Lower house passes amendment simplifying divorce

Czech MPs have passed in the first reading a bill aimed at simplifying and accelerating divorce and the process of establishing custody for children from broken marriages.

The legislation, which should take affect from next year, abolishes the requirement to establish the causes of the breakdown of a marriage and merges divorce and custody proceedings.

It also enshrines the obligation of parents to ensure that children are brought up without corporal punishment or mental suffering.

In a lower house session on Tuesday MPs also backed a bill giving greater protection to the victims of domestic violence.