In Belgium, a month of tolerance on the roads
In conflict with the federal government, the main Belgian police unions have decided to no longer issue certain traffic offenses from this Thursday, December 15 and until January 15, 2023.
On the form, it is easy to imagine that the social movement of Belgian police officers should arouse much more enthusiasm and support than yet another strike by French railway workers, no longer giving fines being resolutely more popular than abolishing trains. A movement of police unions in the Flat Country which starts this Thursday, December 15 and which, for the moment, is scheduled to last until Sunday, January 15.
The Reasons Of The Wrath
At the initiative of the SLFP-VSOA, CGSP-ACOD, ACV-CSC and NSPV-SNPS unions, tolerance will therefore be in order for 30 days on Belgian roads. With one voice, the unions invite agents to ” respond non-punitively to different offenses they may see.
Two major topics are currently crystallizing the tensions in society: salaries and pensions. Regarding the first, the discontent originates in the report at the end of 2023 of a promise of revaluation, however for the first months of the next year. A decision taken by the “Vivaldi” coalition of Prime Minister Alexander De Croo’s government.
As for pensions, the unions are protesting against the decision of the federal government to end in 2023 the so-called “soft” end-of-career system allowing police officers to retire at 58.
Which fines will no longer be issued?
This “protest tolerance” will result in the non-verbalization of several parking and traffic violations. However, the president of the SLFP union, Vincent Gilles, warns our colleagues at RTBF that the idea is not to ” let Belgium become a Far West in terms of the roads (…) we decided to do our job but by using our possibility of evaluation more often in certain contexts “.
Clear, the infractions ” not endangering the lives of others » will no longer be sanctioned until January 15, 2023. The officers could, however, arrest the driver and remind him of the law, but without imposing a fine. Likewise, blood alcohol tests produced as part of the BOB campaigns to become (a little) rarer.
However, if on the other hand a motorist commits an offense that risks endangering someone else, then in this case he will be well verbalized. Ditto for positive blood alcohol tests, speeding, crossing red lights or refusal of priority which will continue to be sanctioned.
Visibly very upset, the Belgian police unions ensure that the protest movement could last until 2024 ” if necessary “. Good news for drivers but much less prosperous for the finances of the Belgian state. Over the end of the year period, the unions ensure that the total amount of fines amounts to nearly 500 million euros. They think that this “verbalization strike” could affect “ approximately 30% of these expected revenues, i.e. 150 to 160 million euros less revenue “.