Minsk traffic police promise fine discounts to women, elderly

Unfastened safety belts will automatically mean a maximum fine of Br31,000 for drivers in Minsk.

Under paragraph 4 in Article 18.12 of the Belarus’s Code of Administrative Offenses, the violation of safety belt regulations leads to a fine within the range from Br9,000 to Br31,000. Vasil Bulbyankou, the chief of the Minsk Traffic Police says the time of talks and warnings has passed. Now, police will resort to rigid measure to improve safety on the roads.

“The traffic rules are written with human blood and do not forgive mistakes on the road. Therefore, I will be brief. We will punish in a rigid way,” he told the European Radio for Belarus.

95 percent of drivers and passengers do not violate the rules and always fasten their safety belts, the chief of the capital’s traffic police said. But nothing, including a public awareness campaign in the media, helps to put the remaining 5 percent in order.

“We have put out enough information. But people don’t want to understand, so we will punish them with their pockets,” Bulbyankou said.

Talking to the European Radio for Belarus, Yury Litvin who heads the National Traffic Police Inspectorate puts at doubt that this extreme approach is in line with the letter of the law.

“Who could have issued this order? Is it legal?” he said.

But Vasil Bulbyankou knows exactly who the master at the capital’s streets is.

“I am the chief of the capital’s police and I am responsible for the traffic police in the city,” he said.

Having scared drivers with “dragon” measures first, the chief of the Minsk traffic police noted that they would be used selectively. Discounts on fines could be made for women and pensioners.

“If this is a skinhead “thug” who normally says: “Commander, I have no time. Let me pay any fine you want”, he would be fined to a maximum. But when a woman or an elderly person is driving without safety belts, then…we will treat everyone individually,” Bulbyankou said.