Czech News 04.05.2014 - 27.04.2014

CR: 04.05.2014

Poll shows just under half of population satisfied with government

A poll released Sunday showed that 42 percent of respondents are happy with the progress of the current Czech coalition government after 100 days in office and 50% are not. The poll by the TNS AISA agency was conducted for public broadcaster Czech Television. It found the biggest satisfaction over the government’s reset of relations with the European Union and international institutions. Least satisfaction stemmed from its dealing with public finances. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said that key financial proposals on reform of VAT and property declarations are still being drawn up in the finance ministry but should be laid before the government in June. The poll was taken between April 22 and 27 with 1200 respondents questioned.

ANO increases popularity lead on other parties according to poll

ANO has strengthened its lead in public support according to a separate poll released by the TNS AISA agency. Support for the party led by Andrej Babiš has climbed to 28.5 percent compared with the 18.5 percent of voting intention for the Social Democrats of prime minister Bohulsav Sobotka. The communists were placed third at 11.5 percent of support, TOP 09 fourth at 9.5 percent with the Christian Democrats, Dawn party, and Civic Democrats all passing the 5.0 threshold to enter parliament with 7.0 percent, 6.5 percent, and 6.0 percent of voting intentions respectively. ANO came a surprise second in October 2013’s general elections with 18.7 percent of the vote.

Czech member of captured OSCE mission back home

The Czech military observer who was held hostage as part of a team from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine is back in the Czech Republic. A special military flight took 41-year-old Josef Přerovský from Berlin on Saturday night after the release earlier in the day. He was accompanied on the flight by defence minister Martin Stropnický. The lieutenant-colonel said that he and other OSCE hostages had thought at times about trying to escape from their captors after being seized on April 25. Minister Stropnický admitted that at some stages there was no fresh news of the hostages and any outcome seemed possible.

German president Joachim Gauck arrives ahead of state visit

German president Joachim Gauck will arrive in Prague Sunday for the start of a three day state visit on Monday. The visit will include meetings with Czech counterpart Miloš Zeman and prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka as well as a visit to the fortress town of Terezín, used as assembly camp for Jews during WWII, and car maker Škoda Auto’s plant at Mladá Boleslav. Škoda Auto is part of the Volkswagen Group and is the biggest industrial exporter in the Czech Republic.

Firemen called to deal with slick on Vltava near central Prague

Prague fireman were called Sunday morning to an around 300 ‘oil slick’ on the Vltava river just under the Štefánkův brigdge near the centre of the city. They quickly constructed a protective barrier around it but a specialized company to clear up the slick must be called out by city authorities. The origins of the slick are as yet unknown.

Czech ice hockey team loses on shootouts to Finland

In ice hockey, the Czech team lost 0:2 on shootouts against Finland in their Euro Hockey Tour match in Sweden on Sunday. The sides drew 1:1 at the end of the third period with no goals added in extra time. The match restored some price to the Czech team after their 0:6 drubbing against Russia on Saturday. The game against Finland is the last official match before the world championships start in Belarus from May 9.

Sparta Prague miss chance to take league title

In football, Sparta Prague failed to take the opportunity to become league champions on Saturday after succumbing to a 1:3 defeat against Teplice. Sparta failed to claw back any points in the second half after going in 1:3 down at half time. Sparta, who have a 10 point lead over second placed Viktoria Plzeň, can still win the title on Sunday if Plzeň drop any points in their evening match away at Jablonec.

03.05.2014

OSCE confirms Czech freed along with rest of military observer mission

The Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) confirmed later Saturday that the seven strong group of military observers being held in Slaviansk since April 25 had been released. The local separatist leader said it was a voluntary act which coincided with his own birthday. Five other people being detained, believed to be Ukrainians, were also released at the same time. The separatist leader said that Russian military emissary Vladimir Lukin had played a part in their release. As well as the Czech Republic, the OSCE mission came from Germany, Denmark, Poland and Sweden. The Swede was freed earlier on health grounds.

PM Bohuslav Sobotka warns Russia of responsibility for OSCE hostages

Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has warned Russia that he holds the country responsible for the foreign observers being held in eastern Ukraine by separatist groups. One of the seven members of a team of observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is a Czech soldier. Sobotka told the Czech News Agency that Russia had clear cut responsibility in the case and had taken part in the decision to deploy the OSCE mission. Moscow should now use its influence with the separatists to get them freed, he added. Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek told Czech Television Friday that negotiations were continuing daily to free the hostages.

