Czech News 08.01.2014 - 19.12.2013

CR: 08.01.2014 Government rejects civil service bill

The outgoing Czech government on Wednesday rejected a civil service bill put forth by the Social Democrats. Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok said the draft legislation could not be implemented as some of its provisions were likely in contradiction to the Constitution. In a reaction, Social Democrat chairman Bohuslav Sobotka said the bill was carefully designed, and expressed hope the legislation would be approved by the lower house.

The adoption of a civil service act might be crucial for the appointment of the new government as it would allow leader of one of the coalition parties, Andrej Babiš, hold a ministerial position despite being listed as a collaborator of the communist secret police.

President Zeman to address political situation on Friday

President Miloš Zeman will address the political situation in the Czech Republic in a news conference on Friday, ahead of a planned meeting with Social Democrat leader and likely next prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka, the president’s office said in a statement. Mr Sobotka is to formally present the president with the coalition agreement reached by the Social Democrats, ANO and Christian Democrats, as well as with a list of cabinet nominees. The president’s office has not revealed details of Mr Zeman’s news conference but the president is expected to voice his objections to a number of ministerial candidates.

Dismissed police chief to contest his sacking

The dismissed police chief, Martin Červíček believes his sacking by the interior minister was unlawful, and he will contest it, Mr Červíček told reporters on Wednesday. The police president was sacked on Tuesday after his predecessor, Petr Lessy, was cleared of charges of abuse of power and returned to the post. Mr Červíček however said the official reason given by the outgoing interior minister was only a pretext while the real grounds for his sacking was a clash with the minister over how the police’s anti-corruption unit should be run.

Czech TV’s regulator rejects censorship complaint

The supervisory body of the public broadcaster Czech TV on Wednesday rejected a complaint by some of the station’s reporters over alleged censorship. The reporters complained that Czech TV’s news coverage was distorted in favour of Miloš Zeman during the presidential election last year, a process which allegedly continued even after Zeman was elected president. The supervisory body said however, the coverage was objective, did not breach the law and no interference by the station’s managers could be confirmed.

Three People in Need employees killed in Syria

Three workers with the Czech NGO People in Need have been killed in Syria, a spokesman for the organisation said. The locally recruited employees died in artillery shelling of the city of Aleppo in the north of the country. Two other members of the People in Need team suffered injuries. The humanitarian and human rights NGO said the attack was arbitrary and was not directed against their employees. The head of People in Need, Šimon Pánek, expressed sympathy for the families but said the NGO would continue working in Syria.

Press: Move by Benešová could help businessman in asset-stripping case

The outgoing minister of justice, Marie Benešová, has taken a step that could help influential businessman Pavel Tykač avoid prosecution in connection with an alleged case of large-scale asset stripping, the daily Právo reported on Wednesday. Minister Benešová sent a complaint to the Supreme Court in December saying that a lower court had reopened the prosecution of Mr. Tykač without familiarising itself with expert opinions casting doubt on witnesses who gave evidence against him. If the court upholds her complaint, the case against the businessman will be closed for good. He is accused of “tunneling” CZK 1.23 billion from CS Fondy in the 1990s.

University rectors oppose proposal that professors should be appointed by Senate speaker

Czech university rectors have rejected a proposal that professors should be appointed by the speaker of the Senate. The idea surfaced at a meeting of President Miloš Zeman with the upper house speaker, Milan Štěch, on Tuesday. The rectors said it would be in breach of the Czech university act. The outgoing government is set to discuss the issue on Wednesday, with the cabinet in favour of handing the powers to the education minister, according to the Czech News Agency.

Until last year, professors were appointed by the president. However, Mr Zeman objected to the system when he refused to appoint one of his critics as professor. The president and the education minister then reached a deal under which the authority to appoint professors would be transferred to the minister.

Palestinian ambassador killed in Prague safe explosion buried in Ramallah

The late Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Jamal Muhammad Jamal who was killed last week in an explosion at the embassy’s new building, was buried on the outskirts of Ramallah in the West Bank on Wednesday. The explosion occurred after Mr Jamal opened a safe in the building; the police later found unregistered firearms. The case is under investigation by Czech police and a team of Palestinian investigators.

Egyptian authorities conclude investigation into deaths of two Czech tourists

The authorities in Egypt have concluded an investigation into the deaths of two Czech tourists who died of poisoning in the Hurgada resort last summer, a spokeswoman for the Czech Foreign Ministry said. The result of the investigation is not clear, according to the ministry, which is yet to receive an official report on the case. A 36-year-old woman and her eight-year-old daughter were found dead by the father of the family in their hotel room last July. The man was held in Egypt for several months but was released and returned to the Czech Republic in October.

Prague 6 planning statue of Maria Theresa

The authorities in Prague 6 are planning to have a statute erected to the 18th century Habsburg empress Maria Theresa, who was also the queen of Bohemia. A spokesperson for the local town hall said it had issued a tender for the statue, which would stand in a new park located between the street Milady Horákové and the bastions of Prague Castle. Prague 6 has also launched a tender process for a sculpture of Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, the wife of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who was from Bohemia.

Tennis: Kvitová reaches semifinal at Sydney International

Czech tennis player Petra Kvitová has reached the semifinal of the Sydney International tournament after she beat another Czech, Lucie Šafářová, 7-6, 6-2 on Wednesday. In the men’s singles in Sydney, Radek Štěpánek defeated Spain’s Alberto Ramos 6-2, 7-6 to book a spot in the quarterfinals of the event, held a week ahead of the Australian Open. Its organizers announced seedings for the season-opening Grand Slam tournament on Wednesday; Kvitová has been seeded sixth and Tomáš Berdych seventh.

Weather

The coming days will be rather warm, with mostly overcast skies, occasional rain, and daytime highs ranging between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius.

07.01.2014  Sobotka: Meeting with Zeman set for Friday

The chairman of the Social Democrats, Bohuslav Sobotka, has told reporters that he is set to meet President Miloš Zeman on Friday. The likely next prime minister has called on the head of state to implement the steps necessary for the formation of a new government as soon as possible. Mr. Sobotka, who cancelled his programme for Tuesday after coming down with a cold, will present Mr. Zeman with copies of the coalition agreements that he and the leaders of ANO and the Christian Democrats have just signed. The Social Democrats chief on Monday called on the president to name him prime minister as soon as possible. There has been speculation that Mr. Zeman may attempt to refuse some ministerial nominees.

Dienstbier: Running for European Parliament would signal surrender to Zeman

One proposed cabinet member who is not popular with the president, senator Jiří Dienstbier, has rejected speculation he could lead the Social Democrats’ campaign for European elections later this year. Mr. Dienstbier is in the frame to become minister without portfolio and a member of the government’s legislative council. He told Czech Radio on Tuesday that if he were to leave for Brussels the move would be perceived as the Social Democrats surrendering to Mr. Zeman. Other proposed ministers who the president may attempt to block are Lubomir Zaorálek, set to take the foreign affairs portfolio, and Martin Stropnický, in line for defence.

Senate chairman says Zeman has “comments” on candidates from all parties

After a New Year’s lunch with the president on Tuesday, the chairman of the Senate, Milan Štěch, indicated that Mr. Zeman did have a problem with some nominees for ministerial posts. Mr. Štěch told the news site novinky.cz that the president had “comments” on more than one person, while all three parties in the emerging coalition were concerned. Lower house speaker Jan Hamáček, who was also invited to the Prague Castle meal, said the head of state was likely to make his position clear himself.

Pecina dismisses Červíček, ending bizarre situation of two police chiefs

The outgoing minister of the interior, Martin Pecina, has removed Martin Červíček as president of the Czech Republic’s police force. The move brings to an end a bizarre situation in which there were two police chiefs in the wake of the reinstatement of Petr Lessy when charges against him were dropped. The man in the frame for the interior portfolio in the emerging government, Milan Chovanec, has indicated that he will not keep Mr. Lessy on as police president. The latter has indicated that he is ready to resign.

Tender process to renovate National Museum halted after complaint

The Czech anti-trust agency has halted a tender process for the renovation of the National Museum in Prague. The move comes after a complaint from the company OHL Železniční stavby, which was excluded. The director of the museum, Michal Lukeš, says the firm was not considered because it had sent its tender to the wrong address and had taken the step in an effort to be included. He said he did not think this or similar moves would lead to a delay in the renovation project, which has been underway for two years and is due for completion in 2015. The contract is worth CZK 3 billion.

Suchdol mayor calls for Palestinian embassy to move

The mayor of Suchdol, Petr Hejl, has met with Deputy Foreign Minister Jiří Schneider to voice his concerns over public safety in the wake of an incident last week at the Palestinian embassy in the Prague district. Palestine’s ambassador was killed in an explosion when a safe was opened and several unlicensed weapons were subsequently found at the embassy, leading the local authority to call for the diplomatic office to be moved. Mr. Schneider said the Foreign Ministry shared the mayor’s concerns and was taking steps in connection with the matter.

Site: UK’s National Express set to enter Czech rail market

UK firm National Express has established a branch in the Czech Republic with a view to entering the country’s transport market, iDnes.cz reported. A spokesperson for National Express, Europe’s second biggest private transport company, told the news website that in the Czech Republic it was at present only interested in trains. The head of its Czech office, Jan Paroubek, was previously involved in the privately owned rail companies RegioJet and Leo Express.

Prague gallery to host exhibition by US filmmaker Tim Burton

The House at the Stone Bell on Prague’s Old Town Square will host an exhibition of work by US director Tim Burton from the end of March until early August, a spokesperson for the gallery said on Tuesday. The filmmaker is set to appear in person at the opening of the show, which will include drawings, illustrations, puppets, costumes and design objects from his movies. Known for his gothic sensibility, the director has helmed such films as Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks! and Alice in Wonderland.

Fresh temperature records set in several places in Czech Republic

Record high temperatures were registered at several places in the Czech Republic on Tuesday. The warmest spot was Klatovy in West Bohemia, where thermometers reached 13.9 degrees Celsius, 3.3 degrees higher than a record set in 1948. It was around 10 degrees Celsius in Prague, a few degrees below the highest temperature for January 7 – of 12.8 degrees Celsius – recorded at the city’s Clementinum in 1999.

Hadamczik calls up veterans Jágr and Nedvěd for Olympics squad

Czech ice hockey coach Alois Hadamczik has called up such veterans as Jaromír Jágr and Petr Nedvěd for the country’s squad for the Winter Olympics in Russia’s Sochi next month. Seventeen players from the NHL have been included in the roster, with Tomáš Plekanec of Montreal Canadiens being named captain. It will be the fifth Olympics for Jágr, who has not ruled out playing a sixth in 2018, when he will be 46.

