Muscat: Some Omani families were fined and ordered to disembark from their rented vehicles in Austria this week as their driving licences did not entitle them to drive in Austria.
The Austrian authorities said that the reason for this situation is the missing ratification of the international declarations on traffic rules by the Omani government. The Austrian authorities have issued a circular to all rented agencies not to hand over cars to drivers holding driving licences from Oman, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras, Ethiopia, North Korea, Libya and Nicaragua.
Meanwhile, an official at Oman Police told Gulf News that there is a coordination between Oman Police and Oman’s Foreign Ministry to activate the international driving licence between Oman and Austria.
“It will see light soon as Oman is going to ink an agreement in this regard,” said the official.
Nasser Al Nabhani, a Nizwa resident, told Gulf News that some vehicle renting companies have refused to rent him a vehicle as his driving licence does not entitle him to rent a vehicle in Austria.
“We are holidaying in Austria along with my friends, I didn’t know as I already paid for the rented company but to no avail,” said Al Nabhani.
Al Nabhani contacted the Omani Embassy in Vienna to help him out. “I would like to thank them for offering help as they helped me to rent another vehicle,” said Al Nabhani.
An Omani official at the Omani Embassy in Vienna told Gulf News that many Omanis had faced the same problem in Austria and they were fined for the invalidity of the driving licence.
