SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
The Czech Republic is a soverign, united and democratic country. Its government is divided into three branches- the legislative, represented by Parliament, the executive, represented mainly by by the president and the government, and the judical branch, represented by courts at various levels.
The Parliament consist of two houses (chambres)- the Chambre of Deputies and the Senate. Although according to the constitution both chambres should exist and be almost equal most in the Czech Republic feel that Senate is useless. 200 Deputies and 81 Senators have the exclusive duty of making laws. These two groups differ in the way they are elected and in the lenght of the term each of them serve. The elections to the Chamber of Deputies are held every four years (last in June 1998) while one third of Senators is replaced every two years (last in November 1998). Every citizen of the Czech Republic older than 18 years has a suffrage.
The Parliament is a law-making body. A new law-to-be, a bill can be proposed by a deputy, groups of deputies, the Senate, the government, or higher-level (local) authorities. The bill first go to the Chamber of Deputies which discuss it and vote on it. A bill that has been successfully passed by the Chamber of Deputies is then submitted to the Senate when the same process takes place. The bill then has to be approved by government. A law must be singned by the head of the Chambre of Deputies, the prime minister, and the president.
The president is elected every five years by Parliament and can not serve more than two terms in a row. The president represent the state aboard and concludes foreign treaties. He has also many duties in relation to other bodies of government, he appoints judges, generals of the army, ambassadors and other officers. He is also the commander-in-chief of the army. In the law-making process he has veto power. In relation to the judical power he can grant a pardon ir declare na amnesty. Current president of the Czech Republic is Vaclav Havel.
| Tomas Garrigue Masaryk | 1918 - 1935 |
| Edvard Benes | 1935 - 1938 |
| Emil Hacha | 1938 - 1945 |
| Edvard Benes | 1945 - 1948 |
| Klement Gottwald | 1948 - 1953 |
| Antonin Zapotocky | 1953 - 1957 |
| Antonin Novotny | 1957 - 1968 |
| Ludvik Svoboda | 1968 - 1975 |
| Gustav Husak | 1975 - 1989 |
The government is composed of the premier, the vice premiers and the ministers. The hierarchy of executive branch goes further down to the local autorities where the municipality is the smallest unit. The municipal elections are held every four years. The head of the municipal authorities is called a mayor. The several ministries, headed by ministers, enforce laws made by the Parliament.
MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT AFTER 1998 JUNE ELECTIONS
- Ing. Milos Zeman - Prime Minister
Ministry offices Foreign embassies Czech embassies Other addresses
Office of the President
Prazsky hrad
119 08 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2437-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2437-3300
Office of the Prime Minister
nabr. E. Benese 4
118 01 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2400-2111
Fax: (42-2) 2481-0231
Ministry of Agriculture
Tesnov 17
117 05 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2181-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2481-0478
Ministry of Culture
Valdstejnske nam. 4
118 11 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 513-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2451-0897
Ministry of Defense
Tychonova 1
160 00 Prague 6
Phone: (420-2) 2020-1111
Fax: (420-2) 311-4121
Ministry for Economic Competition
Jostova 8
601 56 Brno
Phone: (420-5) 4216-1111
Fax: (420-5) 4221-0023
Ministry of Economy
Staromestske nam. 6
110 15 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2486-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2486-1333
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport
Karmelitska 5,7,8
118 12 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 519-3111
Fax: (420-2) 519-3790
Ministry of Environment
Vrsovicka 65
110 00 Prague 10
Phone: (420-2) 6712-1111
Fax: (420-2) 6731-0308
Ministry of Finance
Letenska 15
118 10 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2454-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2454-2788
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Loretanske nam. 5
118 00 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2418-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2431-0017
Ministry of Health
Palackeho nam. 4
128 01 Prague 2
Phone: (420-2) 2497-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2497-2111
Ministry of Industry and Trade
Na Frantisku 32
110 15 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2485-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2481-1089
Ministry of Interior
Nad Stolou 3
170 00 Prague 7
Phone: (420-2) 6142-1115
Ministry of Justice
Vysehradska 16
128 10 Prague 2
Phone: (420-2) 2199-7111
Fax: (420-2) 291-720, (420-2) 291-720
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
Na poricnim pravu 1
128 00 Prague 2
Phone: (420-2) 2490-2111
Fax: (420-2) 2490-2664
Ministry of Transport
Nabr. L. Svobody 12
110 15 Prague 1
Phone: (420-2) 2303-1111
Fax: (420-2) 2481-0596
Australian Consulate
Na Orechovce 38
Prague 6
Phone: (420-2) 2431-0071, (42-2) 2431-0743
Fax: (420-2) 311-9531
British Embassy (also serves Australians and New Zealanders)
Thunovska 14, Mala Strana
Prague 1, Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 5732 0355
Fax: (420-2)5732 1023
Canadian Embassy
Mickiewiczova 6, Hradcany
Prague 1, Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 2431-1108
Fax: (420-2) 2431-0294
New Zealand Consulate
Dykova 19
Prague 10, Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 254-198
U.S. Embassy
Ambassador Jenonne Walker
Trziste 15, Mala Strana
Prague 1, Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 5732-0663
Czech Embassy in Australia
38 Culgoa Circuit, O Maly
Camberc, ACT2606
Phone: (61-6) 290-1386
Fax: (61-6) 290-0006
Czech Embassy in Britain
26 Kensington Palace Gardens
London, W8 4QY
Phone: (44-171) 243-1115, (44-171) 243-7900
Fax: (44-171) 727-9654
Czech Embassy in Canada
541 Sussex Dr. Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario
Phone: (1-613) 562-3875
Fax: (1-613) 562-3878
E-mail: czembc@ottawa.net
Czech Embassy in U.S.
Ambassador Michael Zantovsky
3900 Spring of Freedom St. NW
Washington D.C.
Phone: (1-202) 274-9100
Fax: (1-202) 966-8540
E-mail: 72360.544@compuserve.com
Consulate General of the Czech Republic in the U.S.
10990 Willshire Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Phone: (1-310) 473-0889
Fax: (1-310) 473-9813
Czech Chamber of Commerce
Argentinska 38
Prague 7
Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 6679-4111
Fax: (420-2) 6671-0805
American Chamber of Commerce
Karlovo nam. 24
Prague 1, Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 299-887, (420-2) 296-778
Fax: (420-2) 291-481
Main Post Office
Jindrisska 14, Nove Mesto
Prague 1, Czech Republic
Czech Tourist Authority
Staromestske nam. 6
Prague 1, Czech Republic
Phone: (420-2) 2489-7390
Fax: (420-2) 231-4227
System of Government