Several drivers in Riga received fines for violating new parking restrictions, but they claim that the road signs were nearly invisible due to tree branches. The municipal police consider the fines to be legal, while the lawyer does not rule out that a final assessment of the situation may be provided by the court.
Gundars, who is helping his wife contest a parking fine on Kaniaru Street in Riga, reached out to the show Bez Tabu (TV3).
According to him, the parking restrictions on this section were changed just a day before his wife was fined. He claims that the new road signs were partially obscured by tree branches, making them extremely difficult to notice.
Gundars believes that not only his wife but also other drivers might not have seen the changed parking rules.
He is particularly puzzled by the fact that fines began to be issued almost immediately after the new signs were installed.
The Riga Municipal Police explained that on the first day after the restrictions were installed, inspectors indeed found about 30 cars parked in violation; however, they only issued warnings and did not impose fines.
The next day, according to the police, other cars were already parked in that location after the prohibitory signs were installed. This is why fines were issued. In total, police officers issued 19 administrative fines within a few days.
Gundars contested the fine of 40 euros, but the municipal police upheld their decision.
Lawyer Ivars Kazaks noted that the road sign itself was installed in accordance with regulatory requirements, but its visibility raises questions.
“The road sign should not mislead the driver, and a sign that the driver cannot clearly see or that is installed in violation of the Cabinet of Ministers' rules cannot produce legal consequences,” the lawyer explained.
According to him, if a driver disagrees with the police's decision, they have the right to appeal to the court.
After the segment aired, the Riga municipality announced that the restrictions were temporarily introduced for road works. Information about this was published on official internet resources and social media.
The municipality also clarified that the tree branches were not deliberately trimmed since the signs were installed only for a short time, and additional trimming could damage the trees.
At the same time, city authorities promised to check other road signs and, if necessary, clear them of branches that obstruct visibility.
Interestingly, during the period when drivers were fined for poorly visible signs, tree maintenance work was being carried out on Kaniaru Street.
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