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Non-profit organizations call on the government to discuss the state of law in the Czech Republic

by AI | 10.Aug 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The Czech Republic has made progress in the reform of the public prosecutor’s office and in completing the revision of conflict of interest legislation, but has shortcomings in investigating corruption.

The statue of the Roman goddess of justice Justitia in Bavarian Bamberg. Photo: David-Wolfgang Ebener/dpa

Prague – Non-profit organizations are calling on the government to discuss the state of law in the Czech Republic based on the European Commission’s report from the end of July. The organizations Glopolis, Reconstruction of the State, NeoN, and the Network for the Protection of Democracy have today sent an open letter to Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS). The annual report of the commission on the state of the rule of law in the member states of the European Union, published on July 24, turned out rather positive. According to the commission, the Czech Republic has made progress in reforming the public prosecutor’s office and completing the revision of conflict of interest legislation, but has shortcomings in investigating corruption. According to spokesman Jakub Tomek, the government values the activities of groups that are not indifferent to the country’s development and will carefully examine the letter. Ministers and the Prime Minister are on vacation since the end of July and will return to their offices on Thursday, August 15.

The organizations Glopolis, Reconstruction of the State, NeoN, and the Network for the Protection of Democracy have called on the Prime Minister to discuss how he intends to respond to the recommendations contained in the commission’s report. The annual assessment of the state of the rule of law in the EU member states, published on July 24, turned out rather positive. According to the commission, the Czech Republic has made progress in reforming the public prosecutor’s office and completing the revision of conflict of interest legislation, but has shortcomings in investigating corruption.

According to Lukáš Kraus from Reconstruction of the State, the organizations would like to address the future of public media funding, the reform of the Office for the Protection of Competition, or the lobbying regulation law.

Czech Vice-President of the EC Věra Jourová, whose team coordinated the preparation of the report, said in July to the media that among the commission’s recommendations for the Czech Republic is precisely ensuring adequate funding for public media and the introduction of a lobbying law. “The Czechs are a solid, let’s say, average, although it is difficult to measure,” Jourová said at the time in assessing the state of the rule of law in the country. (August 8)