Albanian 
Prishtina, May 15, 2019 – The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo considers as a positive step the decision of the Parliament in not passing the proposed amendment of the Law No. 05/L-132 on Vehicles on removing the limitation of imports of vehicles older than 10 years. This step must be seen as a reaffirmation of the commitment of Kosovo in protecting the environment and in being in line with the European Union directives.
AmCham earlier had urged all members of parliament not to support this initiative which would deteriorate the situation in the country in regards to the environmental impact and traffic safety. Considering the average age of registered vehicles in Kosovo which is over 18 years and the high pollution levels registered in certain periods within a year in the country, implications from this initiative would have increased even more the concerns amongst citizens. Surely, short-term benefits from this decision would be minimal compared to the damage caused from old vehicles.
Lastly, AmCham believes that the decision of not passing this amendment is in line with European Union initiatives in reducing gas emissions from light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. The Assembly of Kosovo should now focus on working continuously in analyzing and approving laws that primarily focus on the welfare of citizens and the improvement of the business environment by taking into account the comments and recommendations of all stakeholders.