The bill in the first reading supported 282 MP

Photo: rada.gov.ua

At an extraordinary meeting on 17 July, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in first reading bill No. 2695 on strengthening of responsibility for offences in the sphere of road safety, the correspondent of the edition “GORDON”.

The bill was submitted to Parliament in December 2019, three people’s deputies from “public Servants”. In the first reading it was supported by 282 MPs at the minimum required 226.

The bill proposes to amend the Code of Ukraine on administrative offences, the criminal code and the law “On road traffic” and “national police”.

The document, in particular, proposes to introduce in Ukraine an administrative arrest for 10 days, with deprivation of rights for three years for repeated driving in a drunken state, and to allow police to use photo and video equipment, including operating in automatic mode, with no markings and inscriptions. In addition, it proposes to increase the fine for speeding more than 50 km/h from 30 to 200 non-taxable minimum (from 510 UAH to 3400 UAH).

Opposition factions during the review criticized the bill.

“This bill has the same attitude to criminal liability for drunk driving as the guillotine for the struggle with the headache. It does not impose criminal liability for driving in a drunken state, he even does not increase the penalties. There are 10 days of administrative arrest. And that’s all, nothing more. But it enables the National police to put a double standard to all others. Remember how the cops sitting in the bushes and could the radar catch them all? Now they will be able to do it again. A sign that we still have the radar, no longer need be”, – said the MP from the “Voices” Alexander Ustinov.

In addition, she said, the police want to give the opportunity to stop cars for no reason and search them without witnesses.

MP from the “European solidarity” Ruslan Knyazevich assumed that this legislation will be used against opposition politicians.

“You want to stop without witnesses, without witnesses and inspect any vehicle for any reason. We can guess who will be the victims of such checks, as they are sitting in this hall in the back row,” – said Knyazevich.

The authors of the bill stated that a second reading it will make a difference. The draft law contains outdated regulations, for example, penalty points which were cancelled in April 2020.

The Ministry of internal Affairs and the President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky urged to support the bill.

“Adoption of this bill will contribute to the prevention of offenses in the sphere of road safety, more restrained and balanced driving behaviour on the roads and, consequently, will reduce the number of accidents”, – the press service quoted Minister of internal Affairs Arsen Avakov.

According to the interior Ministry, six months of 2020 has been registered in Ukraine 72 394 accidents, of which 11 with 200 dead or injured. In these accidents died 1482 people. In this case 2110 accidents committed by the drivers who were drunk.