Minister of State Pierre Dartout used the occasion of the traditional New Year Wishes for Monaco’s journalists held on Wednesday afternoon to decry the problem of young people in a drunken state getting behind the wheel and driving.

“It is absolutely necessary to prevent young people taking the wheel when drunk,” he said.

It is a serious problem that must be addressed, he told assembled reporters. Also present, alongside all other Government ministers, Minister of Interior Patrice Cellario indicated that Monaco will toughen legislation in an attempt to deal with the issue. Mr Dartout suggested that more support should be given to an existing voluntary service that offers to take drivers home if they have drunk too much.

Mr Dartout answers questions from MonacoInfo

The ministers’ comments come in the wake of a tragic high-speed crash eight days before Christmas in which two young students at IUM died. According to investigators, the driver had consumed alcohol before hitting a tunnel wall at very high speed with four passengers on board. (https://news.mc/2023/12/17/ium-student-killed-in-high-speed-monaco-crash/)

Mr Dartout said that as the New Year begins Monaco faces a complex international situation that will not fail to have a local impact. In looking at the year to come, he also pinpointed the forthcoming report by the Council of Europe’s Moneyval committee that will reach a verdict on the Principality’s efforts to increase financial transparency and fight money-laundering.