Czech News 12.6.2014 - 05.6.2014

CR: 12.6.2014

Minister warns Czech tourists could face complications in unstable North African states

Czech holidaymakers may face more complications this summer than in previous years, the minister of foreign affairs, Lubomír Zaorálek, said on Thursday. Mr. Zaorálek said some destinations in North Africa popular with Czechs were not entirely safe at present, adding that would-be tourists should pay close attention to the situation in the states in question. As in previous years, temporary Czech consulates will be opened at resorts in Croatia, Bulgaria and Spain.

Police chief apologies over behaviour of police over request to lift MP’s immunity

The head of the Czech police force, Tomáš Tuhý, has apologised for the behaviour of detectives in connection with a request to the Chamber of Deputies to lift the parliamentary immunity of MP Zuzana Kailová, a request rejected in a vote on Tuesday. In a letter to the speaker of the lower house, Jan Hamáček, the police president said officers had not behaved in a polite and correct fashion. Mr. Hamáček complained that he had learned about the police's wish to file charges filed against Ms. Kailová from the media. Ms. Kailová, an MP with the Social Democrats, is accused of breach of trust and abuse of office in a previous function in local politics.

Population rises slightly in first three months of year

The population of the Czech Republic grew by around 5,000 in the first three months of this year, according to figures released on Thursday by the Czech Statistics Office. The slight rise follows a falloff of around 3,700 last year, the first decline recorded in a decade. At the end of March the population of the Czech Republic stood at 10,517,400.

Greens, Christian Democrats, interested in Marvanová for senatorial run

The Greens and Christian Democrats are reportedly both interested in Marvanová for a senatorial run in communal and Senate elections to be held in the autumn. The respected lawyer, who Time Magazine once wrote about as a potential prime minister when she was a member of the now long defunct grouping of centre-right parties called the Four-Coalition, recently stepped down as deputy justice minister, following clashes with her former boss. The head of the ANO movement, Andrej Babiš, also reportedly wanted her as a candidate, but the lawyer has she said she is returning to private practice.

President, Finance Minister, agree that boost in state investment is needed

President Miloš Zeman and Finance Minister Andrej Babiš have agreed that in line with economic growth the state should increase investment in public projects. Mr Zeman, coming off a three-day tour of the Liberec region, said he and the finance minister would meet for talks in the coming days. The Liberec region welcomed the idea of increased funds, such as the planned renovation of local roads and infrastructure. The Transport Minister Antonín Prachař is also to take part in the talks. One problem is that not all projects are developed far enough to be eligible for funding at this point, the Czech News Agency writes.

President appoints Vojtěch Šimíček as Constitutional Court judge

President Milos Zeman has appointed Vojtěch Šimíček as a Constitutional Court judge. Justice Šimíček, who previously served at the Supreme Administrative Court, was approved by the Senate at the end of last month. After Thursday’s ceremony Mr. Zeman praised him for brave and unorthodox decisions in the past, but the judge said he felt neither adjective applied to him.

Nine Inch Nails play first concert at new Prague venue Forum Karlín

The American rock band Nine Inch Nails played the first show at a new music venue in Prague on Wednesday night. The Forum Karlín, which has a capacity of 3,000 standing or 2,000 seated, is one of the few concert spaces of its size in the city. The venue’s opening is being seen as another step in the revitalisation of the Karlín district. Among events scheduled for Forum Karlín is a concert by Queens of the Stone Age.

Štěpánek causes upset with win over Murray in London

The Czech tennis player Radek Štěpánek has caused an upset by beating Scotland's Andy Murray 7-6 6-2 in the third round of a grass court competition at London's Queen's Club. The tournament is seen as a warm up for Wimbledon, of which Murray is resigning men's champion. Tomáš Berdych is also into the fourth round after a win over Adrian Mannarin of France.

Czech FA fines Plzeň CZK 100,000 over crowd trouble

The Czech Football Association’s disciplinary commission has fined Viktoria Plzeň CZK 100,000 over crowd trouble at one of the top flight club’s final home games of the season. The figure is higher than the usual amount levied for similar offences as it was not the first such occurrence at Plzeň’s stadium this year. The referee had to stop a game between the hosts and Brno for five minutes because of vulgar chanting from the crowd. The chanting continued after the match had been resumed.