Mayors warn prime minister tensions at danger level in north of country

Mayors from 18 local councils in the north of the Czech Republic bordering Germany have sent a letter to the prime minister drawing his attention to the tinder box situation in the area, the daily Lidové Noviny reported on Monday. The deprived Šluknov area was the scene of demonstrations by extreme right wing groups and ethnic tensions with the local Roma community three years ago. Since then, mayors say little has changed in terms of creating jobs or opportunities or increasing local police numbers and council budgets. The mayors warn Bohuslav Sobotka that without action the tensions could boil over again this summer.

Czech town calls for recognition of WWII parachutists

Council leaders from the south-east Moravian town of Bystřice pod Hostýnem have called on Czech president Miloš Zeman to give recognition to a group of WWII Czech parachutists on the 70th anniversary of their mission. The three, Antonín Bartoš, Čestmír Šikola and Jiří Štokman, returned to their occupied homeland near Bystřice in the Spring of 1944 to help create an intelligence network. The three survived until Soviet forces reached the region towards the end of the war. The parachutists, none of whom is still living, were later given the freedom of Bystřice in honour of their action but have not been awarded with any national recognition.

Employer team building events are part of work says Supreme Court

A Czech Supreme Court verdict has confirmed that injuries incurred during quasi-obligatory work related ‘team building’ activities are the responsibility of the employer and should be regarded as work-related, the news server Aktuálně.cz reported on Saturday. A case concerning a Brno-based university professor who was injured during a team building sports event in 2005 made its way all the way to the country’s highest court after an insurance company refused to pay almost 130,000 crowns for damages. The company claimed that the sports event was not part of work. The Supreme Court verdict is in line with similar rulings in the past.

Forward Tomáš Hertl to join Czech squad ahead of world championships

In ice hockey, Czech coach Vladimír Růžička has said that that he can count on NHL forward Tomáš Hertl to reinforce the squad for the upcoming world championships in Belarus. Růžička told journalists that the San Jose Sharks player, who returned after injury last month, should join the squad on Tuesday. On the other hand, the Czech team will not be able to count on Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voráček due to ongoing health problems.

Tomáš Berdych reaches final of Portuguese Open

In tennis, Czech number one Tomáš Berdych has won through to the final of the Portuguese Open. He beat Romanian Victor Hanescu 6:2, 6:2 on Saturday and will face the winner of the other semi-final between Spaniard Daniel Gimeno and Argentinian Carlos Belocq in the final on Sunday. It is the third ATP final that Berdych has played this year.

02.05.2014

Czech Muslims stage prayers outside Interior Ministry

Some 300 Muslims staged a prayer in Prague’s Letná Park outside the Czech Interior Ministry on Friday, in protest against last week’s police raid of two Islamic centres in the capital. The police raided a mosque and a prayer room during last week’s Friday prayers over the publication of a book which allegedly incited religious hatred; one man has been charged with hate speech crimes and faces up to 10 years in prison. On Friday, the head of the Czech Muslim community, Muneeb Hassan Alrawi warned against a surge of islamophobia which could have been triggered by the raid. The police operation has also come been criticized as inadequate by some politicians and public figures.

State school-leaving exams begin at secondary schools across Czech Republic

Over 87,000 final year students at Czech secondary schools began taking their state school-leaving exams on Friday. The examination, which began with a math test, is scheduled to conclude on May 13. Students are required to take a test in the Czech language and literature and are free to choose between maths and a foreign language; some 64 percent opted for the language test, a vast majority of them choosing English, the news agency ČTK reported. Students also sit exams in two additional subjects. Unified school-leaving exams are taking place for the fourth year but the Education Ministry plans to make the system simpler and cheaper in the coming years.

Strong storms hit Czech Republic

Storms with hail and strong winds hit the Czech Republic on Friday afternoon. In parts of northern and central Bohemia, heavy rain has swollen local rivers and flooded houses. In the Zlín region, a lightning hit the roof of a family house on fire. Up to 30 mm of precipitation is expected in parts of the country which could swell smaller rivers in central Bohemia and the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands on Friday night, the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute said.

Court cancels dismissal of former totalitarian studies institute director

A court in Prague on Friday cancelled last year’s dismissal of Daniel Herman as the director of the Czech Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes. Mr Herman, who now serves as the Czech minister of culture, said he welcomed the verdict. The institute’s board dismissed Daniel Herman last April over what his opponents saw as a series of mistakes; however, Mr Herman said the move was politically motivated. A new director of the institute, which administers the files of the former Communist secret police, was appointed last month.

