Picture: www.naftemporiki.gr
A bill of the Ministry of Finance entitled "Investment tools for development, credit granting and other provisions" provides for stiff penalties for vehicles without insurance. The bill is published on opengov.gr for a public discussion until 5 February 2013.
In the case of driving without insurance, the following penalties will be imposed:
- Withdrawal of the driver's licence and vehicle immobilisation for a period of 10 days with a decision of the police. If the uninsured vehicle has caused an accident, it will be immobilised for two years, and in the case of a second violation - for three years. Drivers who want their number plates back, after the penalty period has expired, will have to show the relevant insurance document.
- A financial penalty, which is confirmed by an act of the police, amounting to 1,000 euro for buses and trucks for public purposes, 500 euro for other vehicles of any kind, and 250 euro for two-wheeled vehicles.
The discovery of uninsured cars and penalties for their owners through accelerated procedures for the imposition of administrative and criminal sentences will be carried out by the competent police authorities through spot checks and electronically with the help of the Office of Information Systems with the Ministry of Finance. This office will electronically verify and process the data from the following databases:
- The archive of the Information Centre, which keeps data on vehicles which are insured and vehicles that are exempted from the compulsory motor third party liability insurance.
- The archive of the Ministry of Finance's Office of Information Systems, which keeps data on vehicles the licences for movement of which have been issued by the Ministry of Development, Competitiveness, Infrastructure, Transport and Communications.
- The archives of all other government departments or ministries that are authorised by law to issue permits for the movement of vehicles, which keep these cars' data.
For this purpose, the Information Centre and other government departments or ministries will be obliged to make the following data available to the Office of Electronic Systems:
- In the case of an uninsured vehicle, the office will draw up the appropriate notice to the owner of the car, which will invite him or her to explain the lack of the compulsory insurance within eight days of receipt of the letter. For the issuance of an insurance contract in this case, the owner has to show the insurance company the notification letter and pay to the state a fine of 250 euro.
- In the event of default, failure to provide satisfactory explanations and non-compliance with the prescriptions, in the above case, by the owner of the car, the Office of Information Systems sends the car and its owner's data to the police office by residence and the police impose penalties and fines.
The Office of Information Systems will perform checks periodically and at least twice a year. The amendments to the bill of the Ministry of Finance will change the order for the functioning of private insurance, allowing insurance companies to issue shares under the model of the banks. "Preferred shares give the state the right to participate in the administrative contract through its representative," states the respective Article.