The Croatian government on Thursday sent to the parliament the Road Safety Bill, which provides for much stricter fines in a bid to reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities.

“Based on numerous analyses and in close cooperation with the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, we have proposed amendments that significantly increase fines, define the minimum duration of driving disqualifications and regulate and increase negative points for the eight most serious traffic offences,” Minister of the Interior Davor Bozinovic said while presenting the new bill.

Under the new bill, present fines of between HRK 5,000 (EUR 675) and 15,000 (EUR 2,000) would be increased to between HRK 10,000 (EUR 1,350) and 20,000 (EUR 2,700) for the eight most serious traffic violations – driving in the opposite direction on motorways, exceeding the speed limit in a built-up area by over 50 km/h, deliberately running a red light, refusing to take a test for alcohol or drugs, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol with a blood alcohol level of 1.5 g/kg and higher, driving before acquiring a driving licence or while the driving licence is suspended or revoked.

Bozinovic said that a task force had already been set up to monitor the effect of the proposed measures and propose changes and additional improvements if necessary.

Govt adopts report on commodity stockpiles

The government adopted a report on the state and management of strategic stockpiles in 2018 which shows a deficit in the amount of HRK 24.2 million, to be covered from surplus revenues and receipts transferred from last year.

The revenue from the sale of strategic stockpile commodities in 2018 totalled HRK 70.3 million while the expenditure amounted to HRK 94.5 million.

The government also sent to the parliament amendments to the Law on Open-end Investment Funds with a Public Offering and the Law on Alternative Investment Funds to align the two laws with the EU Securitisation Regulation.