ANO party ahead in new European Parliament elections poll

The ANO party has come on top of a new poll ahead of the upcoming elections for the European Parliament. Nearly 25 percent of Czech voters would support ANO at the polls, according to the survey conducted by the STEM agency last month. The Social Democrats would win around 18.5 percent of the vote, followed by the Communists with nearly 12 percent and the TOP 09 party with 10.7 percent. The Civic Democrat and Christian Democrat parties would also win seats in the European Parliament, according to the poll.

Unions ask for coalition meeting over health care funding

Health care workers’ trade unions have asked Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka for coalition talks over health care funding. After a meeting with the prime minister and the health minister, the head of the unions, Martin Engle, said heads of the coalition parties should discuss issues such as doctors’ overtime and education as well as possible cost-cutting measures. Doctors complain that on average, they annually work more than 1,000 hours overtime while EU legislation only allows for 416 hours a year. Health Minister Svatopluk Němeček said earlier this week his ministry would like to save around 1.5 billion crowns this year.

Most Czech entrepreneurs support euro adoption

Over three quarters of entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic would support the country’s accession to the euro zone, according to a survey made in connection with the tenth anniversary of the Czech Republic's entry in the EU. A quarter of those polled believe that the country should have adopted the euro already, nearly 30 percent support its adoption in 2018 to 2020 and some 22 percent think that the country should join the euro zone after 2020. Only 23 percent of the entrepreneurs are against euro adoption. Around three quarters of the entrepreneurs think that joining the EU was favourable for their company. They praise mostly free movement in the Schengen Area, EU subsidies and support instruments, the internal market and higher chances for trade. As for the main disadvantages of EU membership, domestic entrepreneurs cite higher bureaucracy and excessive regulation.

Ivo Schwarz, head of the Czech Foreign Intelligence Service, is to be the country’s new ambassador to Israel

Ivo Schwarz, head of the Czech Foreign Intelligence Service, is to be the country’s new ambassador to Israel, the daily Lidové noviny reported on Friday. The paper said that the appointment still needed to get official approval from President Zeman and the Israeli authorities which, given his qualifications, should not present a problem, the paper said. Ivo Schwarz has worked for the Foreign Intelligence Service since 1999. His scope of duties involved cooperation with partner secret services abroad, and intelligence diplomacy. In 2003, he was appointed a deputy director responsible for logistics, later he held the post of security director and in 2007 he was appointed head of Foreign Intelligence. He has an education in economics.

Top court upholds prison term for ex-boss of EU funds distribution agency

The Czech Supreme Court has upheld a sentence of five years in prison for Petr Kušnierz, the former head of the country’s regional operational programme North-West, the news agency ČTK reported on Friday. Along with two accomplices, Mr Kusnierz was in 2012 found guilty of demanding bribes from applicants for EU funding, and sentenced to 7.5 years in jail. An appellate court later lowered his sentence to 5 years. His two accomplices landed suspended sentences. Pertr Kušnier also faces charges of manipulating the selection procedures of projects to receive EU funding; prosecution claims he and his collaborators manipulated funding of around 1.4 billion crowns.

New director of Šumava National Park appointed

Pavel Hubený was on Friday appointed the acting director of the Šumava National Park. Mr Hubený, who has served as the head of the surrounding Šumava Protected Landscape Area, replaces Jiří Mánek. His predecessor was dismissed last week over disagreements with the Environment Ministry about the future of the park. After his appointment, the new director told the news agency ČTK he was going to review the projects planned by the park administration some of which could be halted. The Šumava National Park has for years been at the centre of controversies between proponents of logging and development and those who believe that as much of the park’s area as possible should be off limits for interventions.

01.05.2014

Social Democrats celebrate Labour Day on Střelecký island

The ruling Social Democratic Party organized a Labour Day happening on Prague’s Střelecký island on Thursday attended by close to a hundred party sympathizers. Prime Minister and party leader Bouhslav Sobotka highlighted the government’s achievements in its first 100 days in office, promised the public a lower, 10 percent VAT rate on medicines as of 2015, measures to create new jobs and urged them to go to the polls in European elections later this month. The Social Democrats used the opportunity to campaign in the European elections, handing out leaflets and outlining the party’s priorities.

Communist Party celebrates May Day at Holešovice fair grounds

The Communist Party traditionally invited its supporters to the Holešovice fair grounds. Speakers at the gathering included the last Communist Party head of government Miloš Jakes, who said that over the past 20 years the masses had been impoverished, while the rich had grown richer. Politics is moulded according to the business in interests of a select, privileged group, the 91-year-old former leader said. Like other parties celebrating May Day, the Communists used the occasion to present their candidates for the European elections and urge voters to come to the polls.

