This year, the Verkhovna Rada made a decision according to which traffic police officers can no longer refuse to register or re-register a car due to the owner having unpaid fines for traffic violations.

However, following this positive news, less pleasant news appeared: parliamentarians registered several bills that, if approved, would significantly increase the financial burden on motorists. "Segodnya" studied these initiatives.

ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES

We selected 4 bills that could lead to increased spending by vehicle owners.

CUSTOMS DUTIES. In early May, the Ministry of Economy published its recommendations, according to which, in addition to the current 10% duty, it is proposed to introduce a special duty: 6.46% for cars with engines up to 1.5 liters and 15.1% for cars with engines of 1.5–2.2 liters.

Oleg Nazarenko, a representative of the All-Ukrainian Association of Auto Importers and Dealers, noted that the introduction of special duties is possible at any time during May 2012. At the same time, budget foreign cars, in his words, could become more expensive by an average of 8–15 thousand hryvnias.

PENALTIES. Currently, the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada on legislative support for law enforcement activities is preparing for the second reading a bill that provides for a multiple increase in fines for traffic violations — on average, the amounts will increase from 255–340 hryvnias to 765–1020 hryvnias. At the same time, the head of the committee, Vladimir Oliynyk, does not rule out that the level of corruption on the roads will also increase: "If the fine is large, then the corruption component will likely be larger. And then it will simply become economically unprofitable to violate."

SPEED LIMIT. If the mentioned bill is adopted, drivers will have to move around the city at a speed of no more than 70 km/h instead of the current 80 (60 km/h permitted speed plus 20 km/h that are not punished).

It is quite difficult to assess whether this is good or bad. But there is a possibility that on safe sections of roads they will allow driving faster by installing appropriate signs — as was done in 2009 on Pobedy Avenue and Stolichnoye Highway (they were later dismantled and never returned). Naturally, at first many drivers will drive at the usual "80" and receive fines.

LUXURY TAX. As is known, the "On Wealth" bill (which is currently being finalized) proposed introducing a tax on cars with an engine displacement of over 3.4 liters. But the direct relationship between engine size and car price is not always obvious. For example, such an engine could be installed on a minibus. It remains to be hoped that parliamentarians will take all these points into account.

RETURN OF POWER OF ATTORNEY FOR CARS

At the end of April, bill No. 10371 was registered in the Rada, which provides for the return of powers of attorney for the right to drive a vehicle. True, now the document is proposed to be called differently — "permission to own and use a vehicle." At the same time, it is planned to oblige even those drivers who already have a notarized power of attorney to obtain it from the traffic police.

Will the coupon become mandatory?

Judging by the practice of issuing temporary coupons (which are currently not needed by anyone), the cost of such a document will be about 800 hryvnias (including payment for expert services, various fees, contributions to funds, printing of the form, and so on).

To prevent drivers from ignoring the new requirement, the authors of the bill immediately provided for administrative liability for the absence of this document — a fine from 765 to 935 hryvnias. Moreover, the specific amount of the fine will be determined by traffic police officers.