Foreign registration plates

Reference is made to the letter Foreign-Registered Vehicles (March 25).

To begin with, for the benefit of the public, the Malta Transport Authority does keep a record of all vehicles for its own use such as statistics.

With regard to registration tax and VAT evasion, while we understand Joe Morana's preoccupation, we would like to put readers' minds at rest that the situation will be resolved shortly with the full implementation of a number of measures.

For the public's general information, during the current year, no fewer than 297 applications to register foreign vehicles have been received so far. To date, approximately 242 applications have been processed and the registration tax duly paid. Another 55 vehicles are in the process of being registered.

The ADT also wishes to clarify that although it seems that a considerable number of vehicles on the road have foreign registration plates, not all of these are illegal due to the fact that some belong to non-residents - tourists, non-residents with working permits and foreign students with residential permits - who are not liable to pay registration tax and are permitted to circulate freely provided that they are actually driving the vehicle themselves and it is insured in their name.