Fines issued to Russian drivers for parking and stopping violations while they waited in line for gasoline will be canceled, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk said.

“In each such case, all regional traffic police divisions of Russia’s Interior Ministry will issue decisions to cancel the fines, given the minor nature of the offense or the fact that the driver was acting out of urgent necessity,” she said.

The move follows complaints from residents of the Saratov region about fines issued to drivers waiting in line for gasoline. Automated enforcement systems in the region had been recording parking and stopping violations near gas stations. As of July 1, Volk said, those systems have been switched off.

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