Radicals protest in Ústi nad Labem

Two left-wing radicals were arrested in the north Bohemian town of Ústi nad Labem on Thursday at a gathering of anarchists. A police spokeswoman said that a group of ten anarchists provoked a conflict with the police, which was out in force to maintain law and order. Special anti-conflict teams were on site to prevent trouble as anarchists and members of an ultra-right gathering demonstrated a few streets away from each other. No other incidents have been reported.

Václav Havel memorial unveiled in Prague

A memorial dedicated to the late Václav Havel was unveiled in Prague’s Maltézské square on May Day. The memorial –a seating area comprised of a circular table and two wooden seats is a symbolic invitation for reflection and debate on the former president’s legacy. At the dedication ceremony Mr. Havel’s close friend, and his one-time chancellor at Prague Castle, Karel Schwarzenberg said that today, when the centre-left government had traded human rights for business deals in China, it was more important than ever to reflect on Vaclav Havel’s principles. Similar memorials have been unveiled in Georgetown, US, and Dublin, Ireland.

Putin as dictator hoisted on church facade

An outsize painting on cloth depicting the Russian president Vladimir Putin as a dictator was placed on the façade of the Church of St. Jacob in the west Bohemian town of Sokolov on Thursday. A group of local citizens thus protested against the annexation of Crimea by Russia and its aggressive policy in eastern Ukraine. They chose to place the painting on the main square at a time when the Communist Party was holding its May Day rally there. The picture had previously hung in public places in Mladá Boleslav, Liberec and Prague.

Greenpeace activists’ attempt to stop Russian tanker foiled

Some 80 Greenpeace activists, among them two Czechs, on Thursday tried to prevent the delivery of the first oil from Russia's new Arctic drilling platform reaching port in Rotterdam. Their attempt to stop the oil-tanker Mikhail Ulyanov failed after Dutch police intervened giving the tanker clear passage to port. The activists were briefly detained aboard their own ship to allow the tanker to enter the port unhindered. Police said the activists had reneged on an agreement they had made with the harbour authorities not to interfere physically with the ship during their protest. Greenpeace is opposed to drilling in the Arctic Sea which it says risks causing a catastrophe in a fragile ecosystem.

Czech interior minister pledges to crack down on drug crimes near Czech-German border

The Czech Republic has pledged to introduce strict measures against drug crimes in areas near the border with Germany where the situation has been getting out of control. Czech Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said after talks with his Bavarian counterpart Joachim Herrmann on Friday that the police would focus especially on Asian marketplaces in the border areas, where dealers sell crystal methamphetamine to tourists and smuggle it across the border. In recent years, Vietnamese gangs based in the country started producing crystal methamphetamine and growing marijuana. The drugs are not only exported, but they have become more easily available in the Czech Republic, at discos and elsewhere.

Family escapes unhurt in four-seater plane crash

A four-seater plane crashed in the vicinity of Sulice, near Prague on Thursday afternoon. The plane was carrying a family of four, two of them small children, but no one was reported hurt in the accident thanks to the fact that it fell from a low altitude. The plane overturned, spilling fuel but did not catch fire. The cause of the accident in under investigation.

30.04.2014

Van Rompuy: EU must take steps to boost energy self-sufficiency

In a speech in Prague on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Czech Republic’s accession to the European Union, the bloc’s president, Herman Van Rompuy, said energy self-sufficiency was key to its competitiveness. Mr. Van Rompuy said on Wednesday that if the EU did not act now, it would be 80 percent dependent on imported energy by 2035. He said the EU also needed to boost connectedness between states, improve energy efficiency and make use of various power sources including renewable energy.

Czechs have failed to fully make use of EU membership, says PM on eve of 10th anniversary of accession

The Czech Republic has so far failed to make full use of its membership of the European Union, the country’s prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, said after a meeting with Mr. Van Rompuy. Mr. Sobotka said the failure did not just concern accessing potential EU funding but also the Czech Republic’s ability to put forward its views and interests at European level. He said his centre-left government aimed to return the country to the mainstream of European integration.

