SKOPJE, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia and Germany signed on Tuesday a deal on mutual recognition and change of driving licenses.
Under the Declaration on Recognition and Change of Driving Permits signed by Macedonian Minister of Internal Affairs Oliver Spasovski and the German Ambassador in Skopje Tomas Gerberich, Macedonian citizens with a driver's license who reside in Germany will not need an international driving license.
"Our citizens who are abroad in Germany for about 185 days will have the opportunity to replace the Macedonian driver's license with that of German and vice versa," said Spasovski after the signing ceremony.
Driving licenses will be recognized for adults with valid driving licenses by competent authorities in Macedonia and Germany who have legal residence in the territory of Macedonia (at least 180 days in a calendar year) or in the territory of Germany (at least 185 days a year).
With the entry into force of the Declaration of Mutual Recognition of Driving Licenses of both countries, all Macedonian citizens who live or stay in Germany no longer need theoretical and practical test, carry out control of sight and pass all the necessary processes.
Macedonian citizens in Germany now with a driving license can only drive in the first six months of their arrival. Then they need to give a driving license test, which costs about 1,500 euros (around 1,750 U.S. dollars).
So far, Macedonia has signed agreements for the recognition of driving licenses with seven countries, including Spain, Italy, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria.