Veselý still first overall after third place in javelin at Oslo Diamons League meeting

The Czech athlete Vitězslav Veselý finished third in the javelin at a Diamond League meeting in Oslo on Wednesday night with a throw of 83.55m, his third best of the season. The event was won by Tero Pitkamaki of Finland. The result leaves Veselý, who is 31 and is coached by javelin legend Jan Železný, first overall in the discipline in the Diamond League.

11.6.2014

Police launch massive operation to try and solve missing persons cases

More than 300 police officers on Wednesday have been taking part in an extensive search operation in the area of Louny in the hopes of finding clues in several ongoing missing person cases. It is the largest such operation in the Ústí region in two years. The search is primarily for the body of Jana Pourová, a mother-of-four who disappeared in February 2013. Her husband is suspected of her murder but police have not been able to gather evidence to press charges. Two men in the Louny area have also been missing since 2010 and 2011. Along with sniffer dogs, police are relying on a remote-controlled helicopter drone, complete with a camera, to scan hard-to-reach terrain.

Health care unions to push for five percent pay rise

The country’s health and social care unions are pushing for a pay increase next year of five percent, rejecting the 3.5 percent promised by the government. At a press conference Wednesday, union representatives pointed to the low wages earned by those who care for the elderly or disabled, warning of a worsening of quality. Union leader Dagmar Žitníková charged that long term the situation had only grown worse, saying that jobs in the social services were among the most poorly paid. According to Žitníková, government cuts, higher VAT and the weakening of the Czech crown had all affected the sector negatively.

Ten injured in bus crash

Ten people were injured on Wednesday in a bus crash shortly before noon in the area of Nový Jičín. A police spokesman confirmed that not far from a local recreation site the bus went off the road and flipped over. One of the injured was trapped inside and had to be freed by an emergency crew. A helicopter was also sent to the scene.

Police search for kidnapping suspect

Austrian and Czech police are searching for a 38-year-old Plzeň resident and his two sons aged six and ten. The man faces several criminal charges, including kidnapping. The father of two chose to ignore an Austrian court ruling granting custody of the children to their mother. She has not seen her sons since last June while an Austrian official saw them in mid-February. The police have issued information such as license plate numbers of the suspect's vehicles, a Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat, asking the public for help in trying to pinpoint his location. Police suspect the man remains in the Plzeň area.

Veterinary authority finds no evidence of negligence in sea lion death

The Regional Veterinary Authority in Ostrava found no evidence on Tuesday of negligence on the part of the Princ circus in the death of a sea lion it was transporting. The animal died en route during a major heat wave this week. A second specimen survived but had to be cooled with water. Both animals were being transferred in dry tanks. There are indications that the animal that died had a heart problem. Although there are no “maximum limits” regarding daytime temperatures the veterinary authority said he personally would have postponed the transport of the animals until the heat wave had passed. Temperatures in the Czech Republic in recent days have soared well over 30 degrees Celsius.

German embassy to open doors to public on Thursday, marking events of 1989

The German embassy in Prague will open its doors to schoolchildren and other visitors on Thursday to mark 25 years since communism in Europe began to collapse. The embassy will recall what grew into a flood of East German refugees in 1989 travelling to Prague and climbing over the then-West German embassy walls to escape totalitarianism. By September, thousands had done so, camping on the embassy grounds, before they were allowed to seek refuge in West Germany. The embassy will be open to the public on Thursday afternoon and will see discussions with former East Germans who fled, former officials who helped them, and others including author Jaroslav Rudiš and artist David Černý.

Poll finds parents less than satisfied with quality of foreign language teaching at schools

More than three-quarters of Czech parents share the opinion that their children do not get enough hours learning foreign languages both at the primary and secondary school levels, according to a new poll conducted by Data Collect. Two-thirds of those questioned also said the quality of teaching languages was erratic, varying from teacher to teacher and upon methods used. Many consequently sign their children up for afterschool lessons or find other means of bolstering learning. Of those who took part in the survey, a full 80 percent said they preferred when teachers of English used only English in the classroom. Ninety-seven percent said they wanted their children to learn English first as a second language, followed by German, Russian, French and Spanish. Two percent of parents said learning Chinese was important.

Lucie perform to 16,000 in first of three shows in Prague on comeback tour

The Czech rock band Lucie played to an audience of 16,000 at Prague’s O2 Arena on Tuesday night in the first of three consecutive concerts at the venue. Tickets for the opening show sold out within hours. Lucie, who were one of the biggest Czech groups in the 1990s and ceased activities in 2004, are in the middle of a comeback tour that is expected to see them perform to more than 100,000 people.

