Severer punishment for unlicensed driving to take effect in Armenia 

ArmInfo.  Considering that some citizens of the country periodically commit illegal actions by driving vehicles without a driver's license, this act will become a criminal offense. The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia is discussing amendments to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia  in the first reading at an extraordinary session on July 2.

Armen Mkrtchyan, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic  of Armenia, who presented the legislative initiative, noted that the  criminal measure will be applied in the event that, within a year  after the first offense, the driver again decides to drive a car  without the appropriate license. Currently, driving a car by persons  without a driver's license is subject to a fine of 25 thousand drams.  In many cases, this does not stop violators, who can repeat such  actions many times. Considering the danger they create on the roads,  the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed to classify repeated  violations as malicious and punish them not administratively, but  criminally - under Article 344 of the Criminal Code - a fine of 50  thousand drams, or community service from 80 to 150 hours, or  imprisonment for up to 2 years.

It is also planned to prohibit the sale to persons under 18 of  devices or tools that resemble bladed weapons in appearance or design  and have industrial, household, economic, educational, cultural or  decorative value, as well as driving a car with them. A fine of 50  thousand drams will be established for the sale of weapons, and 100  thousand drams for involving minors in their sale. Teenagers under 18  who are found with bladed weapons will be fined 20 thousand drams  with the confiscation of the found weapon.

Having presented the proposed regulations and established fines in  detail, the speaker noted that the package of projects will improve  the tools for informing the driver of a vehicle in the event of the  vehicle being taken to a special site in the absence of the driver,  as well as clarify the right of the police to identify persons  suspected of committing an administrative offense using mobile video  or photo equipment. When drawing up a violation report, if the driver  presents his license within 24 hours, he will be released from  liability.