Press Releases

2. 7. 20089:43

July 2, 2008: Government Passes Amendment to the Energy Act and a Change of the School Act

The members of the Czech cabinet today approved amendment to the country’s Energy Act, a law on property shares in cooperative farms, and an amendment to the School Act. They also discussed a motion by the Green Party on referendum on the direct election of the President of the Republic. “After a debate with the officials of the coalition parties, the Government has adopted a neutral stance on the proposal for a referendum on the direct election of the President of the Republic, while the Government’s Legislative Council has tabled a number of comments. The Government’s key decision is that the Justice Minister has been commissioned to submit a Government proposal for the direct election of the President by the end of August. We believe that a genuine solution to this issue is to find a faster way than the way of a referendum,“ Premier Mirek Topolánek told a press conference.

Reduction of Administrative Burden

The Government has also approved amendment to the Energy Act, submitted by the Minister of Industry and Trade. “The Act is bringing a number of changes. Some are, for instance, aimed at reducing the administrative burden for businessmen in the power sector, limiting some regulatory activities. For instance, state authorization for the construction of power- generating facilities is totally abolished, since this was a process duplicating that of obtaining a building permission,“ said Industry and Trade Minister Martin Říman.

Abolishing Limits on the Number of Pupils at Schools

The amendment to the School Act contains approximately 50 changes, out of which about a dozen are changes of fundamental importance. “We are abolishing limits on the number of pupils in individual classrooms and schools. This change is expected to be very positive, concerning primarily small communities where - because of the limits - founding organizations had to abolish schools, and that’s what we do not want,“ explained Education Minister Ond?ej Liška. He added that it was now up to the founding organizations of such schools whether they want to continue financing them or not. The Government has also approved a law on the settlement of the property of former cooperative farms. “This Act is not introducing any new injustices, only adopting the principles analogous in the Civil Code,“ said Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovi?. At their session the members of the Czech Government have not yet discussed and passed on to the further legislative process an amendment to the Civil Procedure Code relating to domestic violence and the provision on emergency ruling.

Further information on the outcome of today’s Government meeting is available at the Government portal www.vlada.cz, where you will also find a sound recording of the press conference and a transcription.