Vrba hires veteran coach Brueckner as consultant

The new manager of the Czech soccer team, Pavel Vrba, has hired one of his predecessors, Karel Brueckner, as a consultant. Brueckner, who is 74, led a strong generation of players to the semi-finals at the 2004 European Championship in Portugal. The Czech FA headhunted Vrba for the national job after he proved a huge success at the helm of club Viktoria Plzeň. No details of the deal with Brueckner have been revealed.

06.01.2014 Emerging government parties sign coalition deal

The Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats have signed a coalition agreement on a new centre-left government. The agreement outlines a list of policy priorities and a division of ministerial posts. Under the deal, the Social Democrats will get 8 posts in the new government, the ANO party 6 and the Christian Democrats 3. Social Democrat leader and the country’s likely next prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka will now submit the coalition agreement to President Miloš Zeman who should by rights appoint him prime minister. There has been some speculation that the president might try to stall the process if he has serious reservations to the proposed cabinet line-up. Mr. Sobotka said earlier that if all goes well a new administration could be in place by mid-January.

Cabinet nominations confirmed

The three parties also made public the nominations for ministerial posts in the emerging government. The Social Democrats will be managing 8 portfolios including the ministries of internal and foreign affairs, the ANO party will be controlling the finance, defense and justice ministries among others and the Christian Democrats the ministries of culture and agriculture. Commentators have noted that a number of business leaders nominated for ministerial posts in the emerging coalition government will have to give up their posts at the head of successful companies before taking up their posts in government in order to avoid a conflict of interests.

Environmentalists critical of nominated environment minister

Environment activists have criticized the nomination of Richard Brabec to the post of environment minister in the new government. Brabec, who is nominated by the ANO party, is actively engaged in the chemicals and forest industries and in the years between 2005 and 2011 served as financial director at the chemicals plant Spolana, which appears on Arnica’s list of major polluters. He is moreover still on the company’s board of directors. Jan Pinos of the environment movement Duha says Brabec’s nomination to the post of environment minister presents a blatant clash of interests and borders on the absurd.

Advisory commission recommends Červíček’s dismissal

An advisory commission to the interior minister which was asked to provide a legal stand on who should rightly head the police presidium has recommended the dismissal of Police President Martin Červíček. The commission concluded that Martin Červíček’s appointment to office following the sacking of his predecessor Petr Lessy was in violation of the law. Lessy was sacked after being charged with libel, but he was later cleared by the courts which recently prompted outgoing Interior Minister Martin Pecina to reinstate Mr. Lessy to his former position, effectively creating two heads for the police force. Mr. Lessy remains technically on leave, leaving the reigns to his successor, but neither man has shown a willingness to leave the post.

Long queues have been forming at some labour offices with people complaining about belated welfare payments

Long queues have been forming at labour offices around the country with people complaining about delayed welfare payments. Employees have been struggling to deliver welfare payments after the system they had been using since 2012 was unexpectedly shutdown. They have gone back to using a previous system which is outdated and slow. Meanwhile, Labour Ministry officials and representatives of the firm Fujitsu Technology Solutions are meeting to debate the legal implications of the decision to shut down the welfare payments system which the company had provided since 2012. The company won a contract on running the system but the Czech anti-monopoly regulator last year cancelled the tender over breach of rules. The Labour Ministry says Fujitsu had no reason to act rashly since its system could have remained in operation on the grounds of an addendum to the contract signed.

Moving company says no one tampered with safe during transport

The company which moved the late Palestinian ambassador’s possessions to his new Prague residence, including a safe that exploded and killed the ambassador the next day, rules out that the safe could have been opened or tampered with during transport. The head of the company Martin Souska said the safe had been sealed in the course of the transport and the late ambassador himself had accepted the delivery and had given instructions on where it should be placed. The police questioned the moving company’s employees after the late ambassador’s daughter Rana claimed that her father had been the victim of a terrorist attack and the explosives placed in the safe must have been put there shortly before it was moved to the ambassador’s new residence.

Bulgarian energy regulator orders another inspection into ČEZ

The Bulgarian energy regulator has ordered an inspection into pricing at the Czech energy distributor ČEZ and the Austrian EVN in the wake of growing complaints from the public. People claim their electricity bills are excessively high and accuse the distributors of overpricing. A similar inspection was ordered last year under threat of revoking ČEZ’s license but the inspection uncovered no irregularities. The Czech power giant ČEZ said late last year it would appeal a decision by the Bulgarian energy regulator to cut energy prices for consumers from January 2014. The Bulgarian State Energy Commission had announced a plan to reduce electricity prices for Bulgarian households by one per cent starting January, at the same time cutting the night-time rate by 10 per cent and electricity prices for industrial consumers by 1.5 per cent.

Police charge six with illegal trade in anabolic steroids

The police have charged six people with illegal trade in anabolic steroids. The six were reportedly part of a network that smuggled anabolic steroids from Asia to Europe and apart from the Czech Republic operated in Spain, Germany and Cyprus. During the operation, police confiscated a large amount of anabolic steroids in ampoules and tablets, worth over 1.3 million crowns. If convicted the suspects could face up to 12 years in prison.

Czech hockey legend Karel Gut dies at 86

Czech hockey legend Karel Gut has died at the age of 86. As defenseman Gut scored 34 goals in 114 international games for Czechoslovakia and was named the best defenseman at the 1955 world championships. He won three bronze medals with the national team at major tournaments but became more successful as a coach. He was in charge of the national team from 1973-79, winning world titles in 1976 and '77 and a silver medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck.

Popular cross-country skiing event cancelled due to lack of snow

The 47th cross country skiing event Jizerská 50 has been cancelled due to insufficient natural snow, the organizers announced on Monday. In a statement issued on the Jizerská 50 homepage they said persistent above-freezing temperatures and rain over the weekend have made it impossible to prepare the race route, many kilometres of which are completely without snow cover. The decision to cancel the race was made on Monday in view of a forecast predicting even higher temperatures in the coming days.

05.01.2014 Social Democrat leader says the time has come for the president to appoint him PM

Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka says that after the signing of a coalition agreement on a new centre-left government on Monday it will be up to the president to make the next step. In an interview for Czech Television on Sunday, Mr. Sobotka said that the ball was now in the president’s court and the logical next step would be for President Zeman to appoint him prime minister. Should the president have legitimate reservations to any of the ministerial nominees, Mr. Sobotka said he would be prepared to take office and temporarily administrate their portfolios as well until a new candidate was agreed on. However he stressed that he would only be prepared to make changes on the list of nominees for legally justifiable reasons, not personal animosities.

Police president says twelve weapons found in late Palestinian ambassador’s residence

Twelve illegal weapons, among them pistols and submachine guns, were uncovered during a search of the Palestinian ambassador’s new residence in Prague shortly after his death in an explosion on Wednesday, Police President Martin Červíček told Czech Television. He said a ballistic expertise was now underway. The police had previously refused to specify the number of weapons found, leading to speculation that there may have been up to 70 illegal weapons on the premises.

TOP 09 leader calls for greater public responsibility in defending democracy

TOP 09 leader Karel Schwarzenberg has called for greater public responsibility for the future of the country. In a speech delivered on Three Kings Day, Mr. Schwarzenberg said that in the past year certain groups and individuals had tested and sometimes crossed the limits of their powers in a democratic state and it was disconcerting that the public had reacted with apathy and disinterest to this threat. The TOP 09 leader said he realized that people had good reason to be disenchanted with Czech politics, as he himself often was, but he said the only way to affect a moral rebirth was for the public to be more aware and take greater responsibility for the fate of democracy in the country.

Ministerial nominees will have to give up their managerial posts

A number of business leaders nominated for ministerial posts in the emerging centre-left coalition government will have to give up their posts at the head of successful companies, the internet news site novinky.cz writes. The paper says this concerns predominantly candidates for the ANO party which prides itself on nominating successful managers to top posts rather than seasoned politicians. Under the conflict of interests law members of government cannot run private businesses or sit on the executive board of companies. For instance ANO leader Andrej Babis will have to cut his ties to AGROFERT, his agricultural, chemical and food processing empire said to be worth 40 to 100 billion crowns.

Three Kings Procession in Prague

Hundreds of people turned out on Sunday to see the traditional procession of Three Kings - a re-enactment of the journey of the Three Wise Men to visit the infant Jesus – which annually marks the end of the Christmas festivities in Prague. The procession made its way from Prague Castle to the nearby Loretto Square, where a live nativity scene had been set up. The event is organized by the Prague Archdiocese and is traditionally linked to charity with children dressed as the three kings collecting money for the needy. This year they collected a record amount of 77 million crowns.

Bohemia Sekt company plans further expansion

The largest producer of sparkling wines in the Czech Republic Bohemia Sekt, is planning to expand its vineyards. A company spokesman said Bohemia Sekt was ready to invest 100 million crowns into the expansion with the idea of spreading out from the present 400 hectares to at least 600 by the year 2020. Bohemia Sekt already ranks among the biggest vineyard owners in the country and has been fast expanding. In 2011 it owned just 240 hectares. In 2013 it sold 24 million bottles of wine.

Baby palm cockatoo dies

A baby palm cockatoo –also known as the Goliath Cockatoo – born in Prague Zoo in October is reported to have died. The zoo’s spokesman said the cause of death was as yet unclear. The scruffy-looking chick, which was the first of its kind born in Europe since 2010, had become a hit on social networks and the zoo had plans to put its picture on PR gifts such as coffee mugs and T-shirts. Its death is said to be a huge disappointment.

Icy conditions warning

Meteorologists have issued an icy roads warning for the coming hours. Icy conditions are expected around the country on Sunday night and early on Monday, greatly increasing the risk of accidents both for drivers and pedestrians. Night temperatures should hover around zero or slightly below freezing point. The warning is in place until 10 am on Monday.

04.01.2014  Former chief of staff says Prague may be part of a European-wide arms-smuggling network operated by Palestinians

Prague may be part of a European-wide arms-smuggling network operated by Palestinians, former chief-of-staff General Jiri Sedivy said in an interview for the Czech internet site Aktualne.cz. As many as 70 automatic rifles were found at the Prague residence of the late Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, according to unconfirmed reports carried by the CTK news agency. The general said he feared that the discovery in Prague could be the tip of the iceberg and suggested that Palestinian embassies in other European capitals could contain similar storages of illegal weapons.

