Government
Council of State critical of further increases in traffic fines
The Council of State has criticized Justice Minister David van Weel's proposal to index traffic fines for minor offenses with inflation. The advisory body notes that administrative fines have risen by 220 percent since 1994, far outpacing general price increases of 70 percent. While previous governments maintained this trend to avoid budget gaps in the Ministry of Justice, the Council argues that fines should serve punitive purposes rather than financial balancing. They recommend better justification for the disparity between minor and major offense penalties or halting the inflation-linked increases for lighter violations.
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