Press Releases
19. 12. 201118:10
The Government has declared a period of national mourning to honour the memory of President Václav Havel
Today, during an extraordinary session, the Government announced that 21st – 23rd December will be days of national mourning to honour the memory of President Václav Havel. The Cabinet also proposed that the Parliament pass a bill on the merits of the first President of the Czech Republic.
Prime Minister Petr Nečas read from the Government resolution that “At the latest on December 21st, 22nd and 23rd 2011, the national flag will be flown at half mast or half staff from official and public buildings,“. According to the Government, flags may already be flown at half mast.
“The Government calls on all citizens of the Czech Republic to honour the memory of the first President of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel, with one minute silence on Friday December 23rd at 12 noon,“ added the Prime Minister.
The Government also advises governors, mayors of towns and municipalities and leaders of other public authorities to ensure that a period of national mourning is declared.
The Government also advises legal entities and natural persons to consider whether any public events which might disrupt the dignity of this period of national mourning should be held on these days.
Proposed bill on the merits of Václav Havel
Today during its extraordinary session, the Government also approved a draft bill on the merits of Václav Havel.
“The Government is aware of the exceptional personality of Václav Havel not only as the first president of the Czech Republic, but primarily as a moral authority and symbol of the social changes that took place in November 1989,“ said Prime Minister Petr Nečas.
“The Government proposes including Václav Havel alongside the most important presidents of the Czechoslovak Republic, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and Edvard Beneš, and therefore submits this bill to the Chamber of Deputies as an expression of its appreciation of the merits of Václav Havel, which extend beyond the borders of the Czech Republic and the former Czechoslovakia,“ added the Prime Minister. The Government also proposes that this bill be passed at its first reading.
Title of the bill: “Václav Havel, for his role in restoring freedom and democracy.“
“Václav Havel is one of the most important figures in modern Czech history. Not only as a politician and statesman, but also as a citizen who played a vital role in ensuring the fall of the communist regime and the restoration of freedom and democracy, not only on Czechoslovakia and, later, in the Czech Republic, but also internationally,“ added the Prime Minister.
Jan Osúch, Government spokesperson