Today President’s Chief of Staff Victor Baloha ordered to return his number plate (004, with a picture of the small State emblem) to the State Motor-Car Inspection Department.
Thus, according to the President`s press-office, he fulfilled the demands of the President’s decree about abolishment of special numbers for service cars, which gave preference to state officials compared to other participants of traffic. Deputy President’s Chief of Staff Ihor Pukshyn immediately transferred his number plate to Ukrainian traffic police chief major general Oleksiy Kalynskiy.
“Let’s begin from ourselves: the “trump” number was transferred to the State Motor-Licensing and Inspection Department, which has to collect all the tin evidence of official’s privileges. I would like to note that the cars, used by the President, have common number plates. As well, the number plate 004 was never fastened to my official car, and was never leased to anybody. I realize that numerous “cool” numbers are an evidence of double standards, which may turn into death or severe injury at the road”, V.Baloha stressed.
The Chief of Staff stressed that President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko is determined to achieve a tangible breakthrough in observing rules of road. One of the means to achieve this is to equalize the rights and obligations of all those who drive out at the road. “The officials’ lobby, which, with the assistance of the Interior Ministry, pushed the resolution about introduction of special number plates for their cars, showed their advantage over ordinary people. The President has corrected this abnormal misbalance”, the Chief of Staff said.
