Czech Republic News 07.09 - 09.09.2012

A thirty-six-year old man has been charged in connection with the sale of illegally-produced brandy that killed three people this week. Six others are in critical condition in hospital, most of them likely to lose their eyesight. It is not clear if the man in question produced the alcohol or sold it. The victims all bought the brandy from a street stall in the Moravian town of Havirov, where it was sold on tap. However two more cases of alcohol poisoning have since appeared in the towns of Znojmo and Kyov. Warnings have been issued to the public not to buy cheap liquor in the street until the incident has been investigated.

 

Injured soldier transported home

A Czech soldier who was seriously injured in Friday’s missile attack against the Shank operating base in Afghanistan has been transported home. The soldier, who served on the provincial reconstruction team in Logar province, was injured by flying shrapnel and was airlifted to a military hospital in Kabul where he was operated on by Czech physicians. On Saturday night he was flown home in an army special and is now receiving care at Prague’s military hospital in Střešovice. There are currently some 300 Czech soldiers and civilian experts working at the Shank base in Logar.

 

National theatre management requests meeting with culture minister

The management of Prague’s National Theatre has requested a meeting with the culture minister, Alena Hanáková, over Friday’s unexpected dismissal of the theatre’s director Ondřej Černý. The management has questioned the move in an open letter to the minister and criticized her decision to appoint her deputy Martin Sankot as a temporary replacement. The management says the task should be given to someone from their own ranks in view of the complexities involved in managing such an institution.

Minister Hanáková on Friday sacked the theatre’s director without forewarning, later saying that she was not happy with the pace of the ongoing merger of the National Theatre and the Prague State Opera. The theatre head has rejected the stated reason for his dismissal saying his sacking and the manner in which it was undertaken reflected “arrogance of power”. Černý’s mandate was to have expired in March of 2013.

 

PM warns against provisional budget next year

Prime Minister Petr Nečas has warned against a drawn-out debate on the government proposed tax hikes saying the country could find itself operating on a provisional budget next year. The prime minister defended the government proposed tax hikes, which the lower house rejected thanks to six rebels from his own party, saying that a final rejection of the bill would mean the introduction of a single 17.5 percent VAT which would increase the state deficit by 24 billion crowns. The prime minister ,who has sent the law back to the lower house linked to a vote of confidence in his administration, said in a televised debate on Sunday that should his government fall he would prefer to see early elections to a caretaker cabinet.

 

Regional leaders demand end to rebellion

Ten regional Civic Democratic Party leaders have called on the six rebel MPs from the party to “end their rebellion” and vote in favour of the government proposed tax hikes. In an open letter to the deputies the regional leaders say that their behaviour is damaging the Civic Democratic Party ahead of the autumn elections and claim that the real reason behind the rebellion is an attempt to oust Petr Nečas from his post as party leader and prime minister. Three regional leaders have not supported the appeal.

 

Jiří Bělohlávek takes his leave of BBC Symphony Orchestra

Czech conductor Jiří Bělohlávek took his leave of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in grand style on Saturday night conducting the closing night of the BBC Proms. Bělohlávek who has been chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra for the last six years got a standing ovation from the crowd and a heartfelt rendition of Auld Lang Syne. The conductor received a big cheer when he pulled out the CBE honour given him by Queen Elizabeth and put it round his neck. Mr. Bělohlávek will now be moving back to Prague where he is serve as chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra.

 

Drunk pilot crashes hang glider

A powered hang glider crashed near Mostkovice in the Prostějov region on Sunday after attempting to land in a field. The sixty-eight-year old pilot was taken to hospital with an open fracture of the forearm. Police investigating the accident took a breathalyzer which showed that the man was heavily intoxicated.

 

Weather

The coming days should be clear and sunny with day temperatures reaching 29 degrees Celsius.

 

Cheap brandy kills three, four others in critical condition

Three people have died and four others are in critical condition after drinking what appears to have been illegally produced brandy. If the others pull through doctors say they may be blind. The people in question all bought the brandy from a street stall in the Moravian town of Havirov. Police confiscated several barrels of the suspect drink on Friday and are still looking for the producer. Warnings are being issued to the public not to buy cheap liquor in the street until the incident has been investigated.

FBI to help train Czech officers

The FBI is to help train Czech police officers in fighting corruption. Deputy Interior Minister Jaroslav Hruška, who is on a working visit to the United States, told the CTK news agency that the training had been agreed on and arrangements regarding time and place were in progress. Mr. Hruška said the Czech anti-corruption unit had a lot to learn from the FBI and that Prague was grateful for the offer which came from the US ambassador to the Czech Republic Norman Eisen.

Former Czech ambassador to Australia may face charges

The police want to file charges against the former Czech ambassador to Australia Juraj Cmiel. Investigators say they have evidence that Mr. Chmiel manipulated a public procurement deal. He reportedly waived the need for a tender on a large project by dividing it up into five smaller ones. The file on the case has been handed to the Prague 1 state attorney’s office. Mr. Chmiel could be charged with abuse of office and mismanagement of public funds.

Finance minister says not much manoeuvring space in revising austerity package

Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek has warned there is not much manoeuvring space in revising the government’s austerity package for 2013. In an interview for the daily Pravo the finance minister said that the present agreement was hard-won and involved numerous concessions and would be in danger of collapsing in the event of radical changes.

The bill, which is crucial to the government’s fiscal consolidation plans, was rejected by the lower house this week and has been sent back linked to a vote of confidence in the centre-right administration. It was rejected due to six deputies from the Civic Democratic Party who oppose tax hikes in principle and want the austerity measures to focus more on the expenditures side of the budget. Prime Minister Petr Nečas said this week that a revision would still be possible but that it must be agreed on by all coalition parties.

