scholarly journals Aféra Nagygate mezi korupcí a organizovaným zločinem: korupční sítě a jejich možný vliv na kvalitu demokracie v České republice

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 237-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petr Kupka ◽  
Michal Mochťak
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Political System ◽  
Social Boundaries ◽  
The Political ◽  
Democratic Regime ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Legal Norms ◽  
Democratic Performance ◽  
Negative Impacts

The paper addresses the question of what sort of influence organized crime may have on democratic performance in the Czech Republic and which dimensions of its political system (if any) are endangered most. We define organized crime narrowly in terms of corruption networks, questioning in effect the predominant understanding of these two concepts as distinct or even exclusive phenomena. The paper thus construes corruption and organized crime as concepts referring to transgressive acts (i.e. behaviour that involves a violation of moral or social boundaries that do not have to be legally codified), rather than in terms of legal norms. The influence of corruption networks is demonstrated on the case of the "Nagygate" scandal, which is analysed by utilising the framework of possible harms, as developed by Michael Maltz. We argue that the debate on organized crime in the Czech Republic is, in fact, inherently tied to the study of corruption, since corruption constitutes an integral part of organized criminal activities. Our findings show that transgressive behaviour has mostly negative impacts that include the loss of trust, widespread beliefs that injustice goes unpunished, a weakening of the political system, and the overall degeneration of the democratic regime. Moreover, the Nagygate scandal provides evidence that democratic institutions are not solely the victim of organized crime but also a possible source of transgressive activities.

The Nagygate Affair, Corruption and Organized Crime: Corruption Networks and their Potential Impact on the Quality of Democracy in the Czech Republic

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petr Kupka ◽  
Michal Mocht’ak
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Organized Crime ◽  
Political System ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Social Boundaries ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Legal Norms ◽  
Transgressive Behavior ◽  
Widespread Belief

AbstractThis paper addresses the influence of organized crime on the performance of democracy in the Czech Republic and seeks to determine which dimensions of its political system (if any) are most endangered. We construe organized crime in terms of corruption networks, questioning in effect the predominant understanding of these two concepts as distinct or even exclusive phenomena. The paper thus construes corruption and organized crime as concepts referring to transgressive acts (i.e., behavior that involves a violation of moral or social boundaries that need not be legally codified), rather than in terms of legal norms. The influence of corruption networks is demonstrated using the “Nagygate” affair, which is analyzed using Maltz’s framework of potential harm. We argue that the debate on organized crime in the Czech Republic is, in fact, inherently tied to the study of corruption, since corruption constitutes an integral part of organized crime activity. Our findings are that transgressive behavior has a mostly negative impact, including loss of trust, the widespread belief that injustice goes unpunished, a weakening of the political system, and degeneration of the democratic regime. Moreover, the Nagygate scandal provides evidence that democratic institutions are not solely victims of organized crime but also a potential source of transgressive acts.

scholarly journals Vliv institucionálního zapojení nevládních organizací na volbu strategií

2013 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-53
Author(s):  
Aneta Pinková
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Political System ◽  
Strategy Choice ◽  
The Political ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Political Opportunities ◽  
Independent Variable

The article explores institutional platforms used to incorporate non-governmental groups into the decision making process and the possible impacts of such incorporation on their choice of strategy. The paper starts with an overview of relevant theories and concepts, such as the political opportunities structures, the concept of access points to the political system and, most importantly, the insider – outsider typology of interest groups. The empirical part of the paper focuses on the Czech Republic and the two institutional platforms available to NGOs within its political system: participation in advisory committees and formal commenting procedure. The article further presents a case study of employer and business groups in the Czech Republic, using a scale of institutional incorporation as an independent variable influencing the groups’ strategy choice. The scale roughly indicates the level of the organizations’ institutional incorporation, based on their involvement in both advisory committees and formal commenting procedure. On the basis of the findings from the case study, possible impacts of institutional incorporation on strategy choice are outlined, indicating that the so-called insider strategies are more often used by more incorporated groups. This suggests a continuing relevance of Grant’s insider – outsider typology, which has been questioned by political scientists in recent years. While the article focuses on a relatively narrowly defined category of organizations, the findings also suggest that the role and influence of institutionalized platforms on the overall strategy choice of traditional interest groups should not be ignored by researchers, as it is often the case both in the Czech Republic and internationally.

scholarly journals Referenda w systemie politycznym Republiki Czeskiej

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 77-91
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Koźbiał
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Political System ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Local Level ◽  
State Level ◽  
The Political ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
Wind Power Plants

