National Assembly Did Not Adopt Agenda for Increasing Penalties for Driving in Opposing Traffic Lane

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia did not include in its agenda the draft law proposed by Vahe Enfiadjian, a member of the Prosperous Armenia faction, which suggests amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses regarding penalties for drivers who exit the opposing traffic lane.

The proposal included increasing the fine for drivers exiting the opposing traffic lane when not related to overtaking in authorized areas or bypassing a stationary vehicle or obstacle.

During the vote on whether to include the draft in the agenda, 25 deputies voted in favor, 82 against, and 12 abstained. Enfiadjian emphasized that the initiative aims solely to prevent such undesirable behaviors.

He explained that exiting the opposing traffic lane, when not associated with permitted overtaking or avoiding obstacles, currently incurs a fine set at 150 times the minimum wage. Enfiadjian referenced the analysis of traffic accident statistics and mentioned that significant deterrent mechanisms must be established, having reviewed both EAEU practices and international examples.

He noted that while there is no specific rejection of the proposal's rhetoric from the government, they acknowledged the existence of an alternative draft law. “However, there are several initiatives from the MPs of the Prosperous Armenia faction that have been mentioned as acceptable too, but the government has its own draft. I believe we should have the opportunity to discuss this issue in the hall,” he stated.

Armen Khachatryan, a member of the Permanent Committee on Defense and Security Issues, pointed out that the draft is premature and unacceptable at this time. “We already have a comprehensive large package, so-called penal unit implementation projects, which broadly regulates several legal relationships in the field of road traffic safety and introduces a new policy regarding the practice of administrative fines,” he said, presenting a fact that is fundamentally contradictory to the proposed bill. He added that in the package of the penal unit system, the maximum fine is set at 29,000 drams.