The government will increase the fine for illegal use of fireworks to 50,000 euros

Today, the Council of Ministers made a series of decisions to tighten the use and circulation of pyrotechnics.

“The Council of Ministers today approved a series of resolutions aimed at modernizing and more effectively applying the legislation on explosives. The changes include both institutional restructuring of responsibilities and tougher penalties for violations, especially concerning the illegal use of pyrotechnic devices,” said the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotu.

Main changes:

• Appointment of explosives inspectors with various roles:
• The Director of the Mines and Quarries Service remains responsible for licensing and inspecting warehouses and sites where explosives are used for blasting operations;
• The Chief of Police is now responsible for inspections of warehouses and sites where ammunition, gunpowder, and pyrotechnic products are used, as well as combating illegal import, storage, sale, and use of all types of explosives;

In addition, penalties for violations have been tougher:

• The maximum fine has been increased from 5,000 to 50,000 euros.
• Criminal liability now applies not only to those who use pyrotechnics but also to event organizers, as well as owners or managers of premises where fireworks are used illegally.

According to the minister, the new structure creates conditions for significantly preventing and deterring dangerous events, the number of which has alarmingly increased in recent years, especially during holidays and major events.

The corresponding amendment to the Explosives Law will soon be submitted for parliamentary approval.

The Ministry of Justice, Public Order, and Police have already supported the initiative.

Through the new regulations, the government aims to fill a longstanding institutional gap and ensure more effective control over the circulation of explosives to protect the lives and property of citizens.