Drivers who do not pay their fines can lose their license. New changes agreed to by the Coalition
Control of the Traffic Police. PHOTO: Inquam Photos / Cornel Putan
Drivers will lose their license if they don't pay their fines within 90 days. The unpaid fines will not increase, however, as the Government initially wanted. The new changes are included in the draft emergency ordinance on the reform of the administration, in the version approved by the Coalition, put up for public consultation on Wednesday.
The draft emergency ordinance, now put out for public consultation by the Ministry of Development, regulates the fact that Romanians who have driving licenses cannot drive vehicles, agricultural/forestry tractors or trams on public roads if they do not pay the debts arising from contravention fines within 90 days.
Within 30 days, the authorities must inform the driver who has not paid their fines of the obligation to pay and when they will lose their right to drive.
The driver's license can only be returned after the holder proves that he has paid his fine.
“At the end of the period of suspension of the exercise of the right to drive, in order to take possession of the driver's license, its holder presents proof of the payment of all the payment obligations of the claims arising from the contravention fines that have been applied to them as drivers of motor vehicles, agricultural or forestry tractors and trams according to this normative act due to the local budget of the administrative-territorial unit in whose radius he is domiciled”, the draft GEO states.
How will the suspension period be reduced: Inconsistency between the draft GEO and the substantiation note
Currently, at the driver's license holder's request, the period of suspension of the right to drive for contraventions can be reduced by one third if he presents proof of payment of the fine related to the contravention that led to the suspension.
This reduction is approved by the head of the county traffic police or of the Bucharest municipality or by the head of the traffic police from the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police, if the stipulated conditions are met. These aspects are now provided for in Art. 104, paragraph (1) letter c of Emergency Ordinance 195/2002 regarding traffic on public roads.
The government now wants to amend this article. The explanatory note states that the suspension period of the driving license can be reduced if the license holder pays both the fine and all local taxes:
“The period of suspension of the right to drive for misdemeanors can be reduced when the offender presents proof of payment of all debts to the local budget of the administrative-territorial unit where he resides, including payment of the fine for the misdemeanor that led to the suspension of the right to drive. If the holder of the driving license does not reside in Romania, he presents proof of payment of only the fine imposed for the commission of the misdemeanor that caused the suspension of the right to lead”.
In the draft GEO, however, there is no longer any reference to the payment of local taxes:
“Article 104 paragraph (1), letter c) is amended and will have the following content:
“c) presents proof of payment of all payment obligations due to the local budget of the administrative-territorial unit in whose jurisdiction he is domiciled resulting from contravention fines that were imposed on him as drivers of motor vehicles, agricultural or forestry tractors and trams according to this normative act. If he is not domiciled in Romania, the driver's license holder presents proof of payment of only the fine applied for committing the contravention which caused the suspension of the right to drive.”
The up to 60% increase in unpaid fines was waived
The draft GEO no longer provides for a substantial increase in fines in case of non-payment, as was provided for in the draft law debated last month by the Ministry of Development, a project that was abandoned.
That draft law provided for an increase in the amount of contravention fines in case of non-payment at the initial deadlines: a 30% increase if the fine is not paid within 3 months after the set deadline, and another 30% increase if the non-payment continues after 6 months.
