The Ministry of Home Affairs suggests harshening the prison sentence and increasing the fines for false bomb scares in a move to discourage the misleading about bomb planting. According to the institution, tens of bomb hoaxes announced by phone or by email have been reported so far this year, with the work of institutions and business entities being blocked, IPN reports.

The intentional misleading about an act of terrorism is now punished with at most two years in jail and a maximum fine of 50,000 lei. The bill to amend the Penal Code stipulates a jail term of two to five years or a maximum prison term of 12 years in case of aggravating circumstances and a maximum fine of 150,000 lei.

The number of bomb hoaxes over the past three months of this year has increased, with 106 hoaxes being recorded this month alone. The number of employees of the Ministry of Home Affairs who are engaged in anti-terrorist measures and investigation of bomb hoaxes since the beginning of this July has increased by about 58%.