Ukraine's capital will get a new road patrol service sometime next spring, which will replace the post-Soviet road inspections, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov announced on his Facebook page on Dec. 24.
“We
will have a new police patrol service. With new approaches, rules and
new people. And hopefully, with your renewed trust,” the minister
wrote.
He
said that the Interior Ministry will start to recruit people to train
to be new patrol officers for Kyiv on Jan. 20. He said selection will
be competitive, and will be followed up with “three months of
rigorous training and studies.” He said the final tests after the
training program are expected to select 50 percent of applicants.
“So,
in the spring we will get a new patrol police service in Kyiv. A
service that – i think – will serve you, and you will respect,”
he said.
The
pilot project will then be extended to other cities and towns, he
says.
Road
police remains one of the most corrupt public services in Ukraine.
Some 34 percent of drivers said they came across attempts to solicit
bribes in four months starting in March this year, according to a recent poll conducted by Auro.ria, a specialized website for drivers.
Avakov
said that the new road patrollers will be paid well to ensure that
they are not tempted, and urged Ukrainians to consider applying.
“The
road is open for all – the military and the police included – as
well as students and specialists with diplomas,” he wrote. “So,
accept new rules and change of priorities+ Smile! + Accept a new high
salary, along with responsibility = you will be a new police
patroller!”
The
coalition agreement, signed last month by five parties
in parliament, declared that the State Road Inspection will be
disbanded. It’s not clear, however, who will inherit some of its
functions, such as registration of transport vehicles and
administration of fines – a clumsy old post-Soviet system that also needs to be transformed.
Avakov
said that his new Georgian deputy Eka Zguladze will give more details
about the road police reform “at the nearest briefing.” Its date is yet to be set.
Zguladze
was appointed Avakov’s deputy on Dec. 17 after accepting a Ukrainian citizenship
to perform the job. Zguladze had
served as Georgia’s First
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs from 2006 to 2012, and
acting Interior Minister in 2012. In that role, she designed and
supervised the implementation of police reform in Georgia.
