New road safety laws unconstitutional say opponents

In August this year the Infrastructure Minister drafted an ordinance including a list of road offenses and their subsequent financial fines on the basis of a regulation that is incompatible with the constitution. The ordinance was formulated on the basis of article 92 of the Road Transport Act. However, lawyers claim that it is in contravention of the constitution as the minister has been given the right to exercise his own judgement in the field of offenses and punishment in road transport. An expert on constitutional law, Professor Piotr Winczorek said,"This regulation is an evident error of the legislator. It contradicts the constitution, article 42 of which states that only an Act of Parliament can formulate prohibited actions that are punishable. This can not be regulated by the minister's ordinance, as it transgresses the sphere of civic rights and liberties". (Puls Biznesu, p. 13) A.C.