Minister of Internal Affairs Catalin Predoiu signed on Tuesday two draft normative acts and two ministerial orders concerning road traffic, the unification of dispatch centres, the new security concept of the Romanian Gendarmerie and domestic violence.

‘These are important decisions that will radically change the monitoring of road traffic and the sanctioning of those who act irresponsibly and endanger pedestrians and other road users. They are decisions that will transform the Gendarmerie’s work to protect citizens and the community. Last but not least, they are decisions that will increase efficiency in sanctioning domestic violence,’ Predoiu said on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) website.

A draft emergency ordinance was signed on Tuesday for the development of the E-Sigur Integrated Road Monitoring System.

He stressed that this is not a Big Brother system but a digital shield for protection and safety through which irresponsible drivers are identified, sanctioned or removed from traffic so they no longer endanger others.

For the first time in Romania, it has been proposed that a percentage of voluntarily paid fines be directed towards road safety education and the maintenance of technical systems in line with European best practice.

Predoiu added that the next step will be the use of artificial intelligence in road traffic monitoring, as already happens in other European or non-European countries.

The second document signed concerns the new Ministry of Internal Affairs Dispatch System, a system closely linked to the E-Sigur Road Traffic Monitoring System.

‘Secondly, today I signed a ministerial order approving and ordering the phased implementation of the new Ministry of Internal Affairs Dispatch System. This system is closely linked to the E-Sigur Road Traffic Monitoring System,’ Predoiu also said.

The third document regards the new Security Concept of the Romanian Gendarmerie, according to the Interior minister.

‘Thirdly, today I signed a ministerial order approving and ordering the implementation of the new Security Concept of the Romanian Gendarmerie. This order relocates the troops stationed to guard buildings, who will now move to patrol and mobile intervention. Buildings will be guarded through technology connected to the Gendarmerie’s command centres and by the intervention of alerted mobile units and, if beneficiaries wish, by private security,’ Predoiu added.

The fourth decision, the minister says, is aimed at combating domestic violence.

„I have signed a legislative proposal that will improve Law 217/2003 on preventing and combating domestic violence. The proposal increases the protection of victims of domestic violence following the analysis of recent serious cases which showed that there are still gaps in both the police and judicial systems,’ Predoiu added.

He also mentioned that these four instruments, two laws and two ministerial orders signed on Tuesday, represent a coherent set of reconfigurations and modernisations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, unprecedented in the last 10 to 20 years. AGERPRES