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🇱🇹 Lithuania /Economy & Trade

Rolandas refused to pay his fine and proved he was right

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A Lithuanian company manager said authorities canceled two €350 fines issued after company vehicles were recorded near Klaipėda.
  • He argued that the vehicles used only an exit from the motorway, not the toll road itself, although cameras recorded their license plates.
  • Lithuania’s Transport Safety Administration terminated the administrative case, while Via Lietuva said changes to the toll network require government consideration.

Rolandas Gurauskas did not rush to pay two fines issued after his company vehicles were recorded near Klaipėda. He says the penalties were ultimately canceled after he demonstrated that the vehicles had not committed the alleged road-toll violation.

The vehicles traveled from Klaipėda to Klemiškė via Dirvupiai in late May. Each fine totaled €350. The location marks the point where the road charge begins, and special cameras record passing registration plates.

The fines imposed on us were canceled.

· Rolandas GurauskasThe company manager described the outcome of his challenge to the penalties.

Gurauskas argued that the vehicles did not use the motorway itself when traveling toward Dirvupiai. They used only an exit, he said, but equipment beside the motorway still recorded vehicles leaving the road. “The pole holding the camera stands beside the motorway, but vehicles that have exited this road are still recorded. That is the major misunderstanding,” he said.

The pole holding the camera stands beside the motorway, but vehicles that have exited this road are still recorded. That is the major misunderstanding.

· Rolandas GurauskasHe explained why he believed the camera system had wrongly triggered the fines.

The Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration ended the administrative offense proceedings against him on September 1, stating that circumstances had been established which made the proceedings impossible. Gurauskas said the decision could help other drivers challenge similar penalties. “I think there are more people who have been fined, but they either do not know how to challenge the fines or do not want to, even though they can defend themselves against an offense they did not commit,” he said.

Another fined driver suggested moving the toll boundary beyond the turn toward Dirvupiai. Via Lietuva, the state road manager, said the government decides on changes to the paid-road network after considering proposals from the Transport Ministry. The lowest daily toll currently stands at €7, depending on the vehicle, while failure to pay can lead to fines ranging from €700 to €1,000.

I think there are more people who have been fined, but they either do not know how to challenge the fines or do not want to, even though they can defend themselves against an offense they did not commit.

· Rolandas GurauskasHe encouraged other drivers to contest penalties they believe were wrongly issued.
About this summary

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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