Corruption in Traffic Police

Participants to the broadcast: Domnita Pagoni, Expert / Lawyer at the Centre for Analysis and Prevention of Corruption (CAPC); Andrei Balan, Prosecutor at the Anticorruption Prosecutor’s Office, Nicolae Vasilisin, Lieutenant Colonel of Police, Head of the Traffic Police Directorate of the Ministry of Interior (MI).

INTRODUCTION

During the spring of the current year, the specialized subdivision of the MI – Traffic police was criticized by the leadership of the country and huge reforms started within the given structure, including personnel cut and re-attestation of those who remained in service. The respective measures were determined by the information regarding the activity of Traffic police workers and their involvement in corruption cases. Subsequently, the MI reported about the undertaken measures and now it is very interesting to discuss if the effect of these measures is actually felt in the day-to-day life.

QUESTIONS:

1. The opinion polls acknowledge a high level of citizens’ lack of confidence for police bodies and police workers are perceived as being the most corrupted officials within law enforcement agencies. How can this perception be explained? And how well-grounded is this perception?

2. The corruption among traffic police agents is generated by a double interest: the citizen who has violated some rules and does not want to be sanctioned and the policeman who has the possibility not to apply the sanction and needs some stimulation for this. Whose interest is of higher level here?

3. Probably many auto drivers found themselves in the situation when the policeman stops the car without any obvious grounds, trying to check the luggage rack or the loads without concluding the corresponding report. I would like to know, how well-reasoned are the actions of the Traffic police workers in such situations?

4. Traffic accidents represent a very serious problem and the authorities affirm that they are deeply concerned about this, thus approving different plans and undertaking measures for improving the situation in the field of traffic safety and security, in other words – for reducing the number of serious accidents. I would like to know: do these accidents offer to policemen opportunities for corruption practices? If yes, how are these practices manifested?

5. The legislation in the given field, for instance the Code of Road Traffic, the Code of Administrative Offences and other laws – are they adequate form the point of view of preventing and combating corruption related to road traffic?

6. As far as I heard, I know that the auto drivers who dare to contest the actions of Traffic police in the court usually win the cases. How can you explain this fact? Is it the policemen’s lack of professionalism to be blamed? Or, do they have other goals when documenting the cases?

7. What should one do when a traffic policeman gives him/her hints or directly asks for money for not being punished? If this occurs during night time, under emergency conditions, are there any possibilities for documenting the situation by oneself?