Foreign Ministry concerned by illegal weapons find at Palestinian embassy

The Czech foreign ministry has expressed grave concerned over the discovery. It said diplomats' weapons were subject to local laws on arms which require registration and licensing and none of those found were registered in the Czech Republic. For the embassy to store illegal weapons would be in breach of the Vienna Convention that governs the activities of diplomats and embassies and the Czech Foreign Ministry has said it would demand an explanation. It has also expressed understanding for a request from the Suchdol district which has asked the authorities to move the Palestinian embassy outside its premises since it presents a security threat to the public.

Body of late Palestinian ambassador to be repatriated on Monday

The body of the late Palestinian ambassador to Prague, Jamal al-Jamal will be repatriated on Monday. The ambassador’s daughter Rana, who claims her father was the victim of a terrorist attack, said the day of the funeral had already been set but refused to disclose any details. Meanwhile, the police have not yet released information regarding what kind of explosive caused the blast that killed the ambassador in his Prague residence.

Špidla to be PM’s chief advisor

Former prime minister and European labour commissioner Vladimír Špidla is to become chief advisor to the country’s likely next prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka. Mr. Spidla, who was considered to be a hot candidate for the post of labour minister in the emerging government, confirmed having accepted the offer on Friday. The post of labour minister in the new government will thus most likely go to Social Democrat Petr Krčál, a councilor in the Vysočina region. The list of ministerial nominees, which Bohuslav Sobotka submitted to the president on Friday evening, is to be made public on Monday after the three parties of the emerging centre-right coalition – the Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats - sign a coalition agreement.

Labour ministry officials to meet with Fujitsu representatives over welfare payments crisis

Labour Ministry officials and representatives of the firm Fujitsu Technology Solutions are to meet on Monday to debate the legal implications of the decision to shut down the welfare payments system which the company had provided since 2012. The company won a contract on running the system but the Czech anti-monopoly regulator last year cancelled the tender over breach of rules. Labour offices are now struggling to deliver payments using a previous, now-outdated system and the Labour Ministry says Fujitsu had no reason to act rashly since its system could have remained in operation on the grounds of an addendum to the contract signed. The Labour Ministry has warned that thousands of people could get their welfare contributions late.

Krejčíř makes urgent appeal for bail

Czech fugitive and alleged crime boss Radovan Krejčíř made an urgent application before the High Court in Johannesburg on Friday seeking to have a judgment denying him bail overturned. Krejčíř’s lawyer argued that despite the two attempts on his life the 45-year-old Krejčíř would not flee the country if released on bail, nor try to influence witnesses. Krejčíř and three others, who have been released on bail, face charges of kidnapping, assault and attempted murder.

Strict EU norms should guarantee better food labels

As of this year Czech producers will have to use bigger print and put more information on food labels than they have hereto. The change is in line with EU regulations and there is a fine of up to 10 million crowns for violating it. Some producers have complained that in view of the size of some products they will have to add folded leaflets to them containing the information or restrict the number of language versions on the labels.

03.01.2014 Social Democrat leader briefs president on proposed government line-up

Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka on Friday met briefly with President Milos Zeman to brief him on the proposed line-up of the emerging centre-left government. Mr. Sobotka refused to comment on the outcome of the meeting saying he had submitted a list of ministerial nominees to the head of state and that the three parties of the emerging government coalition would sign a coalition agreement on Monday as planned. He made no mention of whether or when he might be named prime minister. There has been speculation that the president is likely to find some nominees unacceptable and may want to get actively involved in the selection process or try to stall the process of appointing a new government. Under an agreement reached between the three potential coalition partners the Social Democrats will get seven seats in the new cabinet, the AN0 party six and the Christian Democrats three.

Daughter of late Palestinian ambassador claims her father was murdered

The daughter of the late Palestinian ambassador to Prague claims her father was the victim of a terrorist attack. Rana al Jamal told the Palestinian news agency Ma’an that the safe which exploded and killed her father was an old model that did not contained any booby trap. She claims the explosive device must have been planted there several hours preceding the explosion. According to Rana the safe was used by other Palestinian officials while her father was on a working trip to Egypt and it had only been moved into the ambassador’s new residence the night before the explosion.

Suchdol wants Palestinian embassy moved outside its premises

Prague’s Suchdol district has asked the Czech Foreign Ministry to move the Palestinian embassy outside its premises. Suchdol mayor Petr Hejl said that following Wednesday’s explosion which killed the ambassador and the fact that the police had found illegal weapons and explosives on the embassy grounds the local council felt that the embassy presented a security risk to the public. Hejl said the embassy had violated Czech and international laws by holding illegal arms and could no longer be considered trustworthy.

Welfare payments may be delivered late

Labour offices are struggling to deliver welfare payments to people after the system which had been in operation since 2012 was unexpectedly shut down late last month. The software provider, the firm Fujistsu Technology Solutions, won a contract on running the system two years ago but the Czech anti-monopoly regulator last year cancelled the tender over breach of rules. Labour offices have now returned to a payment system used previously, but they are having to fill in a vast amount of missing data and many employees have not been schooled in how to use it. The Labour Ministry has warned that thousands of people could get their welfare contributions late.

Arbitration court to open Blanka tunnel case next week

An arbitration court is to open the case of the Blanka tunnel complex on January10, Prague’s deputy mayor Jiri Nouza told the ctk news agency on Friday. The tunnel was to have been finished and opened to traffic this year but in December the construction firm Metrostav halted further work over unpaid fees. Meanwhile Prague City Hall said it could not transfer the money after having found that the contracts signed with Metrostav may be legally invalid. The arbitration court is to rule on the validity of the contracts.

Singer elected European central bank governor of the year for 2014

Czech National Bank governor Miroslav Singer has been voted European central bank governor of the year for 2014 by The Banker magazine, according to the bank’s spokesperson Marek Petrus. The Czech central bank governor was reportedly elected for his decision to launch interventions on foreign currency markets in order to weaken the crown in view of maintaining monetary stability and revitalizing the economy.

Bavarian interior ministers says police checks not directed against Czechs alone

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has rejected the notion that intensified police checks in the Czech-German border region were directed against Czech nationals. Minister Herman, who recently unveiled a new strategy in fighting cross-border crime said the effort to curb theft and drug-trafficking across the Czech-German border was legitimate and would benefit both countries. He noted that the Bavarian police stop and search more German vehicles than Czech ones and certainly do not pick on Czech drivers alone. Bavaria has expressed serious concern regarding the smuggling of the Czech home-made drug crystal methamphetamine across the border.

Forbes: Andrej Babis most powerful person in Czech media world

Andrej Babiš, businessman magnate and leader of ANO, the second strongest party in the emerging centre-left government, is the most powerful person in the Czech media world, according to the list of the 50 most influential people in the Czech media published in the January issue of the Czech version of Forbes magazine. Babiš is followed by Petr Dvořák, director general of public service broadcaster Czech Television and multi-millionaires Daniel Kretinsky and Patrik Tkáč, who recently acquired the publisher Ringier Axel Springer, are in third and fourth place.

Death toll at rail crossings remains high

A total of 24 people died in accidents at rail crossings in the Czech Republic in 2013, which is the lowest figure in the past 11 years, Rail Safety Inspection spokesman Martin Drapal told the CTK news agency. Despite the improvement the death toll at rail crossings remains extremely high. In recent years Czech Railways has been working to modernize rail crossings many of which still lack mechanical barriers.

Football: Kozák out for rest of season with broken leg

Aston Villa and Czech international striker Libor Kozák broke his leg in training on Thursday, and will miss the rest of the season. The 24-year-old player got injured in a clash with team mate Ciaran Clark, and is to undergo surgery on Friday, according to a statement released on the British club’s web site. Kozák joined Aston Villa last summer, and has scored four goals in 14 Premier League games.

02.01.2014 Police find weapons at Palestinian embassy in Prague

Czech police have found weapons at the Palestinian embassy in Prague, the Reuters news agency reported quoting a police spokeswoman. The news comes a day after a safe exploded at the mission, killing the Palestinian envoy, Jamal al-Jamal. The police spokeswoman gave no details about the type or quantity of the weapons; the news website respect.cz however reported that sub-machine guns and other illegally-held firearms were discovered which could arm a ten-member unit.

The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic Jamal al-Jamal, died in hospital on Wednesday after suffering severe injuries in the blast.

Safe whose explosion killed Palestinian ambassador frequently used: embassy spokesman

In related news, a spokesman for the Palestinian mission in Prague Nabil el-Fahel has denied a statement by the Palestinian foreign minister who said the safe that exploded at the embassy had not been used for more than 20 years. The spokesman said there were two safes at the embassy – the one which exploded had been used frequently for storing cash and various documents; the other safe, which has not been used for decades, was only opened by the Czech police after the explosion. The spokesman also said the safe had not been fitted with any explosive devises. The cause of the explosion is under investigation by the Czech police; its president, Martin Červíček, told reporters there were no indications the blast was a terrorist attack. The Czech Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, has expressed concern over the find of the weapons; its spokeswoman said diplomatic conventions could have been breached, adding that the ministry would demand an explanation from the Palestinian side.

Forensic experts to analyze Palestinian embassy safe, explosive

Experts at the Czech Criminological Institute began examining the safe along with an unknown substance that exploded on Wednesday in a new building of the Palestinian embassy in Prague, killing the ambassador. Results of the analyses should be ready within days, the head of the institute said. An autopsy of the late ambassador’s body is also scheduled for Thursday while investigators continue questioning witnesses of the explosion. The late ambassador’s body will be transported to Palestinian territory next week, the embassy said.

Top court: Rath’s prolonged custody breached his rights

The Czech judiciary breached the fundamental rights of former prominent Social Democrat David Rath by prolonging his pre-trial custody, the country’s Constitutional Court has ruled. Mr Rath, who served as governor of Central Bohemia and MP, was taken into custody in May 2012 on charges of manipulating public tenders. He was released last November. The Constitutional Court said Mr Rath’s rights had been breached when courts ignored arguments he stated in repeated petitions demanding he be released. The trial against Mr Rath and his associates is ongoing; if convicted, the former politician faces 12 years in prison.

State welfare payment system collapses

The Czech state welfare payment system has collapsed after the software provider, the firm Fujistsu Technology Solutions, shut it down. The company won a contract on running the system two years ago but the Czech anti-monopoly regulator last year cancelled the tender over breach of rules. The ministry has returned to a payment system it previously used but will have to feed in all data from the Fujistsu software. The ministry has set up an emergency team to deal with the situation; some labour offices are likely to limit their opening hours as a result.

Last year’s budget deficit lowest since 2008

The deficit of the Czech state budget last year reached 80.9 billion crowns, or just over 4 billion US dollars, Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok said on Thursday. The target deficit was projected at 100 billion. The decrease was owed to improved collection of VAT as well as EU funds, according to the outgoing prime minister. Last year’s budget deficit was the lowest since 2008; this year, the budget projects a gap of 112 billion crowns.

