Filenews 21 October 2021
The Plenum of the Parliament approved by a majority the legislation that allows the activation of the photo-labelling system for recording traffic offenses, with an amendment that exempts the owners of car rental companies from the responsibility for the payment of extrajudicial offences.
In particular, three laws were passed. The "Extrajudicial Regulation of Offences (Amendment) (No. 7) Law of 2020" was passed by 28 votes in favour, 3 against and 14 abstentions. The "Traffic Offences (Use of Photo-labelling Devices and Other Related Issues) (Amendment) Law of 2020", was passed by 28 votes in favour, 3 against and 13 abstentions, after the vote of an amendment by MPs concerning the owners of rental cars. The relevant regulations were also passed by 28 votes in favour, 3 against and 14 abstentions.
With the amendment, which was tabled orally by the Mp of DIKO Christos Orphanides and endorsed by AKEL EDEK and the Movement of Ecologists, the offender in case of a traffic offence is considered to be the driver or tenant of the rental car and the licensed car rental company is exempt from any fine.
EDEK MP Elias Myrianthous said that there was an attempt through the bills to load the responsibility onto the owner of rental cars and pointed out that there are €150 million of uncollected fines. He also said that the amendment is trying to give time for consultation between the government and rental companies to find a compromise solution.
The MP of DIPA – Cooperation of Democratic Forces Marinos Mousiouttas said that the legislation is a lever of pressure on the government and if the golden mean is found then the legislation can be amended. He also said that the state finally managed to bring the law on photo-tagging systems 13 years after the installation of the traffic cameras and expressed the hope that they would act as a deterrent to causing accidents. He also said that the relevant contract of the state was signed with the company without any legislation.
AKEL MP Yiannakis Gabriel said that the executive put the pistol on their temple after signing the contract and submitted the bills a few days ago and so they did not manage to pass into the law what they wanted. He also criticised the Government for not taking measures to reduce accidents.
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvidis described the passing on of responsibility to car owners for the collection of fines as a great mistake. He said they had 12 years to bring in legislation.
ELAM MP Linos Papagiannis was saddened by the fact that while the state cannot find those who come from the occupied territories and make violations, the pseudo-state recognizes them and does not allow them to go back again.
Stavros Papadouris, Member of parliament for ecologists, said that they will not accept to burden the owners with the rental companies the collection of fines, everyone should assume their responsibilities and the Ministry should find ways of collection as is done in other countries abroad.
DISY MP Fotini Tsiridou said that the photo-labelling system is finally being put into operation without having any appeals that would delay the process. The goal, he said, is to save lives. He also said that 22% of all out-of-court cases remain unpaid and an effort is being made within the lease agreement to ensure the payment of the extrajudicial. We don't want to put the blame on vehicle owners, he said, but we need to find ways to do that.
AKEL MP Costas Costas said that the most important thing is that the government went ahead and signed a contract in December without having a law. The legislation will be passed now, he said, a year later. It's dangerous, he added, because if it's a start today I don't know where it will stop. As he said, the bill came 15 days ago and there was no consultation on rental cars.
Mp Andreas Themistocleous said that during the period when the cameras were operating, the total number of accidents decreased, the number of extrajudicial accidents was launched, but the fatalities had an increase, because where the cameras came in, the patrol cars were withdrawn, which caused the real decrease.
Ecologists MP Charalambos Theopempto said that this is not the first time that the Government signed the contract and brought after the bill.
CNA
