Asset declarations of municipal public officials and public scrutiny after 1 January 2020

Abstract

Since October 2004, the Constitutional Act no. 357/2004 Coll. on Protection of Public Interest during Performance of Public Function Officials imposes several significant obligations on mayors or deputies of town councils. Said officials are required to submit annual asset declarations containing information on their income and property. The disclosure of the information from these asset declarations allows public scrutiny of performance of public office and contributes to prevention of abuse of public office status for personal gain. The article focuses on important constitutional changes that came into effect on January 1, 2020, some of which may in practice weaken public scrutiny of asset declarations.