Just over quarter of Czechs satisfied with EU membership, suggests poll

A decade after joining the European Union, some 28 percent of Czechs are satisfied with membership, suggests an opinion poll conducted recently by the CVVM agency. A similar survey carried out this time last year found that 26 percent of Czech citizens were satisfied with EU membership. In the two European Parliament elections in which Czechs have participated turnout was 28.3 percent in 2004 and 28.2 percent in 2009, below the EU averages of 45.6 percent and 43 percent, respectively.

PM and president agree on need to halt fall in defence spending

The Czech prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, and president, Miloš Zeman, agreed at a meeting on Wednesday that the country should halt a fall in spending on defence. Mr. Sobotka said otherwise the Czech Republic would not be able to fulfil tasks arising from its membership of NATO. The two leaders also discussed the coordination of positions regarding foreign policy and economic diplomacy. On a visit to Prague recently the NATO secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, called on the Czech military spending was too low. The military alliance wants members to spend the equivalent of 2 percent of GDP on defence; the Czech Republic puts just over 1.1 percent into defence and reduced spending in that area under the last government.

Powerful businessman Janoušek gets three years for hit-and-run

A Prague court has sentenced the influential businessman Roman Janoušek to three years in prison for grievous bodily harm in connection with a hit-and-run incident in 2012. He fled the scene after knocking down a female driver with whom he had become involved in an altercation and later failed a breathalyser test. Mr. Janoušek can appeal Wednesday’s verdict. The hit-and-run incident came just days after a newspaper published transcriptions of wiretaps giving the impression that he had held such influence over politicians and officials in Prague that he was a kind of “shadow mayor”.

Czech ambassador to Indonesia questioned over Islamic raids: report

The Czech ambassador to Indonesia, Tomáš Smetánka, was summoned to the country’s foreign ministry to explain the circumstances surrounding Czech police raids on Islamic sites in Prague last week, the Jakarta Post newspaper has reported. It cited a text message from foreign minister Marty Natalegawa as its source of information. Indonesians, including the embassy’s social and culture secretary, were among those apprehended when police swooped during Friday prayers. One person was charged by police with propagating hate crime. Czech minister of interior Marcel Chovanec has called for a police investigation into the incident, saying the timing was insensitive and excessive force appeared to have been used.

Zeman: Governors’ own choice as to whether to also hold post of MP

The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, says it is up to individual regional governors if they wish to simultaneously hold that post and a seat in the Chamber of Deputies. Mr. Zeman made the comment on Wednesday after a meeting with governors. He also congratulated his “friend” Michal Hašek on being re-elected chairman of the Czech Association of Regions. Mr. Hašek, who is governor of South Moravia, is at odds with the leadership of his party, the Social Democrats, which has recommended that its MPs who are also governors choose one post or the other. Mr. Hašek failed in an attempt to oust party leader Bohuslav Sobotka after October’s elections and the latter is not close to the president, himself a former chairman of the Social Democrats.

Ex-minister and governor planning Constitutional Court action over police search

Erstwhile agriculture minister Jaroslav Palas will file a complaint with the Constitutional Court within a fortnight in connection with a recent police search of his home in Ludvíkov, north Moravia, his lawyer Matěj Zachveja said on Wednesday. Mr. Zachveja said the police were now investigating how Mr. Palas – who has also been a senator and governor of Moravia-Silesia – had funded the purchase of the house, which has an estimated value of CZK 20 million. The lawyer says the police have accused his client of taking a bribe of CZK 10 million in connection with the privatisation of a hospital.

Jaromír Jágr signs new contract with New Jersey Devils

Czech ice hockey star Jaromír Jágr has signed another one year contract to play for the New Jersey Devils, the NHL team for whom he played during the last season. Jágr broke the news in Prague, where he is taking part in the national team’s preparations for the upcoming Euro Hockey Tour competition in Sweden and the upcoming Ice Hockey World Championships starting in Belarus on May 9. Jágr has still not clarified whether he will be playing in the world championships or not.

29.04.2014

Interior minister calls for investigation into police raid on Islamic sites: report

Minister of the Interior Marcel Chovanec has called for a police investigation into last Friday’s raid on Islamic sites in Prague, according to a report by the news server Aktuálně.cz on Tuesday. The minister is reported to feel that the intervention was insensitive and used excessive force. Members of the special police squad for combatting organised crime raided the headquarters of Prague’s Islamic Foundation and a mosque on the outskirts of the city during Friday prayers. Around 20 people were detained and charges relating to the propagation of hate crime were pressed against one of them. The Islamic community has complained itself about the police raid.

