On 1 July 2008, several provisions of the Amendments of the Public Roads Act - PRA-C (Off. Gaz. RS, No. 45/2008, dated 9.5.2008) are to enter into force. On all toll roads, the use of a vignette will prove that the toll has been paid for the vehicle driven. The vignette is valid for a definite period of time.
Supervision over the toll payment will be carried out by authorised personnel of the toll road manager (i.e. toll supervisory inspectors). Supervision over the toll-collection system with vignettes will also be carried out by the Transport Inspectorate of the Republic of Slovenia and by the Customs Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, whereas the Police will be in charge of supervision over the proper use of the vignettes.
The powers conferred upon the toll supervisory inspectors are defined in detail in Article 75c of the PRA-C. In compliance with the PRA-C the Police will supervise only the proper use of vignettes, but apart from that, it is within its competence to assist the toll supervisory inspectors when supervision is prevented or obstructed by a person liable to pay the toll.
The Police will
- assess whether the vignette is properly displayed and used;
- request the submission of the vignette, a toll-charge document and/or toll payment slip;
- exclude from traffic on toll roads all vehicles without a properly displayed or invalid vignette.
Any person violating the PRA will be sanctioned with a fine of EUR 300 if:
- they drive on a toll road using ainvalid vignette for their class of vehicle;
- they obstruct an authorszed person from executing their powers according to the PRA-C (e.g. controlling the proper display and use of the vignette, refusal of submission of the vignette, toll-charge document and/or toll payment slip, etc.)
The use of false or counterfeited vignettes is a criminal offence, defined as forgery of administrative documents according to Article 256 of the Penal Code of the Republic of Slovenia. After implementation of the amendments envisaged by the PRA-C, the Police will engage in a series of activities which will facilitate optimal functioning of the toll-collection system with vignettes. The Police will:
- perform strict and consistent supervision of the functioning of the newly implemented system of toll-collection;
- cooperate with supervisory inspectors by coaching them on how to perform supervision;
- increase the number of broad and strict controls, especially in the initial period after the implementation;
- invite the supervisory inspectors to participate in the execution of intensified controls on toll roads;
- focus on parallel roads (regional connections) where increased density of traffic is expected, as some drivers will try to avoid driving on the toll roads and the purchase of vignettes. Increased traffic, congestion and a reduced level of traffic safety is a probable consequence of the above facts, especially in border zones. Therefore, the presence of the Police and police controls will be intensified on these roads.
Further details on vignettes are available on the website of the Motorway Company in the Republic of Slovenia (DARS) or on the following links: