Press conference after the meeting of the government of the Czech Republic held on Wednesday 18th April 2007

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today's press conference after the meeting of the government. I excuse the absence of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Mirek Topolánek who is in Sweden on an official visit. I welcome the 1st Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Mr. Jiří Čunek, the Minister of Interior, Mr. Ivan Langer and the Minister of Environment, Mr. Martin Bursík. I ask you for questions that concern points of the agenda of the government's meeting and I give the floor to the Deputy Prime Minister Čunek.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: Good afternoon everybody. The longest debate during the meeting of the government concerned the point no. 4, which was the senatorial bill amending the Constitutional Act, the Constitutions of the Czech Republic; it concerned restriction of Parliamentary immunity. Then, we had further bill on conflicts of interests on the agenda. These were the most debated points of today's meeting of the government. The government, of course, debated conclusions of the NKÚ (Supreme Audit Office) regarding the individual ministries. Thoroughly debated was also the point, which concerned protection of state borders and that is why the Minister of Interior is here and therefore I would leave time for your questions because you have the list of points at your disposal. You have the floor.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: The TV Nova, please, Mr. Houska. I am sorry; I will give the floor to Minister Langer.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: I am oppressed like this not only at the press conference but also at the meeting of the government. I would like to comment two points, which are connected with one of the most important decision of the foreign affairs sphere, the government is facing now, and it is the access to the Schengen area. As you know, the government approved before some time the integral strategy for implementation of this great project, the significance of which exceeds importance of standard decisions on the government's level. And it means the only one thing, abolition of controls on borders of the Czech Republic for our citizens. In this connection the government debated today further two issues that concerned implementation of this strategy. The first issue is connected with the National Plan of State Border Protection Management. An interesting feature of this point is that four boundary belts are proposed in the system of border and that these points are not connected only with the boundary protection itself. The first belt involves countries of origin and transit, i.e. the Czech Republic actively dispatches its persons to countries, in which certain risk of an increased number of illegal migrants to the Czech Republic might exist. Just for your information – we have such persons in Slovakia, in Ukraine, in Russia and we extend this number by Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. The second protection belt of borders involves bilateral agreements, which we concluded and cooperation with bordering countries. The third belt is the physical protection of borders itself and the fourth belt , it might sound paradoxical, is the interior of the Czech Republic, where the individual organs of the state – the Police, Custom Administration, Labour Inspectorate, are involved in disclosure of illegal migrants, workers or employees. This National Plan was approved. The second point, which is connected with the Schengen issue, is a point very practical and very visible, a point, which symbolizes the decision on abolition of boundary controls itself and it concerns the modification of border crossings. I can mention one of duties in this connection, which have all the member countries of the Schengen Area, and it is the duty to open border crossings so that free movements of persons would not be restricted. Apart from this, there is also a duty to introduce stricter regime in case of certain security measures. Regarding all those measures mentioned, I can unambiguously state that the Czech Republic follows the time schedule, which had been defined by the government and that no obstacles exist now, which would hinder successful fulfilment of requirements that the Czech Republic must meet in connection with its ambition to access the Schengen area. I believe that especially the measure concerning border crossings, although it is connected with one-shot costs at the amount of some 150 million crowns, will be significantly compensated by the sell of useless property in connection with abandonment of border crossings and custom-houses.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: I thank the Minister and I apologize ones more to have nearly prevent him from giving such a complex and comprehensive introductory speech. And now I give the floor to the Minister of Environment, Mr. Bursík.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased I could stand up for the Minister of Interior. I would like to present briefly my opinions concerning three points, which you might be interested in. The first one is the senatorial bill amending of the Constitutional Act, which concerns the immunity of deputies and senators. The government had been debating this bill for a long time, as the Deputy Prime Minister Čunek said. The government expressed its support to this senatorial bill and we added a resolution that concerns our will to balance statute of judges of the Constitutional Court and judges of the general court system. It is still possible to make some small amendments to it and will debate them in the framework of the coalition before the debate on this bill in the Chamber of Deputies. But the important thing is that the government approved restriction of the Parliamentary immunity. That was the first issue. The second one concerned the Act on Local Referendum. It was submitted by a group of deputies and the proposal is based on lowering the compulsory poll of voters from existing 50% to 35% in case of local referendum. We discussed it in a very detailed way. It is a part of our coalition agreement to find ways how to set rules for referenda and especially for local referenda. The conclusion of our debate is that the government expressed, in compliance with the Legislative Council of the Government, its disapproval to this proposal, but it also charged the Minister of Interior with a task to prepare in a short time a governmental bill, which would amend conditions for holding local referenda. We were discussing these conditions and I think we are well on the way to reach an agreement. We added to the principle that was submitted by deputies another principle, which would lower the quorum, i.e. the condition of poll, but which would also set the minimum percentage of votes necessary for binding character of a referendum. It means that I regard this result of the meeting of the government as positive and I believe that it is fulfilment of one of points of our coalition agreement.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: I can confirm I was assigned with that task and I will fulfil it with pleasure.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: My intention was to speed up this press conference; nevertheless if we are talking about the respective issues, there was further bill on the agenda, which concerned the Act on Conflict of Interests. A circle of persons, who would be obliged to submit property statements, was to be extended by kin. We did not support this proposal, especially because there were certain duties there, e.g. an affirmation, which would have to submit a person on the occasion of submitting a property statement. The person would have to submit the affirmation concerning a kin, but kin would not have duty to provide him/her with such information. So, the person would submit an affirmation without being sure of validity of information. This is one of reasons why we did not support this bill.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: This bill shows number of weaknesses that concern definitions and interpretations. Besides, we have the Act on Conflict of Interests, which has been in force for three months, if I am not mistaken. It means that after long discussion we did not find reasons for support of this proposal.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: I thank ministers. And now there is time for your questions. Mr. Houska, TV Nova.