Government approves sale of redundant L-159 planes

The outgoing Czech interim government on Thursday approved the sale of 28 redundant L-159 combat planes to the US company Draken International, Defence Minister Vlastimil Picek told reporters. The deal is expected to fetch between 435 and 516 million crowns depending on the technical state of the aircraft. 24 of the planes should be operational while the additional four will be used for spare parts. The US firm Draken International will reportedly use the Czech-made planes in training programmes for US military pilots. Several Czech governments have been trying to sell the redundant aircraft ever since it became obvious that the Czech Air Force would only need a third of the 72 planes it acquired in 1997.

Government postpones decision on Gripen fighters lease

The outgoing Czech government on Thursday postponed a decision on prolonging a lease of Gripen fighter jets for the Czech Air Force, the Czech defence minister said. The decision will be made by the new cabinet in the coming months. The government was planning to lease 14 aircraft until the year 2027 for an annual fee of some 69 million US dollars. The Czech Republic first leased the Swedish-made fighter jets in 2005.

Average Czech mobile call costs dropped by 20 pct in 2013

The average price of mobile calls in the Czech Republic dropped nearly 20 percent last year to 1.78 crowns, or 9 US cents per minute, according to figures released by the Czech telecommunications regulator. The decrease is ascribed to the introduction of unlimited tariffs by the three major Czech mobile phone operators, as well as to the arrival of virtual operators. Over the last five years, the average mobile call cost was cut by more than a half; in 2005, the average price per minute was 4.65 crowns.

Skier Strachová to be Czech flag bearer at the Winter Olympics

The 2007 world slalom champion Šárka Strachová, née Záhrobrská, has been chosen to be the Czech Republic’s flag bearer at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. It has been an eventful year for the popular Czech skier who following a serious health scare successfully recovered from brain surgery to remove a benign tumour, married her coach and is now competing under her new name.

Hockey: Czech juniors lose to Finland in world championships quarterfinal

The Czech U-20 national hockey team lost to Finland 3:5 in the quarterfinal of the world junior championships in Sweden on Thursday, and has been eliminated from the tournament. The Czechs were one goal ahead after two periods but received three goals in the third. The Czech goals came from Dominik Simon, Martin Procházka and Radek Faksa.

01.01.2014 Palestinian ambassador injured in blast dies

The Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, Jamal al Jamal, who was gravely injured in an explosion in his Prague residence on Wednesday, has died. The ambassador succumbed to his injuries several hours after being taken to Prague’s military hospital in an induced coma.

According to unconfirmed reports the ambassador was opening a safe when the explosion happened shortly before noon. His whole family was in the ambassadorial residence at the time, but no one else was hurt in the blast.

Police and explosives experts have been searching the two-storey residence and part of the neighbourhood remains closed to traffic. According to police spokeswoman Andrea Zoulova the detonation was caused by a so-far unidentified explosive mixture. Police president Martin Červíček told Czech Television there was no evidence so far pointing to a terrorist attack. One of the possibilities being considered is that the explosion may have been triggered by a security device in the safe containing a mechanism designed to destroy its contents in the event of the lock being tampered with.

Smog alert Moravia and Silesia

The authorities have called a smog alert in Moravia and Silesia where air pollution has severely worsened in the past 48 hours. According to meteorologists the concentration of dust particles in the air far exceeding permitted norms at all monitoring stations and in some cases is five times higher than the permitted norm. Pollution levels are reported to be highest in and around Karvina, Ostrava and Opava. The authorities have advised elderly people and children to stay indoors as much as possible. Drivers have been asked use city transport and leave their cars at home. The situation is being closely monitored by city hall which may ask industrial plants to scale-down production.

Záhrobská-Strachová to be Czech flag bearer at the Winter Olympics

The 2007 world slalom champion Šárka Záhrobská-Strachová has been chosen to be the Czech Republic’s flag bearer at the Winter Olympics in Sochi. It has been an eventful year for the popular Czech skier who following a serious health scare successfully recovered from brain surgery to remove a benign tumour, married her coach and is now competing under her new name.

Bavarian police to intensify random border checks of Czech vehicles

The Bavarian police will intensify its activities in the vicinity of the Czech-German border in view of curbing cross-border crime, in particular drugs smuggling, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Hermann says in Wednesday’s edition of Die Welt. The minister said the police would make it a priority to curb the smuggling of the home-made Czech drug crystal methamphetamine across the border to Bavaria. This includes an increased number of random checks of Czech vehicles crossing the border. Prague has in the past protested against the practice calling it discriminatory.

Constitutional Court to rule on length of Rath’s detention

The Constitutional Court is to rule on Thursday on a complaint from the former central Bohemian governor David Rath regarding the length of time he was held in custody on suspicion of corruption and abuse of office. The former governor, who was arrested with seven million crowns of alleged bribe money in a wine box, spent a year and a half in prison after the courts repeatedly rejected his request for bail. Rath’s lawyer claims the length of his detention in custody was unjustified and an infringement on his basic human rights.

Czech households will save on electricity bills in 2014

Electricity prices for households will drop by 10.9 percent on average as of January, while the regulated component in the price of gas will drop by 5.9 percent. ČEZ clients can expect the biggest price drop of around 12 percent, Pražská Energetika has announced a 9.5 percent drop while E.ON is effecting an 8.8 percent price reduction.

Four newborns share title First Baby of the New Year

Four Czech newborns, who came into the world a minute past midnight, will share the title “First Baby of the New Year” the ctk news agency reported. The four who tied for the honour are a baby girl from Liberec, two baby boys born in Moravia and another boy who came into the world in Zlin. Many moms race to give birth in the first minutes of the new year, anticipating publicity, prizes and presents for their child.

31.12.2013 President to meet with Social Democrat leader on new government line-up

President Miloš Zeman is to meet with Social Democrat leader and the country’s likely next prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka before the end of this week to discuss the line-up of the new government, the president’s spokesman Jiří Ovčáček told the ctk news agency on Tuesday. He said it was unlikely that the president would name Mr. Sobotka prime minister this week. The president is expected to raise reservations regarding a number of ministerial nominees and the heads of the three parties of the emerging centre-left coalition have pledged to take a united stand in backing the cabinet line-up. The Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats are to sign a coalition agreement on January 6th.

ČEZ will appeal Bulgarian regulator’s decision on energy prices

The Czech power giant ČEZ has said it will appeal the decision of the Bulgarian energy regulator to cut energy prices for consumers from January 2014. A spokesman for the company said ČEZ was now analyzing projected losses which are expected to be severe. The Bulgarian State Energy Commission this week announced a plan to reduce electricity prices for Bulgarian households by one per cent starting January, at the same time cutting the night-time rate by 10 per cent and electricity prices for industrial consumers by 1.5 per cent. Electricity prices have been a sensitive issue in Bulgaria this year, one of the major complaints behind massive anti-government protests and energy prices have already been reduced twice in 2013 to stave of growing public discontent.

Remek to take up ambassadorial post in Moscow early next year

Vladimir Remek, a Czech MEP for the Communist Party is expected to take up the post of Czech ambassador to Russia in mid-January when he is to hand over his credentials to President Vladimir Putin, the CTK news agency reports. Remek is now preparing for his new post at the Czech Foreign Ministry. The post of Czech ambassador in Russia has been vacant for a year. The last ambassador, Petr Kolář, was withdrawn at his own request at the end of 2012.

Moravia and Silesia plagued by smog

Air pollution is reported to have worsened severely in parts of Moravia and Silesia with the concentration of dust particles in the air far exceeding permitted norms at all but one of the 15 monitoring stations in operation. According to data from the Czech Hydro-meteorological Institute the concentration of harmful substances in the air is more than three times the permitted norm. The authorities have advised elderly people and children to stay indoors as much as possible. The situation is being closely monitored by city hall which has the right to call a smog alert and ask industrial plants to scale-down production.

Drivers scramble to exchange old licenses for new by end-of-year

Long queues have been forming at local registry offices for motor vehicles as drivers scramble to exchange old licenses for new ones. The deadline for the exchange of licences issued between 2001 and 2004 expires on the last day of 2013, after which drivers will have to pay for a new license and may get fined by the police in the event of a check-up. Many local registry offices have extended working hours over the past week in order to facilitate the process.

Czech household debts rise

Czech household debts to banks and financial institutions in November grew by 7.8 billion crowns to 1,210 billion against October, and their annual growth reached 52.6 billion, the Czech National Bank said on Tuesday. Debts of companies posted a rise of 25.4 billion to more than 1,000 billion crowns against the previous month. Year-on-year they rose by nearly 39 billion. One-day deposits of households at banks and financial institutions increased by 2.2 billion crowns month-on-month and by 78.9 billion year-on-year to 1,210 billion.

Analysts issue favourable growth prediction for 2014

The Czech economy is expected to grow by over 2 percent next year following contraction over the past two years, analysts polled by the CTK news agency said. Global recovery and projected changes to the government´s budgetary policy are behind the favourable prediction. Analysts believe that, despite the central bank´s forex interventions to weaken the crown, inflation will stay low at the start of next year due above all to falling energy prices and unemployment will stay above 7 percent.

Hundredth babybox child brings mixed feelings

A baby girl was placed in the Pardubice babybox early on Tuesday morning, making her the 100 child to be left in a babybox, since the network was established in the Czech Republic in 2005. Doctors said that the baby, who was given the name Ria, was placed in the box about two hours after birth and that the child’s condition was stable. There are a total of 59 babyboxes in different locations around the Czech Republic, and in the past eight years, 60 girls and 40 boys were left in them. The founder of the Czech babybox system, Ludvík Hess, told the press that he has mixed feelings about the 100th babybox child. Although he is happy that so many children were saved, he originally did not expect that there would be such a high number.

Car accident death toll keeps declining

Car accidents in the Czech Republic claimed 581 lives this year, according to preliminary police statistics released on Tuesday. This is the lowest annual death toll on Czech roads since the police began tracking these numbers in 1961. The figure is also a marked improvement from the previous record low last year, when 681 people died in car accidents. The number of victims of car accidents has been steadily decreasing in the Czech Republic since 2007, when there were 1,123 victims.

Warmest Christmas in over a century

Meteorologists say that in certain parts of the Czech Republic Czechs enjoyed the warmest Christmas in over a century. The monitoring station in Opava, Silesia, measured a high of 8.7 degrees on Christmas Day which broke a 151-year-old record. Přerov reported a high of 9.3 degrees Celsius, the highest in 140 years. Temperatures tend to be higher in the Czech capital where the warmest Christmas ever monitored was in 1983 where the Klementinum monitoring station recorded 14.6 degrees Celsius.

