Czech criminal law should undergo extensive modernisation aimed at speeding up and increasing the efficiency of criminal proceedings and also at lightening the burden on the domestic prison system. The draft amendment to the Criminal Code, which comes with a number of changes, was approved by the government of Petro Fiala at a meeting on Wednesday 13 November 2024. It also discussed a proposal to cover the damage caused by floods to water management infrastructure and other state property falling under the Ministry of Agriculture, and dealt with the implementation of the completion of part of the Prague ring road.
Amendment to the Criminal Code, the draft of which was approved by the Government, brings a number of important changes to criminal law. For example, the Ministry of Justice is proposing to substantially extend the possibility of imposing alternative financial penalties for minor crimes, which should, among other things, solve the problem of overcrowding in Czech prisons. It also wants to partially legalise self-growing and possession of cannabis or introduce new offences punishing, for example, unauthorised activity for foreign power and the misuse of identity for the production and distribution of pornography, i.e. cases of so-called non-consensual pornography. Overall, the amendment modernises criminal law in line with European trends, responds to some new phenomena in society and should lead to faster and more efficient criminal proceedings and a reduction in the number of repeat offences. Details include press release of the Ministry of Justice.
The government also discussed a proposal by the Minister of Agriculture on how to use the state budget to compensate for damage to state water management property, water supply and sewerage infrastructure, fishery fund, forest property and other state property under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture after the September floods. The Ministry of Agriculture estimated the damage at CZK 13.625 billion. The government has agreed that the ministry will receive CZK 7.325 billion from the flood reserve this year to repair the flood damage and will claim another CZK 6.3 billion from next year's budget. The flood damaged flood protection measures, ponds, water and sewage systems and undermined forest roads in many places. More in press release of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Cabinet also agreed the request of the Governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region for further prolongation of the hazardous condition after the September floods. The state of danger declared due to the possible threat to the health and lives of the population and to faster and easier removal of damages will last in the administrative districts of the municipalities with extended competence of Bohumín, Bruntál, Krnov, Opava and Ostrava until 13 December 2024 at the latest, in the municipalities of Frýdek-Místek, Frýdlant nad Ostravicí and Kravaře it will be terminated on 13 November.
The government also approved list of investments in road infrastructure projects, the implementation of which is necessary in connection with the forthcoming construction of another part of the Prague Ring Road, namely its southern branch in the sections Běchovice-D1 and the road I/12 Běchovice-Úvaly, which is being prepared by the Road and Motorway Directorate. In connection with the construction of this long-awaited section of the Prague bypass, it is necessary to make a number of changes to the adjacent road network, such as the construction of roundabouts, reconstruction and increase in the capacity of the current roads and pavements or the construction of a new footbridge over the off-grade crossing in Říčany. In total, these investments will require approximately CZK 1.32 billion.
Investments in transport infrastructure are one of the main priorities of the government of Petr Fiala. This year, for example, a record number of kilometres of new motorways and first-class roads have been built (324.2 km), and for next year the government has planned a record budget of CZK 80.7 billion for investments by the Road and Motorway Directorate.
Government of the Czech Republic/ gnews - RoZ
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