Czech law

Decriminalization is not legalization. Decriminalization means, that for smoking and possessing of this most widespread light drug here could be hardly any penalization. The senate passed the new drug law with even less debating than the parliament, meaning they agreed marijuana is not as dangerous as other drugs.

The codex so corresponds with the December verdict of the Constitutional court, according to which to grow cannabis is not a criminal act and doesn’t necessarily mean to produce drugs.

Little quantity is, according to the prepared law, less than 20 cigarettes of marijuana or three flowers of hemp. In the case of magic mushrooms the upper limit for little quantity is 25 pieces.

The government regulation was to explain obscurities around when it is distribution or drug possession for personal use. The laws which were used until now didn’t respond to the liberal nature of the Czech Republic.

On the taxi stances of Prague are going to be yellow cars only. The world peculiarity has finally arrived to Prague with full power. The cars which use the stances made by the city itself have to be yellow only since yesterday. What’s more, the cars have to be equipped with air-conditioning and they also have to be younger 8 years. The new public notice valid to 1st Jan 09 should improve the services.

The main problem of Prague taxis is they suffer from various pseudo-taxi individuals, who aren’t in any company and just basically pretend to be professionals, plus the company Euro Taxi, which associates some extreme individuals whom you should avoid. Now the new public notice should improve the situation – the ‘good’ taxis are going to be yellow now. Still – the best thing is to call some cross-checked taxi companies.

Jiri Cunek brought another proposal of solving Gypsy ghetto situation in the Czech Republic, this time dividing the families into three groups, or classes.

The 1st Roma Category are, according to the conception, considered those families, who have paid taxes exemplary, from which at least one adult member has permanent employment, and their kids go to school regularly, without getting into serious troubles. As a reward, they would be promptly moved from a ghetto, gaining a year assistance of a social worker at the place of their new home.

The 2nd Roma category are those, who adult members are not unemployed longer than half a year, their kids go to school more or less regularly, and they do not owe too much on the rent. This class should, with the help of a social worker, get to gaining a new job, and returning at least a part of their debts.

The most strict regime would be implemented at the families in the third category, using houses with so called firm regime. After breaking the regulations of not using drugs and alcohol, exceeding noise limits or not paying the rent, they would be ejected from their accommodation. The all day assistance of a social worker should lead the family would be started towards regular life.

The problems are obvious – if a Gypsy family belongs to the first group, they probably don’t live in a ghetto anyway. The second group is the typical one, and the proposal doesn’t bring anything new. The third group – it is clear this means to eject a lot of Roma people from the ghettos. Where are they going to move them?

Finally, the new criminal code dealing with football hooligans can be passed. It means, Czech football could be more safe, as the well known brawlers won’t be allowed to the stadiums for the time of up to 10 years. Instead of ripping of benches, they would sit at a police station, waiting for the match to end. As the football violence display becomes much harder, the football clubs and police didn’t have any means to fight this phenomena effectively.

The Interior ministry activities aren’t limited just against football hooligans. The fans, who take care about rooting and choreography, so called ultras, should beware using pyrotechnics, especially gas candles. The penalties can apply to them for their fires as well.

Imagine the possible script: A football match Sparta Prague vs with Banik Ostrava, the most risky one. 25 thousand people in the arena. And no violence, because the hardest fighters are not present. A wish? Maybe soon the reality.

Delnicka Strana (Workers party) known for their demonstrations for extreme aims is going to be banned. The government supported the opinion of Ivan Langer, appealing to the highest court for ban of the party. The party has called in another demonstration as a reaction, and again in Litvinov, where the extremists tried to get to Gypsy part of the village to make war.

Langer said: “Democracy must have strength to defend against political parties, which under disguise of free political competition break the law.” The Worker’s Party surfs on the wave of social displeasure, connected to the world financial crisis, and also on the hatred which the majority keeps against Roma people, (also Roma people against the majority!) and unwillingness of politicians to effectively solve the ‘Roma question’.

The Workers party effectively uses the low instincts, offering no solutions, but offering violence. “Such institution, like Delnicka Strana, is not, and will not, be tolerated in Czech Politics” Langer added. The question remains, whether banning the party will, or will not, bring more members into the same party under a different name.

“I can’t make it up with legally throw fourteen year old girls before various deviants” the father of four daughters Jiri Cunek stated. The chairman of Czechoslovak People’s Party and a senator has announced his intention not to support the new Criminal Code passed by the parliament because of the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 14. Fourteen year olds would not only be responsible for their crimes, but could also be a sexual object for the adults.

Hi opinion is shared by a number of frontal sexologists, they say the physical readiness does not equal mental readiness. For example Petr Weiss knows from his many years of practice that the girls who have sexual intercourse at an early age are more likely to change partners when adult.

The new criminal code should be valid since 2010, so the relevant non-complicated novel of the law could be made easily next year.