30.12.2013 Labor Ministry proposed new pension increase system

The Labor and Social Affairs Ministry has put forward a proposal to change the system of increasing pensions. According to the proposal, pensions should be raised based on the growth of household expenses for pensioners, which the ministry hopes will prevent the drop in the real value of pensions. Jiri Rusnok’s government has raised the pensions by an average of 45 crowns, which will come into effect in January. The Labor Minister has proposed to raise pensions again in July. The Finance Minister is against the proposal for a new calculation system.

Czech Republic’s external debt decreases

The Czech Republic’s external debt in Q3 decreased by 78.8 billion crowns to 1,946 billion, the Czech National Bank reports. This amounts to 50.6 percent of the GDP. The decrease in debt was aided chiefly by a decline in the corporate sector’s external liabilities. External liabilities with an original maturity of more than one year accounted for 76.6% of overall debt liabilities. External financial assets increased by 17.6 billion in Q3, reaching 2,775.2 billion. The year-on-year increase in assets was due to growth in the external assets of the banking sector and Czech direct investment abroad.

Clean up of the leaking oil continues in the Vysočina region

Clean-up operations are continuing near the town of Knyk in the Vysočina region, where an oil pipe leading to the storage facilities of the company Čepro was tampered with over the weekend. It is still unknown how much of the crude oil leaked out, but emergency workers said that some had definitely seeped into the ground in an area of the local forest. The company carrying out the clean-up efforts said that most likely the damage will be contained by Monday afternoon, but riding the soil in the area may take months.

Many Czechs say their salary does not cover basis needs

An increasing number of Czechs say they have trouble meeting their basic needs on their monthly salary, the internet news site novinky.cz reports. Over 100,000 people admit to moonlighting but according to unofficial estimates the number of people making extra money on the side is well over one million. This is often undeclared income from helping out with various jobs in people’s homes or assisting with building work at private homes and cottages. One hundred and fifty thousand pensioners have retained their jobs even after reaching retirement age.

Czech scientists come up with new cancer treatment

A group of scientists, from 13 Czech institutions, have created a potentially revolutionary drug, which could provide targeted treatment for cancerous tumors, which could replace chemotherapy. Microbiologists have successfully tested the drugs on four types of tumors in mice, and said that they help the organism fight malignant cells instead of suppressing it. The group now lacks funding to test the drugs further on human subjects.

Pilsen launches international campaign ahead of year of culture

The company Plzeň 2015 has begun an international campaign to promote the west Bohemian city of Pilsen to potential visitors from abroad. Pilsen is one of the cities which was named as the European capital of culture for 2015, and Plzeň 2015 was tasked with preparing the city for this purpose. In the past, former capitals of culture had increases of up to 10 percent in tourism during the title-holding year. The campaign already began in Munich and will continue in Latvia, Sweden, Austria and other countries.

Ostriches escape farm in Benešov

Three ostriches escaped from a farm near the town of Benešov over the weekend. The local police are helping the breeder and owner of the farm look for the animals. The owner said that the ostriches kicked open the fence of their corral after being frightened by shots fired by hunters in the vicinity. The farmer had bought four birds of the species Greater Rhea as a test run for possible future breeding.

Tennis: Czech mixed doubles team loses to the French

France’s mixed duo Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Alize Cornet beat the Czech teammates and couple Petra Kvitová and Radek Štěpánek at the Hopman Cup in Australia on Monday. Tsonga won the first singles match, beating Štěpánek 6-1 6-4, but Kvitová’s singles victory over Cornet left it up to the final mixed doubles match on Monday. The French team seemed to have little trouble beating the Czechs in two sets with the final score 6-1 6-3. The Czech duo won against Spain over the weekend, and will be playing against the Americans John Isner and Sloane Stephens on Friday evening in the final match in their group.

Hockey: Czech junior team loses to Germany

The Czech under-20 hockey team lost to the Germans 0:3 at the World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden on Monday. This places him in the last place in Group A, just one point behind the German team. To make it into the quarterfinal, the Czech team will have to beat the Slovaks on Tuesday. They had an unexpected win against Canada on Sunday.

29.12.2013 Police increasingly apply ban in domestic violence cases

In 7,460 cases of domestic violence since 2007, police in the Czech Republic banned aggressors from returning home for ten days, with or without agreement from the spouse. The legislation was introduced to protect victims of domestic violence and limit abuse behind closed doors. According to Bílý kruh bezpečí, helping victims of domestic violence, 2013 saw 1,128 bans over the first ten months, compared to a total of 679 in 2008 and a total of 1,405 last year. According to the organisation, police better assess cases than back in 2007, reaching for bans more often to try and aid victims, helping them gain some distance in volatile situations. The legislation was inspired by a similar law in neighbouring Austria.

Motorist who crashed in police chase in serious condition

A motorist who crashed on Saturday pursued by the police, is in serious condition in hospital and has not yet been charged. In the incident, the 32-year-old sped away from a gas station in Plzeň without paying but hit another vehicle at high speed with the police in close pursuit. The fellow passenger in his car, a 24-year-old female, was killed in the crash.

Senior killed in head-on collision

One person was killed and two were seriously injured in a car crash in the area of Tachov on Sunday. The fatal accident unravelled shortly after 10 am. The 63-year-old driver who lost his life had been trying to pass when he collided head-on with another vehicle. A man and woman in the other car were transported to a hospital in Plzeň.

Rare orangutan dies at Prague Zoo

A veterinarian and zookeepers were unable to save a rare Sumatran orangutan named Padang at Prague Zoo in the early hours of Sunday. The great ape had undergone surgery to try and correct serious gastrointestinal problems. After the operation, Pandang collapsed at around 12 AM. Those involved tried to revive the ape for some four hours. The Sumatran orangutan is one of the most threatened species in the wild; there are only some 7,300 in the wilderness. In captivity, the orangutan can reach up to 60 years of age, compared to between 30 and 45 in nature.

Cold to arrive later in January

The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute says that colder winter temperatures could hit the Czech Republic towards the end of January, falling to as low as -14 degrees Celsius. Until now, the country has seen unseasonably mild weather; at Christmas, some areas saw records broken.

Tennis: Czech Republic gets off to perfect start in Hopman Cup

Real-life off-court partners Radek Štepánek and Petra Kvitová posted singles wins and combined to win in mixed doubles over Spain in the Hopman Cup on Sunday. Kvitová, the former Wimbledon champion, was the first to win, beating Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1 6-0. Štepánek followed up with a win over Daniel Munoz-De La Nava 6-2 6-2, a late replacement for Tommy Robredo.

28.12.2013 Police pursuit in Plzeň ends with fatality

A police chase in the Plzeň area on Saturday ended with one person dead and four injured. Officers were pursuing a motorist who sped away from a gas station without paying. Trying to ellude the pursuit, the driver collided with an oncoming vehicle; a 24-year-old female in the car with him, was killed. The others injured, including a police officer, were treated in hospital.

Bavarian police boost checks in border areas over illegal pyrotechnic devices

Bavaria's police has heightened checks a border areas to prevent individuals from bringing in unsafe and illegal firecrackers, rockets and other pyrotechnic devices sold in Vietnamese markets on the Czech side of the border not far from crossings. German officials warned that many of the items were dangerous, packed with more explosive material than was the norm. Officials said they had stopped a vehicle smuggling one tonne of the goods, representing a potential health risk.

Alcohol appears to have played role in fatal crash near Rudná

The D5 highway near Rudná, outside the capital, saw a fatal traffic accident in the early hours of Saturday morning, in which alcohol appears to have played a role. A truck and personal vehicle collided less than a kilometre from Prague, with the truck flipping onto its side across two lanes; the trucker was killed in the crash; the other driver, who tested postive for alcohol, was unhurt. The police rerouted traffic along side roads for several hours. A ramp onto the highway, five kilometres from the city, was also temporarily closed. The police are investigating the cause of the accident.

TV director quits over controversial broadcast

The director of a controversial television broadcast featuring the electronic music band Vanessa on Czech TV has told Lidové noviny he quit over the group's behavior, which he said had intended to 'disgust'.The band was recently featured on the show Tečka páteční noci on ČT Art, broadcast live from Czech TV's Brno studio. The group's singer, Samir Hauser, stunned some viewers as well as allegedly some on the production team, when he tried to do a line of cocaine off of a bible or later forced himself to vomit by sticking a finger in his throat. The host of the show downplayed the incident, saying that the drug was fake. He has stood by the broadcast, suggesting the group's behavior was not surprising given its image and that things could have gone 'worse'.

Christmas holidays were quieter for the police writes Czech news site

This year's Christmas holidays were the quietest in 20 years regarding thefts and break-ins, the police revealed, saying - tongue-in-cheek - that even crooks had respected the 'spirit' of the holidays, writes Czech news website Novinky. According to officials, break-ins were registered in apartment buildings in bigger cities but less in the countryside, where owners are more likely to be home over the Christmas break. Overall, the police had to respond to fewer 158 calls. In one incident, officers arrested a 24-year-old car thief who had driven only a few metres in a stolen vehicle before falling asleep.

Meteorologists warn of continuing strong winds

Meteorologists are warning of strong winds over the weekend, primarily in Moravia and parts of eastern Bohemia. On Saturday, winds of around 110 kilometers an hour are expected in the Jeseníky and Beskydy mountains in northern Moravia. In the lowlands, people are being warned of squalls of up to 75 kilometers an hour. The Czech Republic has seen high winds in the past few days, which have caused considerable damage in parts of the country.

27.12.2013 Sobotka will meet with President Zeman after the New Year

The most likely next prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, will meet with President Miloš Zeman in the new year, to discuss ministerial candidates for the future cabinet. The Social Democratic chairman was expected to meet with the president right after the Christmas holiday, but the meeting was postponed to a yet unknown date in early January. The three future coalition partners – Social Democrats, Christian Democrats and ANO – are expected to sign the coalition agreement on 6 January. President Zeman has already said that he might not confirm some of the members of the future cabinet. On Friday, members of the forming coalition announced that once representatives of the three parties will agree on a list of ministers, the coalition will support the cabinet as a whole, no matter what the president’s opinion may be.

Ivan Lendl’s father dies, aged 89

Jiří Lendl, the father of the former world number one tennis player Ivan Lendl, has died at the age of 89. He was also the former and the honorary chairman of the Czech tennis association. Mr. Lendl was a junior chess champion of Bohemia and Moravia and received a law degree. Later he also excelled at tennis and became the chairman of the Czechoslovak tennis association in 1990. His son Ivan was one of the top tennis players in the world throughout the 1980’s, having competed in 19 Grand Slam singles finals, winning eight of them.

