Some deputies want age of consent and criminal liability to remain unchanged

The lower house of Parliament on Thursday passed an amendment to the penal code which would leave the age of criminal liability and the age of consent as it is at age 15. The amendment was drafted by the Communist Party in reaction to the new penal code which was due to lower the age of criminal liability and the age of consent to 14 as of 2010. Experts have criticized the move and in signing the penal code President Klaus likewise called it disputable. Both the Communist Party and the Christian Democrats say it was a big mistake.