The new criminal code shocked the sexologists. The problem is not in a teenage couple having sex, but in the possibility of tossing a 14yo to some deviant legally. For example the Sexologists Zelmira Herrova says: “Fourteen is a sensitive age, when the kid learns to make love to a partner. If one has sex earlier, it is not complete on the emotional side. When they realize later, they have guilt feelings.

The sexologists know it is legal i.e. in Austria from fourteen as well – they simply say it is wrong, as human sexuality forms between 13-15.

If girls start having sex at an early age, even when gynaecologists say it won’t harm their physical health, their mental health is in danger, say sexologists. They know, that girls that have sex before they are 15 have often more sex partners, they are more frequently sick with sexually transmitted diseases and have more interruptions.

Is the possibility of getting a few more teenagers to jail really worth jeopardising lives of the much more numerous rest?

The parliamentaries have passed a revolutionary change in Czech criminal code. Young people will get more responsibility and rights a year earlier than we were used to.

The reason is increasing violent acts committed by 14 year olds,with almost no possibility of adequate punishing. That is going to change. The parliementaries have agreed on hte proposal, according to which in 2010 even the 14-yos could enf up in prison.

The law went through with dificulties, though; some said it is “criminalizing of kids” but the same responsibility has kids in Germany and Austria as well.

the reform of the criminal code brings another important changes. For a planned murder one can get up to 20 years insteda of 15, finally stalking is going to be punishable. On the contrary, a murder on a tyran will be considered less punishable.

In the well known Czech movie Samotari is this quote: “…weed is not a tradition in the Czech Republic”. Well, that time is gone. A few years since the film was made and Czechs score high in marijuana consumption among the European states; according to the 2008 Annual report of EMCDDA, we are right behind Spain.

The most smokers are in Denmark with their 36% who admitted to have smoked weed, though Czech Republic has many regular, dedicated and young smokers, about 9%, who admitted to have smoked in this year. In the category we are second, the first is Spain.

On the other hand, Czech republic is among the countries where only 5/million people die a year from hard drugs overdose, compared to 73/million in Estonia. So the report result can be read as positive – Narcotics grow out of fashion. But we Czechs shouldn’t feel too accomplished – there is still a massive number of kids smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol.

The Greens are, once again, going to present their decriminalization proposal this month. It probably won’t be passed in the parliament, as the parties are afraid of losing votes of more conservative citizens, however, the numbers speak clearly – to decriminalize marijuana in the CR will bring only a ‘paper’ change, as the numbers are already on ‘decriminalized’ level.

The new law has been needed for quite some time, the most visible it was when a group of ‘football fans’ went on a spree at Stadium Strahov, worth 19t Euro.

If the proposal passes the parliament, the hooligans in the whole Czech republic will have to watch their steps much more. They can get a ban to cultural, sport and other social events, in total length up to ten years.

The idea is the well-known brawlers should not be able to do more disturbances on given events. The outcome should be a gradual realization of steps, which should eliminate stadium violence as much as possible. To disobey the ban would mean a crime act and can get up to three years.

This is logical another step, after the stadium courts were established.

Since the 1st July, when the new public notice came into function, people can be fined for feeding the pigeons, peeing on the public or throwing away litters on the streets. The police officers have been trying to settle 1331 breaching of the regulation. The police have collected 193.700 czk so far.

Over 80 cases haven’t been solved yet, so there will be some court finishing, where they can get up to 30 000 czk fine. However, the effectivity of this law have been criticized: Frantiska Hodana from Prague Services have said for LN: “The anti-mess law have not brought any visible change… what have proved to be effective is the no-public-drinking law, which have forced the homeless out from some places, and so stopped its polluting.”

The Police officer, who reportedly murdered an American in February, finally goes to the court. Until now, he has been investigated at liberty. The sitution have looked like this:

The murdered Mike Murray knew Prague, he went there almost every weekend. He also liked to play paintball, and that night he wanted to park his car close to the paintball station, where was no place, so he parked the car close to O2 Arena. He prepared to sleep in the car, because he had bad experience with thieves and he protected his car that way.

The drunk policeman who passed by didn’t like the way Mike parked, but as he was off-service, there was not much he could do. But he managed to anger Mike to such extent, he went out of the car and beaten him. The ex-policeman strikes back in a moment – with a massive pocket knife.

The newest public notice of the Prague city hall, which forbids alcohol drinking at chosen places of Prague, still shows sign of the ‘new kid’ there is still quite a lot of bugs to sort out.

To begin with kiosks – some of them are swarming with the homeless, but the public notice doesn’t sort out, how far they can take their alcohols. So the drunkard can say ‘Yo no I drink at this kiosk’ even when he is tens of metres away.

Another problem is to prove, the person drinks the alcohol he/she has. Or- they simply pour the alcohols into pet bottles and act it is mineral water- the passing city police officers have no means to prove it is not.

The media informed there has been no persecution of ‘normal people’ who would drink in public, yet. Which is good. Yet I still feel Kampa park should be withdraw from the list.

