The Act on the State Decorations of the CR
Of July 9, 1994
Act No. 157/1994 Coll.
The Parliament has approved the following Act of the Czech Republic:
Section 1
(1) State decorations of the Czech Republic (hereinafter referred to only as "decorations") conferred upon or awarded to individuals are an expression of recognition on the part of the state of eminent contributions to the building of a free democratic society, professional accomplishments, distinguished service to the defence of the country, heroism and other exceptional deeds.
(2) Decorations come in two forms: orders and medals.
(3) Orders represent the higher form of decoration; they are conferred upon citizens of the Czech Republic and awarded to persons who are not citizens of the Czech Republic.
(4) Medals represent the lower form of decoration; they are awarded.
Section 2
The White Lion Order is hereby established as the highest decoration bestowed upon individuals to recognize superior accomplishments contributing to the welfare of the Czech Republic.
Section 3
The Tomas Garrigue Masaryk Order is hereby established to recognize eminent contributions to the development of democracy, humanity and human rights.
Section 4
The Medal for Heroism is hereby established to recognize heroism in combat and deeds performed by individuals at the risk of their own lives with the view of saving other human lives or substantial material values.
Section 5
The Medal of Merit is hereby established to recognize meritorious service to the state or a territorial self-governing entity.
Section 6
The particulars on the decorations referred to in Sections 2 to 5 and on the conferment and award thereof are laid down in their respective Statutes which form part of this Act as Annexes 1 to 4.
Section 7
The right to confer and award decorations shall rest with the President of the Republic, unless he/she delegates this power to another authority.
Section 8
Proposals for the conferment or award of decorations shall be submitted to the President of the Republic by the House of Deputies, the Senate or the Government; the President of the Republic may also confer or award a decoration without receiving such proposal.
Section 9
The presentation of decorations conferred or awarded by the President of the Republic may be performed by a person whom the President has designated to do so.
Section 10
The decoration holder shall receive the insignia of the decoration and a certificate on the conferment or award. When a decoration is conferred upon or awarded to a citizen of the Czech Republic in memoriam, the survivors of a person on whom an order has been conferred shall receive the certificate only; the survivors of a person who has been awarded a medal shall receive both the insignia and the certificate. When a decoration is awarded in memoriam to a person who was not a citizen of the Czech Republic the survivors shall receive both the insignia and the certificate.
Section 11
(1) No one but the decoration holder shall be entitled to wear the insignia of the decoration.
(2) After the demise of a holder of an order who was a citizen of the Czech Republic his/her numbered insignia of the order shall be returned to the Office of the President of the Republic. After the demise of a person who has been decorated with a medal or the demise of a holder of an order who was not a citizen of the Czech Republic the survivors shall keep both the insignia and the certificate on the award. If there are no survivors the insignia and the certificate shall be returned to the Office of the President of the Republic.
(3) A decoration holder who has been sentenced by a final judgment of a court to be divested of his/her honorary titles and decorations shall be required to return the decoration that had been bestowed upon him/her, by either conferment or award, to the Office of the President of the Republic.
Section 12
(1) The orders, crosses, medals and other decorations shall be worn in the following order of precedence:
(a) The White Lion Order
(b) The Tomas Garrigue Masaryk Order
(c) Czechoslovak orders
(d) foreign orders in the order of precedence according to class and time of bestowal
(e) The Medal for Heroism
(f) The Medal of Merit
(g) Czechoslovak crosses, medals and other decorations
(h) foreign crosses, medals and other decorations in the order of precedence according to grade and time of bestowal.
(2) The decoration holders may wear miniatures of their decorations when appearing in formal attire.
Section 13
The days designated for the bestowal of decorations under this Act, by either conferment or award, upon citizens of the Czech Republic shall be January 1 and October 28.
Section 14
The Act No. 404/1990 Coll., on the State Decorations of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, with the exception of the provisions of Sections 16 and 18, and the Government Decree No. 35/1986 Coll., on the Medal for Heroic Action and the Honorary Title of Merit for Merited Members of the Firemen's Corps, are hereby repealed.
Section 15
This Act shall enter into force on the day of its promulgation.