The digitization of building regulations is not improving as quickly as the Prime Minister would like

Prague – According to Prime Minister Petr Fiala, the digitization system of building regulations is not improving as quickly as he would like. The Prime Minister stated this today in the Chamber of Deputies during interpellations. He again rejected calls from the opposition to dismiss Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization Ivan Bartoš. According to the Prime Minister, this would not resolve the shortcomings and errors in digitization.

"I only make changes in the government when necessary and when they will lead to an improvement in the situation," Fiala said in response to a question from ANO MP Hubert Lang, whether he would step up and dismiss Bartoš, who is also the Minister for Regional Development. According to the Prime Minister, this would not lead to an improvement in building regulations and would not eliminate the causes of issues with its digitization. "We will not solve the causes and problems by dismissing Minister Bartoš. This is not the solution," the Prime Minister stated.

The Prime Minister admitted that there have been a number of valid criticisms regarding the ongoing digitization of building regulations. "Efforts are being made to remove those errors and deficiencies; many issues will be resolved in the near future," Fiala promised. He noted that he could say that Bartoš has not managed the digitization, but improving digitization would not be resolved by "any dismissals of anyone".

Fiala also rejected Lang's claim that he wants to keep the government in its current composition at all costs. "I do not hold the government at all costs; I hold a government that modernizes this country, that has made bold decisions, that is finally moving this country among the most successful countries in the world," the Prime Minister declared.

In response to another question from ANO MP Lenka Knechtová on the same topic, Fiala stated that the building regulations are partially functioning after the launch of its digitization. "But I am not satisfied with the current state, nor is the government," he admitted. It casts "a certain shadow" on the digitization of public administration, which, according to the Prime Minister, is successful. The postponement of the digitization of building regulations, which the opposition requested, was out of the question due to the conditions of European funds and the National Recovery Plan, the Prime Minister added. Whether the system was well prepared will be subject to later investigations, according to Fiala.

Bartoš himself stated at the beginning of the week that the project of digitizing building regulations cannot be objectively evaluated after two months of operation. According to him, its defects are being addressed continuously. He emphasized that the problems of building regulations did not begin with the amendment and digitization this summer, but have been long-term, and the current changes are meant to address them. Regarding calls for his resignation, he stated that he takes political responsibility for bringing the project to a successful conclusion.

The Chamber of Deputies rejected opposition proposals overnight on Wednesday to allow the use of the original functional systems of building regulations until the new system can be fine-tuned. The coalition supported only the proposal from ANO that Bartoš's ministry should submit a detailed plan to rectify all shortcomings to the parliamentary committee for public administration by the end of September and that the minister would then regularly inform the committee of the adjustments made each month.