By banning the import of old cars, the Cabinet of Ministers, confirmed the fictitiousness of the mandatory technical inspection  of cars

Baku/31.03.23/Turan: Since April 28, the import of cars which were  manufactured 10 or more years ago to Azerbaijan is prohibited. The justification of the 94th resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers noted the need to protect human health, the environment, reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere and improve the environmental situation. It is also noted that, according to statistics, there are over 1.4 million passenger cars in Azerbaijan, of which more than 80% (1.3 million) are vehicles   manufactured more than 10 years ago. By reducing the number of old cars on the territory of the country, the Cabinet of Ministers pursues the goal of purifying the air from dirty exhaust gases.

But the question arises: as you know, all cars with a production date of 10 years or more must necessarily undergo a technical inspection at the Diagnostic centers of the Traffic Police. The drivers  pay 20 manat fine  for being late with the technical inspection or the absence of a mark in the database about the conducted maintenance. During inspection, the composition of exhaust gases from automobile engines is necessarily checked, if the exhaust does not comply with the norm, such a machine should not be allowed to operate. That is, all cars used in the country, theoretically, do not pollute the atmosphere. But the Cabinet of Ministers stated that old cars pose a threat to the environment and decided to ban the import of such cars.

What is the reason for the contradiction? Is it because the Diagnostic Center of the Main Traffic Police Department, built in 2020 in Baku next to Sadarak market, equipped with modern diagnostic devices, is empty? Turan published an article about an empty Diagnostic center in the village of Zabrat.

"Why is the Technical Inspection Center, designed to inspect 2,000 cars a day, empty?"

https://www.turan.az/ext/news/2020/6/free/Social/ru/125093.htm

The reader, who wished to remain anonymous, inspected his car at the Sadarak Diagnostic Center in early March. He told Turan that the giant hall with five inspection lines is empty, several young employees are standing at the entrance:

"There is an administrative building nearby, drivers park cars and go directly to the office indicated by the officer on duty in the corridor. There they demanded 120 manats from me, I gave 100. Within two minutes, the car was entered into the database without verification as conforming to accepted standards and fit for use."

The reader thus "checked" his car, this service cost him 100 manats, which includes state duties.

"If I had insisted on a legitimate check of the car, 2-3 malfunctions would have been found in it, for the elimination of which I would have lost several days and about a hundred manats. Then I would come back to the Diagnostic Center, and it is not known if the car would have passed the second test successfully, or if I would have been sent to the repairmen again. It is better to give them a hundred manats at once and solve the issue in minutes," the reader said.

In the Internet forum “Bakililar” there was written: "I arrived at the traffic police (Sadarak) at 8.20 am. They asked for a fire extinguisher and  a first aid kit. I did not have them, and they redirected me to the  office N 5. There I was asked 100 manat,  but I gave  them 90 manat; in  5 minutes I received  the required coupon."

https://forum.bakililar.az/topic/491151-%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%8E%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%8F-10/page/85/#comment-5274673

In fact, mandatory vehicle inspections are not conducted in Azerbaijan, Diagnostic centers only transfer money from drivers to the pockets of several officers working there. Confirmation can be seen daily on the roads of Azerbaijan, where guests are amazed by the abundance of Soviet and other cars made 20-30 years ago. Some are in terrible condition, scrap metal is being transported on the roofs of old skewed “Zhiguli”, black smoke is pouring out of the exhaust pipe...

The absence of a valid mandatory technical inspection in Azerbaijan has once again proved the justification for the ban on the import of old cars, published on the official website of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Why does the state require drivers to undergo mandatory technical inspection if the procedure is carried out formally and with a corruption component? Wouldn't it be better to follow the example of other countries, where mandatory vehicle inspections have been canceled in October 2022?

Turan repeatedly called the chief inspector of the Public Relations Department of the State Road Police Mubariz Agayev (012 5908107), but the phone does not answer. We have sent to the department's email address a question about the reason for the ban on the import of old cars with mandatory technical inspection of all cars. No response received.