President’s address has lowest viewership in 6 years

President Miloš Zeman’s end-of-year address, which aired on Czech Television and the commercial TV Nova on 26 December, attracted the least viewers of all the presidential New Year’s addresses in the past 6 years. Approximately 1,266,000 people over the age of 15 watched the pre-taped program, almost 700 thousand viewers fewer that last year’s address by Václav Klaus. Television producers said that one of the reasons for the low viewership is that the President’s Office did not announce the change of the date of the address until quite late, and many people did not find out about it in time. Mr. Zeman haddecided to give his address to the nation over Christmas, instead of on New Year’s Day, as his predecessors have done since 1948.

Health insurance and care providers end year with losses

Public health insurance providers are finishing the year with approximately 10 billion crowns in losses. Insurance providers should receive around 10 billion crowns more next year, but healthcare providers are also likely to loose around four billion due to the weakening of the crown and the increased Value Added Tax for medicine. The Constitutional Court recently struck down the law that imposed the 100-crown daily fees for hospital stays and the 30-crown co-payments at the doctors’ offices, which will decrease the yearly fee income of healthcare providers from 5.5 billion to 180 million crowns. Jiří Rusnok’s caretaker government gave 800 million crowns extra to health insurance providers this year, but doctors and hospitals are warning that if the new government does not find a solution to the situation, health care may need to be limited and some hospitals may even close next year.

Fire destroys plastics factory

A fire completely destroyed a plastics factory in Alojzov, in the Prostejov region, in the early hours of Friday. There were no reports of casualties but people were advised to stay indoors as a dense curtain of black smoke spread across the area. Due to a brisk wind citizens have not had to be evacuated. The cause of the fire is being investigated. Preliminary estimates put the damage at 80 million crowns.

Prague emergency services treated 50 people over Christmas

Paramedics in Prague treated around 50 people for life-threatening conditions over the three-day Christmas holiday. Four people, including two children younger than two years of age, had to be treated for throat obstruction due to fish bones. One woman had to undergo surgery for a head injury after falling while ice skating. Overall, emergency services responded to 885 calls during the three days, which approximately the same as the number of visits made during a single weekday.

Czech internet stores see increase in Christmas sales

Czech internet shops saw an increase in sales this Christmas season. Some online stores registered a year-on-year growth for the holiday season of around 40 percent. Others saw a weaker increase, but all the biggest e-shops confirmed that this Christmas was more successful than last year, and holiday shopping began earlier, due to the central bank’s intervention against the crown, which began in November. The biggest internet retailer in electronics, Alza.cz, announced that the three strongest days, in terms of sales, were between December 16 and 18. Total daily sales were approximately the same for Alza each of those days, reaching way above 100 million crowns.

Record number of swimmers take part in annual Polar Bear dip in the Vltava

A record number of people – 285 – took part in the 67th Alfréd Nikodém Memorial event, an annual swim in the Vltava River on Thursday. The Polar bear dip, which takes place near the National Theatre building in the centre of Prague, has a long tradition; It was established in 1923 by Prague hardy-man Alfréd Nikodém who propagated winter swimming as part of a healthy lifestyle. The annual event is attended by members of the local Polar Bears club and enthusiasts from neighbouring states. This year the temperature of the water was 4 degrees Celsius which many consider to be mild.

Meteorologists warn of continuing strong winds

Meteorologists are warning of strong winds over the weekend, primarily in Moravia and parts of eastern Bohemia. On Saturday, winds of around 110 kilometers an hour are expected in the Jeseníky and Beskydy mountains in northern Moravia. In the lowlands, people are being warned of squalls of up to 75 kilometers an hour. The Czech Republic has seen high winds in the past few days, which have caused considerable damage in parts of the country.

26.12.2013 President Zeman delivers self-reflecting Christmas message

In a Christmas message to the nation, President Miloš Zeman reflected on how he had fulfilled his election promises to voters. In a short address broadcast live by Czech public radio and television, Mr. Zeman highlighted five areas in which he had promised action, including improving relations with the EU and stabilizing the situation at the Constitutional Court. The president pointed out that the EU flag was now flying at Prague Castle and the Constitutional Court, which had come close to paralysis for lack of judges, was now complete and functioning. Mr. Zeman said that the most problematic of his promises was that to unite Czech society rather than dividing it, but argued that in preventing the return of a centre-government to office and opening the way for early general elections he had addressed that matter as well. In parting the president wished Czechs health and happiness in the coming year and thanked the outgoing Rusnok government for its work.

Muted reactions to president’s Christmas message

The reactions to President Zeman’s first Christmas message in office are muted. Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka described it as “self-reflecting and conciliatory” saying it was understandable that the head of state had used the opportunity to assess his first year in office and explain some of his decisions to the public. Christian Democrat leader Pavel Belobradek described the address as “non-conflicting and suited to the occasion” while ANO deputy chair Vera Jourova and Communist Party leader Vojtech Filip both pointed out that the speech lacked vision and fresh goals for the future.

President to be briefed on government line-up

After the Christmas holidays President Zeman is due to meet with Social Democrat leader and the country’s likely next prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka for talks on the line-up of a new centre-left government which has been taking shape. Mr. Sobotka is to present the president with a list of proposed cabinet ministers as agreed on by the three parties of the emerging coalition government. The meeting is not expected to be without controversy since Mr. Zeman has indicated he is not ready to accept the government line-up without reservations.

Czechs send record number of SMS messages

Czechs sent a record number of SMS messages over the Christmas holidays. Operators report 75.2 million messages sent which is 6.7 million more than last year and is an all-time record. People also made 42 million calls to friends and family – four million more than last year. This is being put down to lower tariffs introduced earlier this year and the fact that Czechs are fast abandoning the practice of sending each other hand-written greetings and New Years’ wishes.

Czechs encouraged to exercise

Indoor sports facilities in Prague are open to the public for free from today until the end of the year. Over 100 such facilities have traditionally opened their doors in what is called a Week of Sport for Free. The event is intended to encourage more Prague inhabitants, particularly young people, to exchange the couch for the sport field or swimming pool. Last year 20,000 of the city’s inhabitants availed themselves of the opportunity. A list of the facilities open for free can be found at www.prahasportovni.cz

New Zealand police find body of dead man likely to be missing Czech

New Zealand police believe they have found the body of a young Czech reported missing on Christmas Eve. The dead body, found at Castle Rock, south of Castlepoint, has yet to be identified by the missing man’s family, but the description fits that of 34-year-old Miroslav Tvaroh who left home early on December 24th and failed to return. His partner informed the police who together with volunteers from the local surf club battled against strong winds in search of the missing man.

Moravia battered by strong winds over Christmas

Strong winds have continued to cause problems in the Moravian-Silesian, Olomouc and Zlín regions in the north-eastern Czech Republic. Winds reaching hurricane-force in places have been uprooting trees, bringing down power lines and complicating traffic throughout the region. Police and fire fighters have been out in force dealing with the situation, responding to over 100 emergency calls in 24 hours.

25.12.2013 Strong winds cause problems in northeast Czech Republic

Strong winds have caused problems in the Moravian-Silesian, Olomouc and Zlín regions in northeast Czech Republic, destroying roofs and breaking off tree branches, damaging power lines and blocking roads. Meteorologists said that wind gusts in some parts of the region had reached hurricane speeds. Fire fighters report dozens of incidents that have required their assistance on Tuesday and Wednesday. The authorities’ warning against strong winds is in place until Thursday noon.

Prague archbishop serves lunch for homeless

The Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka, served the traditional Christmas lunch for the homeless and the poor. The lunch was served at the Archbishop Palace and the Capuchin monastery in Prague’s Hradčany district on Wednesday. The menu included beef stock with liver dumplings, beef in cream sauce and roast duck, the organizers said. Some 270 people arrived for the lunch whose tradition started 15 years ago.

New Civil Code’s interpretation will take courts years to unify: judges’ union

Czech courts will take years to arrive at a unified interpretation of the new Civil Code, the head of country’s union of judges, Tomáš Lichovník, said on Wednesday. The new code enters into force in January, and brings far-reaching changes to Czech civil law. The code will first be interpreted by district courts and courts of appeals but only the Czech Supreme Court will bring unified interpretation, Mr Lichovník said. Some judges are considering retiring due to the introduction of the new code, according to Mr Lichovník.

NGOs to receive certification

Czech NGOs might receive certification that should help donors find the right recipients of their gifts, a Czech association of non-profit groups said. The certification should be based on the effectiveness with which the groups use their financial resources, and should help identify the most efficient among thousands of Czech NGOs, according to the association. The certification methods are being devised in cooperation with the International Committee on Fundraising Organizations; the new system could be launched in 2015.

Warm weather breaks temperature records

A spell of warm weather broke several temperature records across the Czech Republic on Christmas Eve. In Bohumín, in the northeast of the country, the temperature of 13.2 degrees Celsius was reported, beating a record from 1973. Unusually high temperatures were also recorded in Ostrava, the Šumava mountains, and other places.

Hockey: Hertl could miss Sochi Olympics over injury

The San Jose Shark’s forward Tomáš Hertl could miss the upcoming winter Olympic Games in Sochi due a keen injury. The 20-year-old Czech was injured in a last week’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. The first prognosis suggested he could be back on ice in a month’s time. But the Reuters news agency reported the player would have to undergo an operation which would almost certainly make him miss the games. The young Czech player had a great start into his first NHL season this year, scoring nine points in six games.

23.12.2013 - 24.12.2013 Russians pay last part of Soviet debt to Czech Republic

The Russian Finance Ministry announced on Monday that it has repaid the last part of its debt to the Czech Republic, which goes back to the time of the Soviet Union. Russia and the Czech Republic agreed on the repayment of the debt in 1994, and later the Czech government sold a large portion of 3.6 billion dollar total to a private company. Jiří Rusnok’s government approved the repayment of the remaining debt, of around 6.5 million dollars, this summer. The Russian ministry said it has paid it back through industrial production and monetary means.

Anti-monopoly office looks into the sale of radio stations to Agrofert

The Office for the Protection of Competition has begun investigating the sale of the company Londa, which runs the most listened to radios station in the Czech Republic – Radio Impuls. Londa was sold in November to Agrofert, which belongs to the billionaire and chairman of the ANO party Andrej Babíš. The anti-monopoly regulator should make the decision about the merger within a month. The Agrofert group has also purchased the publishing house MAFRA, which puts out two popular daily newspapers Mladá fronta Dnes and Lidové noviny, earlier this year.

