Driving

The police may have arrested a 62-year-old man from Leiden earlier this week who has been driving without a licence for 47 years, but the Telegraaf turns its attention today to renewing an EU driving licence.


Under the heading ‘Kafka in Greece’, the paper looks at the experiences of Hans Bannenberg who teaches Dutch language and culture at Aristoteles University in Thessaloniki. Home for Christmas, Bannenberg tried to renew his driving licence but was told he had to do it in the country where he now lives.
The Greek transport ministry told him the new licence would cost €650, a citizen’s advice bureau said it would cost €380. To get the new documents he needed not only an authorised translation of his original licence, but a health check-up and an eye test.
In total, the new licence has taken three months to get and cost €470, Bannenberg told the paper. He has made a formal complaint to the EU ombudsman.

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