MP Viktor Yanukovych, the younger son of the country's president and vice president of the Automobile Federation of Ukraine, has tilted at a decision of the interagency commission for international trade to introduce a 6.5-13% duty on imports of new passenger cars with 1,000-2,200 cubic cm engines on his Facebook page.
“As vice president of the Automobile Federation of Ukraine I declare that we’re totally against the introduction of an additional duty on car imports to Ukraine, which will be introduced from April 13, 2013,” Yanukovych Junior wrote.
He expressed confidence that the state first should protect the interests of own citizens, and not the interests of separate companies.
“If the duties are introduced, hundreds of thousands Ukrainian drivers who will have to pay more or decide not to use cars will suffer,” he said.
He said that using the said methods Ukraine will force many importers to leave the Ukrainian market, and the state will lose payments to the national budget from imports of cars.
Yanukovych reminded that in 2009 the attempt to introduce a 13% duty was made, which caused losses of the budget of over UAH 500 million.
He said that in the near term, the federation will propose to motorists to consider the present situation and choose a joint action plan.
As reported, on March 14, 2013, a decision of the interagency commission for international trade on the introduction of special duties on imports of new passengers cars with engines from 1,000 to 1,500 cubic centimeters at a rate of 6.46% and cars with engines from 1,500 to 2,200 cubic centimeters at a rate of 12.95% irrespective of the country of origin and export from April 13, 2012 was published.
The initiators of the investigation were public joint-stock company Zaporizhia Automobile Plant, private joint-stock company Eurocar and subsidiary Automobile Assembly Plant 2 of Bogdan Motors Automobile Company.
Ukrainian automobile manufacturers in 2012 produced 76,281 vehicles and buses, which is 27.1% down on 2011. In 2012 car production contracted by 28.6%, to 69,687.
