€4m earmarked for new state cars withheld (Update)

The replacement of state cars was deemed necessary due to the age of existing ones and high emissions, the transport ministry said on Wednesday after parliament withheld €4m earmarked for the purchase as part of the budget for next year.

The money can be released after permission from the House finance committee.

The ministry said in a statement, criteria for the replacement of old service cars, based on a 2013 study, was their age and the number of kilometres they have clocked. In addition, based on a 2014 law, the engines of the new vehicles must not exceed 2000cc while a limit has been set on carbon dioxide emissions.

“Within this framework, the purchase of new vehicles, not limousines, to cover new needs and withdraw existing cars deemed as unsuitable due to their old age and high carbon dioxide emissions was deemed necessary,” the ministry said.

The vehicles will replace, among others, those of the House speaker, the President of the Supreme Court and permanent secretaries of ministries and the parliament, the paper reported.

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