The Chamber supported the government's proposal to abolish the Supreme Building Authority

Prague - The Chamber of Deputies today passed a government proposal to the next round of consideration, which cancels the establishment of the Supreme Building Authority and the subordinate regional building authorities organized, for example, according to the model of the financial administration. The government amendment to last year’s new building law abolishes the approved model of purely state building administration and maintains all building authorities in municipalities. However, it retains the Specialized and Appeals Building Authority, which will primarily be responsible for strategic constructions, such as highways or power plants. It also brings other changes. According to the Ministry for Regional Development, it will create a clear, modern, and predictable environment not only for builders and designers.

At the same time, the Chamber supported in the first reading a related government proposal for a new law on a unified environmental statement (UES). This statement is to combine the permissions of all authorities responsible for the environment before the building proceedings. The deputies discussed both proposals in a merged debate. For both of them, they extended the deadline for consideration in committees by 20 days to 80 days.

The amendment modifies the new building law prepared by the former government of Andrej Babiš (ANO). The parties of the current government coalition, which were in opposition during the previous electoral term, criticized the new building law. They warned primarily that it would threaten building proceedings and cause a collapse in construction. One of the current government’s arguments against the establishment of the Supreme Building Authority is mainly the costs incurred from the transfer of property and thousands of officials to the new state office.

The then-government, on the other hand, argued that the new building law with the Supreme Building Authority and regional building authorities would expedite building proceedings. It was primarily to be sped up by adhering to deadlines. For example, officials were to be interchangeable, and it should not happen that the office would be non-functional due to an official's illness.

The amendment retains all the current 694 building authorities in municipalities, with the possibility of reducing this number according to building activity. The regional building authorities will be the current regional offices. From mid-next year, the Specialized and Appeals Building Authority will begin operations, which will focus on large infrastructure projects, such as highways, national railways, or power plants. Other constructions will be subject to permitting according to the existing regulations until June 30, 2024. The digitization of building proceedings is to be launched on January 1, 2024, after a six-month delay.

Minister for Regional Development Ivan Bartoš (Pirates) stated today that the purpose of delaying the establishment of the Supreme Building Authority, which Parliament approved this year, was to prevent unwanted destruction of building proceedings. He added that abolishing this office would also save the state billions of crowns. According to him, maintaining building authorities at municipalities returns building proceedings where they belong, that is, to the territory. He also stated that there would be a change in the integration of the involved authorities by introducing the so-called unified environmental statement through the newly discussed law. This will be a binding statement in terms of all public interests in environmental protection and will serve as a basis for decision-making.

The proposed changes to the building law were criticized by Bartoš's predecessor in the ministerial position, Klára Dostálová (ANO), who prepared and presented the new building law. She referred to the unified environmental statement as a super stamp that will serve as a ticket to the building authority. According to her, the government amendment to the building law resigns on the rights of citizens who demand that authorities adhere to deadlines. She reiterated her argument that when a citizen fails to meet a deadline toward the state, they receive a fine, but when the state fails to meet a deadline toward a citizen, nothing happens. According to her, the government proposal threatens the adherence to deadlines. Maintaining the current building authorities, in her view, will not ensure adherence to deadlines. She mentioned that in recent days they have been able to find common ground with the coalition on preparing a comprehensive amendment proposal. This proposal should serve to ensure that future governments do not revert the adjustment of building proceedings.

Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) said that he views her words as an important positive message that there is a willingness on the part of the opposition to cooperate on a joint consensual comprehensive amendment proposal.

According to the new adjustment, regional offices will carry out the functions of the superior administrative authority over municipal offices, just as they do now. They will newly be responsible for granting some permits for buildings that are subject to environmental impact assessments, or some significant water projects. The Appeals Administrative Authority for these cases will be the Specialized and Appeals Building Authority.

Concerns about the amendment to the building law and the unified environmental statement have already been expressed earlier by the Czech Chamber of Architects and the Chamber of Commerce. According to the Chamber of Architects, the amendment will not significantly speed up or simplify building proceedings in many cases and is a step backward. According to the president of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, Vladimír Dlouhý, the proposal is detached from practice.