Fines of up to 80,000 lei (32,000 leva), reduced working hours, suspension of activity or even revocation of a permit – these are the sanctions announced by the authorities in Sector 1 of Bucharest (the Romanian capital is divided into six sectors – ed.) for clubs and restaurants that violate public order, local media report. Local police will carry out weekly checks in the area of \u200b\u200bLake "Herastrău" until autumn and other sensitive points, in an attempt to reduce noise pollution, which is increasingly being complained about by local residents.
In the context of the summer months, when nightlife in the big city is particularly active, the City Hall of Sector 1 and the local police are sending a clear message: entertainment must respect the rules, especially those relating to public order.
Night parties that exceed the legal noise limits will be immediately sanctioned, after measurements carried out at a distance of 15 meters from the noise source. The maximum permissible level is 75 decibels.
The law provides for severe sanctions for those who do not comply with the current rules: actions generating noise pollution are sanctioned with fines between 10,000 and 80,000 lei (4,000 and 32,000 leva); Disturbance of public order through loud music, scandals, insults or other noisy behavior is sanctioned by fines between 200 and 1500 lei (80 and 600 leva), especially between 22:00 and 08:00.
Furthermore, if more than three deviations are detected after 22:00 within a 6-month period, the authorities may decide to reduce the opening hours without prior notice. In cases of repeated offenses, the mayor may order, upon the proposal of the investigating agents of the local police, the suspension of commercial activity for a period of between 10 and 30 days or, in extreme cases, the permanent withdrawal of the activity permit.
Noise is not the only problem on which the authorities are focusing their efforts. In parallel with the measurement of noise levels, the local police in Sector 1 will carry out checks on compliance with cleanliness and public order standards. It is forbidden to throw waste in public spaces and violation of this rule will be sanctioned without exception.
For the measures to have a real effect, the authorities also rely on the support of citizens. The local police encourage residents of Sector 1 to report any situation related to exceeding the noise level by calling 021.9540, a dispatch center available 24 hours a day.