Customs reports rise in duties paid for temporarily imported vessels after inspections
Customs says coordinated checks on 38 boats on Lake Ohrid increased payments and urges owners to regularize vessel status.
The Customs Administration reported a rise in collections of duties for vessels that entered North Macedonia under temporary import rules, saying recent inspections have prompted more owners to pay required fees.
Customs said its Operational Department, working in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), carried out checks on 38 boats on Lake Ohrid. Officers verified the customs status of the vessels and the identities of the people operating them.
Inspections and impact
“In recent period we have observed increased activity in payments of import duties for vessels that were brought in under temporary import, which indicates that the controls are producing results,” said Gjoko Trposki, manager of the Bitola Customs Office.
The Administration explained that the purpose of these checks is to establish the customs status of vessels introduced into the country, with special attention to boats regulated by temporary import. Under customs rules, such vessels may be used in the country for a legally established period; if they do not re-export and leave the country afterwards, owners must regularize the vessel’s legal status and formally import it.
Customs did not publish details about any fines or the exact amount of additional revenue collected, but urged owners of temporarily imported vessels to follow the legal deadlines and procedures to avoid penalties.
Photo: press material from the event
