Support for scooters and bicycles to be redistributed soon: more attention is paid to the next measure after the fraud

Pay more attention to public transport

The climate change program is estimated at 15 million euros. Eur for the use of less polluting transport for natural persons. This amount is broken down into a series of independent measures: 6 million euros. Eur – promotion of public transport (tickets) and sustainable mobility, that is, purchase of bicycles, scooters, shared services; 5 million Eur – for the purchase of electric cars, 4 million. Eur for the purchase of less polluting electric cars and motorcycles, electric mopeds.

“We imagine that this amount (15 million euros – Delphi) in such proportions. If during the year we see that a device moves very strongly, say, the same bicycles or scooters, and the electric cars are slower, we will have the discretion to mix funds within the group, ”says Deputy Minister of the Environment Gintarė Krušnienė.

The amount forecast for the population this year is similar to last year. Last year, the scooter and bicycle grant was so popular that the support was spread over 4 months, followed by additional funding. During the year, according to the vice minister, 11 million were distributed to the population. EUR.

“This year, we have redistributed two lines: scooters and public transport into one (6 million euros), and we combine low-emission cars with motorcycles and other registered clean vehicles. We have allocated another 4 million for this. EUR. So the year last year, around EUR 11 million, this year we will distribute a total of EUR 10 million ”, says G. Krušnienė.

It is true, although the Ministry of the Environment has decided to return to supporting scooters and bicycles, this year more attention will be paid to another alternative to polluting cars: public transport.

“This year we want to focus on public transport. We have planned a conversation with the municipalities to make long-term public transport tickets for several years and we will offer that option to people who give up a polluting car,” says the deputy minister.

Applications are likely to be available in a month

At the moment, he says he cannot reveal more details on how the support will be distributed, as there will still be discussion and coordination with the public: “The order is still being coordinated, the estimate was only approved on Wednesday. The procedure will soon be presented for public comment, only then will the Minister sign a specific description of the procedure. We will make some adjustments to the procedure itself, but today I can only say that the funding for bikes and scooters will remain, just maybe in a slightly modified form. “

The deputy minister expects that coordination of the order with the public will take a couple of weeks, and the order itself will be approved at the end of April. Then grant applications are likely already available.
The estimate for the climate change program is administered by the Environmental Project Management Agency. You will continue to receive and evaluate applications and pay grants.

We will try to avoid a gap, that is, the previous support was valid for acquisitions until February 1. The support, according to which the rules will be approved, will be valid for acquisitions on the previous date, that is, from February 1, ”says G. Krušnienė.

Fixed cases of fraud

Already at the end of February of this year, the measure to buy an electric scooter or a bicycle, after receiving compensation for an old and polluting car, was abandoned and its extension was not planned. The ministry made that decision on alleged cases of abuse. There have been cases of fraud where a scooter or electric bicycle purchased as a stand has been returned to the seller and the money recovered has fallen into your pocket. Others are engaged in reselling.

“We will try to control the abuses, there will not be exactly the same support as before, but we recognize that the quarantine continues, people have discovered clean transport, sustainable mobility along with the pandemic crisis, so we do not want to destroy it.” and we want to extend it this year, although you can choose to make more daily trips by bicycle and public transport.

However, we obviously want to stop buying more than for our own needs and reselling, which is not good and does not meet the objectives of this program ”, explains the deputy minister why it was decided to go back to the measure, but has not yet done so. . disclose what measures will prevent abuse. This will become clear after the publication of the description of the procedure.

Renewed subsidy for electric cars

It’s true, since February 1. The distribution of aid to electric cars was also stopped. However, the interlocutor does not link this to cases of abuse.

“Support for electric cars has been suspended for a simple reason due to the expiration of the deadline set by the previous legislation. The money did not run out, but the time to apply is over. That was until February 1.

There is no question about promoting electric cars. This is confirmed by the fact that a week ago the Seimas voted in favor of the alternative fuels law, which contains a clear provision of up to 10 percent. The Lithuanian car fleet will not be made up of electric cars, until then the state will support the promotion of electric mobility in various ways, ”says the Deputy Minister of the Environment.

It ensures that the subsidy procedure for electric cars will not deteriorate. Last year, state support amounted to 4,000. Eur for a new electric car, 2 Cerdocyon. used.

“It just came to our attention then. The market has comments on the administrative requirements, but we plan to publish a description of the procedure in the near future, proposing an extension of financing for electric cars, and we want to launch the measure in April, with retroactive effect from February 1. ”, says G Krušnien Seña.

The subsidies for electric cars did not increase, the support allocated this year is the same as last year: 5 million. Eur for both residents and companies. The deputy minister points out that last year only 1.5 million were allocated to electric cars. EUR.

“We are optimistic that this measure will be introduced, although at the beginning we had plans to reduce it so as not to freeze the funds. However, we remain optimistic that there will be an even greater advance and it will be used even more actively, because we are receiving those signals from the market and a lot of people are really waiting for this tool, ”he says.

It will stimulate green investment for 500 million euros

This year, a total of almost 162 million euros has been earmarked for climate change management measures. euros. The ministry estimates that with so much money on the market, green investment will be stimulated by 500 million euros.

“The subsidy is of various intensities, averaging around 30%, that is, approximately one third is allocated by the state and two thirds, by the beneficiary, whether they would buy a biofuel boiler or a scooter. This means that when we invite companies and individuals and distribute 160 million to them. Eur, a total of 500 million is likely to be invested in green investments. State support attracts much more money, ”says G. Krušnienė.

Among other things, two-thirds of the program’s funds go to business support.

“We see that the climate is undoubtedly a component of the competitiveness of the companies of the future, and the objective is to allow companies to” go green “as easily as possible. More than 100 million are destined to legal persons. Eur for a wide range of areas: both building, industrial processes and the use of renewable electricity. For needs and business processes both for clean transport and for the same electric mobility in the company. Transportation accounts for the largest amount of the total amount: about 60 million. Eur. ”, – calculates the deputy minister.