I Origins will kick off 49th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The American film I Origins will open the upcoming 49th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival organisers have announced. Top guests will include actor Michael Pitt, actress Astrid Berges-Frisbey, and director Mike Cahill. The science fiction film, awarded at Sundance this year, tells the story of a molecular biologist who makes a significant and unexpected discovery. Actor Michael Pitt returns to Karlovy Vary after nine years: he also attended back in 2005 when the Gus Van Sant film Last Days, inspired in part by the life and death of rock star Kurt Cobain, was screened.

Czech FA chief: Failure to reach World Cup cost over CZK 300 million

The chairman of the Czech Football Association, Miroslav Pelta, says the country’s failure to reach the World Cup in Brazil has cost Czech soccer at least CZK 300 million. Speaking in Wednesday’s edition of Mladá fronta Dnes, Mr. Pelta said a third of that sum would have been spent on participation in the competition, but the rest would have gone to the Czech FA. He said the team, then managed by Michal Bílek, had failed to qualify from a relatively easy group because they had lost points in home games.

10.6.2014

Zeman refuses to apologise over statements linking Islam to violence

President Miloš Zeman has refused to apologise for statements he made linking “Islamic ideology” and violence, the Czech News Agency reported on Tuesday, quoting his spokesman. The international Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had called on the Czech head of state to retract a statement he made in Israel at the end of last month, when, speaking about an attack on a Jewish museum in Brussels, he said Islamic ideology had motivated similar acts of violence. Mr. Zeman said apologising for quoting from Islamic texts would constitute “blasphemy”.

MPs vote not to lift immunity of colleague suspected of breach of trust in local politics

The Chamber of Deputies has voted not to strip Social Democrat MP Zuzana Kailová of her parliamentary immunity. The police had wished to charge her with breach of trust and abuse of office in connection with a previous function in local politics in Ústí nad Labem. Forty-two of 173 MPs present in the Chamber of Deputies voted to lift her immunity in a vote on Tuesday, while 81 voted against. The police will be able to charge Ms. Kailová once her mandate expires.

Forecasters extend tropical weather warning

Forecasters have extended a tropical weather warning to the whole of Bohemia and the South Moravia region, with temperatures of up to 34 degrees expected in low-lying areas on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Czech Hydro-meteorological Institute also said that severe storms could hit several parts of the country on Wednesday. Temperature records have been broken at numerous weather stations in recent days and hundreds of people have been treated for heat-related health problems.

Czech Republic would like strong economic portfolio for its next EU commissioner

The Czech Republic would like a strong economic-oriented portfolio for its next EU commissioner, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka told newsmen after Monday’s cabinet meeting. The prime minister said five specific portfolios had been discussed, but he would not specify which particular posts the Czech Republic was interested in. The question of finding a suitable candidate for the post has been shelved until it is clear what portfolio the new commissioner will take up. Among the nominees put forward a the Czech Republic’s first EU commissioner Pavel Telička, former finance minister Pavel Mertlík and outgoing MEP Zuzana Roithová. The current Czech commissioner for EU enlargement Štefan Fuele is due to step down in the autumn.

Prague councillors reject plan to demolish Wenceslas Sq. building

Prague councillors have cancelled a controversial decision to demolish a building on the corner of Wenceslas Square and Opletalová St. City Hall has returned the matter to the Prague 1 construction authority, which it said was responsible for shortcomings in its original decision to tear down the building. In recent months there had been protests against a plan to demolish the building and replace it with a modern office block.

Zeman backs revival of plans to build “Blob” in Prague

President Miloš Zeman says he is in favour of the revival of a project to construct a controversial modern building nicknamed “the Blob” on Prague’s Letná Plain. The futuristic design of a new National Library building by the late architect Jan Kaplický divided opinion and met resistance from some politicians when it was mooted towards the end of the last decade. Speaking on a visit to Liberec, Mr. Zeman said he would try to intercede on behalf of the project. In recent months there have been fresh suggestions that the Blob could be built in Prague, but possibly not at the originally intended site.

Police investigating death of circus sea lion transported in heat wave

Police are investigating how a circus sea lion died on Monday while being transported between two towns in Moravia. A police spokesperson said there was a suspicion of neglect in connection with the animal’s death, while a representative of the State Veterinary Authority said transporting animals that need to be in water was highly difficult during the kind of hot weather the Czech Republic is currently experiencing. Fire officers saved a second sea lion belonging to the Princ circus when they cooled it down with water and filled its tank, which had been empty.

