The mayor of Tbilisi in Georgia, Kakha Kaladze, argued on July 3 that Georgia should introduce a ban on used car imports, calling the situation in the capital “a complete disaster”.
Georgia and other countries from Eastern Europe and Eurasia are major importers of used cars, most of them imported from Western Europe. Relatively low incomes and the availability of cheaper used cars, means many countries in this region have only a small market for new cars. However, the use of older vehicles has negative environmental consequences.
Speaking at a conference in the Georgian capital, Kaladze said the quantity of imported vehicles is increasing by 7% a year, and that 98% of them are outdated. Overall, 90% of private cars in the country are outdated.