The previously responsible Saeima National Economy, Agrarian, Environmental and Regional Policy Commission decided to support the proposal submitted by MPs Jānis Patmalnieks (JV) and Gatas Liepiņš (JV), which provides that the state or municipal police, in accordance with the competence defined in the regulatory acts, ensure order on the roads, regulate vehicles and pedestrian movement, carries out traffic monitoring, controls the condition of the roads, as well as the technical condition of the technical means and vehicles of the traffic organization.
In a letter from the Association of Large Cities of Latvia, the commission expresses concern about the word “ensures” contained in the norm.
When surveying the members of the association, the chairmen of the councils, the association was not convinced that the proposal is unambiguously understandable and interpretable for those applying legal norms. The association of large cities admits that such a wording of the legal norm could create a precedent in the future – if the state police is unable to provide this function for some reason, this responsibility will fall on the shoulders of local governments.
“Taking into account the tight budget situation of local governments, such a new function, if it should be performed as a mandatory rather than an optional function, will most likely not be possible,” the association emphasizes.
The association calls on the commission to create such a regulation that provides the municipal police with the right to choose, not to mention the obligation to ensure compliance with the mentioned Road Traffic Law norms.