Bucharest mayor wants environment tax for cars in the capital

Bucharest mayor Gabriela Firea wants to introduce an environment tax for cars in Bucharest. She said that the City Hall would ask the Bucharesters’ opinion on this matter. Firea said in an online interview with Adevarul Live that all the car wrecks in Europe have been brought to Romania and Bucharest since the environment tax was removed. The Romanian authorities removed this tax in February this year. This has led to a high increase in the number of used car registrations in Romania. “We will ask the citizens of Bucharest if they want the introduction of an environmental tax. If they agree, we will introduce this tax, because otherwise we will not be able to circulate in Bucharest anymore. Without the environmental tax, all the car wrecks in Europe have come to Romania, and especially to the capital. We can’t continue like this,” Firea said. She also said that the public transport company RATB’s car park should be renewed. “Citizens suffocate in some buses without air conditioning. These vehicles have to disappear. We’re organizing the auction for 400 Euro 6 buses, as well as for 100 trams, 100 trolleybuses and 100 electric buses. We will have new buses in the shortest time.” The Romanian environment minister said in early-October that the Ministry was working on a new pollution tax for cars with low emissions standard and high carbon dioxide emissions. Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com