Prague institutions gearing up for free Museums Night on Saturday

Museums in Prague are gearing up for the annual Museums Night, which takes place on Saturday. Some 69 buildings run by close to 40 institutions are taking part in the event, which gets underway at 19:00 and offers visitors a rare chance to view the venues by night. Special lectures, concerts, theatre and dance performances, film screenings and workshops are also being put on, organisers said on Tuesday. All the institutions will be offering free admission during the Museums Night, which this year is being held for the 11th time.

Organisers promising over 150 performances at United Islands of Prague festival

The organisers of next week’s United Islands of Prague festival say that over 150 musical acts from nearly two dozen countries will perform during the three-day event. Concerts will be free at eight venues from Thursday to Saturday, apart from shows at the city’s Kinsky garden and a performance by hip hop star DJ Shadow at MeetFactory.

09.6.2014

Czech Republic may vote against Albania getting candidate status in the EU

The Czech Republic may prevent Albania getting candidate status in the EU over a drawn-out dispute between the Czech state-owned firm ČEZ and the Albanian state, the ctk news agency reports citing well-informed sources in Brussels. The Czech Republic filed an international arbitration suit against Tirana after the Albanian authorities revoked ČEZ’s license, seized its assets and forced it out of the country last year. ČEZ is seeking compensation for damage to its investment in the power distribution company ČEZ Shperndarje, which it modernized and expanded at the cost of 100 million euros. Talks between Prague and Tirana on the matter are currently deadlocked. The EC backed Albania’s candidate status in the EU earlier this month and a vote on the issue is expected in the course of the summer in all 28 member states.

Head of Grant Agency resigns citing lobbyist pressure

The head of the Czech Grant Agency Petr Matějů has resigned from office. Mr. Matějů, who has held the post for six years, said he was resigning due to growing lobbyist pressure from various interest groups who were striving to gain control the agency. He accused these lobbyists of being behind orchestrated smear campaigns which cast doubts on the transparency of the agency’s policy of allocating grants for science and research projects.

Court says state fully entitled to run DNA database of serious criminals

The Supreme Administrative Court has upheld the right of the state to establish and operate a DNA database of criminals. The court was dealing with a complaint made by the Office for the Protection of Private Data which argued that the database violated people’s right to privacy. The judge ruled that while such a data base was undisputedly an invasion into people’s privacy rights, offenders of serious crimes, people who had knowingly broken the law, did not merit the same rights to privacy as the general public. The court ruled that the state must have the right to run a database which would serve public interest in helping the police uncover the perpetrators of serious crimes.

President discloses term of Senate, local elections

President Miloš Zeman is planning to call combined elections to the Senate and local elections for October 10-11, the ctk news agency reported on Monday. The president broke the news on a visit to the Liberec region. The term pertains to the first round of Senate elections, the second round traditionally takes place a week later. Parliament’s upper chamber has 81 members, in single-seat constituencies elected for a six-year term, with one third renewed every even year in the autumn.

Government to revive economic advisory body

The government has plans to revive the Council for Sustainable Development, the ctk news agency reports. The council, which will encompass the former National Economic Council, will have 31 members and will be headed by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka. It should be made up of cabinet ministers, leading entrepreneurs, academics and non-profit sector representatives. An economic advisory body to the government was set up in 2003 but its influence was gradually marginalized. The National Economic Council was set up in 2009 and disbanded in August of last year.

Labour Ministry says social housing concept should be ready by September

The Labour Ministry has announced that the concept of social housing it is working on should be ready by September. The concept should clarify who would be eligible for social housing, who would be responsible for it and who would cover the cost of building thousands of new flats for the needy. According to government data there are 30,000 homeless people in the Czech Republic and over 100,000 at risk of losing their homes.

Unemployment in Prague at 5.3 percent in May

Unemployment in Prague dipped by a tenth of a percentage point to 5.3 percent in May, according to data released by the Czech Labor Office on Monday. Over 44,000 people in Prague are currently looking for work, aged between 18 and 64 years old. This translates into seven applicants per job. Prague traditionally has the lowest unemployment rate in the country. The highest unemployment rate –at 11 percent -is reported in north Bohemia.

