Georgia’s Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Davit Songulashvili, says the government decided to replace the planned ban on importing vehicles older than six years with a higher excise tax because it better serves citizens’ interests.
According to the minister, the goal was to improve air quality while also taking into account the needs of the private sector.
“It was important to achieve two objectives: improving air quality and considering the interests of the private sector. Based on the best interests of our citizens and their requests, the government made this decision. Increasing the tariff will discourage the import of older vehicles, and this restriction will contribute to better air quality, which is one of our key environmental priorities,” Songhulashvili said.
The government had previously announced that imports of cars older than six years would be banned starting April 1. That plan has now been withdrawn.
Instead of a ban, the excise tax on vehicles manufactured before 2020 will significantly increase. Under the current system, cars older than six years are taxed at 0.8 GEL per cubic centimeter of engine volume. Under the new policy, the rate will rise to 4.5 GEL per cubic centimeter—a 5.6-fold increase, making customs clearance roughly six times more expensive.
