Drivers using the "Azparking" service in Azerbaijan have encountered an interesting, yet equally absurd, problem. Specifically, even if a citizen pays the required fee for parking, a fine is imposed after a certain period, despite no rules being violated. This situation is more frequently observed after the completion of a long-term – 24-hour – parking period for their vehicle.
Modern.az contacted the Azerbaijan Land Transport Agency (AYNA), which manages the "Azparking" service, regarding the issue concerning drivers. The agency confirmed the fact and cited the operating principle of the service's mobile application as the reason for the fines.
“In any case, the parking status is suspended at the end of 24 hours. Payment for parking service is not required from 22:00 in the evening until 7:00 in the morning. No payment is stipulated for Sundays either. If the customer does not activate parking in the application after 7:00, a fine is automatically generated. However, during the automatic activation of the system, no fine is issued for the unpaid period. In any case, the driver must activate parking themselves. The program, within the established rules and at specified times, deactivates the service itself if the driver has not pre-configured it. However, since “Azparking” considers the parking spot occupied, the imposition of a fine is initiated. Payments for parking services are not determined based on camera footage. Only the mobile application is decisive.”
It is clear from the operating mechanism of this system that, according to legislation, a fine of 20 manats is stipulated for parking in paid parking spaces without making the appropriate payment (Article 346-1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses). If a driver forgets to reactivate parking via the application, even though the program suspends the service, the presence of the vehicle in that spot is considered "unpaid use" by the application, and a fine protocol is immediately drawn up. AYNA warns that similar cases are frequent, and drivers can prevent financial loss by managing the notifications received at the end of each hour. According to the current approach, no concessions are made in payment, and a fine can only be canceled if there are technical deficiencies originating from the agency itself.
This situation is quite concerning for drivers, as the automatic suspension of the system places citizens in the status of "unintentionally violating rules". A driver intending to pay is fined simply for not accessing the application and renewing the process at the end of 24 hours.