President Miloš Zeman calls for more economists in embassy posts

Czech head of state Miloš Zeman has said that Czech embassies should employ more economists and fewer career diplomats because the diplomats would do nothing to boost Czech exports abroad. President Zeman was speaking in a wide ranging speech at Prague’s Žofín Forum. He added that only investment in major infrastructure projects could reduce unemployment and increase the country’s competitiveness. The problem was that these were long-term investments and few politicians surmounted their short term electoral perspectives.

Singer Iveta Bartošová dies at the age of 48

Czech singer Iveta Bartošová has died after throwing herself in front of train on the outskirts of Prague. The news was confirmed Tuesday to the news server tn.cz by her husband, Josef Rychtář. The 48-year-old enjoyed her first popular success as a singer in the 1980’s and it continued well into late 1990’s with film and musicals, including the hit musical Dracula, later being added to her repertoire. Bartošová won the Zlatý slavík popularity award for most popular female singer in 1986 and then again in 1990 and 1991. She was reported to have been suffering from psychological problems.

Czech and Chinese officials sign joint proclamation on resetting relations and boosting trade.

Czech and Chinese officials have signed a joint proclamation on resetting relations and boosting trade. The two sides say they respect the paths of development they have chosen, will not interfere in each other’s internal affairs and will create favourable conditions to promote trade and investments. The statement, signed in the course of Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek’s three-day visit to Beijing, also states that the Czech Republic respects the territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China and does not support the independence of Tibet. The government’s stance, driven by the need to diversify the country’s business interests and reduce its export dependence on the EU, has come under fire from human rights activists. The Czech Foreign Ministry counters that Prague is only adopting the EU’s common policy line towards Beijing and has emphasized that the joint proclamation contains a passage about respect for human rights.

Minister of Interior seeks to open up post office cooperation to more banks

Minister of the Interior Marcel Chovanec has signalled that he wants to open the way to more banks to become the partner of the post office bank, Poštovní spořitelna. At the moment the exclusive cooperation rights are held by ČSOB but its contract expires in 2017. Business daily Hospodářské Noviny reported Tuesday that the minister would allow foreign as well as domestic banks to compete for the right to get access to around 2.0 million clients and a dense network of branches. Part attempts to open up the post office network to other banks have fallen foul to the fact that the post office is heavily reliant on ČSOB software and programs.

Lower house backs extension of Kokořín national park

The lower house of parliament on Tuesday backed a proposal to extend the current Kokořín national park by extending the protected area to take in the former disused military base at Ralsko and locality around Doks. The government proposal counts on the protected status taking effect from September and providing an important impulse to regional tourism. Opposition lawmakers from TOP 09 and the ODS parties unsuccessfully called for more debate in committee. The area has around 160 rare species and the presence of wolves was recently signalled by photos taken of one animal.

Former president Václav Klaus says Czech Republic has zero influence on EU

Former Czech president and self styled euro realist Václav Klaus has said that the Czech Republic currently has no influence in the European Union. Speaking at a press conference on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the country’s membership of the EU, Klaus said that what little influence the country might have had disappeared with the EU’s Lisbon Treaty. It had handed more powers to big states at the expense of the small, he said. Klaus said current Czech prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka was kidding himself when he pretended Prague had a big role to play.

Svetluška hold Night Charity Run in Prague

The Czech Radio Světluška Endowment Fund which was set up to help the blind and visually impaired is holding its third Night Charity Run in Prague’s Stromovka park on Tuesday evening. The night run, which starts at 9 pm, has two tracks one 3 and the other 5 kilometers long. It is possible to walk or speed walk instead of running. The first 1,000 participants to register will get head lamps for free. The registration fee is 450 crowns.

Petr Čech says he is fit for Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final second leg

In football, Czech international and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Čech trained with other members of the London club on Tuesday and has declared himself fit to play in Wednesday’s return leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. Čech strained his shoulder only 15 minutes into the first leg last week and the rest season was expected to be over for him. Chelsea defended in depth to earn a goalless draw in the first leg against the current leaders of the Spanish league.

Lev Prague force KHL final to last match after dramatic Prague win

In ice hockey, Lev Prague has forced the finals of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) to the last of the seven match series after a dramatic win in Prague on Monday night. Lev came from behind to draw the game at 4:4 in the last period and then went on to win 5:4 in extra time against Magnitogorsk. The winner was scored by Canadian Nathan Oystrick. The Prague club will have a chance to become the first non-Russian team to win the Gagarin Cup on Wednesday but will be playing away at Magnitogorsk’s stadium.

