President invited a meeting to discuss systems of control over the traffic rules and organization of the works related to paid parking

President Serzh Sargsyan invited today a meeting to discuss issues related to the systems of control over the traffic rules and organization of the works pertinent to paid parking.

Present at the meeting were the Head of the Presidential Administration Armen Gevorkian, Vice Prime Minister, Minister of International Economic Integration and Reforms Vache Gabrielian, Mayor Taron Margarian, Chief of Police Vladimir Gasparian, Head of the Presidential Oversight Service Felix Tsolakian, Acting Head of the Service on the Compulsory Enforcement of Judicial Acts Armen Harutyunian, Head of Road Police Service of RA Police Egor Karapetian, officials of the administration. Discussed were issues related to the main results of introduction of the systems of control over the traffic rules and program of paid parking and financial indicators, conclusions of the Presidential Oversight Service on the monitoring of the problems existing in the traffic area.

Before that Serzh Sargsyan presented his approaches and observations regarding the issue and gave corresponding tasks. “We have spoken a lot about the regulation of the traffic. This is a constant issue which requires constant attention. Three or four years ago, considering the steady increase of the number of vehicles in Yerevan and in the Republic in general and related inconveniences, after examining the international experience, we decided to introduce a relevant system through the state-private sector cooperation first in Yerevan, then on the main highways of the country, which was aimed at reducing the influence of human factor on these processes, at keeping road police officers free of possible pressure, and at reduction of corruption risks. As a result, fully aware that there would be certain discontent and abuses, today we have reached the conclusion that a great amount of work undoubtedly has been carried out even though the number of complaints has not dropped. It is understandable. On the other hand we have to note that the level of the drivers’ law awareness has increased, some of the problems have been resolved; however on each milestone we reach, we have to adopt new approaches.

One year ago, we held a working meeting and underscored once again that the introduction of those systems was not conditioned by financial expectations, and the fines were not a means to seize money from the drivers; rather they are of the preventive nature. That is to say, the fine is not an end in itself; it is just a means to regulate these problems. We had tasked the relevant bodies to scrutinize the entire process once again, and if certain problems emerge, to solve them. Starting from the regulation of the traffic rules and ending with the rate of fines. This meeting has two objectives: first, to understand what has been done in the wake of the previous meeting, and second, to announce that in our opinion, we have reached the stage when the companies, which operate these systems and made large investments, have solved certain financial issues and the time has come for the financial resources to be administered by the corresponding state and community structures. Thus, the Government is tasked to solve this issue, naturally taking into consideration the inviolability of private property, as well as the interests of the state and communities. I believe that solutions do exist and they should also result in the improved quality of services. The same task goes to the Head of Police and Mayor of Yerevan. Time-wise, I believe one week or ten days is enough to conduct negotiations and make decisions. I would like to repeat once again that in this case too, the purpose is not to squeeze money from the drivers; the purpose is to create comfortable conditions for our citizens. In my opinion, and I am saying this as a citizen, Yerevan stands our favourably compared to other major cities of the region with its observance of traffic rules, and this is related to the issue of comfort and its first condition and sign,” said the President of Armenia.

In the framework of the agenda, the Head of the Presidential Oversight Service reported on the results of the monitoring conducted in the traffic area in accordance with the instructions issued by the President. Among other fulfilled tasks, Felix Tsolakian noted that in order to monitor the problems existing in the area of road traffic, to coordinate the course of reforms and to offer long-time programs, by the order of the Chief of Police n. 2390-A issued on November 9, 2015, there was created a commission headed by the Deputy Chief of Police S. Hovhannissian. The commission had examined problems related to the traffic management in Yerevan and carried out a number of steps. In particular, at the meetings of the inter-agency commission changes were discussed and introduced at some intersections of the capital city of Yerevan. To ensure the fulfilment of the tasks issued by the President, and as a result of the examination of the legal acts, which regulate administrative procedures carried out by the road police and to solve the existing problems, the road police have developed a number of law drafts which were discussed and improved by the working group headed by the Minister of Justice and adopted by the National Assembly. Resulting from the changes in the legislature, issues related to administrative peculiarities of the violations conducted by the vehicles with foreign registration plates (notification, payment, charging), the rules of changing the addressees of the administrative acts to exclude unwarranted cases of changing postal addresses. It was also decide to substitute fines for minor traffic violations, containing no malicious intent with administrative warnings (in ten months of 2016, there were issued 75.600 warnings).

The individuals have the opportunity through the Police website to register for electronic mail and receive additional notification on the decision at the moment it’s been made as well as the opportunity to appeal against the decision through the electronic mail. In order to rule out the practice of receiving incorrect or faulty payments by the organizations which receive fines for administrative violations, the road police and the RA Central Bank have created and introduced electronic program which allows in the process of making payments in the banks and other payment receiving organizations to receive online information on the administrative act from the road police and to send electronic notification to the road police regarding the payment. The system was introduced on July 15, 2016 and is being improved even now. Thanks to the system, there are virtually no unidentified payments which means there is also no double charging. It is envisaged to create similar conditions for the payments related to the administrative acts presented by the traffic and patrol police.

At the meeting, the Chief of Police reported on the situation with the works carried out with the Security Dream firm, while the Mayor of Yerevan presented the works conducted together with Parking City Service and Locator consortium related to the organization of the works at the paid parking. The Acting Head of the Service on the Compulsory Enforcement of Judicial Acts Armen Harutyunian reported on the problems related to the process of the compulsory enforcement of payments and installation of free mechanisms for the notification of the citizens on seizing their property.

Recapping the results of the meeting, the President of Armenia tasked the Chief of Police and suggested the Mayor of Yerevan to develop based on the outcome of the negotiations with the Security Dream firm and Parking City Service within ten days relevant legal mechanisms so that their functions and administration, conditioned by the type of private property including financial flows, are transferred to the state and community structures. At the same time discussed were opportunities for the full preservation and continuous improvement of all control procedures aimed at the reduction of the human factor and inappropriate interference and present relevant proposals to the Government of Armenia.

The Chief of Police was instructed also together with the interested state and community bodies to examine the necessity of introducing new standards in the control over the traffic rules and organization of paid parking services, and to present pertinent proposals to the Government of Armenia. Before the end of this year, to initiate and adopt a concept of reformation of the road police structure, setting strict deadlines and tangible, real results, to develop additional measures for the improvement of the mechanisms for the proper notification of the citizens regarding administrative fines and present relevant proposals to the Government of Armenia.

The Minister of Justice was instructed together with the Chief of Police to discuss and within 20 days to take measures to implement necessary tools for the proper notification related to the seizure of property for the compulsory enforcement of administrative fines.