17th June 2013

Government: Act on Civil Servants approved

At its last session on 12 June, the Government approved the Act on Civil Servants (zákon o úřednících). The Bill should guarantee independent and professional state civil service. The Bill is heading to the Chamber of Deputies.
For further information, click here (explanatory report).  
The Government also approved the Act on Budget Responsibility (implementing regulation) (prováděcí zákon k zákonu o rozpočtové odpovědnosti). The Act on Budget Responsibility (that has been discussed at the session of the Chamber of Deputies in June 2013 in the second reading) regulates the state budget debt. The implementing Bill on Budget Responsibility defines the public budget sector and its transparency, prognosis of the Ministry of Finance, budget strategy, and position of the National Budget Council (its independence, financial resourcing, and staffing). The Chamber of Deputies discussed the organic Bill on Budget Responsibility on 12 June. The opposition claimed that the implementing Act is crucial for a qualified discussion in the Chamber of Deputies as it regulates the principles of responsible budget policy. Furthermore, the opposition also claims that the Act might impose restrictive budget policy on next government in 2014. Therefore, the opposition rejects its political nature. 
For further information, click here (explanatory report); for discussion in the Chamber of Deputies, click here and onwards.  
However, the approving of both Bills is jeopardized as the political crisis may lead to an early election. In such case, the unfinished Bills are automatically disposed.

Members of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Czech Republic