State decorations of the Czech Republic

State decorations of the Czech Republic recognize outstanding acts of service to the Czech Republic. They are awarded by the President of the Czech Republic, usually, but not necessarily, on the recommendation of the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate or the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. They may also be promulgated solely on the president's authority. [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/zakon_vyzn.shtml Act No. 157/1994, The Act on the State Decorations of the Czech Republic] ] They come in two varieties: "orders" being the higher honor and "medals" the lower.

Legislative history

As originally envisioned by the constitution in 1992, the president had little more than a ceremonial role with respect to state decorations. According to Article 63, he promulgated an order or an award on the recommendation of the government, as expressed by the signature of the Prime Minister. The constitution did not clearly give the president a way to refuse such a referral, unless it came to him by way of an enacted law, vulnerable to his veto. However, nothing in the constitution suggests that a recommendation for decoration be voted on by parliament. [ [http://www.hrad.cz/en/ustava_cr/index.shtml Constitution of the Czech Republic] ]

However, Article 63 also allows for the president to be granted powers by a lesser law to "exercise powers not explicitly defined in the Constitutional Act". Such a law came into effect in 1994, which allowed for the president to award state decorations on his own authority. It also seemed multiply the legislative routes by which a person could be recommended for an award. As a consequence of this 1994 change, the Senate, the Chamber of Deputies, the Government, or the President can all recommend a person to receive a decorations. In any of these cases, however, it is still the responsibility of the president, or his designee, to actually present the award.

This 1994 act — The Act on the State Decorations of the CR — specifically codifies what are the orders and medals capable of being conferred or awarded. Annexes (or amendments) to the Act instructed that the designs for the insignia associated with the state decorations should be chosen following a public competition.

By law, insignia for all state decorations are individually numbered, and accompanied by a matching numbered certificate.

The Order of the White Lion

The Tomas Garrigue Masaryk Order

The Medal of Heroism

The Medal of Heroism is unique amongst current Czech decorations in that it has only a single grade or class. Although principally a military award, it has occasionally been awarded to civilians. It rewards acts of "heroism in combat" or those "deeds aimed at saving other human lives or substantial material values" which put the recipient at significant risk of death. [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/med_hrdinstvi_stanovy.shtml Annex to Act 157/1994, regarding the Medal for Heroism] ]

The medal is a simple breast ribbon, primarily gold in color, but with three equal-width stripes running the vertical length of the ribbon. From left to right, the colors of the stripes are white, red and blue. Suspended from this ribbon is a silver medal, bearing the Greater Coat of Arms of the Czech Republic on one side, and a symbol representing heroism on the other. The medal bears no text inscription.

The Medal of Heroism predates the Czech Republic, having been created in 1990 by the Parliament of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic in 1990. [ [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/med_hrdinstvi_stanovy9092.shtml Annex to Act 404/90, regarding the Medal of Heroism] ] However, the distinction was only awarded once prior to its reauthorization by the Czech Republic in 1992. [ [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/med_hrdinstvi_seznam9092.shtml LIst of Honoured, CSFR Medal for Heroism] ]

The Medal of Merit

The Medal of Merit comes in three grades, with First Grade being the highest. It awards people for service to the Republic in a number of different public arenas, including: "the economy, science, technology, culture, arts, sports, enlightenment and education, defense and security of the state and the people". [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/med_zasluhy_stanovy.shtml Annex to Act 157/1994, regarding the Medal of Merit] ]

The medal itself is a simple breast ribbon, primarily gold in color, with thin, violet stripes running the vertical length of the ribbon. The number of stripes indicates the grade of the medal; a single stripe indicates the highest grade, while three stripes mark the lowest grade. The medals themselves are of identical design, with the official symbol of the Medal of Merit, and the inscription "Za Zasluhy" ("For Meritorious Service"), on the obverse and the Greater Coat of Arms of the Czech Republic on the reverse. The type of metal used further indicates the grade; Gilded silver is used for First Grade, silver for Second, and bronze for Third.

The Medal of Merit was originally created by the Parliament of the Czechoslovak Federal Republic in 1990. [ [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/med_zasluhy_stanovy9092.shtml Annex to Act 404/90, regarding the Medal of Merit] ] However, no one was awarded the medal prior to its reauthorization by the Parliament of the Czech Republic. [ [http://www.hrad.cz/en/stat_vyznamenani/med_zasluhy_seznam9092.shtml List of Honoured, CSFR Medal of Merit] ]

References