Serbia to change blood alcohol content limit for drivers

Serbia to change blood alcohol content limit for drivers

BELGRADE -- Upcoming amendments to the Law on Traffic Safety will change the blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for drivers, the Serbian interior minister has announced.

This limit is currently at 0.3 milligrams per milliliter, and will be reduced to 0.2 mg/ml, Nebojsa Stefanovic has said.

The new law will prohibit "young drivers" from driving cars with power exceeding 107 hp. There will also be "an option" to revoke driving licenses of those drivers caught with BAC over 0.2 mg/ml.

The minister explained that these changes were prompted by "all those horrible things that have been happening with young drivers in the past period."

Speaking for the public broadcaster RTS, Stefanovic also announced a new law on emergency situations which he said is aimed at improving preventive measures. The new legislation will introduce the office of the "emergency situations manager - an expert, not a political person," and will envisage fines for those mayors who fail to fulfill their legal obligations related risk assessment.

Another law that will be changed is that regulating hailstorm protection procedures, "in order to protect farmers better."

The minister also commented on the new Law on Weapons and Ammunition, adopted by the national assembly last Friday, to call on those citizens in possession of illegal firearms to hand them over, or face legal consequences.

Stefanovic is convinced the amended law will increase the safety of citizens, and noted that persons issued with weapons and ammunition permits will have to renew their medical certificates once every five years.

The permits themselves will be biometric, "similar to driver's licenses...