Academy of Sciences breached grants distribution rules

The Czech Academy of Sciences has breached the rules the distribution of grants, according to a report by the country’s Supreme Audit Office. The report says that grant applications were not processed transparently over the past six years, and in some cases, the academy could not show how they were processed at all. The institution also made errors in approving investments and purchases of scientific instruments.

Mountain climber found dead in Slovakia confirmed to be missing man from Hradec Králové

The police have confirmed that the body of a mountain climber found over the weekend in Slovakia’s High Tatra mountains is that of Jaroslav "Jerry" Žilinský from Hradec Králové, who has been missing since late October. The body was found late on Friday by members of the mountain rescue service. The Slovak police have not yet determined the cause of death. Friends and family of Mr. Žilinský lost contact with him in late October after receiving letters and SMS messages suggesting he was planning to take his own life.

Grandhotel Pupp cooks for the homeless

The famous Karlovy Vary Grandhotel Pupp, which annually hosts the main receptions for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, is helping the local branch of the Salvation Army to feed the homeless this Christmas. Using ingredients donated by the cash and carry chain Makro, chefs at the Grandhotel Pupp prepared a meal for the last Sunday of Advent and will also provide the Christmas Eve meal for the needy. The food will be delivered by the hotel staff to the charity’s distribution centers. The cooks decided not to serve the traditional Christmas Eve dish of fried carp and potato salad, opting instead for a warmer meal of hearty potato soup with root vegetables and bread.

Water hydrant explodes into a geyser in central Prague

A broken water hydrant caused a five-meter geyser to burst on Jungmannové square in the center of Prague on Monday. According to the water company Veolia, the breech of the hydrant was caused by carp sellers, who were using it to fill the containers with live fish. The water was quickly turned off and no serious damage was caused to the surroundings. In the advent weeks, carp, which is a traditional Christmas food in the Czech Republic, is sold live on the streets of Czech towns and cities from barrels full of water.

More restaurants open on Christmas Eve and Day

Approximately 44 percent of restaurants in the Czech Republic will be open on Christmas Eve – the day most Czechs have Christmas dinner – according to a poll carried out by the gastronomic website Lunchtime.cz. Some restaurants plan to close early in the afternoon, while others will only open I the evening. Another five percent of restaurants will be open on Christmas Day. The website’s direct Igor Třeslín said that during the last five years that they have been collecting data on opening hours over the holidays, the number of restaurants open has grown significantly every year. Three years ago the vast majority of eating establishments in the Czech Republic were closed on Christmas.

New civil code views animals as living beings

The new civil code, which will come into effect in the Czech Republic starting in January, treats animals as living beings, contrary to previous legislature. As a result, harm inflicted on animals, for example, will be punishable by law. Owners of pets will also be able to sue those who were responsible for the death of their pet for emotional distress.

Strong winds expected in parts of Moravia

Meteorologists have issued warnings of strong winds for northern and eastern Moravia and Silesia, as well as black ice in the Vysočina region from Monday evening until Tuesday afternoon. The Czech Hydro-Meteorological Office expects winds of up to 75 kilometers an hour in parts of Moravia, and around 125 kilometers an hour in the Beskydy and Jeseníky mountains. Otherwise daytime temperatures, especially in the west of the country, are expected to be quite high for Christmas, going up to 8 degrees Celsius.

Temperature records broken across the country

Temperature records have been broken in 11 meteorological stations around the Czech Republic on Monday. The highest temperature of 11.1 degrees Celsius was recorded in Čáslav-Nové Město in Central Bohemia. In Bradýs nad Labem near Prague, the local station also measured 11 degrees during the day, though it was not a record temperature.

22.12.2013 New coalition agreement to be signed on January 6

The coalition agreement between the Social Democrats, ANO and the Christian Democrats will be signed on January 6, Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka said on Sunday. Speaking after a meeting with representatives of the other two parties, Mr Sobotka said the new government would have eight Social Democrat ministers, six nominated by the ANO party, and three by the Christian Democrats. While Mr Sobotka will be the prime minister of the coalition cabinet, ANO leader Andrej Babiš said he would become the finance minister; the Christian Democrats suggested earlier that their leader, Pavel Bělobrádek, would serve as the new minister of agriculture.

President signs next year’s state budget into law

President Miloš Zeman on Sunday signed next year’s state budget into law. The budget projects a deficit of 112 billion crowns, 12 billion more than this year. Lawmakers however believe the deficit will not exceed 3 percent of the Czech GDP. The budget, put forth by the outgoing interim government, won backing of 119 MPs of the emerging coalition earlier this week. The centre-right Civic Democrat and TOP 09 parties, meanwhile, said it was neither an austerity nor pro-growth budget.

Press: former top officials implicated in high-level corruption case

Former High State Attorney in Prague, Vlastimil Rampula, former deputy interior minister Michal Moroz and current MP for the Dawn party Radim Fiala are among those implicated in a high-profile corruption case which led to the fall of PM Petr Nečas’ government in June, the news agency ČTK reported on Sunday citing Monday’s edition of the weekly Euro. The magazine quotes a report by an supervising state attorney for the Constitutional Court. The report says the former officials took part in manipulating the selection process for positions within the police and state prosecution. The weekly alleges that the former officials worked in the pay of Ivo Ritting, a Prague entrepreneur who is in the centre of the investigation.

The case also implicated former PM Petr Nečas’ chief-of-staff, Jana Nagyová, who allegedly ordered officers of the country’s military intelligence to spy on Mr Nečas’ then wife. The scandal led to the fall of Petr Nečas’ government in June.

Police release footage of Nagyová arrest

In related news, the police on Sunday released video footage of the arrest of Jana Nagyová, the former chief of staff of then prime minister Petr Nečas, and how his wife. The head of the organized crime unit of the police, Robert Šlachta said the footage was released to defend the unit against accusations that its members used excessive force against Ms Nagyová, and that the police intervention was inadequate. The video shows police officers knocking on the door of Ms Nagyová’s apartment; as no one answers, they are getting ready to open the door by force. Ms Nagyová however eventually does open the door and is seen talking with the officers.

Snow, icy roads cause problems in Vysočina region

Fog, snow drifts and icy roads are causing traffic problems in parts of the Czech Republic, mainly in the central Vysočina region and north Moravia. The area around Jihlava and Třebíč is particularly affected, with frost-covered trees falling onto roads. The major D1 motorway between Prague and Brno is kept clear but dense fog limits visibility. Drivers have been asked to exercise extra caution.

Police arrest driver with 500 cannabis plants in stolen car

The police in Prague have arrested a man who was transporting some 500 marihuana plants in the trunk of a stolen car. The man was pulled over in the central Wilsonova street but said he only borrowed the car from a friend. However, the officers noted cannabis odour emanating from the trunk where they found hundreds of young cannabis plants, a spokeswoman for the force said. The man is facing five in prison.

Football: Vydra scores first Premier League goal

West Bromwhich striker Matěj Vydra scored his first Premier League. In Saturday’s match against Hull City, the 21-year-old Czech tied the game in the 86th minute, setting the final score at 1:1. Vydra, who is on loan from the Italian side Udinese, had been on the pitch for less than 20 minutes when he got his first premiership strike.

Hockey: Jágr tied for seventh place in NHL’s all-time goal list

The New Jersey Devils’ Jaromír Jágr scored his 694th goal in the NHL on Saturday night, tying Marc Messier for seventh place in the league’s all-time goal list. The 41-year-old Czech player added two assists in the game, contributing to his team’s 5:4 overtime win against the Washington Capitals. Another Czech in the Devils’ line-up, Marek Židlický, scored two goals in the game while Patrik Eliáš had two assists.

Hockey: Czechs beat Russia in Sochi

The Czech national hockey team beat Russia 2:1 on Sunday to finish first at the Channel One Cup, a pre-Olympic tournament in Sochi. The Czechs were one goal down when the hosts converted a penalty just after the start of the second period but scored two goals within the next four minutes; the hits came from Tomáš Naosek and Jiří Novotný. The Czech team previously beat Finland and Sweden at the event.

21.12.2013 Christian Democrats accept coalition proposal

The Christian Democrats on Saturday accepted the latest proposal for the distribution of government seats, paving the way for a coalition with the Social Democrat and ANO parties. The Christian Democrats agreed to take over the agriculture and culture ministries and to have deputy prime minister without portfolio. The three parties that have been in coalition talks for weeks have cleared all policy issues; however, the distribution of ministerial position remained unresolved until the Social Democrats on Friday agreed to the Christian Democrats taking over the Ministry of Agriculture.

European Commission orders audit of Czech health-care projects

The European Commission has ordered an audit of all EU-funded health-care projects in the Czech Republic, the website idnes.cz reported on Saturday, quoting a spokeswoman for the EU’s Directorate General for Regional Policy; the directorate ordered the audit with the Czech authorities in July. The news site assumes the move is a reaction to the case of David Rath, a former prominent politician who faces prison term over corruption in public procurement of hospital equipment in central Bohemia. The results of the audit should be available by the end of next year.

Zemanites keep president in party’s name

The Citizens’ Rights Party – Zemanites on Saturday decided to leave President Miloš Zeman’s surname in the official party name. The party, founded by a group of Mr Zeman’s friends and supporters, was hoping to capitalize on him serving as president; however, it suffered a severe debacle in October’s general election. Party leaders said they would again consider changing the name next spring.

Meteorologists warn of ice on roads

Meteorologists have warned of snow, fog and icy roads in several parts of the Czech Republic, mainly in the north and east of the country, after temperatures dropped below -3 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning. The situation is expected to improve early next week. Drivers should also exercise caution in the central Vysočina region where some roads are covered with snow and ice. Three people suffered light injuries in a series of accidents that occurred on the D1 motorway between Prague and Brno.

Czech TV to broadcast Christmas mass from Ostrava

Czech TV will broadcast the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve live from the Cathedral of the Divine Saviour in Ostrava, a spokeswoman for the public broadcaster’s Ostrava department said on Saturday. The mass will be celebrated by the bishop of the Ostrava-Opava diocese, František Václav Lobkwicz. The cathedral, built in the late 19th century, seats 4,000 people, and is one of the biggest churches in the country.

Winter swimmers mark anniversary in Prague

About a dozen winter swimmers marked the 90th anniversary of the beginnings of the sport in the country with a short swim in the Vltava in Prague on Saturday. They covered some 100-meter long distance in the Holešovice district which they believe saw the very first winter swim nearly a century ago. The best-known winter-swimming event, however, will take place on December 26 when some 250 swimmers from several countries are expected to plunge into the river near the National Theatre in central Prague.

