CYIL vol. 12 (2021)

CYIL 12 (2021) COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IN THE CR AND LITHUANIAs … COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND LITHUANIA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY Birutė Pranevičienė, Violeta Vasiliauskienė, Harald Scheu Abstract: The article analyzes the legal measures that were taken in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and led to a massive restrictions of the freedom of movement in Lithuania and the Czech Republic. The authors focus on the legal basis of emergency measures in both states, the specific executive practice and the difficult role of the judiciary. Relevant Lithuanian and Czech legal measures, such as the closure of borders for different categories of persons, including citizens, quarantine measures restricting free movement between municipalities and districts or similar isolation measures, affected both the internal and the external dimensions of free movement. Resume: Článek analyzuje právní opatření, která byla přijata v souvislosti s pandemií CO- VID-19 a vedla v Litvě a v České republice k masivnímu omezování svobody pohybu. Auto- ři se věnují právnímu základu mimořádných opatření v obou státech, konkrétní exekutivní praxi a složité roli soudnictví. Relevantní litevská a česká právní opatření ovlivňovala vnitřní i vnější rozměr volného pohybu, jako např. v případě uzavírání hranic pro různé kategorie osob, včetně občanů, karanténních opatření omezujících volný pohyb mezi obcemi a okresy nebo podobných izolačních opatření. Key words: freedom of movement; COVID-19 pandemic; principle of proportionality; measures restricting movement; extraordinary situation About the authors: Prof. dr. Birutė Pranevičienė is a professor of Law at Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania). Since 2003 she has been the Head of the Law Department at the Academy of Public Security. As the Head of the Law Department, Prof. Dr. B. Pranevičienė is responsible for all jurisprudence courses that are taught at the Academy of Public Security. She is actively involved in academic activity at all three levels of higher education: she gives lectures for bachelor and master students, she also supervises doctoral students, and she is a convener of the module “The Global Context of European Border Security” in the Frontex project “European Joint Masters in Strategic Border Management”. Her scientific interest is focused on human rights, constitutional, administrative, and environmental law issues. Prof. dr. Violeta Vasiliauskienė teaches Public International Law and European Union Law at the Public Security Faculty of Mykolas Romeris University in Lithuania. She also teaches the subjects of Hydrosphere Protection Policy and Legal Regulation; Human Rights, and Fundamental Freedoms in the Criminal Procedure. Her Ph.D. thesis was acquired in 2014. The topic of the thesis was “The Fight Against Terrorism in the Context of International Humanitarian Law”. Her scientific interests are in public international law, and European Union law. Violeta Vasiliauskienė supervises bachelor and master students at her university, and joint master programs at the Frontex and CEPOL (European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training). Harald Christian Scheu, Doc., Mag. phil., Dr. iur., Ph.D., educated at the University of Salzburg (Dr. iur., 1995, Mag. phil., 1996) and the University of Prague (Ph.D., 1997,

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