June 9, 2008: Government Ministers Discussed Solution of Old Environmental Damage and a Civil Code

“We are solving the current situation since my Government does not want to end up by declaring environmental accidents,“ Czech Premier Mirek Topolánek has told a press conference after the Government meeting. The environmental damage that the state has pledged to remove in the early 1990s is a serious burden to regional development, jeopardizing the environment and posing a threat of very great economic losses in case of law suits and arbitration cases filed by companies who are thus prevented from utilizing their own erty. Over the past 16 years, only 32 % of the polluted localities have been cleaned up, and a mere 26 % of all the damage has been removed, measured in terms of the anticipated volume of work.

Proceeding from an analysis, the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic has recommended to solve this risk situation by calling a selection procedure for a general supplier. This is the only option making it possible to prevent any increase in the costs of work, set an upper limit for state expenditures in this matter, and markedly accelerate repair of damage. The Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet have also discussed the situation around the Attorney’s General Office. “One part of the Government says civil-law disputes should be of no interest to the Government. However, if an atmosphere of distrust prevails, then - in the opinion of some of the Government Ministers - we should take an interest in the whole situation after the end of the cause,“ Premier Mirek Topolánek was quoted as saying at the press conference.

The Cabinet has also approved a report by Justice Minister Jiøí Pospíšil on the completion of the draft of a new Civil Code, Commercial Code or Act on International Private Law. “During the debate on the draft of the new Civil Code the broad public will also have an opportunity to express opinion at this e-mail address, created specifically for this purpose (obcanskyzakonik@msp.justice.cz),“ stressed Justice Minister Pospíšil in his report.Additional information on the items approved by the Government is available at this Internet address www.vlada.cz.