LEGISLATIVE PROCESSES

Our long-term efforts also involve direct participation in legislative and public policy-making procedures in order to have a say on public affairs. We believe that good laws and public policies may only be produced if their preparation involves all stakeholders concerned, including the general public.

 

We think that communication between public authorities and the citizens on the matters which can affect their lives and the life of the entire society is a prerequisite to good and legitimate public governance.

 

From the very beginning of our existence we have participated (often in cooperation with other non-governmental organisations) in several dozen legislative procedures, a number of them launched upon our initiative. We still continue doing so, for example, through submission of so-called mass comments and collecting citizens’ signatures to support them; representing the general public in so-called dispute proceedings at ministries and other state administration bodies; presenting our opinions before parliamentary committees and other forums where decisions are made on amendments to laws, other regulations and/or programme documents. In certain cases we directly cooperate in their preparation. We have thus contributed to improvements in a number of laws which now include a considerable human rights dimension, thanks also to our efforts.

 

We seek to promote an essential human rights dialogue at all meetings with public officials. We constantly strive to remind the public authorities that they are primarily responsible for compliance with the guaranteeing and promotion of human rights and the principle of equality.

 

We have participated in the preparation of, or amendments to the following regulations, among others:

 

• Act on Free Access to Information (Act No. 211/2000 Coll.)

• Act on the Public Defender of Rights (Act No. 564/2001 Coll.)

• Act on Protection of Classified Information (Act No. 241/2001 Coll.)

• Code of Administrative Procedure (Act No. 71/1967 Coll. on administrative procedure)

• Act on Healthcare and Healthcare-related Services (Act No. 576/2004 Coll.)

• Anti-discrimination Act (Act No. 365/2004 Coll. on equal treatment in certain areas and on the protection against discrimination)

• Act on Court Fees (Act No. 71/92 Coll.)

• Code of Civil Procedure (Act No. 99/1963 Coll.)