Owners of cars registered abroad block Chisinau’s central artery

The persons who won cars with foreign license numbers Wednesday blocked movement along Stefan cel Mare Blvd. in front of the Government in protest against the amendments concerning the importation of cars into Moldova made to the Customs Code, Info-Prim Neo reports. Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca went to the scene. “The central artery was blocked for traffic. I intervened and the problem was solved in 15 minutes. I asked that the movement should not be blocked without authorization,” he told the press. Dorin Chirtoaca talked to the protesters and told them that the PLDM and PDM avoid solving their problem. “We, the PL, support you as about €300 million was invested in approximately 100 cars. This problem should be dealt with. The people cannot be deprived of this money as they worked hard to earn it,” he said. The protesters’ leader Constantin Paduraru has told Info-Prim Neo that the drivers demand annulling the changes made to the Customs Code. “More and more people express their disagreement. We want to be allowed to import cars without problems, as earlier,” he stated. “We call on the leaders of the ruling alliance, for whom we voted, to amend the legislation and allow all the cars brought into Moldova before April 5, 2011 to be registered in the country.” MP Valeriu Munteanu, vice president of the Liberal Party, submitted a legislative initiative to the Parliament’s Standing Bureau, proposing changing the customs rules for vehicles and their registration. He suggested adopting a derogation norm that would allow placing the cars imported before April 5 under import customs regime. From April 4, when the amendments to the Customs Code took effect, the cars older than seven with foreign license numbers cannot stay in Moldova for more than three months during a year. Earlier, these cars were to be taken out of Moldova after three months, but the drivers were able to return the same day.