Parliament okays harsher penalties for traffic offences

NEWS 12.07.201917:14
Marijan Susenj/PIXSELL

Parliament on Friday decided on amendments to the Law on Road Safety which foresees harsher penalties for traffic offences.

Eight of the gravest offences will incur a fine of HRK 15,000 and HRK 20,000 instead of HRK 5,000 and HRK 10,000 respectively as was the case until now. These fines apply to offences such as driving in the opposite direction on motorways, exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 kph, deliberately driving through a red light, refusing to take an alcohol or drug test or driving under the influence, driving prior to obtaining or without a licence that has been suspended or revoked.

In cases where a driver commits the same offence for the second time within three years, their licence will be suspended for at least six months and for the third and any following such offence, their licence will be revoked for at least one year.

The amendment also foresees the temporary confiscation of a vehicle for repeat offenders. Vehicles can be confiscated pursuant to a court order for drivers who have been fined twice yet commit a third grave offence.

Reward for information regarding mass or individual grave sites

Parliament unanimously adopted the Law on Missing Persons in the Homeland War, a single law that will protect the fundamental rights of missing persons and their families at a higher level and will contribute to retaining their dignity.

The law contains a government-sponsored amendment according to which anyone delivering information regarding mass or single grave sites which leads to any cases being resolved will be rewarded according to a regulation that will be adopted by the Veterans’ Affairs Ministry.

Drawing closer to introducing the euro

Lawmakers adopted amendments to the Law on Credit Institutions which secures conditions to conclude an agreement on close cooperation between the Croatian National Bank (HNB) and the European Central Bank (ECB) aimed at moving closer to introducing the euro in Croatia. The law will make it possible for the HNB to honour directives and guidelines set by the ECB and that it provides all relevant information on credit institutions with their headquarters in Croatia which the ECB can request for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive supervision of credit institutions.