Historians uncover recordings containing Leoš Janáček’s voice

Historians have uncovered unique phonograph recordings of composer Leoš Janáček’s voice. The recordings were found in the archives of the Ethnological Institute of the Academy of Sciences. They were made in 1912 when Janáček recorded samples of two promising Slovak singers. He himself appears in the recordings giving them directions. The recordings will be digitalized. They appear to be the only preserved recordings of Janáček’s voice.

Police investigating young girl’s murder charge mother

Police investigating the violent death of an 18-year-old girl in the Prachatice region in South Bohemia have arrested the girl’s mother and charged her with murder. At the family’s request no details have been released. The young girl was killed while out camping. Her body was found in a tent and police said she had suffered numerous stab wounds.

Foodparade attracts hundreds to Troya Park

Prague’s second annual Foodparade attracted hundreds of people to the city’s Troya Park on Saturday. Fifteen leading Czech restaurants presented their specialties at the festival with chefs preparing some of the food out in the open. Visitors could taste samples of Italian and French cuisine and find out about molecular gastronomy. The two-day festival ends on Sunday with a bartenders show.

 

Czech soldier seriously injured in missile attack on Shank base

A Czech soldier serving in Afghanistan is reported to have been seriously injured in Friday’s missile attack on the Shank operating base in Logar province. The soldier, who is on the provincial reconstruction team, was airlifted to a military hospital in Kabul where he is in the care of Czech physicians. There are currently some 300 Czech soldiers and civilian experts working at the base.

Lower house approves government’s pension reform

The lower house has approved the government’s pension reform, overriding the Senate’s veto of the bill. The legislation, which should take effect next year, introduces a so-called “second pillar” of the pension system which will open the way for transfers of money from the state pension system to individual accounts in private insurance companies. People will also be able to transfer three percent of their social security insurance to private pension companies on the condition that they add two percent on their own. The opposition Social Democrats have criticized the second pillar for serving only a select group of rich clients. Party leader Bohuslav Sobotka has said his party would scrap the second pillar when it came to power.

National Theatre head dismissed

Culture Minister Alena Hanáková has dismissed the head of Prague’s National Theatre Ondřej Černý. A spokesman for the ministry said Mr. Černý had received a terse notice of dismissal on Friday morning saying there had been no mention of why he was being sacked. Minister Hanakova’s deputy Martin Sankot will run the theatre until a new head is appointed. Černý’s mandate would have expired in March of 2013.

MP David Rath faces new corruption charges

The lower house of Parliament has voted to give up MP David Rath for criminal prosecution in another case of suspected corruption. This case relates to manipulated tenders and dubious purchases at a number of central Bohemian hospitals. The motion was supported by 174 out of 185 deputies present. The former central Bohemian governor who is in custody facing corruption charges in connection with an alleged seven million crown bribe asked to be given up saying he wanted to clear his name in court. He has accused the centre-right government of organizing a well-orchestrated smear campaign ahead of the autumn elections.

Czech foreign minister to visit US

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is expected to undertake a working visit to the United States later this month, a Czech Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday. Mr. Schwarzenberg is expected to travel to the United States on September 20th and a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been scheduled for the next day. The Czech foreign minister will later travel to New York to attend a session of the UN General Assembly.

Ostrava mayor calls on Brussels for help

The mayor of Ostrava, one of the most polluted cities in the country, has called on the EU’s environment commissioner for help in resolving the situation. Mayor Petr Kaynar says the town is prepared to invest in a long-term strategy to improve the environment, particularly the quality of air, but would like the problem to be addressed on a broader scale. The mayor says that according to several independent studies most of the air pollution plaguing the town originates in neighbouring Poland. Health statistics show that the air pollution in the eastern part of the country, particularly Ostrava, has resulted in a growing incidence of asthma and allergy problems.

Pitr’s appeal rejected

The Prague High Court on Friday upheld a three-year prison sentence for businessman Tomas Pitr for tax evasion and an illegal transfer of shares. Pitr appealed the length of the sentence despite the fact that he will only have to serve 12 months, having already spent two years in custody. Pitr was found guilty in 2010 of having damaged the Agrocredit company, robbing them of shares worth 700 million crowns.

Cheap brandy kills two, others in serious condition with alcohol poisoning

Two people have died of alcohol poisoning and three others remain in serious condition after consuming cheap brandy bought from a street stall in the Moravian town of Havirov. Police have confiscated several barrels of the suspect drink which was sold on tap and are questioning the salesman. Warnings are being issued to the public not to buy cheap liquor in the street until the incident has been investigated.

London Booster doing push-ups on Old Town Square

The London Booster, a 1957 red double-decker bus fitted with giant hydraulic arms, which attracted crowds doing push-ups in front of the Czech Olympic House in Islington has arrived on Prague’s Old Town Square. The work of Czech artist David Cerny is to be part of a weekend happening celebrating the country’s Olympic achievements. After that it will be dismantled and reassembled on the premises of Agrofert Holding the firm which bought the Olympic artefact. The public will be able to view it again on the firm’s premises in late October.

Pirate party comes first in mock student elections

The Pirate party, right-of-centre TOP 09 and the extremist Workers´ Party of Social Justice would win the Czech regional elections if it were up to secondary school students. Nearly 22,000 students from 170 secondary schools across the country took part in the mock elections, organised by the NGO People in Need. In the student vote, the Pirate party won 20 percent, TOP 09 received 15 percent, and the extremist Workers´ Party of Social Justice received 10 percent. Analysts say the vote reflects a strong anti-establishment sentiment.