Parliament approves civil service law

The lower house of Parliament on Wednesday approved the draft of a new civil service law. The government has won support for the bill by taking on board opposition demands, including dropping a provision to create a top civil servant whose office would control the entire system. The new bill also includes a provision under which every minister would have at most two deputies who are political appointees, which was repeatedly criticised by president Miloš Zeman. The president warned MPs that he would take the civil bill to the Constitutional Court if they push the legislation through despite his previously signalled veto.

Author: Ruth Fraňková