In Estonia, the Defence Resources Agency will suspend driving rights without a court — ERR News

In Estonia, starting next year, the Defence Resources Agency will be able to suspend the right to drive a car for conscripts who repeatedly fail to appear for a medical examination after receiving a summons, without applying to an administrative court. This was reported by ERR News.

Mandatory medical examination

A medical examination at the Defence Resources Agency is a necessary condition for completing compulsory military service. A person cannot be conscripted without such an examination, so appearing for it is mandatory for everyone who has received a summons.

Under the current rules, the agency may issue an order or impose a coercive fine on those who repeatedly fail to appear after being summoned. If these measures do not produce results, the agency applies to an administrative court for permission to suspend the right to drive vehicles.

Change in procedure

Starting next year, the agency will be able to make such a decision independently. This will be possible if a conscript has repeatedly ignored a summons for a medical examination, was warned about the possible consequences and received that warning.

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Defence Resources Agency communications adviser Krismar Rosin called the change primarily procedural and formal: it abolishes the prior court review. According to him, the purpose of the innovation is to save courts' time.

Anneli Vilu, spokesperson for Tallinn's administrative and district courts, noted that such applications from the agency are currently considered urgent. She also stressed that paying a coercive fine does not release a conscript from the obligation to appear before the medical commission: the fine is intended to encourage fulfilment of this obligation, not replace it.

According to Rosin, under the current procedure, when courts grant the agency permission to suspend driving rights, they do not make a decision on the merits but only verify compliance with the conditions established by law. After the procedure changes, this prior review will be abolished.