28.04.2014

Kiev gets offer to exchange hostage OSCE observers for Russian separatists

According to a report published by the Russian Interfax news agency the group of OSCE observers who are being detained by Russian separatists in the town of Slaviansk, in eastern Ukraine, are unharmed and are being treated as “guests”. The town’s pro-Russian mayor Vjacheslav Ponomarjov confirmed on Monday that an offer had been made to exchange them for Russian separatists held in Kiev. According to the Czech ambassador to Kiev, the negotiations are complicated and the Ukrainian government has not yet responded to the offer. The Ukrainian Intelligence Service says it has evidence that the operation in which OSCE observers were taken hostage was masterminded by the Russian military intelligence. Among the captives are German, Czech, Polish and Danish nationals. A Swede who suffers from diabetes was released on Sunday.

EU commissioner for Expansion: The international community underestimated Russia

At a security conference in Prague, EU Commissioner for Expansion Stephan Fule said the international community had seriously underestimated Russia. Mr. Fule said the EU and its allies in the democratic world should have been warned of the dangers when Russian President Vladimir Putin said the disintegration of the Soviet Union was the worst disaster of the 20th century or when he described Ukraine as an “artificial” state. Former EU commissioner for labour Vladimír Špidla noted that it was rather surprising that Russia, which annexed Crimea heedless of international protests, was still a member of the UN Security Council.

Czech foreign minister on business mission in China

The Czech foreign minister, Lubomír Zaorálek, on Monday began a three-day visit to Beijing aimed at improving relations with China in an attempt to boost trade between the two countries and attract Chinese investors to the Czech Republic. The two sides are expected to sign a proclamation with which Prague will commit itself not to question the occupation of Tibet. The Czech government’s decision, driven by the need to diversify the country’s business interests and break its export dependence on the EU has come under fire from human rights activists. Czech government officials counter that Prague is only adopting the official EU policy line towards China. It is the first visit to Beijing by a Czech foreign minister in 15 years.

Indonesian Embassy files complaint over raid

The Indonesian Embassy in Prague has filed a complaint to the Czech Foreign Ministry over Friday’s police raid at the headquarters of Prague’s Islamic Foundation and a mosque on the outskirts of the city. The raid, made in connection with an allegedly racist publication, took place during Friday prayers disrupting the ceremony attended by around one hundred believers, including women and children. Among them were members of the Indonesian Embassy who were detained for an hour and a half despite their diplomatic status. The police detained 20 people and charged one of inciting racial hatred and xenophobia.

Czech towns and cities mark Holocaust Remembrance Day

A number of Czech towns and cities marked Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday with traditional outdoor ceremonies at which the names of Holocaust victims are read out by politicians, church dignitaries and leading cultural figures. In the Czech capital the ceremony took place at Prague’s Náměstí Míru square attended among others by the minister for human rights and minorities, Jiří Dienstbier, the Israeli ambassador to Prague Garz Koren and others. The event, held for the 9th year now, is jointly organized by the Foundation for Holocaust Victims and the Terezín Initiative Institute. Of Czechoslovakia’s pre-war Jewish population of 350,000, 250,000 died during the Holocaust.

Czech government approved aid for Paskov mine phase-out

The Czech government today approved state aid for a phase-out of the Paskov mine in northern Moravia, where mining will continue for three more years and the government will pay 600 million crowns for social programmes for miners. The aid is yet to be approved by the European Commission. It ensues from the agreement between the state and the New World Resources (NWR) firm, which controls the mine, that NRW will maintain the minimal average number of 1800 core employees. In the course of 2017, the number can be lowered to 1600. The mine´s owner, OKD, retains the possibility of operating Paskov after 2017 if it chooses so.

President Zeman to be briefed on plans for Šumava nature reserve

President Miloš Zeman will meet with Environment Minister Richard Brabec on Tuesday to discuss the future of the Šumava National Park and the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of the head of the park’s management Jiří Mánek last week. Mr. Mánek’s vision for the nature reserve was supported by the locals but met with strong opposition from environment activists who accused him of giving way to loggers and developers. President Zeman’s spokesman said on Monday that the head of state believed that the prosperity of the Šumava mountain villages should be taken into account by those shaping the future of the nature reserve.

Czech MEPs performance mediocre, says study

The performance of Czech members of the European Parliament is below average, according to the results of a study published by the European Values think tank. Out of an overall 22 Czech MEPs, Oldřich Vlasák of the Civic Democrats, Zuzana Roithová of the Christian Democratic Party and Olga Sehnalová of the Social Democrats were rated the most active, while the work morale of the others was mediocre to poor. The study evaluated the MEP's participation in meetings, the number of tabled resolutions, and the frequency of their speeches. It also involved a comparison with the work of MEPs from other countries.

