The minister of home affairs shed light on the case when an ambulance with a wailing siren was stopped in traffic to give way to an official delegation. It happened the day the Governments of the Republic of Moldova and Romania had a joint meeting in Chisinau. Ana Revenco said that in accordance with the protocol, the emergency services are informed beforehand about the coming of official delegations so that the ambulances and firefighters adjust their itinerary. The National Emergency Medicine Center was informed about the presence of the official convoy on the route, IPN reports.
The minister noted the legislation provides that all the vehicles of the emergency services are diverted so that the official delegations could travel unrestrictedly. She asked for a report on this case so as to see who is to blame.
“There is a norm that the police officer has to apply in this case. The road traffic regulations stipulate who is given way in such situations. The patrol inspector is obliged to do this, not to interpret the law. It could have been a situation involving not an official convoy or an ambulance, but other units of transport and special vehicles. We have international security protocols that govern the activity of the patrol inspector. The ambulance service and firefighters are informed beforehand about the sectors that will not be accessible so that they can adjust their routes,” Ana Revenco stated in the talk show “Shadow Cabinet” on JurnalTV channel.
The minister shifted the responsibility onto representatives of the National Emergency Medicine Center, who were informed about the presence of the official delegation on the route. All the protocols were designed by taking into account the fact that life is given priority so that the emergency services reach the destination on time, but by obeying the protocol.
Earlier, Minister of Health Ala Nemerenco confirmed that the ambulance was stopped in traffic by a patrol inspector to allow an official delegation to pass even if this was taking a woman with a head trauma to the National Emergency Medicine Center for examinations.
