2017 to bring legislative changes

The new year will bring a series of legislative changes, among them a higher minimal wage, tax advantages for families with children, a tougher environment law which will enable the authorities to check what people are burning in their stoves, higher wages for health workers and higher pensions. The year will also see the introduction of a tougher new smoking law in May, the second and third phase of the law on electronic cash registers and very likely a tougher law on conflict of interest. The fate of the latter remains uncertain since it was vetoed by President Zeman on the grounds that some parts of it are in violation of the constitutional order. Its advocates in the lower house will try to override the president’s veto in January.