AZG Armenian Daily #092, 21/05/2005

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SAME YARDSTICK APPLIED TO HAMMER AND ZHIGULI DRIVERS

On May 19, the Armenian Parliament discussed the draft law of changes
and amendments to the Code of Administrative Infringements. The
lawmakers focused particularly on traffic law violations by
drivers. But the stances of the side presenting the draft law and
members of the centrist Rule of Law Party diametrically differed on
the issue of the size of fines.

Adviser of justice minister, Gevorg Kostanian, claims that the draft
law will keep traffic policemen away from punishing drivers. “This
change is necessary to limit the traffic police’s willful acts against
our citizens”, Kostanian said.

The next reform put forward in the parliament will concern placing
cameras on the streets of heavy traffic. If a driver neglects a
traffic inspector’s stop signal, he will be fined 100 thousand drams.

Gevorg Kostanian explained the reason of deputies’ negative response,
“This law aims at limiting the rights of the rich as 100 thousand is
not affordable for most of the drivers”.

“We are against this draft law. It does not consider whether the
lawbreaker is a tractor or Mercedes driver. The punishment got very
severe. They suggest raising today’s fines, 3-10 thousand drams, to 100
thousand but it’s clear that Mercedes and Hammer drivers will avoid
paying and the middle-class drivers will have to carry the burden”,
deputy chairman of State Legal Committee, Hovhannes Margarian says.

By Karine Danielian