Members of Parliament want to speed up highway construction, change expropriation

Prague - A group of MPs from ODS and ČSSD wants to speed up the construction of public benefit buildings, mainly highways. They therefore propose to amend the expropriation law. A provision that allows the expropriated person to appeal the expropriation decision with a suspensive effect should be removed. However, the relevant court will still be able to decide on the suspensive effect of the appeal. The proposal for the amendment will be discussed at one of the upcoming sessions of the Chamber of Deputies.
    The law should come into effect upon its announcement. If someone, against whom the court ordered the expropriation of land, has already appealed this decision, the suspension will cease upon the amendment's effectiveness. The proposers argue that it may take several years for the parties to receive a final court decision. Because no application for a building permit can be submitted until the decision becomes final, the construction can be extended by several years against the plan.
    "We are mainly based on the fact that the expropriation is already decided in the planning process. The expropriation proceedings that take place within the building procedure are, in fact, just a dispute over money, about compensation and its amount," said František Dědič, a South Bohemian MP from ODS and a Tábor councilor, to ČTK.
    Four South Bohemian MPs, one Central Bohemian, and one Prague MP have signed the proposal. Some of them are members of the Association for the Construction of Highway D3 and Expressway R4. "We are united by an active approach to building Highway D3," confirmed Dědič. The D3 highway is expected to connect Prague with České Budějovice in the future, while the R4 expressway connects Prague with the Strážný border crossing.
    According to Dědič, the same problems exist on other sections of roads and highways. "We do not want to limit anyone's rights further, but on the other hand, we do not want ownership rights to be potentially misused," he stated.
    Martina Vápeníková, spokesperson for the Road and Motorway Directorate, said that she does not yet have the proposal for the amendment available. According to her, it cannot be said that this proposal would be beneficial for ŘSD since any suspensive effect would depend on the court's decision. The real impact of the law, she said, will only be shown by practice.
    The expropriation law was submitted to the Chamber in June 2005 by the former Social Democratic government of Jiří Paroubek. The substantive intent of the law was approved by the cabinet as early as 2002. The Chamber approved the law at the end of 2005 despite opposition from the then-Opposition ODS and part of the Christian Democrats. The Senate vetoed it, and the president refused to sign it, but the deputies always overrode the veto.