Kamil Houska, TV Nova: Good afternoon. I have two questions, if I may. The first one is to the Minister of Interior. When a colleague of yours, Petr Nečas, was coming here to the Office of the Government, he told journalists that he felt certain problems regarding the act on restriction of immunity because of such cases like those of Mr. Čunek and Mr. Doležal. He said word for word that he had his doubts about independent performance of certain police units. I wonder if you as the Minister of Interior have trust in the Police or whether you have similar doubts. And the second question to Mr. Čunek. You yourself said in the morning that you felt problems to approve such a law. Are you disappointed by its approval?

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: I will answer your first question in a similar way as I did at the meeting of the government, when we were debating this issue. The Police of the Czech Republic have about 46 thousand of policemen and policewomen. Overwhelming majority of them are honest and decent professionals. Nevertheless, I cannot guarantee that each of those 46 thousand persons take their job honestly and professionally that they are objective enough without any external pressures.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: I added that the government had approved this law unanimously. I usually do not say details on a vote, but in this case we agreed on this law, in spite of the fact that there were certain reservations, which would be discussed. I voted for the proposal because I am one of deputies, who do not mind it. My vote was not influenced by my experience, I am glad that it will be able to conclude also my case in this respect. We can learn our lessons. But I still expect a debate at the Chamber of Deputies concerning this issue, so that we could remove all the problems, which may be identified by majority of deputies. Of course, we agreed that immunity regarding administrative infractions or lifelong immunity should not exist. But there are certain issues, which will be discussed, for example detention of a deputy resulting in lowering of quorum at the Chamber of Deputies. These are serious issues, which will have to be debated.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Thank you. Mr. Kopecký, Mladá Fronta Dnes.

Josef Kopecký, MfD: Good afternoon. I would like to ask a question concerning the proposal for immunity restriction. Still, that statement of your colleague Nečas was relatively interesting for citizens, because a member of the government said he did not trust the Police. When a member of the government who is protected by the immunity says that, what would be your advice regarding those who do not have immunity? How can they protect themselves against the Police?

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: You know that the problem includes not only the Police, as the Police is just part of prosecuting and adjudicating bodies and some other cases exist, which show that performance of organs in the system of prosecuting and adjudicating bodies is not always good and responsible. I think I could mention here the case of 46 wiretappings, which leads to serious doubts, whether the system of powers, responsibilities and control is set well and whether the problem concerns only the Police of the Czech Republic. But everybody knows that if I am to speak about the Police, the number of 46 thousand is valid and everybody knows that within this number, apart from those decent and fair ones, are those whose attitude to work is different and who have different characters. My duty, duty of the Ministers of Interior, is to set clear and rigorous rules for everybody, without making difference. He, who is doing his work well will be awarded, in case he fails he will be punished uncompromisingly. And I think that I am applying this principle "hit or miss" or a "policy of the carrot and the stick" in my work of the Minister of Interior.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: I will just add one thing. There were 36 contributions to the discussion on this issue, it means the discussion was very long and many ministers discussed repeatedly. And this topic, which has been mentioned by Mr. Kopecký, concerns all people, for example entrepreneurs may be endangered in their firms by actions of prosecuting and adjudicating bodies; the discussion was really very long, it may have taken an hour or so.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: A few words of Minister Bursík before further question.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: The answer to citizens, you have asked about, is the unanimous decision of the government; we replaced an extensive, one of the most extensive immunities in Europe, by a principle of equality of citizens before law. That is our answer to your question.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Thank you. Your question, please.

