Russia to cancel parking fines issued to drivers waiting in line for gasoline
Fines issued to Russian drivers for parking and stopping violations while they waited in line for gasoline will be canceled, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said.
“In each such case, all regional traffic police divisions of Russia’s Interior Ministry will issue decisions to cancel the fines, given the minor nature of the offense or the fact that the driver was acting out of urgent necessity,” she said.
Volk’s comments indicate that fines will be canceled only after an affected driver files a request.
The move follows complaints from residents of the Saratov region about fines issued to drivers waiting in line for gasoline. Automated enforcement systems in the region had been recording parking and stopping violations near gas stations. As of July 1, Volk said, those systems have been switched off.
Russia’s fuel crisis, triggered by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil refineries, continues, with people forced to wait hours at gas stations. Meduza has previously reported on conflicts breaking out in fuel lines across Russia.
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