Turkish border taxes chaos
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OFFICIAL Turkish sources were adamant this week that their stiff new transit and fuel taxes are being charged—but reports reaching CM tell a different story.
German sources were reporting that the implementation of the taxes (CM Jan 9) had been cancelled until March 31— other sources were putting the date at July 1.
British drivers, alleged that the Turkish authorities were asking them to pay only what they could afford and not the full amount of the tax. One driver who passed through the border last weekend on his way home, reported that he was allowed to do so without paying tax at all.
Mr G. Cotton, of Cotton Trucking, of London, said there was complete chaos at the Turkish border post where some officials were saying that the new tax was unworkable. Nevertheless, the Commercial Attache and the Financial Attache at the Turkish Embassy in London told CM: "The tax was imple. mented on January 7, we have no instructions to cancel or nostpone."
The Department of the Environment said that they were still waiting for replies to questions they had sent to Ankara last Tuesday. In the meantime, British Embassy Officials and their European counterparts are reported to be queueing at the Turkish Ministry of Communications in Ankara seeking clarification.
They were joined this week by a British operator, Mr John McNeil, of John McNeil & Son, of Glasgow. Mr McNeil, who has ten vehicles approaching the Bulgarian/Turkish border today, and another four heading for the Bazargan border, flew. to Turkey on Monday to clarify the situation at first hand.