Traffic police in Brest started hunt for “Pahonya” coat-of-arms

Some cases have been recorded in Brest when traffic policemen threaten with fines to those car owners who place stickers with the national Belarusian coat-of-arms “Pahonya”.

The chairman of Brest city branch of the Belarusian Popular Front party Viktar Klimus, who had been summoned to the traffic police department for this reason, says there had been many such incidents. As said by the party activist, since February 3 more than 10 persons have already received summons to come for a conversation to the regional State Traffic police directorate. There were attempts to charge them with committing a traffic offence. Traffic policemen referred in particular to the Article 104.13 of the Traffic rules, according to which it is forbidden to drive a vehicle which has distinguishable stickers, “Vyasna” human rights centre informs.

Viktar Klimus believes that there are political overtones it that, as traffic policemen did not hide that they intentionally hunting only for those who have “Pahonya” stickers on their cars. Even public activists, who had other stickers on their cars besides “Pahonya”, were ordered to remove only “Pahonya” symbols.