The Barcelona City Council has decided to annul a traffic fine issued to a citizen with reduced mobility. The penalty had been applied for not displaying the parking permit, an essential document for people with disabilities. This action is part of recognizing the citizen's right to correct errors when dealing with the administration.
The Sindicatura de Greuges of Barcelona was the entity that requested the fine's revocation. According to the ombudsman's office, the conflict arose when the citizen's parking permit accidentally fell from the vehicle while it was parked in a reserved spot. The Ombudsman considered the penalty "disproportionate" and disrespectful of the principles of "proportionality and good administration," noting that the issuing officer acted in "good faith".
The Municipal Institute of Finance of Barcelona has described the incident as "a material error of a formal nature." It confirmed that the penalized individual possessed a valid parking permit and met the requirements to use the reserved space, with no similar infractions in the past ten years.
This resolution is considered "relevant" by the Sindicatura de Greuges, especially following the approval last November of a bill that enshrines the principle of trust and the right to correct unintentional errors in administrative procedures. This new regulatory framework allows for a review of situations with a "broader vision" than a strictly formal one.
