Pashinyan: Let`s stop practice of harassing Armenian citizens and  fining them everywhere

ArmInfo. "The citizen is not the material for the fine," Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan told the government on June 15, reacting to the bill on amending the  RA Law "On Police" regarding mobile video cameras. The Armenian  government has considered the initiative of the deputies from the  Republican Party of Armenia, who are invited to refuse mobile video  recording as evidence of violations of traffic rules.

In particular, as explained by the head of the Police Valery Osipyan,  the draft law proposes to prohibit the use of mobile video recording  equipment in order to prevent or disclose, as well as ensure public  order. The authors of the bill argue the need for the adoption of the  document by the following circumstances: in its present form, the law  does not ensure the execution of an oral warning from a police  officer about video fixation, the fact of a violation is recorded  without the authorization of this entity. In addition, it is believed  that mobile video recording on vehicles and a video camera attached  to a police uniform is a violation of privacy.

As the Chief of Police pointed out, the bill suggests marking  vehicles equipped with video cameras with a special sign, placing  warning signs on those sections of the road that are recorded on  video, which will allow drivers to recognize their presence in a  timely manner. "We believe that these arguments are insufficient to  approve the bill," Osipyan said, noting that mobile video recording  cameras have a deterrent effect and are implemented in accordance  with the Constitution. Instead, he proposed to enforce the public  notice of mobile video fixing equipment.

"We again run into contradictions," the Prime Minister said in  response. "We constantly insist that we should stop the practice of  persecuting people with the aim of penalizing them, on the other  hand, we are increasing the number of mobile video cameras." At the  same time, we are not guaranteed that the police officer does not  remove us "into the quiet," Pashinyan said. also asked the police  chief what the situation with mobile radars (speed meters).

In response, Osipyan said that mobile radars are currently not  operating either in Yerevan or in the regions. At the same time, he  insists that video cameras are necessary, since they have a deterrent  effect. He assured that soon the Police will come up with an  initiative to reduce the amount of fines, including for violations of  traffic rules. In addition, he said that a police officer should warn  the driver that a recording is in progress and no one has the right  to destroy this video. Citizens have the right to refuse video  fixing, but the decision to conduct video fixing, or not, is taken by  a police officer.

Meanwhile, after listening to Osipyan, Nikol Pashinyan stated that he  did not like the train of thought of those present. "We have formed a  political task - to refrain from politics everywhere and to fine  citizens, and now you are discussing whether to fin with or without  light," he said, suggesting that the policy is aimed at ensuring road  safety or whether fiscal tasks are being solved. "Let's stop the  practice of harassing Armenian citizens and fining them everywhere."  Do not be like that. Let's solve the issue of securing road safety in  a different way, let's say increase the quality of roads, "he  concluded. Nikol Pashinyan banned members of the government from  deviating from the political course.

On May 17, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan proposed to the  Cabinet of Ministers temporarily suspend the work of cameras and  radars on the roads. According to him In other words, colossal fines  have been imposed on citizens who have not yet fully paid, people can  not pay off their debts. "We need to give them time to" catch their  breath," he said.