Shaun Camilleri, Fgura
Green money and cars
Almost a year ago the government announced new initiatives for people to buy “greener” cars. In the UK, cars pay no registration tax and cars emitting less than 100g of co2/km pay no road tax.
In Malta we pay anything between a few hundred to a few thousand euro to have the car registered (or else it’ll be confiscated... by the way is this not discrimination?) and a road tax varying from €100 to €202 yearly. And never mind the unbearable state of our roads which are now proven to be of a lesser standard than those of Zimbabwe’s! Seems as if the only green initiative by the government and the ADT is the smell of €100 notes.
Well some things don’t ever change, do they?
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Margaret Saliba
Oct 6th 2009, 14:47
Well i think maybe in the next budget things will be different for the English or Brits. as i don't think its fair either and there are too many of us who think likewise.
Sandro Zammut
Oct 5th 2009, 20:16
You made a very good point Mr.Bartolo and its true what you say i have proof of this i also had the same procedure done to me when i exported my 2 year old japanese car , i cannot see how these eastern europea and use their cars on British roads and then drive them out the country to be certified as road worthy, but road worthy to which country?maybe not worthy enough to be used on British roads, in Poland say its a different system,and what happens incase of an accident,how is that going to work with claiming insurance damage from 2 countries,sorry but i too disagree, so what are the brits. going to do drive back to the UK all that way just to have it taxed and insured, it would be alot cheaper to sell it and buy one here in Malta, that way if for any reason one has to claim or cause a fatal (God Forbid)injury there would be no problems in tracing the owner and hence claiming damages. I think it would make sence if all cars on the Islands are registered here regardless of their origin address in UK or not. SandroZammit.(Gozo)
JF Bartolo snr.
Oct 5th 2009, 19:56
@W.Spencer@ M.Bezzina, I disagree with you sir, my sister just recently moved back to the UK for obvious reasons, mainly being the low exchange rate, however my brother-in-law also exported or took with him his car he bought in Malta, the first thing the customs in the UK did after checking it for whatever reasons they check any private imported vehicles in the UK wanted to see all sorts of registration papers, price he paid for it in Malta and also all sorts of receipts and an orignal copy of an export certificate from Malta, in the mean time the car was being kept under lock and key until it was properly passed the British MOT and also fit any extras that is needed by law in the UK, ie., fog lamps etc.etc., Now it took an average of five weeks before it could be re- registered with British number plates and then passed fit to be used on British roads, you say there are thousands of E.european registered cars on British roads, don't think your customs & excise are doing their job,This is Malta and not England we've our own rules. Impound them i say and agree with M.Bezzina.
Stefan Engelbert
Oct 5th 2009, 17:35
Well, if the market would be free (as it should be in the EU) then everybody should be free to tax and insure his in the country of his choice
W Spencer
Oct 5th 2009, 16:12
@ M Bezzina
You can see thousands of foreign registered cars ( mostly Eastern European plates ) on UK roads / streets, even though the owners live and work in the UK, they simply go home for a holiday and get their cars taxed, etc , while they are there. They are all EU citizens, so why should Malta / Gozo be any different.
E. Bugejja
Oct 5th 2009, 16:09
Her Here Mr.Bezzina well said, exactly my thoughts, too many British foreigners or guests call what you will are getting away with it and some are even proud of the fact that they don't pay a cent to drive on Maltese roads, and if they reside here then they are liable for local taxes and insurance just like any good Maltese car owner, after all i know of many of our country men who in actual fact were told that any imported car into Britain if they live there, has to be off the road untill assed and taxed by their local authorities. as you say Fair is Fair, i mean anybody can say they have a address in the UK and drive about years on end without paying a cent to the ADT.!
M>Bezzina
Oct 5th 2009, 10:47
Yes but what about the British registration cars that are still driving about on our roads especially in Gozo months on end as if they owned our roads, without paying registration taxes? just because they have an address in the UK that doesn't mean that getting away with it, why do i as a Maltese citizen have to pay through the nose while THESE FOREIGNERS are getting away with it ? Its just not fair, i read that most of these foreign registered cars if stopped by the police and find that they are not taxes and insuraed will be impounded*, i haven't as yet seen none of that. , ofcourse the owners of these British registered vehicles most probably take them out the country once a year for their annual road test VRT>MOT but this could go on for years on end, and i think our ADT should wake up and play the white man, fair is fair. Please correct me if i am wrong,however i appreciate any comments on this subject. Grazzi. M. Bezzina (A MALTESE CITIZEN).