Predrag Bubalo
The measure is interim and did not come as a result of any outside pressure, especially not from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bubalo told national TV station RTS last night, stressing that any other measure would hurt a larger portion of the population.
He also insisted that the issue here is the protection of state interests and not "lobbying" for Kragujevac-based car maker Zastava. Zastava's problems call for privatisation rather than the ban on the import of used cars, Bubalo argued.
According to Deputy Minister of International Economic Relations Ana Blagojevic, physical and legal entities that have already paid to import vehicles more than three years old have until October 20 and November 1 respectively to complete customs procedure.