Cyclists in Romania will pay lower fines, Senate decides

The Senate adopted on Monday, November 6, a legislative proposal that lowers the fines for cyclists. The draft bill passed with 86 votes in favor, only two votes against, and six abstentions, reports local Digi24. Several MPs from the opposition party Save Romania Union (USR) submitted the legislative proposal to the Parliament in March. The Senate’s judicial committee gave a favorable report on the draft bill in late-October. The bill aims to amend the Traffic Code so as to reduce the fines from the current RON 870 – 1,160 (EUR 189 – 252) to RON 290 – 435 (EUR 63 – 94). The initiators say that, on one hand the police officers avoid sanctioning the cyclists who violate traffic rules because of the high fines, and on the other hand many people think twice before choosing to travel by bike because of the big sanctions. The Senate is the first chamber of the Parliament notified in this sense, with the Chamber of Deputies having the final say. Romanian university implements bike-sharing system for students Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com