Cabinet approves witness-protection bill
The Cabinet, in a meeting on Wednesday, approved a bill protecting key witnesses, lawyers, interpreters and others involved in major criminal proceedings. Olga Szantova has the details:
The law, if approved by Parliament, will mean a major breakthrough in criminal proceedings in the Czech Republic, as the Cabinet's spokesman, Libor Roucek, told Radio Prague: The Ministry of the Interior, which has been responsible for preparing the new bill and will be responsible for its implementation has been studying the experience of countries where the protection of witnesses is an established tradition, says Petr Solsky from the ministry's security policy division: According to estimates, some ten people a year will be protected on the basis of the new law. If necessary, they will receive new identities, new jobs, and homes in different parts of the country, in some cases abroad, etc. Preparations for the scheme are well under way, Petr Solsky from the Interior Ministry told Radio Prague: Parliament is expected to pass the new law when it meets in September and the full protection of witnesses should start in the middle of next year.
