Page 53 - DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES IN FINLAND

missions should reply to these notices. If the driver of the vehicle invokes immunity this should be mentioned in the reply as well as the status of the driver (A, B, C or D).
The police authorities also send the Protocol Services police reports concerning speeding of vehicles with CD or C registration plates. The Protocol Services will forward these reports to the missions for their information and action.
2.5.3 Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Drugs or Medicines
Drunken driving is a criminal offence in Finland. Persons who enjoy inviolability cannot, however, be obliged to submit to a breathalyzer, blood or urine test. Regardless of whether the person submits to the test or not, the Police may decide that it is not in the interest of public safety to permit him/her to continue driving. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs considers driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substance by a member of a mission a serious misbehavior and shall take action when a suspicion of a violation of the law is brought to its attention by the Police.
When a suspected case of drunken driving has taken place the Police authorities estimate the situation carefully. A suspicion of drunken driving is reported to the Ministry. When needed, the Ministry will request for more information concerning the incident from the Police authorities. In cases where, on the basis of the police report, there is no doubt about the condition of the driver the Ministry will either ask the sending state to waive the immunity of the person or to recall him/her.
2.6 Waiving the Immunity
In the event of serious or repeated offences, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs is forced to take measures to solve the situation. Measures range from a warning to a request to the sending State either to waive the immunity of the person or to recall the person who is suspected of having committed such offences. The necessary action is considered from case to case.
It should also be noted that immunity from the jurisdiction of Finland does not exempt a privileged person from the jurisdiction of the sending state.
53