Alternative Cultural Center, Center for Peace and Tolerance, Media Center and private transportation company KIM-co from Gračanica/Graçanicë, organized an event with the aim to appeal on citizens to resist to high vehicle insurance taxes which are paid at crossings between Kosovo and Serbia.
The aim of action is to raise awareness of people for things which are hindering their free movement in 21 century and to make them aware that such situation will continue unless they raise the voice, said Nenead Maksimovic, Director of the Center for Peace and Tolerance.
“This is pure robbery of people,” said Budimir Nicic, Director of the Media Center from Caglavica, and underlined that the aim of this action is for people to understand that the Brussels Agreement didn’t make their life easier in Kosovo. “What Belgrade and Pristina achieved in Brussels, and what refers to freedom of movement…is actually a robbing, forfeit, looting, shame, insolence, scandal, because I can understand that mafia, criminals or thieves seat around the table and agree to rob someone…but I can’t understand that two governments seat around the table and agree to rob people,” said Nicic.
Bogoljub Marinkovic, Director of KIM-co said that vehicle insurance tax prices are unbearable. “I am paying taxes imposed on us by Serbian and Pristina authorities for years now, and despite big promises that they will find adequate solution to enable easier and more functional life, that didn’t happen,” Marinkovic said.
Ambassador of Norway to Kosovo Jan Braathu also agreed that vehicle insurance taxes are not fair. “High insurance taxes are, for sure, not fair. I think it is very important that people are free to move, whereas such high vehicle insurance taxes are not helping them to travel. The aim of the Brussels agreement was to help people, to make things easier and these agreements have to be implemented, the sooner the better,” Braathu said.
According to the agreement on free movement, mandatory vehicle insurance taxes are paid for all motor vehicles at crossings between Kosovo and Serbia. Vehicles with KS or RKS registration plates are charged with 105 Euros per month, whereas vehicles with Serbian registration plates are charged with 60 Euros per month.
