Photo: archive of the Government Office of the Czech Republic
On Wednesday, 3 January 2024, the government of Petro Fiala met for its first session of the new year. It decided to further extend the temporary border protection with Slovakia until 2 February and supported a parliamentary proposal to introduce postal voting for compatriots living abroad.
The government gave a favourable opinion on the proposal amendments to the Electoral Administration Act, which was signed by all five chairmen of the parties of the governing coalition, led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The aim of the proposal is to allow eligible voters residing abroad to vote by correspondence in elections where this is possible.
"This is an opportunity for people who live and work abroad to exercise one of their basic civil rights and to vote. The assumption under this amendment is that correspondence voting for our citizens living abroad would apply for the first time in the elections to the Chamber of Deputies in the autumn of 2025," stated Prime Minister Petr Fiala. "We are also fulfilling our programme declaration. We have long wanted people who are citizens of the Czech Republic and live abroad to be able to vote in this way, and we consider it to be the right thing to do." He pointed out.
Most countries in the European Union, including neighbouring countries such as Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland, have a correspondence option for their nationals. "As far as Czech citizens are concerned, it would affect about 300 000 of our people who are abroad. Yes, Czech citizens have the opportunity to vote at embassies, but this often means travelling hundreds or even thousands of kilometres to visit the nearest embassy. Correspondence voting would remove this obstacle," reminded the Prime Minister.
The government also decided on another extension of temporary border protection with the Slovak Republic, which was introduced at the beginning of October last year due to increased migration and the activities of smuggling groups, until 2 February inclusive. All neighbouring countries have introduced similar measures. Now that Poland and Germany have decided to extend controls further, the government has taken reciprocal measures to prevent the risk of illegal migrants using the Czech Republic as a free corridor to Western Europe. The scope of the measure will remain the same as before, with random checks being conducted in such a way as to restrict cross-border traffic as little as possible.
The Cabinet also dealt with two other parliamentary proposals for legislative changes. He supported the proposal to postpone the deadline by which an existing or former participant in the emissions trading system is obliged to remove from trading the quantity of allowances corresponding to the reported and verified emissions in the previous year from 30 April to 30 September. The measure takes into account the new rules resulting from the amendment of the relevant European Directive. Deputy Prime Minister Marian Jurecka's proposal for an amendment to the Social Services Act, which is intended to ensure, among other things, that social services are provided in the natural social environment of the client, has also received a favourable opinion.
The government also addressed two motions to intervene in the proceedings before the Constitutional Court. The Government has decided to intervene in both the case concerning the repeal of part of the Civil Procedure Code and the proceedings in which opposition MPs want to review the Government's decision to tighten the legal rules on early retirement and pension indexation.
government.gov.cz/gn.cz-JaV_07
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