Fines for Tinted Windows Violate Legislation

The fines for tinted windows on vehicles are in contradiction with the legislation of the Republic of Armenia. This was stated by Mesrop Arakelyan, co-founder of the 'Living Country' party, on his Facebook page.

'Since June 1, 2023, the Traffic Police have begun to fine citizens for tinted windows on vehicles. The number of fined citizens exceeds 50,000. I have repeatedly mentioned that these fines contradict the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, as the degree of tinting is not defined by a government decree and refers to the Customs Union regulations.'

'I have contested the fines issued against me in court on two occasions, and in both instances, the court confirmed that the Traffic Police's orders to impose fines were unfounded, stating that the Customs Union regulations cannot serve as a basis for fines.' It is clear that thousands of citizens reasonably had no doubt about the legality of the records prepared by the police, and did not contest them through judicial procedures, subsequently paying the fines.

As a result, fines (25,000 drams each) that contradicted the legislation of the Republic of Armenia were collected from more than 50,000 citizens, which constitutes a gross violation of the Constitution and several laws. I have addressed the Minister of Internal Affairs, proposing to initiate a corresponding government decree to establish a process for returning the unjustly collected funds to citizens. The government’s failure to return unlawfully collected funds from over 50,000 citizens will signify that the authorities are committing a crime,' wrote Mesrop Arakelyan.