PARLIAMENT APPROVES BILL ON ISSUING NEUTRAL LICENSE PLATES TO TRANSNISTRIAN VEHICLES

The Moldovan parliament adopted in a first reading on Thursday a draft law on registering several types of vehicles, which establishes the mechanism of registration and issuing neutral license plates for cars, registered in Transnistria.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure Sergiu Bucataru said that the document is directed to the implementation of provisions of the protocol decision on region vehicles' access to the international road traffic.

According to him, the registration of vehicles with neutral plates will be conducted at the State Service Agency offices in Tiraspol and Ribnita.

"For registration, the applicant has to present documents that confirm his resident permit [in Transnistria] and the ownership of the vehicle, as well as a written statement on authenticity of the information the documents contain", he said.

The state secretary stressed that only vehicles, imported to Moldova before April 24, 2018 and having Transnistrian license plates, may get neutral license plates without paying import duties and additional mandatory payments.

Bucataru said that the draft law implies prohibition citizens who do not have residence permit in Transnistria to drive the vehicles, registered in accordance with the bill provisions.

According to him, the innovations will help raising citizens' trust on both sides of the Dniester River and will help in conflict settlement.

"There are around 300 thousand Moldovan citizens who live in Transnistria and cannot leave the country on personal vehicles", he explained.