The Plenary Session of the Parliament with 31 votes in favor, 2 against and 3 abstentions, suspended until June 2019 the legislation for the placement of child seats in buses that transport infants and preschool children to excursion sites.
The law on child seats was passed following a bill by Anna Theologos and the suspension of the law was passed following a bill by the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Solidarity MP Michalis Giorgallas.
Specifically, the Law on Road Safety was amended, so that the validity of some of its provisions concerning the transport of children with vehicles of category M30 and M2019 for the purposes of school trips and other organized activities is suspended until June 2, 3.
The Member of Parliament for the Ecologists 'Movement - Citizens' Cooperation, George Perdikis, said that when the bill was passed for the safety of children under 6 years old on buses, he introduced a provision stating that the child seats provided by law are provided by parents.
"We have become resilient", he continued, stating that the Transport Committee with the bill simply postpones this misplaced report, but does not correct the essence of the problem. He stated that the Ecologists abstain.
DIKO MP Charalambos Pittokopitis said that an extension is given to give the executive power time to submit regulations to regulate the issue.
Anna Theologou said that it concerns the safety of children only and that the intention was not to bother the bus owners. We limited ourselves to the part of the excursions with the aim of expanding it and to all the movements of children of this age, he added.
"The longer we suspend law enforcement, the more they will be slow to adjust their vehicles," he said, adding that he would vote against the suspension.
Mr. Giorgallas, after noticing that the safety of the children is paramount, said that there is no misplaced provision and that he cannot imagine a parent going on an excursion if his child cannot get his high chair for transportation by an old body bus. . The suspension is being voted on for regulations to come, he added.
DISY MP Eleni Stavrou said that as the law is, it is difficult to place child seats and said that the Road Transport Department will submit regulations for tying children with three-point belts.
Taking the floor last, AKEL MP Andreas Fakontis said that everyone is interested in the safety of children and passengers. He added that AKEL expressed concerns from the beginning that the arrangement with the child seats is on paper is good, but in practice it is not applicable.
He added that the whole package of measures should be considered and that at the moment it is better to suspend the law until the regulations are passed.
Source: KYPE