Do traffic police hunt cars bearing stickers with national symbols?

Cars decorated with all kinds of stickers can be often seen in the streets, starting from an image of a high-heeled shoe which means a girl is driving, ending with some funny expressions. Traffic police were not noticed to pay much attention to them. 

However, when Volha's husband (the name has been changed) decided to paste a white-red-white flag and "Chaser" coat-of-arms sticker on their family car there was a very quick reaction on appearance of such a car in Minsk streets.

The girl has told to Euroradio that city traffic policemen called her on the mobile at 19.30 and asked her who was driving her car at Haradzki Val Street 10 minutes before. Then they insisted she should come to them so that they would make a charge on delinquency.

The ex-employee of the Minsk executive committee traffic police's press-center Jury Krasnou, who is now a teacher of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Academy, has confirmed that it is prohibited to decorate one's car with all kinds of stickers. 

Jury Krasnou: “According to the traffic movement regulations, it is forbidden. You can even be fined for it in accordance with the Administrative Code. Only a sticker "BY" is allowed if your car's number is old. Also, if a car is driven by a person whose driving experience is less than 2 years, there should be a sticker "70" - speed limitation. Also, if there are studdered tires there should be a corresponding sticker. Only the stickers which are prescribed by the traffic movement regulations are allowed, all the rest are prohibited”.

Volha has told that she specially searched the offence she is claimed to have committed, in Google. The result is not pleasing.

Volha: “There might be a warning or a fine for up to two base fees”.

This is 70 thousand Br. However, why the traffic police pay no attention to those drives who decorate their cars with stickers with high-heeled shoes, dogs in interesting poses or funny expressions? Volha is convinced that the inspectors' attention depends on the "contents" of a sticker.

Volha: “Naturally, they won't bother those who have stickers like "high heels" or "child on board".

Jury Krasnou thinks that the city traffic police themselves push the citizens to breaking rules in what concerns car stickers. According to him, the State Auto Inspection is conducting a program "Mutual Understanding" in 2011. Traffic policemen hand out stickers with this campaign's logo, urging drivers to paste them on their cars. The campaign is aimed at finding mutual understanding between the drivers on the road. In Jury Krasnou's opinion, drivers with bad mood usually behave rude. Different funny stickers may cheer them up thus helping to find understanding.