THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The Bundesrat, the upper chamber of the federal parliament, has approved the long-discussed amendments to the catalogue of fines (Bußgeldkatalog), which regulates what penalty is imposed for which traffic offence in Germany. Speeding and parking violations will now be particularly expensive as from mid-November when the amendments enter into effect.
——
As part of the long-discussed reform of the Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung, StVO) in Germany, a set of amendments of the catalogue of fines (Bußgeldkatalog) scaled its last hurdle at the Bundestrat on 8 October when it was approved.
The new catalogue of fines will thus enter into force at the beginning to mid-November 2021.
The most serious changes to the catalogue concern parking and speeding offences. In particular, speeding will be punished with far higher fines than before.
Also, whoever exceeds the 0.5 blood alcohol limit (0,5 Promillegrenze) while driving will pay a fine of 500 euros, will be banned from driving for 1 month and will have to pass an MPU test before they can drive again.
Moreover, “parking tickets” will be almost four times more expensive: instead of the former 15 euros, fines of up to 55 euros will now be imposed on offenders.
