Latest news with #PetrPavel
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU state bans ‘communist propaganda'
The Czech Republic has amended its criminal code to outlaw the promotion of communism, placing it on par with Nazi ideology. The legislation was signed on Thursday by President Petr Pavel, himself a former Communist Party member. The amendment introduces prison terms of one to five years for anyone who 'establishes, supports or promotes Nazi, communist, or other movements which demonstrably aim to suppress human rights and freedoms or incite racial, ethnic, national, religious, or class-based hatred.' The change follows calls from the Czech government-funded Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, with co-author Michael Rataj claiming that it is 'illogical and unfair' to treat the two ideologies differently. 'Part of Czech society still perceives Nazism as the crime of a foreign, German nation, while communism is frequently excused as 'our own' ideology just because it took root in this country,' Rataj said. The Czech Republic, once part of communist Czechoslovakia and a Soviet-aligned Eastern Bloc member, became independent in 1993 after the 1989 Velvet Revolution. Its current president, Petr Pavel, referred to his past membership in the Communist Party as a mistake. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) has strongly opposed the change, calling it politically motivated. The party is part of the 'Stacilo' ('Enough') alliance and currently polls at around 5%, which could allow it to return to parliament in the October 2025 elections. 'This is yet another failed attempt to push KSCM outside the law and intimidate critics of the current regime,' the party said in a statement. Prague has removed or altered hundreds of Soviet-era monuments, with another wave of removals following the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. Several countries in Eastern Europe – including Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania – have joined Kiev's decommunization drive in recent years, passing various laws that effectively equate communism with Nazism, moves that Moscow describes as politically driven attempts to rewrite history. Russia argues that such measures distort the truth about World War II, during which the Soviet Union lost 27 million lives fighting to liberate Europe from the Nazis. In July 2021, President Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting 'publicly equating the USSR with Nazi Germany' and banning the 'denial of the decisive role of the Soviet people in the victory over fascism.'
Forbes
4 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Czech President Signs Bill To Decriminalize Recreational Cannabis For Personal Use
Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC: Czech youths holding banners protest during during a march calling for the ... More legalization of marijuana in central Prague, Czech Republic, 05 May 2007. Banner at left reads 'Even if you wanted to, you couldn't do anything about it.' PHOTO AFP/ MICHAL CIZEK (Photo credit should read MICHAL CIZEK/AFP via Getty Images) The President of the Czech Republic has signed a bill that decriminalizes recreational cannabis for personal use and home cultivation, but not its sale. President Petr Pavel signed several laws on July 17, including one that amends the Criminal Code to ease restrictions on recreational cannabis, allowing possession and home cultivation. Under the new regulations, adults over the age of 21 can legally grow up to three cannabis plants per person and possess up to 100 grams of cannabis flower, with a public possession limit of 25 grams. Cannabis-related offenses involving amounts exceeding the legal limits will be addressed in a separate section of the Criminal Code. Possession of cannabis on behalf of another person will also no longer be considered a criminal offense. The lower house approved the amendment in June, followed by Senate approval earlier this month. The legislation will take effect next year. However, the sale of cannabis products will remain prohibited. The Czech Republic has also legalized the medical use of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, for the treatment of conditions such as depression. It is among the first European countries to do so. The decriminalization of cannabis for personal use and home cultivation marks a step forward in the legal status of cannabis, although initial plans involved full legalization, including sales. The decriminalization of use and home cultivation of recreational cannabis is part of a wider criminal code reform aimed at modernizing the justice system, easing prison overcrowding, and cutting public spending on minor offenses. This reform would help the legal system better focus on serious crimes while reducing unnecessary prosecutions, which should lead to lower prison numbers and a decrease in repeat offenses. Allowing adults to grow and possess cannabis for recreational use also aims to fight the black market, improve consumer safety, and promote harm reduction. The European Quasi-Legalization Approach The Czech Republic has had a tolerant approach to recreational cannabis, decriminalizing small amounts since 2010. The new reform, however, goes further, allowing adults to legally possess a larger amount of cannabis, providing a straightforward legal framework. Jindřich Vobořil, former national anti-drug coordinator and current chairman of the Rational Addiction Policy think tank, told Radio Prague International that the move brings the Czech Republic closer to full legalization. However, he supports a regulated market rather than full legalization, similar to alcohol. 'I've been proposing for years that we should have specialized shops and licensed options for growing,' he said. 'I think we're on that path. It's just going to take a few more years of discussion.' With decriminalization for personal use, the Czech Republic becomes the fourth European Union member state to allow possession, use, and cultivation of cannabis, but not its sale. Previously, Malta, Luxembourg, and Germany implemented similar reforms. Malta legalized recreational cannabis for personal use in 2021 and introduced cannabis social clubs where members can cultivate cannabis. Luxembourg followed in 2023, and Germany in 2024. The latter also allowed the establishment of cannabis social clubs. The main reason why some EU member states have legalized recreational cannabis for personal use and cultivation, but not for sale, and instead adopted a quasi-legal approach allowing possession, cultivation, and sometimes no-profit cannabis social clubs, is that current EU drug regulations and international treaties classify cannabis as a narcotic, creating potential legal barriers.