Hockey: Czechs beat Sweden in Sochi

The Czech national hockey team defeated Sweden 2:1 in a penalty shootout in their second appearance at the Channel One Cup, a pre-Olympic tournament held in Sochi. The Czech were behind but equalized some eight minutes before the end of the third period. Roman Červenka then scored the decisive goal in the shootout. The Czechs beat Finland 2:0 in Prague on Saturday in the tournament’s opener.

20.12.2013 Christian Democrats win important concession in coalition talks

The Christian Democrats have won a significant concession from their partners in the emerging coalition government. In an effort to break the deadlock in talks on Friday the Social Democrats agreed to leave the agriculture ministry portfolio to the Christian Democrats, if they could have a deputy at the ministry in charge of the land register which deals with property restitutions. The Christian Democrats have also been offered the culture ministry and the post of deputy prime minister without portfolio. The second strongest party ANO said that although it had been against such an arrangement it would respect the deal.

Christian Democrats still unsure regarding possible participation in emerging coalition

Christian Democrat leader Pavel Bělobrádek said he welcomed the concession but was not optimistic regarding a positive outcome of the talks since his party wanted to be in control of three fully-fledged ministries. The Christian Democratic Party leadership is to consider the offer in the coming hours. The Social Democrats have made it clear that this is the final concession they are prepared to make in the division of ministerial posts.

President commissions legal study on his powers within the constitution

Speculation that President Miloš Zeman may reject some of the proposed ministers in the new cabinet has been fuelled by a report that the President’s Office asked the Czech Academy of Sciences to produce a legal study regarding his rights within the boundaries set by the Constitution. According to the internet news site lidovky.cz the study produced by the Academy’s Institute for State and Law claims that the president is not a passive player in the process of establishing a new government and would be acting within his rights were he to reject any of the PMs nominees for ministerial posts. President Zeman has already made it clear that he would not accept Social Democrat Lubomír Zaorálek as foreign minister or Martin Stropnický of ANO as defence minister. Some political analysts suggest that Mr. Zeman is not only breaking with tradition but overstepping his powers by meddling in the line-up of the next cabinet.

Ex-president Klaus critical of his successor

The former president Vaclav Klaus on Friday criticized his successor Miloš Zeman for breaking with tradition and stretching his powers to the limit. Speaking to journalists Mr. Klaus said that during the ten years he had spent in office he had never refused a proposed appointment by a prime minister although in private he had often tried to persuade him to reconsider his decision. Once such a decision was firmly made I accepted it, albeit with a gnashing of teeth, Mr. Klaus noted. The former president who supported Miloš Zeman in the presidential race also slammed his successor’s decision not to continue with the tradition of presidential New Years’ addresses. Mr. Zeman has decided to deliver a Christmas message instead.

Twelve people charged over contracts awarded during Czech EU presidency

The High State Attorney in Prague has charged 12 people over contracts awarded by the Czech government during the country’s EU presidency in 2009, state attorney Tomáš Černý said. The prosecutors say that contracts for audiovisual services, awarded to the firm Promopro during the six-month period, were overpriced by 338 million crowns. Among those charged with manipulating public tenders and abuse of office are three former close associates of Alexandr Vondra, who was deputy prime minister for European affairs when the alleged offences took place. Mr. Vondra himself has not been charged.

Czech Ombudsman resigns

Pavel Varvařovský has resigned as Ombudsman. The office will temporarily be headed by his deputy Stanislav Kreček until a new Ombudsman has been elected to office. Mr. Varvařovský announced his decision earlier this month without stating any reasons for his departure. He had in the past criticized lawmakers for what he called disrespect for his recommendations. Pavel Varvařovský, a former Constitutional Court judge, was the second Czech ombudsman, after the late Otakar Motejl. He has held the post since September, 2010.

Confidence in the economy up for fifth consecutive month

Overall confidence in the Czech economy increased slightly in December for the fifth consecutive month. According to figures released by the Czech Statistics Office the economic sentiment indicator in December increased by one point as compared to November to 5.5 points. Confidence increased in trade and selected services. Confidence in industry remained unchanged and in construction it slightly decreased. Business confidence has been rising while consumer confidence remains virtually unchanged, statisticians said.

Křetínský and Tkac buy Ringier Axel Springer group

Businessmen Daniel Křetínský and Pavel Tkac have confirmed buying the Ringier Axel Springer CZ group. The value of the group which publishes the Czech Republic’s best-selling tabloid Blesk, the weekly Reflex, and a daily sports newspaper among others, has been estimated at 4.7 billion crowns (170 million euro). In a statement for journalists the group’s new owners said their main task would be to address the address the problems facing print publishers.

Light of Bethlehem arrives in Prague

The light of Bethlehem arrived in Prague on Friday. Traditionally it was borne by a group of girl and boy scouts who travel for the light of Bethlehem to Vienna from where it is taken to Brno and then Prague. In the Czech capital it was first taken to St. Vitus Cathedral where it was received by Cardinal Dominik Duka and from there to a number of spiritual sites and institutions including Czech Radio. People will be able to come to the radio building at Vinohradska to light candles from the flame after 5.30 pm up until Christmas Eve. The tradition of bringing the light of Bethlehem to the Czech Republic started in 1990 a year after the fall of communism.

Hockey: Czechs beat Finland at Channel One Cup

The Czech national hockey team beat Finland 2:0 in Prague on Thursday night, in the opening game of the Channel One Cup. The goals came from Petr Nedvěd and Jaroslav Hlinka. Coach Alois Hadamiczik praised the performance of goalie Jakub Kovář who had 39 saves. The Czech team will move to Sochi on Friday where the tournament’s remaining games will be played. The Channel One Cup is the last event ahead of the Olympic Games that get underway in Sochi in February.

19.12.2013 Social Democrat, ANO, Christian Democrat only viable coalition: Social Democrat leader

The only viable coalition is that of the Social Democrats, ANO and Christian Democrats, according to Social Democrat leader Bohuslav Sobotka. Speaking after a meeting with President Zeman on Thursday, Mr Sobotka told reporters an ongoing dispute with the Christian Democrats over which party will take over the Agriculture Ministry would not impede talks among the three parties on forming the next government.

Christian Democrats to continue in coalition talks

In related news, the Christian Democrats are ready to continue in coalition talks with the Social Democrat and ANO parties even if the broader Christian Democrat leadership rejects the latest proposal on distribution of ministerial posts, party leader Pavel Bělobrádek said on Thursday. The Christian Democrats have been offered the portfolios of labour and social affairs, environment and transport. However, the party said earlier it would not join the next government without taking over the Ministry of Agriculture. The Christian Democrat leadership is set to discuss the proposal later on Thursday.

Lower house approves state budget for 2014

The lower house of Czech Parliament on Thursday approved the state budget for next year. The budget projects a deficit of 112 billion crowns, 12 billion more than this year. The deficit is not expected to exceed 3 percent of the country’s GDP. The budget, put forth by the outgoing interim Czech government, was backed by 109 MPs of the emerging coalition while centre-right Civic Democrats and TOP 09 deputies voted against. MPs of the Communist and Dawn parties abstained from the vote. The budget bill is now to be signed into law by the president.

New poll puts ANO on top

A new poll by the STEM agency suggests that the ANO party would win a general election with 22.4 percent of the vote, 2.5 percent ahead of the Social Democrats. The Communists would come in third with 17 percent of the vote, followed by the conservative TOP 09 party, Dawn, the Civic Democrats and the Christian Democrats. The survey suggests that the ANO, Communist and Dawn parties would now receive more votes than they did in October’s general election.

President’s chief of staff applies for security clearance

The Czech president’s chief of staff, Vratislav Mynář, applied for security clearance with the National Security Authority on Thursday, nine months after assuming his post. Mr Mynář applied for the top secret level clearance. President Zeman said earlier his chief of staff would have to leave his post if he fails to apply. Mr Mynář explained that it had taken him so long to apply because he needed to collect hundreds of documents relating to 20 years of his professional and personal life.

Labour offices banned from using IT system for welfare payments

The Czech anti-monopoly authority has prohibited labour offices from using their IT system for welfare payments, a spokesman for the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry said. The ban came into effect on Wednesday. The anti-monopoly authority imposed the ban due to the fact the system, which was introduced last January, was chosen without an open tender. The ban will not affect welfare payments for December which have already been sent, a spokeswoman for the labour office said. Former labour and social affairs deputy minister, Vladimír Šiška, is being prosecuted on corruption charges in the case.

News site: Křetínský close to buying publisher of Blesk

Businessman Daniel Křetínský is set to take over the Ringier Axel Springer CZ group, which publishes the Czech Republic’s best-selling tabloid Blesk and other titles, iDnes.cz reported. The deal should be done in the next week, the news website said. Mr. Křetínský is co-owner and head of Energetický a průmyslový holding, in which the PPF group is also a major shareholder. He is reported to be planning to buy the media group, which also issues the daily Sport and the weekly Reflex, in cooperation with other investors, including Patrik Tkáč, who is also involved in Energetický a průmyslový holding.

Lower house lifts immunity of deputy facing charges of abuse of power during police career

Czech MPs have voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of deputy Bronislav Schwarz of ANO to allow the police to investigate him on criminal charges. He faces abuse of power accusations in connection with an incident in 2006 when, as a local police chief, he ordered that suspects be cuffed during an unauthorised raid of a flat where drug making equipment was found. Mr. Schwarz was elected to the Chamber of Deputies at the end of October but denies standing in the hope of securing immunity.

Olomouc archdiocese claims chateau in Kroměříž

The Roman Catholic archdiocese of Olomouc has claimed the Baroque chateau in the nearby town of Kroměříž, a spokesman for the archdiocese said on Thursday. The chateau, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, served as a seat of the Olomouc bishops and archbishops until 1948 when it was confiscated by the communist authorities. The Archbishop of Olomouc, Jan Graubner, said if the chateau is returned to the church, it would remain open to the public. The claim comes as part of a controversial church property restitution deal; Czech churches and religious societies have until the end of the year to claim property confiscated by Czechoslovakia’s communist regime.

Four dead in Moravia road crash

Four people died in a road crash that occurred near the town of Kroměříž on Thursday afternoon. The accident happened when a car swerved into the opposite lane where it hit another vehicle. Three people died on the spot, the fourth victim succumbed to her injuries after she was taken to hospital. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

Hockey: Jágr scores his 693rd NHL goal

Czech hockey star Jaromír Jágr is in sole possession of eighth place in the NHL’s all-time goals list after he scored his 693rd goal in the league, securing the New Jersey Devils’ 5:2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night. The goal was also the 41-year-old right winger’s 122nd game-winning goal.