Fines of up to 3,000 lei for breaking traffic rules

Fines of up to 3,000 lei are envisaged by the new Contraventional Code for breaking the traffic regulations, as it enters force on May 31. The smallest fine is 20 lei, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We hope the higher fines will trigger more responsibility on the part of the ones involved in the road traffic,” a ranking road police officer, Grigore Guzun, told a news conference on May 26. In addition to the fines, the new code also provides for penalty points. “If the offender collects 15 penalty points within 6 months, the police will send the case to the court to decide on depriving the driver of his/her license from 6 to 12 months,” Grigore Guzun said. The penalty points are erased after 6 months or after serving the penalty. “If now the police officer only establishes the offense, and the penalty was decided by higher officers or courts, now they will be allowed to do this, except for withdrawing the driving license,” Guzun commented on the new traffic regulations. The head of the Road Police Division says the legal amendments are welcome: “The people won't have to go through all the red tape. They will queue at nobody's door. They will pay the fines to banks.” “A policeman shall assume responsibility for his actions,” Grigore Guzun answered the question whether enhanced powers granted to the road police may raise the number of corrupt policemen. “The fight against corruption goes on. We'll carry out special actions to track policemen with black intentions. The citizens can also dial our hot lines,” the police officer said. Under the new Contraventional Code, the offender may pay half of the fine due, if he/she pays it within 72 hours after its finding. Courts may take severer penalties, if the fine is not paid within 30 days. Over 1.3 million vehicles are recorded in Moldova, as there are 390 road police officers.