The New Czech State Citizenship Act: the Further Liberalization of Individual Rights or the Empowerment of State Authority?
The New Czech State Citizenship Act: the Further Liberalization of Individual Rights or the Empowerment of State Authority?

Summary/Abstract: On 1 January, 2014 a completely new Czech State Citizenship Act is coming into force as the Act N. 186/2013 Coll. It is the sixth act so far in the history of the Czech lands that regulates the legal title of state citizenship as integrated and complex. In comparison with the previous legislation, the act is very detailed and extensively articulated. The bill preparation and the legislative process was going on in the context of criticism from the side of nongovernmental organizations working with migrants who were pointing out, in their opinion, more restrictive conditions of Czech citizenship acquirement for foreigners. These are the conditions not included in the previous legislation. However, we should rather talk about more detailed specifications than about stricter stipulation. In addition to this, the new Czech act enables all Czech citizens – naturalized citizens as well as citizens by birth – to have Czech citizenship and also a foreign citizenship in parallel. This means not only significant legislation liberalization, but also an important act adopted in a period when some European countries including EU members are moving in the reverse direction through highlighting the single citizenship principle.

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