Estonia to let defence agency suspend licences without court approval

Starting next year, Estonia’s Defence Resources Agency will be able to suspend the driving licences of conscription-age people who repeatedly ignore summonses for medical examinations, without first seeking court approval, ERR reports.

Under the current procedure, the agency can issue an order or impose a coercive fine when someone repeatedly fails to attend a scheduled examination. If that does not work, it must ask an administrative court to suspend the person’s driving rights.

From next year, the agency will be able to make that decision itself, provided the person has repeatedly ignored summonses and has received a warning about the consequences.

Agency communications adviser Krismar Rosin described the change as procedural, saying it removes a preliminary court review and is intended to save court time. He said courts did not previously make a substantive decision on the suspension, but checked whether the conditions for granting permission had been met.

Anneli Vilu, a spokesperson for Tallinn Administrative Court and the circuit court, said applications to suspend driving rights were urgent and had to be handled promptly. Courts could ask the person concerned to comment on the agency’s application, and generally did so, she said.

Vilu also said paying a coercive fine does not remove the obligation to attend the medical examination. The fine is intended to encourage the person to fulfil that obligation, not to serve as a substitute for attending.

A health assessment by the Defence Resources Agency is required before a person can be called up for military service. Attending an examination after receiving a summons is mandatory.