Ministers seek state of emergency extension to mid-March

The Czech government is to seek an extension of a state of emergency in the country until March 16, Deputy Prime Minister Jan Hamáček said on Monday afternoon. The legislation facilitating the current one is due to expire on Sunday. The national index-linked system of Covid restrictions is contingent on a state of emergency being in place.

Ministers are due to discuss conditions for supporting the bill with represenatives of opposition parties on Tuesday ahead of a debate in the Chamber of Deputies on Thursday.

The Communist Party, which votes with the minority coalition on key legislation, backed the state of emergency previously but says it will not do so again.