CZECH AND SLOVAK 'ACTS ON MERITS' AS A JURISPRUDENTIAL PROBLEM (Ceske a slovenske 'zakony o zasluhach' ako teoretickopravny problem)

The article deals with the subject of Czech and Slovak 'Laws on Merits' that declare special merits of some historical personalities in the development of the Czech and Slovak nations. The author takes a critical attitude, because these acts do not fulfil basic criteria required from a legal regulation, because respect and recognition as explicitly subjective feelings cannot be imposed by a legal regulation and because legal regulations ordering to pay tribute to historical personalities are largely opposed to the principle of freedom of conscience, conviction and scientific research. The author proposes to abandon this practice and to use historically proven methods how state power can pay tribute to a personality (solemn declaration, erection of a memorial, etc.).