400 Turkish truckers stuck at Hungarian border
BUDAPEST – Anadolu Agency
Hundreds of Turkish truckers were stuck at the Hungarian border on Nov. 25, waiting for the appropriate documents to let them pass.
The head of the Istanbul-based International Transporters Association, Fatih Şener, said Hungary has stopped issuing transport documents to Turkish truckers.
“Approximately 80 of the 400 vehicles waiting at the border [of Romania-Hungary] are bringing loads to Hungary. The remaining 320 are waiting at the Kapıkule border gate to take loads to countries such as Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark and especially to Germany. But these loads are stuck because Hungary did not issue a document,” Şener said.
Kapıkule is the customs gate in Edirne province, bordering Bulgaria.
Speaking at an importers’ meeting in Budapest, Şener said the economies of both Turkey and Hungary are affected by the current situation.
He noted that they were “shocked” after the European Union’s Court of Justice last month ruled that Turkish trucks transporting goods in EU member states do not have to pay tax, which has riled Hungary.
In a recent meeting, Hungarian Undersecretary for the Ministry for Foreign and Economic Affairs Levente Magyar vowed to provide enough documents until the end of the year, Sener said.
“A permanent, smooth transport relationship should be established between Turkey and Hungary in accordance with the decision of the European Court of Justice,” he added.
Last month’s decision from the court came after the Hungarian tax authorities ordered Istanbul Lojistik, a Turkish haulage company, to pay taxes in March 2015.
The company rejected the demand, claiming that EU member states were barred from imposing taxes on vehicles registered in Turkey as part of the Turkey-EU Customs Union deal.
