In the Yaroslavl region they want to introduce a reward for reports of spitting and other minor offenses

The authorities of the Yaroslavl region intend to introduce rewards for “concerned citizens” who reported a number of administrative offenses. We are talking, for example, about spitting in public places, for which fines amount to 1.5 thousand rubles. the local parliament introduced it last summer. The author of a message to the authorized bodies, which will lead to the punishment of the violator, will be able to receive 70% of the amount of the collected fine. Officials assure that this will make the region cleaner and more comfortable. Skeptics call the initiative stupid and an “excess.”

A draft resolution of the government of the Yaroslavl region, approving the procedure for remuneration for reports of a number of administrative offenses, was published on the regional portal of authorities. The document assumes that citizens who report administrative offenses under three articles of the regional Code of Administrative Offenses will be able to receive payment: discharging natural needs and spitting in public places, violating the procedure for posting outdoor information and throwing garbage outside trash cans and containers.

It should be noted that regional parliamentarians, at the suggestion of Governor Mikhail Evraev, introduced punishment for spitting in public places in June 2023. Fines for this began only in the fall; to date, 16 people have been fined. The sanction is 1.5 thousand rubles.

An incentive in the form of 70% of the amount of the collected fine is offered “in order to encourage citizens to inform the authorities authorized to consider cases of administrative offenses.” To receive his share of the fine, the author must take a photo or video of the offense and contact the authorized body. Anonymous letters will not be accepted: the author must indicate his data, as well as the time, place and nature of the violation.

“We want to involve concerned residents of the region in the process of monitoring public order in order to make our region cleaner, more comfortable and more comfortable for all Yaroslavl residents,” explained deputy chairman of the regional government Tatyana Potemkina. “The more people monitor compliance with the law, the less there will be violate. And we are talking not only about spitting, but also about posting notices, throwing out garbage and other offenses. Otherwise, vandals will continue to feel unpunished.”

“Society is ripe to make the city better, cleaner and more comfortable,” supported the deputy chairman of the Yaroslavl municipality, head of the commission on the legality of the regional parliament Oleg Nenilin. “The issue of remuneration is a matter of additional incentive to pass by or show your civic position. People will understand that if he shows his position, he will also receive a reward. It’s an absolutely sober, sensible idea, we need to see how it will be implemented in practice.” Oleg Nenilin believes that the idea will work if the authors come up with a convenient interface for transmitting messages about violations of public order. He believes that this should be done through a mobile application, following the example of Moscow. In the capital, we would like to remind you that there is an application “Moscow Assistant”, the functionality of which allows citizens, in particular, to record vehicles parked under prohibitory signs or on lawns (with the distribution of fines from the Moscow Administrative Road Inspectorate).

Deputy of the Yaroslavl Regional Duma Vasily Bobkov, however, considers the idea an “excess”: “As a veteran of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and a police officer, I think that there should be such encouragement for serious crimes. What about administrative ones? Someone has diseased kidneys, and he is forced to perform natural necessities. Or a person has a runny nose, and he is forced to spit somewhere on the lawn, and we will film him?” Mr. Bobkov called the initiative “stupidity” and suggested that “law enforcement agencies will be overwhelmed with incomprehensible signals and messages.”

According to the deputy chairman of the government of the Yaroslavl region, Tatyana Potemkina, the draft resolution on the introduction of the award can still be adjusted. The document must be approved by Governor Mikhail Evraev. However, regional authorities are already asking residents to send photos and videos of violators. “You can show your civic position now, without waiting for the introduction of incentives,” said Tatyana Potemkina.

Anton Golitsyn, Yaroslavl