Filenews 25 September 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Just a few days before the Ministry of Transport Decree comes into force, which from October 3, 2025 will cancel the Certificates of Suitability (MOTs) for vehicles that have not complied with the mandatory airbag recall, 19,400 vehicles remain pending, raising serious questions about whether timely service by dealerships and workshops is feasible.
The Ministry's information campaign has been in full swing since the beginning of September, with television and radio messages, signs, press releases and digital promotion, in order to raise public awareness of the danger of defective airbags and the need for their immediate replacement. However, reality shows that time is not enough.
According to information, both import companies and authorized workshops are facing serious difficulties in meeting the volume of applications for the replacement of defective parts, which makes it impossible to complete the process for all affected vehicles before the deadline.
It is recalled that the Minister's Decree provides that, after the eight-month deadline, all vehicles that have not replaced the problematic airbag will automatically lose their certificate of suitability, as a result of which they cannot legally circulate on the roads.
The implementation of the measure is considered decisive for the protection of human life, as according to the manufacturers' estimates, defective airbags may, under certain conditions, explode violently, causing serious injuries or even deaths.
However, given that there are less than 10 days left until the start of cancellations and with thousands of vehicle owners still waiting, there are more and more voices calling on the Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafeadis, to reconsider the possibility of granting a targeted extension, at least for those cases that have already been planned but cannot be carried out due to workload in the workshops.
The final decision is expected to be made in the coming days, however, for now, the Ministry remains firm in its position, calling on citizens to act immediately.
