All motor vehicles will undergo mandatory overhaul as from January 1

All the vehicles and trailers in Moldova, except tractors and self-propelled mechanisms, will be subjected to compulsory technical examination as from January 1, 2008. Under a Government Decision, the fee for the technical examination of motorbikes will be 50 lei, of cars - between 30 and 200 lei, depending of the engine’s capacity, of semi-trailers weighing up to 20 tonnes – 100 lei, and of the ones with a larger weight - 200 lei. The tax for motor-trailers will be also 200 lei, for trucks – between 70 and 200 lei, depending on the weight; for minibuses and buses – between 150 and 200 lei, also depending on the weight. The invalids of first and second degree and the participants in the Second World War, the Afghan war, the Transnistria conflict and in liquidating the Chernobyl accident will benefit from 20% reductions. According to the Minister of Transport and Road Management Vasile Ursu, the implementation of the mandatory technical testing of motor vehicles in Moldova is dictated by the larger second-hand car imports in the past years and by the necessity of fulfilling the Council of Europe’s requirements to reduce the number of deaths from road accidents by 50% by 2012. The number of service stations in Moldova rose by six units in the past year. There are 19 testing stations: nine in Chisinau municipality and by one in the towns of Balti, Cahul, Edinet, Hancesti, Orhei, Comrat, Ciadar-Lunga, Criuleni, Causeni, and Soldanesti. New stations are under design and construction in Falesti, Briceni, Soroca, Ungheni, Anenii Noi, Stefan Voda, Leova, Cimislia, Rascani, Sangerei etc.