Latvian drunk drivers' seized cars could be given to Ukraine

Take note – story published 1 year ago

Cars seized from drunk drivers could be handed over to Ukrainian defenders, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity) said at a media briefing after the coalition meeting on Monday, February 13.

The proposal came from the Ministry of Finance, and it gained support at the coalition meeting. The Ministry of Finance will now prepare the necessary amendments.

In November 2022, changes to the Criminal Law included more severe penalties for drunk drivers, as well as the confiscation of the vehicle if the recorded intoxication level was over 1.5 permilles of alcohol.

The cars are handled by the State Revenue Service (VID). On average VID takes in 250 cars per year, but since the entry into force of these new amendments, the number of vehicles handled has increased significantly with parking lots filling up, as previously reported by LSM.

These cars can be purchased by anyone, and there is a lot of interest in them because it is an opportunity to get a roadworthy car at a low price. In these auctions, there is no reserve starting price.

More than half of the drunk drivers caught have been driving a vehicle belonging to another person, in which case they must pay the partial or full value of the vehicle in compensation.

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