Long haul truck drivers Transport Ministry's agenda, certain measures underway - Kremlin
MOSCOW. Dec 4 (Interfax) - The Kremlin has said that the situation around long haul truck drivers is not its agenda but the prerogative of the Transport Ministry and the necessary measures are already underway.
"We still do not consider it to be the agenda of the presidential administration. After all, it is the agenda of the relevant government department. And as we can see, certain measures are being taken, and I hope those who are interested in this subject, will get answers to their questions," Russian President's Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday, commenting on the situation around long haul truck drivers' protests.
"I would still, first of all, draw the attention to the issue that was debated in Duma today, of reducing fines, no repeat fines, i.e. the measures that were taken. This issue is being actively considered, and it certainly must be considered in a dialogue, as is happening between the relevant government department - that is the transport ministry - and those who have questions," Peskov said.
It was reported that on Friday the State Duma passed on second and third, final, reading a bill reducing fines almost 100 times (from 450,000 rubles to 5,000 rubles) for long haul truck drivers who do not have "trackers" - new systems which track routes and set the size of a fee.
"The approved amendments also introduce the notion of a one-time fine: no more than one fine per day, no matter how many violations were recorded. In addition, the amendments allow post-payment instead of pre-payment," Vyacheslav Lysakov, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee for Constitutional Legislation and State Building, and a co-chairman of the Moscow office of the People's Front for Russia, told reporters on Friday, commenting on the initiative.