Transport In Brief: Taxes on used cars; PKP PR suspends connections; PRDiUST

The Finance Ministry wants to change the regulations governing excise tax on used cars to encourage the public to buy new cars. Instead of the percentage tax, used car buyers would pay a set amount, e.g. zł.1,000. The Ministry's experts are working on the new law, but buyers fear that a high excise would make them pay up to 65% more for an imported used car. (Parkiet, p. 7) ... PKP Przewozy Regionalne announced that it is suspending every third local connection in the Podlaskie voivodship due to financial difficulties. The company received zł.11 million for its 2004 operations from the local government but it argues it needs at least zł.15 million. Meanwhile, PKP Cargo carried 40% more furniture in the first half of the year than in the same period of 2003.(Parkiet, p. 7) ... The Nidzica based Road Repair, Equipment and Transport Service Company (PRDiUST) has been privatized by transferring its shares to a joint company owned by the State Treasury (with a 49% stake) and the Mińsk Mazowiecki based Road and Bridge Construction Company (PBDiM) (51% of shares). The 15% of stock owned by the Ministry will soon be transferred to the employees. (Parkiet, p. 7) D.W.