Hundreds of motorcycle buyers in the Thessaloniki area are unable to receive their newly purchased vehicles due to a shortage of materials needed to issue license plates, local media reported Monday.
At least 2,000 motorcycles remain stranded at dealerships, awaiting registration numbers, according to voria.gr. Also, supplies of tin used for vehicle plates are also expected to run out for cars in the coming days, it reported.
A regional official said the issue falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, with no confirmed timeline for resolution. Authorities have yet to provide a clear explanation for the shortage.
Dealers warn the shortage is already impacting business. “I have more than five motorcycles sold in my shop that cannot be delivered to their new owners, and since mid-February I have lost at least five other customers who, upon hearing about this problem, looked for a motorcycle from a dealer in a neighboring prefecture or proceeded to buy a used one that already has license plates,” said Haris Bairamis, a motorcycle trader.