Finance
Minister Jacek Rostowski wrote a recent "love" letter to European Monetary
and Economic Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn in which he outlined how Poland
would reduce its budget deficit as fast as demanded by the European Commission.
Rostowski did chastise the EC for a lack of "transparency" -- the
Finance Ministry is clearly so transparent -- but for the most part
it was boring public finance stuff…until the statement "a newly introduced
road speed enforcement system should yield further revenues, estimated at 1.2bn
PLN in 2012."
Ahem,
excuse me, but the police are going to raise 1.2 billion zloty from speeding
tickets? Jesus H Murphy.
Recent data
said there were 18 million cars. Though this doesn't include trucks and buses,
it would mean some 67 zloty per car in speeding tickets just in 2012. Let's say with trucks and buses some 50 zloty a head.
But babcias
tend not to drive overly fast. There are also more and more less experienced
drivers who follow the "drive defensively" rule. I thus have
the feeling speeders -- little old me, perhaps -- will be stumping up a little more
than others for this one.
Boy oh boy
am I happy to be ready to help Poland meets its budget deficit goals when a secretary
at a mining company can retire at 35, farmers don't pay health-care, social
security or taxes, and the government drives the latest BMWs.
I still think it is a great idea. I think Warsaw can also make millions from parking fines, red light cameras and general other ill forgotten laws. Let's face it the current speeding fines in Poland are a joke and there is little activity in Policing it. I see how fast people drive in car parks let alone on the open highway as just down right dangerous and stupid. It may even have a knock on effect and cut back the road tolls which are staggering! Now you're car can either slow down with the economy or speed up to help it. :D
ReplyDeleteParking fines? Red light cameras? Speeding tickets? Ouch.
ReplyDeleteThe only way I'd really be happy following all the road rules -- you have to remember my driving skills were all taught in the Poland of the late 90s -- is when the cars will drive themselves. For that, I can't wait.