Republika Czeska jest jednym z tych krajów europejskich, w których bezpośrednie instrumenty demokratyczne, takie jak referenda, są rzadko stosowane na szczeblu państwowym. W Republice Czeskiej w ten sposób zdecydowano jedynie o przystąpieniu kraju do Unii Europejskiej (2003). Z drugiej strony, na poziomie lokalnym czeskie doświadczenia z referendami są bogate. W latach 2006‑2021 przeprowadzono ponad 300 referendów, średnio ponad 20 rocznie. Problematyka poruszana w tych referendach obejmowała kwestie infrastruktury, lokalizacji elektrowni wiatrowych czy składowania odpadów radioaktywnych. W przyszłości szersze niż dotychczas wykorzystanie referendów w czeskim systemie politycznym zależeć będzie m.in. od wyniku wyborów parlamentarnych, które odbędąsięjesienią2021 r. Czeska Partia Piratów, która ma duże szanse na zwycięstwo w tych wyborach, opowiada się za korzystaniem z tego typu głosowania znacznie częściej niż dotychczas. Referenda in the political system of the Czech Republic The Czech Republic is one of those European countries where direct democratic instruments, such as referendums, are rarely resorted to at the state level. Only the country’s accession to the European Union (2003) was decided in this way in the Czech Republic. On the local level, on the other hand, the Czech experience with referendums is rich. Between 2006 and 2021, more than 300 referendums were held, an average of more than 20 per year. The issues dealt with in these referendums included infrastructure issues, the location of wind power plants or the storage of radioactive waste. The future of the use of referendums more widely than before in the Czech political system will depend, among other things, on the outcome of the parliamentary elections to be held in the autumn of 2021. The Czech Pirate Party, which has a significant chance of winning this election, is in favour of using this type of voting far more often than before.

scholarly journals Exploring and explaining participation in local opposition: brown coal mining in Horní Jiřetín

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filip Černoch ◽  
Lukáš Lehotský ◽  
Petr Ocelík ◽  
Jan Osička
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Coal Mining ◽  
Brown Coal ◽  
Political Context ◽  
The Political ◽  
Northwestern Part ◽  
Research Project ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Local Opposition ◽  
Opposition Movement

This book summarizes a three-year research project on local opposition to coal mining in the Northwestern part of the Czech Republic. The research focused on the relational dimensions of the opposition movement and the political context in which the movement operates.

scholarly journals Measuring costs of noise pollution generated by freight transport: Case of the Slovak and Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Břetislav Andrlík
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Slovak Republic ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Freight Transport ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Negative Externality ◽  
Actual Measurement ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Marginal Costs ◽  
Negative Impacts

The paper focuses on measuring and quantification of the negative externality of noise pollution generated by freight transport in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. The paper describes negative impacts and significance of noise externalities, whereas it is established that noise causes psychological and physiological harm to affected persons. A separate part of the paper is dedicated to the current status of the European legislation dealing with the issues of the negative externality of noise pollution, in particular Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Communication COM(2008) 435. The actual measurement of the total, average and marginal costs of noise pollution is implemented in line with the defined methodology and using expert studies defined in the paper. The measurement results show that the costs of the negative externality of noise pollution are high in both countries. According to authors’ calculations, the total costs of the negative externality of noise pollution amount to EUR 100.8 mil in the Czech Republic and EUR 16.9 mil in the Slovak Republic. The paper contains a proposal of internalisation of these costs in the form of performance charges applied to operation of heavy goods vehicles.

scholarly journals Dorastanie naznaczone traumą historii. Kilka refleksji nad powieściami Jiříego Kratochvila „Uprostřed nocí zpěv” i Magdaleny Tulli „Włoskie szpilki”

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 245-256
Author(s):  
Dorota Żygadło-Czopnik
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Political Change ◽  
East Germany ◽  
Round Table ◽  
National Identities ◽  
The Political ◽  
Growing Up ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Political Transformations

Growing up marked by trauma in Jiří Kratochvil’s, Uprostřed nocí zpěv and Magdalena Tulla’s, Włoskie szpilkiThe process of political change began in Czechoslovakia at the end of 1989, a few months after the so-called Polish Round Table Talks, and after the events in Hungary, East Germany or Bulgaria, foretelling the political transformations in those countries. Poles and Czechs are nations steeped in history, whose rhythm is defined by traumas, many of which still await their artistic disarmament. Czech history is completely different than that of Poles. As a result of the tangled history, Czech and Polish national identities are not fully defined. The key objective of the proposed paper is to examine how the contemporary Polish and Czech writers confront their totalitarian heritage. We would like to focus on the works of a Mora­vian author Jiří Kratochvil b. 1940 in Brno, who is undervalued and barely known in Poland, and of a Polish writer Magdalena Tulla b. 1955. As a matter of fact, Jiří Kratochvil was truly discovered in the Czech Republic only after November 1989.Взросление в тени исторической травмы в повести Иржи Кратохвила Uprostřed nocí zpěv и Магдалены Тулли Włoskie szpilkiПроцесс политических преобразований начался в Чехословакии в конце 1989 года, спустя несколько месяцев после польских переговоров т. наз. круглого стола и после событий  в Венгрии, ГДР или Болгарии, которые предвещали политико-режимные трансформации в этих странах. Поляки и чехи — это народы, погруженные в историю, а ее ритм в польском и чешском мышлении диктуют травмы. Многие из них еще предстоит обезвредить при помощи инструментов искусства. Чешская история во многом отличается от нашей. По причине непростой истории чешская и польская национальные идентичности не получили своего четкого определения. Основной целью предлагаемого доклада является исследование того, как современные польские и чешские писатели сводят счеты с тоталитарным наследием. Главное внимание будет уделено творчеству моравского писателя Иржи Кратохвила 1940 г.р., Брно, автора малоизвестного в Польше, а также польской писательницы Магдалены Тулли 1955 г.р.. Иржи Кратохвил и в самой Чехии приобрел признание только после ноября 1989 года.