Since Monday the new public notice of the city hall come into operation. For most of us who, once in while, go to have a romantic bottle of wine while watching the sunset from Kampa Park there is a question we would like to know an answer to – will the new law be a tool against the homeless, or a tool against decent people?

Kampa park was the controversial park of the public notice, however the resolution was passed, so there is no alcohol drinking allowed since. The other places are the area at Narodni Trida around Tesco, the park in front of the main train station, at Petrin hill, at I. P. Pavlova square or at Karlovo namesti.

The parks that were spared of the ban are for example Letna and Stromovka by the Exhibition ground. The general places where drinking is banned in Prague are in areas around schools, medical facilities, metro stations, children playgrounds and bus/tram stations.

Meanwhile everyone probably agrees public drinking ban is necessary if we want to keep our metropolis at higher level, we are can but hope this law won’t be abused for repression, but used for getting rid of various unpleasant individuals.

The first polluters were surprised, when a police officer told them to lift that cigarette bud according to the new law, otherwise they would have to pay the fine. Most of them cooperated and lifted it from the ground, but still the self-confidence of 13 polluters didn’t allow them to bow before the police officers, so they rather paid the fine of 500 czk.

As a matter of fact, this may be a real change. I was skeptical to the proposal at first, because often some new laws that pass won’t get through to the people, like laws about prostitutes, drugs etc. But it seems Prague will get cleaner hopefully. But what I still miss in Prague, is a good old-fashioned car with a tank and a hose, which would clean the streets with Vltava water every evening. If that will be another step, I am happy.

The Holidays have started, and with them, the new fines started to be given awy. Perhaps, a cigarette bud thrown away can be the reason. Or a chewing gum spitted on a pavement. Or even throwing some bread to pigeons. If there appears to be an oily pool under a vehicle, the owner can find a fine behind his windscreen wiper. All this due to the new public notice for clean Prague.

The police officers can fine a caught litterer up to thousand czk at the place. If the person refuses to pay it, the offense is dealt with at the town council, the officers can lift it up to 30 000 czk. Anyway Prague municipal council proclaims the public notice is not intended for persecuting decent folks. The idea is the police should have a tool for people who litterbug usually one spot on everyday basis.

The first of July brought the changes into effect. Since today, to spit out a chewing gum on a street, to throw away a cigarette bud or just feeding pigeons equals a possible fine.

The new public notice of cleanness takes itself seriously, and so the police officers of Prague will be ready to check it from the first day.

The fines which are possible to get at the spot go up to 1000czk. This is a common practice in all good European metropolises. Prague police is hardening, and we can look forward to other limits, too – drinking alcohol at public places ban will be probably passed as well, soon.

It was ruled out, Prague joins other world metropolises, having laws against polluting public spaces. The new public notice was published on Thursday by Prague representatives. And any violator can pay quite a lot – up to 30 000 czk, which is 1200€.

According to the public notice, a police officer can fine a polluter up to 1000 czk at the place, for CIGRETTE-END, CHEWING GUM, or DOG DEJECTA. If it goes to administrative procedure, the sanction can be up to 30t.

The public notice is official since 1st July 2008, ever since the police will check whether it is adhered. The polluter will get a fine, plus he will have to clean it after him. The typically controlled places will be the Prague centre, everyday more crowded, and other frequently visited places like Prague Exhibition ground.

Originally, the idea was no one should have a different sign, so no one will envy the other. Ideas and reality vary, so in the end it only helped to nurture corruption of officers, responsible for the plate. The drivers should, in the future, gain the licence plate either the traditional way (computer roll) or to choose it by themselves.

Drivers should get the possibility of setting the last five letters of the plate, the first two, which show the registration place and the code of the region, would stay the same. The Prague town council is serious about that matter, and if the proposal won’t pass through the Transport Department, they plan to submit it to the Parliament.

Are you going to the centre of Prague with your car and do you need to park there? Here is a short guideline how to use Prague Parking Zones.

The districts of parking zones are Prague 1, Prague 2, Prague 3, Prague 7. You can encounter three colours of lines – orange, green and blue, having different functions.

Orange Zone
Short-term parking zones equipped with a parking meter, charging 40 czk per hour. The maximum time possible to spend in the place is limited to 2 hours, the minimum time to pay is 15 minutes, the price is 10 czk. You have to pay there only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. From 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., it is free of charge.

Green Zone
Medium-term parking zone, allowing to stay up to 6 hours. Those are charged 30 czk per hour, or it is possible to pay 120 czk for 6 hour straight away. Again, as with the previous case, the zone is equipped with a coin-operated parking meter, that can collect Czech coins. And again, the zone is effective from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Blue Zone
The long-term parking zone is designed solely for local residents, or companies based in the district. Otherwise it is almost impossible to get a parking card to this zone. Do not park there without the park card, as the police focus on those zones, checking them quite often.

Service Zone
Either for the handicapped, or for other subjects at the base of a special request, in the case of commercial subjects markedly charged.

The trend of Parking zones spreads from the centre of Prague to the other parts, so be prepared that every single year will widen the places of paid parking.