A bill put forward by the Minister of Transportation Dan Ťok to shorten the time it takes to begin construction on transportation projects has been approved by the Czech government. The bill would make it possible for construction to begin on land the government doesn’t own and to carry out land surveys without permission from the owner. “This isn’t a cosmetic change or a temporary solution, but rather a fundamental simplification of the approval process for key transportation projects,” said the minister’s spokesman at a press conference. It would also enable the state to begin construction on land it’s decided to acquire through a forced purchase even if no agreement on price has been reached. The ministry claims that this change could shorten the wait before construction begins by years, due to the slow speed at which the courts work. The bill is known to have considerable support from parliamentary deputies.