VALIDITY AND LEGAL EFFECT OF PUBLISHING LICENSE AGREEMENTS ACCORDING TO NEW CZECH LEGISLATION

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydie Tallova
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Civil Code ◽  
Copyright Law ◽  
Private Law ◽  
License Agreement ◽  
Industrial Property ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Legal Norms

"This contribution focuses on the new legislation on the publishing license agreement in the Czech Republic. Given the legislative history and its importance in the copyright obligation area, this type of agreement occupies an essential position. The publishing license agreement is the oldest kind of license agreement. It dates back more than sixty years to earlier of the Czech legislation. Since 1953, it has been embedded in the the copyright law as a special subtype of copyright agreements. After the recent reform of the Czech private law, this legal body underwent a fundamental legislative change consisting of the transfer of this piece of legislation from the copyright law to the New Civil Code in order to unify the duality of the previous license agreement legislation formerly embedded in two legal norms of the Czech legal system. While the license provisions for literary, artistic and scientific works were contained in the copyright law provisions, the legal protection for industrial property objects, including corresponding license provisions, were subject to the commercial code. In connection with the private law reform, the New Civil Code came into effect on 1 January 2014 and its framework provided the lawmakers with a chance to unify the previously fragmented license agreement legislation into a single legal provision, while at the same time respecting the particularities of the license under copyright law. The unified license agreement legislation for commercial and civil relations in connection with the reform of local private law is newly defined in Sec. 2358 and 2389 of New Civil Code (Act No. 89/2012 Sb.), while the publishing license agreement provisions are defined in a special provision in Sec. 2384 and 2386 thereof. The new legislation has adopted the previous legislation from both special acts without any fundamental changes. However, minor changes are introduced to licensing law in the Czech Republic which are further specified in this paper. The issue under review is set in a theoretical framework and simultaneously depicted in a historical context. This paper presents the topic in its complexity by highlighting the overlap of the introduced changes in license agreement legislation with other provisions of the private law."

Economic and Political Implications of IFRS Adoption in the Czech Republic

2016 ◽  
pp. 105-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irena Jindrichovska ◽  
Dana Kubickova
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Financial Reporting ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
The Political ◽  
Institutional Changes ◽  
Direct Impact ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Ifrs Adoption ◽  
Local Taxation ◽  
Political Implications

This chapter analyses the political and economic impact of IFRS adoption in the Czech Republic. It contributes to the current understanding of IFRS adoption from the perspective of a small European transitional market, where local accounting standards were previously well developed and still play a major role in financial reporting mainly, however for local taxation purposes. Although there has been an observable increase in the country's exports, FDI and international trade since the beginning of the 1990s, the direct impact of IFRS is difficult to discern, because of many political and institutional changes that have taken place concurrently. However, it is clear that adoption of IFRS has contributed to greater cultivation of the economic environment and facilitated international operations. IFRS adoption is not highly prevalent but is gradually increasing. This is apparent mainly in Czech companies with foreign parents that are in any event required to report in IFRS.

scholarly journals Citizens local political participation in the Czech Republic: rural-urban comparison

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 21-29
Author(s):  
J. Cmejrek
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Political Process ◽  
The Political ◽  
Local Administration ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
The Public

The Velvet Revolution in November 1989 in the former Czechoslovakia opened the way to the renewal of the democratic political system. One of the most visible aspects of the Czech political development consisted in the renewal of the essential functions of elections and political parties. On the local level, however, the political process - as well as in other post-communist countries - continued to be for a long time influenced by the remains of the former centralized system wherein the local administration used to be subjected to the central state power. Municipal elections took hold in these countries, however, the local government remained in the embryonic state and a certain absence of real political and economic decision-making mechanism on the local level continued to show. The public administration in the Czech Republic had to deal with the changes in the administrative division of the state, the split of the Czechoslovak federation as well as the fragmentation of municipalities whose number increased by 50 percent. Decision making mechanisms on the local and regional level were suffering from the incomplete territorial hierarchy of public administration and from the unclear division of power between the state administration and local administration bodies. Only at the end of the 1990s, the public administration in the Czech Republic started to get a more integrated and specific shape. Citizens participation in the political process represents one of the key issues of representative democracy. The contemporary democracy has to face the decrease in voter turnout and the low interest of citizens to assume responsibility within the political process. The spread of democratising process following the fall of the iron curtain should not overshadow the risk of internal weakness of democracy. The solution should be looked for in more responsible citizenship and citizens’ political participation. The degree of political participation is considered (together with political pluralism) to be the key element of representative democracy in general terms, as well as of democratic process on the local and regional level. The objective of this paper is to describe the specifics of citizens local political participation in the Czech Republic and to show the differences between rural and urban areas. The paper concentrates on voting and voter turnout but deals also with other forms of citizens political participation.

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