The Bill (Reg. No.3490) presents a new version of Article 51 of the Code on Administrative Infringements. Thus, it envisages administrative responsibility only for stealing of municipal and public property, and criminal responsibility for stealing of private property of physical persons, irregardless of the cost of stolen property.
The Committee members deem necessary to enhance the responsibility, as the limit between administrative penal minor stealing and the stealing that involves responsibility in accordance with Part 1 of Article 185 (theft) of the Criminal Code amounts to 3 tax social benefits, i.e.772,50 UAH.
The People´s Deputies stress that such a sum equals, and in many cases exceeds the salary of most groups of population, such as teachers, medical personnel, workers of cultural sector, the rate of scholarship and minimum old-age pension.
Such a situation threatens property rights of the citizens, as it actually allows the delinquents to inflict deliberate pecuniary damage to the owners, neglecting their property rights and expecting evasion from criminal responsibility.