PG Zilinka: Extensive Violations of Law Found in Local Parking Regulations

Bratislava, 8 December (TASR) - The Prosecutor-General's Office has found extensive violations of the law with regard to parking regulations in cities and municipalities, of which 80 percent were assessed as unlawful, TASR learnt from Prosecutor-General Maros Zilinka's social network post on Monday. According to Zilinka, prosecutors carried out 431 inspections in all cities and selected municipalities in Slovakia, examining a total of 577 generally binding regulations and other administrative acts on parking as part of a nationwide and comprehensive assessment. "The law has been breached in as many as 460 cases, which accounts for 80 percent of cases," stated Zilinka, adding that prosecutors issued 372 protests and 79 warnings, while unlawful provisions have been rectified in nine cases. The regulations identified as unlawful can be broken down into several categories, such as unclear, unintelligible and vague norms, municipalities exceeding their powers by imposing obligations falling within the remit of central government, as well as holding responsibility and carrying out inspections without legal authorisation. Prosecutors also found violations of the equal treatment principle, such as when municipalities issue so-called resident parking cards or favour only a specific group of people with severe health disabilities by excluding the holders of disability parking permits issued abroad. jrg/df