKS license plates, only if it is from the year 2013-2023, specifically 10 years older than the current year. For a large number of citizens, the registration of 2013 cars is impossible.

This is because up to the license plates, the cheapest one would cost about 3500 euros, not counting the purchase of the car in European countries and the cost of importing it to Kosovo. In article 44 of the Law on vehicles, which was approved as early as 2017, it is stated that "road vehicles imported into Kosovo cannot be older than 10 years".

(Source: Monitor)