Bartoš: The system of digitizing building permits is permeable and processes the requirements

Prague - The system for the digitalization of building permits is permeable and the requirements can be processed within it. Vice Prime Minister for Digitalization and Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) said this to ČTK today. According to him, the Ministry of Regional Development (MMR) is in daily contact with the offices through technical support and consultants, ensuring that especially the larger ones, such as in Prague or Ostrava, have their work simplified. Most frequently, officials contacted MMR regarding issues with setting their roles, which, if incorrectly entered, blocked logins.

"The system has been running since day one. We received feedback that initially concerned role settings, where an official holds multiple roles, which is common. We have a list and are working with direct feedback, adjusting the system in an agile manner to increase user comfort. We have been asked for another series of training on specific cases of passing through the system," said Bartoš.

According to Bartoš, around 1000 applications were submitted via the builder's portal. In a press release from last week, MMR stated that it received about 1600 phone calls and 750 emails with requests and questions regarding information systems. At that time, the ministry focused on the problem of shared identification, where the office simultaneously performs the duties of both the building authority and the affected authority.

Some building authorities reported a significant increase in building permit applications before the start of digitalization on July 1, so they could meet the deadline before the new construction law for land buildings took effect. According to Bartoš, therefore, many offices are still processing applications in the original "paper" form.

Complications with logging in or using the system were experienced by offices in Prague and Brno after the launch, for example. However, they gradually noted improvements in the following days. Even more than two weeks after the launch, the system remains unusable according to the mayor of Nový Bor in the Česká Lípa region and chairman of the Association of Municipalities of the Liberec Region, Jaromír Dvořák. Today, he reached out to Bartoš with an open letter regarding the new construction law. He asks when the Information System for Building Procedures will be fully functional in such a way that the entire procedure can be completed through it.

The new construction law took effect on July 1 for all types of buildings. For example, the regulation abolishes the double permitting of constructions and merges territorial and building proceedings into one. Building authorities are to communicate with other authorities themselves and obtain their opinions in a so-called coordinated binding statement. At the end, there should be a single stamp for the builder. The procedure should be in digital form for all participants through the Builder's Portal and other systems, and all documentation will be online. Authorities and builders will communicate in interconnected systems.