Filenews 26 November 2020
Increased penalties for the illegal use of fireworks are provided for in the Explosives (Amendment) Act 2020 passed on Thursday by a majority of the Plenary of the House. There were 41 Members, against two, and there were two abstentions.
The purpose of the law and the regulations adopted is to amend the Explosives Act and the Explosives Regulations, respectively, in order to enable the phenomenon of the illegal use of fireworks to be addressed and to further safeguard public order and security.
In particular, it is envisaged to increase the prison sentences and/or fines laid down in the basic legislation under amendment in order to make them more dissuasive in relation to offences relating, inter alia, to the illegal importation, manufacture, sale, transport and use of any explosive and the sale and purchase of cartridges and other ammunition. The maximum maximum prison sentences and/or fines that may be imposed shall also be increased.
The regulations, which are adopted on the basis of Article 13 of the Explosives Act, result in:
Increase prison sentences and fines related to offences relating, inter alia, to the issue of a licence to import, manufacture, transport, store, store, sell and use explosives from twelve months in prison and from one thousand seven hundred and eight euros to three years in prison and two thousand euros fine, respectively.
Include provision to exclude the possibility of obtaining a certificate of competency for the possession, transport and use of explosives by natural persons who have employed or employed the police in matters relating to the security of the State or public policy. In the event of a refusal of an application for a certificate of competency due to the above, the police will be relieved of the obligation to disclose the relevant information or information.
Increase the minimum age of a natural person to whom a certificate of competency for the possession, transport and use of explosives may be issued from 16 to 21.
Although the vast majority of Members agreed on the need to control illegal fireworks, since they said 'evil has gone too far', many of them pointed out that increasing penalties alone does not achieve the objective since it is not possible to implement it effectively.
Source: eyenews/KYPE
