The new heritage conservation law should be presented to the government in March 2009

Prague - The new heritage protection law, which Minister of Culture Václav Jehlička (KDU-ČSL) considers a priority, is expected to be submitted to the government in March 2009. One of the innovations could be the creation of a position for an authorized heritage conservator. His opinions could replace the assessments of the National Institute for Heritage Preservation (NPÚ) in construction proceedings, which could thereby become faster and less complicated.
    This was stated today at a joint meeting of the Senate Cultural Committee and representatives of the Association of Historical Settlements of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia by the chairman of the association, Petr Sedláček.
    According to him, an authorized heritage conservator would have to meet qualifying requirements and could be, for example, architects. They would also need to have certain practical experience. The law could also allow for appeals against the opinions of conservators, not just against administrative decisions as is currently the case. There is also a plan to legislate the requirements for professional qualifications for all conservators, Sedláček said.
    According to him, the new law should define protective zones for heritage reserves or zones. An essential register of cultural monuments should become part of it, thus elevating it to the level of the land register, he added.
    Heritage care is governed by a law that was adopted 20 years ago. Although it has undergone several amendments since then, politicians believe it is time for a more fundamental reform. The current legislation establishes, for example, that the expert assessments made by the NPÚ are advisory in nature, which limits the protection of monuments. Local authorities frequently do not respect the decisions of experts. The law does not clearly define the roles of state heritage protection authorities in the process of spatial planning or the tools and conditions for state administration within heritage reserves and zones.
    Members of the Association agreed today, at the instigation of Svitavy Mayor and former chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Administration Jiří Brýdl (KDU-ČSL), that during the next year, they will formulate their demands for the new law. The fundamental starting point should be the use of monuments for the public.