Euronews
4 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Czech president signs law criminalising communist propaganda
The president of the Czech Republic has signed an amendment to the criminal code that criminalises the promotion of communist propaganda, putting it on a similar level to Nazi ideology. The revised legislation signed by Petr Pavel allows judges to hand down prison sentences of up to five years for anyone who "establishes, supports or promotes Nazi, communist, or other movements which demonstrably aim to suppress human rights and freedoms or incite racial, ethnic, national, religious or class-based hatred." The changes follow calls from some Czech institutions, including the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, to correct what they described as an imbalance in the legal system. But the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM), which is led by MEP Kateřina Konečná, condemned the move as politically motivated. "This is yet another failed attempt to push KSČM outside the law and intimidate critics of the current regime," the party said in a statement. It's not clear yet how the new law could be applied to legitimate political parties like KSČM. The party currently holds no seats in parliament, but recent polls put its "Stačilo" (Enough) alliance at 5%, which would be enough to see it return to the lower house in October's elections. The Czech Republic was part of the former Czechoslovakia and in post-WWII Europe came under the umbrella of the Soviet Union. It was led by the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) until the 1989 Velvet Revolution brought an end to 41 years of one-party rule and ushered in a transition to a parliamentary republic. At the last election in 2021, the KSČM failed to win more than 5% of the vote, meaning the Czech parliament had no Communist delegates for the first time since 1920.
Euractiv
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
Czech president signs law criminalising communist propaganda
PRAGUE – Czech President Petr Pavel on Thursday signed an amendment to the country's criminal code that criminalises the promotion of communist ideology, placing it on the same footing as Nazi propaganda. The revised legislation introduces prison sentences of up to five years for anyone who 'establishes, supports or promotes Nazi, communist, or other movements which demonstrably aim to suppress human rights and freedoms or incite racial, ethnic, national, religious or class-based hatred.' The change follows calls from Czech historical institutions , including the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, to correct what they viewed as a legal imbalance. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM), led by MEP Kateřina Konečná and now part of a new electoral alliance called 'Stačilo' ('Enough'), condemned the move as politically motivated. 'This is yet another failed attempt to push KSČM outside the law and intimidate critics of the current regime,' the party said . It remains unclear how the new law will be applied to parties like KSČM. The party currently holds no seats in parliament, but recent polls put its alliance at 5% – enough to return to the lower house in October's elections. (cs, de)
Euractiv
10-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Czech president to unveil Ukraine reconstruction plan
PRAGUE – Czech President Petr Pavel will present a plan for Ukraine's post-war reconstruction at Thursday's international recovery conference in Rome. The plan focuses on stabilising and modernising Ukraine's economy, attracting investment, facilitating the return of refugees, and accelerating Ukraine's EU accession path. According to the presidential office, it is designed to help international partners align their contributions for maximum impact. The Rome summit brings together governments, international organisations, and private investors to discuss how best to mobilise capital and expertise. Core themes include human capital development, decentralised reconstruction, and institutional capacity-building. Czechia has presented itself as a key player in Ukraine's recovery and points to a growing number of projects already underway, including in energy, water management, healthcare, and critical infrastructure restoration. In March, Prague's foreign ministry announced that Czech companies would receive €188 million in EU funds to support reconstruction projects, including the modernisation of six Ukrainian hospitals. In parallel, Czechia's international ammunition initiative has already secured over 1.5 million artillery shells for Ukraine, with deliveries continuing.
