USA: NEW YORK CITY DECIDES THAT DIPLOMATIC VEHICLES OWING UP TO MILLIONS OF US DOLLARS IN PARKING TICKETS WILL BE TOWED AT THE DIPLOMATE'S EXPENSE

Record ID: 648353

  • Title: USA: NEW YORK CITY DECIDES THAT DIPLOMATIC VEHICLES OWING UP TO MILLIONS OF US DOLLARS IN PARKING TICKETS WILL BE TOWED AT THE DIPLOMATE'S EXPENSE
  • Date: 26th July 2002
  • Summary: (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 26, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. WIDE SHOT OF DIPLOMATIC CARS PARKED IN STREET 0.03 2. SHOT OF DIPLOMATIC CAR 0.06 3. CLOSE-UP DIPLOMATIC LICENSE PLATE 0.09 4. PAN FROM DIPLOMATIC CAR TO ENTRANCE OF EGYPTIAN MISSION TO THE UN 0.15 5. CLOSE-UP EGYPTIAN MISSION SIGN 0.20 6. LA EGYPTIAN FLAG 0.23 7. GV EXTERIOR KUWAITI MISSION TO THE UN 0.27 8. LA MV KUWAITI FLAG 0.31 9. CLOSE-UP DIPLOMATIC LICENSE PLATE 0.34 10. GVs EXTERIORS OF NIGERIAN CONSULATE (2 SHOTS) 0.40 11. WALKING SHOT OF TATANG RAZAK, FIRST SECRETARY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, INDONESIAN MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS 0.48 12. LA SIGN OF INDONESIAN MISSION 0.51 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TATANG RAZAK, FIRST SECRETARY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, INDONESIAN MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS SAYING: "For instance, the Indonesian Mission here has more than 50 vehicles and the city provides only three, only four, three cars (permits) and it is used by other diplomats. So you can imagine." 1.06 14. LA SIGN READING: "NO STANDING EXCEPT VEHICLES WITH CONSUL-C, DIPLOMAT-A&D LICENSE PLATE" 1.10 15. MV DIPLOMATIC CARS PARKED 1.14 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VOXPOP OF WOMAN SAYING: "I'm all for it. I wish it had been done a long time ago. (Off camera question: Why?)... Because it's, I think, from I heard in the news, it's extra expense from the city." 1.25 17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DENIS DIMILO SAYING: "I'm all for it, you know. Everybody else has to pay their tickets, why not the diplomats?" 1.30 18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHELE WARDEN SAYING: "Well, I'm really happy that the Mayor is trying to save money for New York but I feel that the diplomats should have, you know, some privileges, especially in this area to be able to park because it's just so difficult." 1.45 (U7) NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 19. VARIOUS FILE SHOTS OF MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG SPEAKING ON 4TH JULY 1.55 (U7) NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 26, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 20. WOMEN STANDING NEXT PARKED DIPLOMATIC CAR 1.59 21. GV TWO PARKED DIPLOMATIC CARS 2.04 22. PULL OUT FROM DIPLOMATIC LICENSE PLATE 2.10 23. CLOSE-UP DIPLOMATIC LICENSE PLATE 2.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 10th August 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA92GPXI09JYA1ZLZCN3RVEXHJL
  • Story Text: The mayor of New York City has declared war on
    diplomats break parking laws. The city has announced that
    starting next month, diplomatic vehicles owing up to millions
    of dollars on parking tickets will be towed at the diplomats'
    expense.



    You see them all over town, diplomatic vehicles parked
    everywhere, often violating the city's tough traffic laws. But
    that's about to end. Mayor Mike Bloomberg has notified foreign
    officials that starting next month, the city will begin towing
    diplomatic vehicles that owe over two-hundred dollars in
    outstanding parking tickets.

    To recover their cars, the diplomats will be treated like
    any other New Yorker. They will have to pay their fines in
    full.

    According to the city, the 289 missions and consulates owe
    more than twenty-two million dollars in unpaid parking
    tickets.

    Heading the list of countries with the highest amount of
    parking tickets is Egypt, owing over one-million, nine-hundred
    dollars. Kuwait follows with over one-million, two-hundred and
    fifty dollars and Nigeria with just over one-million,
    two-hundred dollars.

    News of the towing plan have shocked some diplomats like
    Tatang Razak, from the Indonesian Mission to the United
    Nations. He claims foreign officials simply do not have enough
    parking spots for their vehicles: "For instance, the
    Indonesian Mission here has more than 50 vehicles and the city
    provides only three, only four, three cars (permits) and it is
    used by other diplomats. So you can imagine."
    Razak added that during special events, when most roads in
    their area are blocked, the parking problem is even worse.

    Most New Yorkers have given the thumbs up to the mayor's
    towing plan: "I'm all for it. I wish it had been done a long
    time ago...Because it's, I think, from what I heard in the
    news, it's extra expense from the city" said this resident.

    Others like Denis Dimilo believe diplomats have it easy:
    "I'm all for it, you know. Everybody else has to pay their
    tickets, why not the diplomats?"
    Mayor Bloomberg said the city will go ahead with the
    controversial plan despite cries from foreign officials that
    they have immunity.

    City officials say the city decided to get tough after the
    State Department backed out of a deal that would have allowed
    the Big Apple to enforce local parking laws against diplomats.

    The city wants to start its crack down on those consulates
    and missions which, overall, owe more than three million
    dollars in unpaid tickets.

    The mayor said he's sympathetic with the diplomatic
    community, but reminded them that they still have to obey
    local laws.







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