Anna Sulimina

Special car number plates are the envy of drivers the world over, but in Moscow there's an added bonus - the right numbers can help you evade a speeding ticket.

Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliev has pledged to crack down on the sale of such privileged plates by his officers in the government's latest move to curb corruption and reform the police.

From now on all cars will be given a number plate in strict numerical and alphabetical order, Nurgaliyev insisted in a radio interview last week. 

"We are now working to stop bribes at all levels," said Nurgaliyev. "The State Traffic Inspectorate [traffic police] is now checking this procedure on a regular basis - and we are also asking motorists to report any violations."

The crackdown comes after numerous protests by ordinary drivers about high-ranking officials and businessmen using migalki, or flashing blue lights, and special number plates to ignore traffic rules and avoid being pulled over by the traffic police.

Certain car number plates, implying high connections and privileges, have been prevalent since Soviet times, when numbers starting with an "M" indicated high-ranking KGB and police officers. Today FSB officers still have their code on the road - the "EKH" series, dubbed "edu kak hochu" (drive as I wish), as these cars can ignore road rules and get off scot free.
Some letter combinations, such as "OOO" or "AAA", are especially coveted and expensive because they look good and indicate good connections with high officials. They ensure the owner that he won't be stopped by police for crossing the central reservation or exceeding the speed limit.

Such letter combinations can be bought through friends in the traffic police for an estimated 500,000 roubles ($16,000), according to media reports.

Alexander, the owner of an "AAA" car number, said money only talks so much in getting you the right number. "Some car numbers you can't just buy - you should get ready to show a document, proving that you really belong to ‘the club', or drop some key names," he told The Moscow News, asking that his last name not be published. "Very often even after certain flagrant violation they would prefer to let you go."

While a good letter combination can help in dealing with a traffic cop, round numbers are just a matter of prestige, campaigners for motorists' rights said. A "777" number or a "mirror" number, such as 545, can be bought for $200 to $500 from traffic police fixers operating in big car sales centres, they said.

Alexander Kholodov, chairman of the Motorists' Rights Alliance, said it was almost impossible to stop the practice of buying and selling of special number plates as long as the demand was there.

"The idea of controlling the order of car number plates is Utopian - it's impossible. While there is demand, there will be offers," Kholodov said. "We should follow the example of other countries, such as the United States or Latvia, where some car numbers are sold officially through a cash desk and there is a tax on the purchase."

Previous attempts to pass legislation that would allow legal number plate auctions have been voted down by State Duma deputies, one of the categories of officials who legally qualify for special number plates.

 

How to spot a VIP's car

"A***OO" - Presidential administration officials

"C***OO" - Federation Council senators

"E***PE", "M***OO" - Government official and State Duma deputies

"K***OO" - Constitutional Court officials

"A***MO" - Moscow city and Moscow region officials

"E***KX" - Federal Security Service officers

"P***MP" - The Justice Ministry

"A***AP" - Leading judges and executive officials

Blue numbers, "A***MP" or "M***MP" - Interior Ministry officers