Naďa Adamičková, Právo daily: Good afternoon. I would like to ask a question. You postponed the decision on the agreement with Russia on modernization of helicopters until today. Did you debate this point and what was the result? And then, did you debate, howbeit marginally, the strike in the Škoda Auto and if not, what is your attitude to it? Thank you.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: We debated neither the strike in Škoda Auto nor any issues concerning trade unions today. And regarding the material, which is connected with the journey of the President to Russia, i.e. signing of intergovernmental agreement and signing of the agreement on repairs of helicopters, which is connected with the intergovernmental agreement, these materials have been approved.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: Regarding the strike, we, as members of the government, are not to interfere in negotiation of employers and trade unions. On the other hand, the interest of the government of the Czech Republic is to solve this problem, in one of the most significant company in the CR, by reaching an agreement, so that the risk of snowball effect would be minimized. It is in the interest of the stability of both the Czech Republic and the entrepreneurship.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: My view, if you are interested in, is relatively clear. I think that every man should be able to take into consideration not only horizon of one or two days or years but much longer time horizon; any negotiation should not be short-sighted and it should not be held just because of monthly salaries, but with respect to long-term prospects of jobs in the future.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Thank you. Further question, please.

Radek Bartoníček, iDnes: If I may, I would revert to the immunity. I would like to ask a question Minister Langer, as I think that he had passed the issue in a diplomatic way. It is quite logical that you cannot be held responsible for all the policemen; those questions were perhaps aiming at this point. But with regard to the system, do not you think that there are certain units or rather groups of people within the Police, which do not work objectively and which are not able to win trust? And the second question to the Deputy Prime Minister Čunek. Could you specify the debate of the government on the immunity? You said that the debate had been long and that there had been number of contributions, could you specify some of observations? Thank you.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: I do not want to lay the blame on somebody else, but you know that the Police and security corps are something like an icebreaker from my view. And it takes some time to turn an icebreaker. Unfortunately, the icebreaker set out to wrong direction in last years and the best answer to the existing high rate of distrust is the police reform. In the individual ten pillars we answer just those issues that bother not only you, but also the public and within these ten pillars also concrete measures are included, which are aimed at changing the attitude of policemen to their performance, at increase of motivation, at better use of the potential so that to force the people to improve their performance to educate themselves, so that they would feel as members of a good company, modern company, so that they would feel responsibility in case they fail. The best answer to distrust of citizens is the police reform, which we have prepared.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: Perhaps I will not reproduce accurately the one-hour debate, but the debate was on defining of risks on the one side and on the other side; there were contributions, which were aimed at the situation after restriction of immunity; if it is possible to restrict it completely, because we have the most extensive immunity in Europe, as the Deputy Prime Minister Bursík said. It means it was very interesting discussion whether to restrict immunity maximally and whether it would lead to higher activity of deputies. And pay your attention to the fact that it would concern also the Constitutional Court. So, it was not debate on ourselves, I personally discussed without problems because the debate was on different issues, about endangering of judges, how they would be restricted in case of abolition of immunity. The debate was held on all the spectrum of issues and it was aiming at one point. It was aiming at finding the best system, so that equality among citizens could be reached. We certainly did not debate, as I have mentioned and my colleague Bursík and Langer mentioned it as well, we did not debate only those who are provided with the immunity but also those who are not. Therefore the debate was so long. It concerned finding the right balance, because if we have a Parliament, in which one or two votes are decisive, what could happen if one of deputies would be detained for one day by chance? We are living in these conditions and we debated what extent of immunity restriction would be the best, not only for deputies, but for all people.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: I would add information so as to clarify the framework. We are speaking on immunity of constitutional officials; there are about 2500 of them in the Czech Republic, because deputies, senators, judges of the Constitutional Court and other judges are among them. I would be very pleased if it is understood as a complex, because a constitutional official has certain statute, certain rights, and certain duties and if we want to make a change, we should make it regardless the fact who of those 2500 constitutional officials is concerned. Lawmakers represent about 10% of the total number. And the government was trying to find a solution, which would affect equally the entire spectrum.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Thank you. Mr. Houska has an additional question.