Historic cruise boat re-launched

Cranes were used to launch an historic cruise boat to Mácha's Lake, north Bohemia, after undergoing renovation costing five million crowns. The boat, the only one of its kind, was first launched in 1959 with the help of a Soviet T-34 tank. It can carry up to 250 passengers. Renovation is not yet 100% complete: wooden elements and new windows will be installed after the boat has settled for some time on the water. Mácha's Lake (Máchovo jezero) is a highly-sought tourist destination in the Czech Republic, particularly in the spring and summer months.

Under-18 hockey squad loses to United States at World Championships

After edging earlier tournament favourites such as Russia or the defending champions Canada at the U-18 hockey worlds the Czech Republic's U-18 squad hit a wall against the United States, losing the final in Finland on Sunday by a score of 5:2. The silver medal finish is nevertheless an historic result for the Czech U-18 squad, which had never before made it to the gold medal match in the competition.

27.04.2014

US vice president, PM Sobotka, discuss NATO and situation in Ukraine

American Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday spoke to the premiers of the Czech Republic and Hungary about developments in Ukraine, assuring them of the United States’ commitment to collective defense under NATO’s Article 5, which stipulates that an attack against one member of the alliance is an attack against all. The Czech News Agency reported that Mr Biden spoke for 45 minutes over the phone with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, discussing new sanctions against Russia for failing to withdraw troops on Ukraine’s border and for failing to de-escalate tension in the area as agreed in talks in Geneva. The two also discussed the situation of OSCE observers - including a Czech national - being held captive by pro-Russian separatists. The Czech Foreign and Defence Ministries are working with partners to try and secure the observers’ release. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999; Article 5 was first invoked in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.

Communists, other parties, plan May 1 events

The Communist Party and the Social Democrats are among the few parties planning traditional May 1st celebrations to mark International Workers’ Day, ČTK reports. According to the news agency, the Communists will hold a public meeting at the Výstaviště fair grounds, where they have staged events over the last few years instead of Letná Park. The Social Democrats will lay a wreath marking the holiday on April 30 at Střelecký ostrov (island) - a site in Prague where the workers’ holiday was first marked in 1890. Most parties are using May 1st as an opportunity to highlight candidates and issues ahead of the elections to the European Parliament later in the month. May 1 will mark ten years since the Czech Republic joined the European Union.

Man struck and killed by Pendolino

Transport on a train route from Prague to Ostrava was stopped for roughly an hour on Sunday after a fast-speed Pendolino train struck and killed a 68-year-old pedestrian on the track. It is unclear whether the man was caught off guard or had used the train to commit suicide. The fatal accident took place near the Sruby stop in the Ústí nad Orlicí area. An investigation is being conducted, a police spokeswoman confirmed.

Mystery Czech returns to get new documents

A mystery Czech who was rescued last December in Oslo suffering memory loss has returned home, according to the Norwegian media. The man, who has been going by the name of ‘John Smith’, allegedly returned to the Czech Republic to apply for new ID and travel documents. He said in the past that he had no intention of returning for good, fearing for his life after his alleged abduction and escape last year. In an interview for Norway’s NRK, he complained there was a campaign against him by some Czech media suggesting he had only faked his memory loss to avoid debts at home.

Robbie Williams performs in Prague

Forty-year-old op idol Robbie Williams performed for fans at a sold-out O2 Arena in Prague on Saturday, his first concert in Prague in 11 years. The show focussed not on Williams’ popular hits but on Swing, including covers of Sinatra and Duke Ellington classics and songs from his latest album Swing Both Ways. One pop hit, Angels, was included as an encore. The show was seen by 16,000 people.

Under-18 hockey squad faces United States in World Championship final

The Czech U-18 national hockey team will - for the first time in its history - play for gold at the World Championships. The squad faces the United States on Sunday evening. The Czech team fought hard in Finland to reach the final, edging Russia as well as defending champions Canada, to advance. Canada faces Sweden in the bronze medal match.

Football: Sparta win away from league title

A 4:1 win over Liberec has put domestic football league-leaders Sparta Prague in the driver’s seat, with the club needing only one win or two draws to secure this season’s league title. The club leads second-place Viktoria Plzeň by 10 points. The clubs coach, Vítezslav Lavička, was careful to keep emotions under wraps, telling news website iDnes the club “was close” but that nothing was definite yet.