Project: Non-payment of fines could lead to jail in Romania

Those who fail to pay their fines within a period 90 days may have to carry out community service or even be sent to jail, according to a legislative proposal submitted to the Senate by social democrat MP Neculai Iftimie. According to this legislative project, those who fail to the pay the fine within 30 days from the moment they got it and then don’t show their intention to pay it in the following 60 days, through partial payments or installments, will have to carry out community service. Then, if they don’t show up at the local city hall within 48 hours from the final sentence, the mayor will address the court to change community service with jail time, local Mediafax reported. The initiator said that such a measure would reduce the costs related to the prosecution and forced execution of the offenders. Moreover, he believes that the measure would increase the revenues to the state budget, as people would rather pay the fines than go to jail. Also, the number of fines would drop. To come into force, the legislative proposal has to pass the Parliament, be promulgated by the president, and be published in the Official Gazette. Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com