If someone wanted to have a vehicle inspected at one of Chojnów’s stations on September 29, they will not be able to do so between 12:00 and 15:00. Why? The local employees are closing them for three hours in solidarity, thereby joining the vehicle inspectors’ protest. The latter will march through the streets of Warsaw today.

As motofaktor.pl reported in a conversation with Marcin Barankiewicz, president of the management board of the Polish Chamber of Vehicle Inspection Stations:

The protest will take place on September 29 in Warsaw. It will be the 18th anniversary of the announcement of the regulation on the level of fees for technical inspections. We received a positive decision from the Warsaw City Hall on the registration of the assembly. We will begin gathering at 11:00 at W. Szymborska Passage, and then at 12:00 we will walk along E. Platter, Wspólna and Chałubińskiego streets to the Ministry of Infrastructure. We also want business owners to hang Polish flags and posters prepared by us at their stations; the posters can be printed out independently. We are counting on the protest proceeding peacefully.

And he stated:

The condition of vehicle inspection stations is getting worse and worse. Over these 18 years, the fees for technical inspections have not changed (emphasis – motofaktor.pl), meaning they have not increased. There were, however, two reductions related to the elimination of the so-called initial inspections of vehicles imported from abroad and the change in the VAT rate from 22% to 23%. Such an anniversary should be a reason to celebrate. Unfortunately, entrepreneurs running vehicle inspection stations are not laughing at all. They are trapped. With costs constantly rising, they can do nothing. That is why they want to protest.

A vehicle inspector from Chojnów confirms these words. He emphasizes that station owners are gradually no longer able to afford paying wages. – Prices are skyrocketing, while prices at the stations are regulated by the authorities – he notes.

And he adds sadly: – The government couldn’t care less about our problems; officials are doing everything they can to finish off our industry.

Will Bolesławiec join the protest? Of the stations we managed to reach by phone, only one may take part in the protest, but that is not certain yet.

What do you think? We invite you to join the discussion.