Kamil Houska, TV Nova: I have two questions, if I may. Mr. Čunek, did you yourself support the immunity restriction or that law in the end? I ask because that was you who used it in the Senate. First you wanted to be extradited, and then you did not ask for that. That is why I am asking about your position now. And one more question, I apologize I did not quite catch if you mentioned it, concerning the amendment of the Road Act. Did you approve it? What was the result like? Thank you.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: I did not use it; I will not speak about it any longer. I supported this proposal.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: The amendment has been passed as well. The deputies´ proposal was approved; nevertheless the government intends to prepare a complex amendment to this act in this year.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Thank you, Mrs. Šulcová, TV Prima.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: Good afternoon, I would like to ask a question. Deputy Prime Minister, a demonstration of your supporters will be held in the afternoon. I would like to know whether you will come among those demonstrators, whether you are pleased by the fact that several people will come to support you and whether you changed your mind, by chance, regarding your continuance in the government.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: As to the last question, I will not answer it, I said it many times before. And if several people come to support me, I will certainly have to meet them, because the Prime Minister is not present. I will try to come among them at about four o'clock as well as I came among those who were against me. That is why I should come among those who are on my side. It would be polite.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: An additional question.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: You do not want to answer because you have changed your opinion or because you are interested in it no longer? If I understand well, you have not changed your opinion.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: You know my answer well and so - no comments. I would like to mention one more issue, which I submitted to the government. It is connected with those first points that concerned the EU. I would like to inform you, as well as I have informed the government that the negotiation team, which I appointed and which the government approved, started to negotiate in Brussels with the European Commission. I can say that the European Commission stated that the National Reference Framework is ready and so it would be approved by May, in spite of the fact that there are certain problems, which will have to be solved. But there will be a debate held about them. But the debate will not be about the basic document, the approval of which is precondition of approval of all the operational programmes; it will not be necessary to hold long negotiations in which all negotiators would be involved, negotiations will be just particular. It is good news. Then, it was stated that it would be necessary to start negotiations about the individual operational programmes as early as in the beginning of May, which surprised us, as we expected the start of negotiations on operational programmes one month later. Also an issue was discussed last week, whether the Integrated Operational Programme and Regional Operational Programmes (ROP), which are connected with it, are threatened or not. An agreement has been reached that the existence of the Integral Operational Programme and the individual ROPs would have to be negotiated and that they would have to be approved in the form in which they had been submitted. Fears regarding lack of progress were not valid. Moreover, some of ministries were praised. I must say it here.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: I was waiting until the Deputy Prime Minister in all his humility says that the Ministry of Interior was praised for good work.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: The programme Smart Administration is being performed well and I thank the minister for that. Good implementation showed programmes of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This news is good for us and for the government.

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: Environment will also be mentioned.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Šulcová has an additional question. And then, Česká televize.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: One more thing. You have praised yourselves well here, but one more unpleasant issue. Have you agreed on the coalition meeting regarding your case, Mr. Čunek? Or have you no information?

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: As you can see there is somebody missing here who is necessary for the agreement.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: Do you have an idea whether it will be tomorrow, for example, or on Friday?

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: As I am saying, the Prime Minister is missing here.

Helena Šulcová, TV Prima: That is clear, but you can send an SMS and such like. Do you have information on the date of the meeting?

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: We did not disturb the Prime Minister during his negotiations in Sweden.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Česká televize, Mrs. Čermáková.

Jana Čermáková, ČT: Good afternoon, I would like to ask a question regarding the easing of so called Road Act. Can you confirm that the government approved the act and certain amendment is being prepared, as Minister Langer said? Is not it possible that people will consider this law as not very binding because of criticism from the side of politicians and because of tendency to ease it?

Ivan Langer, Minister of Interior and Informatics: If I can answer the question, I would say that law is valid for all people without difference. The Minister of Transport informed us that amending process through the deputies´ bill is the easiest and fastest one, from his view, so that all the most flagrant problems of this law could be removed. Nevertheless, this law is valid for all people and it must be observed.

Martin Bursík, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment: If I can add something. This issue is absolutely legitimate, because a key moment occurred in the course of enforcement of the law, when the law was doubted by significant politicians and by then Prime Minister. And it is documented by statistic figures and by performance and behaviour of drivers on our roads; it led to decrease of discipline of drivers. The amendment is just technical matter and what is the most important from the political point of view is that we will not allow any motion to amend at the Chamber of Deputies if they occur. It cannot be called easing of the law but removal of improper definitions and faults in the law, which have been detected in the course of its application; we agreed at the coalition meeting that it was really just amendment, small amendment of the law. It is not any easing in any case and there is an agreement in the coalition that we will prevent deputies from any real easing of the law, from easing of sanctions or limits for the individual breaches of traffic regulations. In other words, I am of the opinion that it is an important comment of the decision of the government.

Jiří Čunek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development: If you allow, I would mention one flagrant example, which will have to be rectified. For example in case a cyclist, not drunken cyclist, hurts himself, then he was to be punished by a fine of several thousand crowns. That was nonsense, which was in the law and it will have to be removed.

Viera Júdtová, Press Department of the Office of the Government: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, are there any further questions? Probably not and therefore we thank you for your attention and we are looking forward to seeing you next time.