Czech Republic to Introduce Strict Penalties for Breaching Coronavirus Measures

In the future, Czech police are expected to gain access to a list of people and even businesses who repeatedly violate coronavirus measures in an effort to bring down the deaths and infections that have assailed the country.

On Monday, the amendment presented by the Czech Ministry of the Interior, which expands the register of offenses to include offenses committed under the Crisis Act, was approved by the government.

According to the amendment, in the case of repeated violations of government measures, companies and entrepreneurs could also be banned from operating for one year.

The adjustments and higher sanctions concern violations of crisis measures ordered by the government, such as a ban on the operation of services or movement.

On the contrary, it does not apply, for example, to the wearing of face masks. Thanks to the register, the administrative body and police officers should be given the opportunity to take into account whether the offense is committed repeatedly, and to adjust the extent and type of sanction accordingly.

Interior Minister Jan Hamáček told reporters on Monday that the amendment to the Crisis and Misdemeanor Act is intended to eliminate complications in enforcing the rules.

“No new register is being created, only violations of the Crisis Act have not yet been part of it,” he explained. Authorities in different places can currently deal with the repeated offenses of the same person and not even know about it.

In addition to the registration of offenses against crisis measures, the amendment should also introduce the obligation to inform the notifier of the offense, most often the police, about the result of the administrative proceedings without undue delay.

According to the proposal, an offense is considered a “repeat offense” if 12 months have not elapsed from the previous final decision for the same offense.

A fine of up to 30,000 CZK could now be imposed on people for repeated violations of the regulation, and up to four million CZK on companies and entrepreneurs.