School Lunches project helping 370 children from socially weaker families

The School Lunches for Children project established in2013 to help children from socially weaker groups of the population is currently helping 370 primary school children whose parents cannot afford to pay for school lunches, Czech Television reported. The fund to pay for children’s lunches was established following a Czech TV report made at the initiative of schoolteachers who pointed to the fact that some children did not lunch in the canteen or bring snacks to school and whose parents clearly had problems buying school necessities. According to statistics a fifth of Czech children are affected by poverty.

Doctors issue health warnings in connection with ongoing heat wave

The health authorities have issued further warnings to the public in connection with the ongoing heat wave in the central Europe. Paramedics report a heightened number of emergency calls around the country with hundreds of people reportedly collapsing from dehydration and heat exposure. People have been warned not to exert themselves in the heat and significantly increase their intake of liquids. Tuesday is expected to be a critical day with temperatures hitting 36 degrees Celsius.

Temperature records broken around the country

Temperature records were broken at monitoring stations around the country on Sunday as the ongoing heat wave sent temperatures over the 30 degrees Celsius mark. Forty-four out of 135 stations reported record highs for June 8th with Brandys nad Labem, north of Prague reporting 33 degrees Celsius. Temperatures are reported to rise further at the start of the week and should peak at 36 degrees on Tuesday. Heat storms are expected in the late afternoon hours and doctors have issued health warnings to the public.

08.6.2014

Foreign Ministry unable to confirm report about Czech nationals being taken hostage in Ukraine

The Czech Foreign Ministry says it has no information which would confirm that Czech nationals have been taken hostage by pro-Russian rebels in Eastern Ukraine. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Johana Grohova said on Sunday that no Czechs were currently taking part in observer missions in Ukraine and the ministry had no reports of any Czech national gone missing in the country. The statement came shortly after pro-Russian rebel leader Miroslav Rudenko said pro-Russian forces had taken hostage a large number of foreign soldiers including Czech and Polish nationals. The Czech embassy in Kiev and the Czech Defense Ministry also say they have no information which would confirm the claim.

Bavarian PM says more time and patience will heal wounds of the past

Addressing a meeting of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft on Sunday, Bavarian Prime Minister Horst Seehofer said more time and patience would be required to overcome the injustices of WWII. He said Bavaria was opening a representative office in Prague which pointed to above-standard relations and expressed the hope that more high-placed Czech government representatives would attend meetings of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft in the coming years. This year’s meeting heard calls, among others from Bavarian Social Affairs Minister Emilia Müller, for Prague to consider rescinding the Beneš decrees which sanctioned the post-war expulsion of 2.5 million Sudeten Germans from the border areas of Czechoslovakia. Ms. Müller said the decrees were unjust and have no place in the European legal order. The appeal was rejected by Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka who said that this painful chapter of Czech-German history had been addressed in the 1997 Czech-German declaration and the Czech government had no reason to question the validity of the decrees or reopen painful issues relating to WWII.

Pope Francis helps Litoměřice flood victims

Pope Francis has sent the Litoměřice diocese a financial gift to help the victims of last year’s devastating floods, the internet news site Novinky.cz reported on Sunday. The money from the papal fund is to be divided among several families in three villages which were worst affected by the natural disaster. A number of people lost their homes and all their possessions prompting an appeal for help to the Pope by Litoměřice Bishop Jan Baxant. The financial assistance will be handed over at a special ceremony next week.

ČEZ may call new tender for Temelín expansion next year

The state-owned power giant ČEZ may call a new tender for the expansion of the Temelín nuclear power plant next year, according to the deputy chair of the company’s board of directors Václav Pačes. Mr. Pačes told Czech Television on Sunday that in his view this was a likely scenario and that there were still three options on the table – the expansion of Temelín by one or two reactors or the expansion of the Dukovany nuclear power plant. ČEZ scrapped a tender for Temelín’s expansion by two reactors in April of this year on the argument that since the government would not guarantee the price of electricity generated by the new reactors the project would be economically unfeasible.

Green Party leader resigns in wake of election defeat

Green Party leader Ondřej Liška resigned from his post at a meeting of the party leadership on Sunday. Mr. Liška, who has led the party since 2009, announced his decision shortly after the party’s poor showing in elections to the European Parliament. The party won only 3.7 percent of the vote, failing to cross the five percent margin needed to win seats in the assembly. Ondřej Liška said he was taking personal responsibility for the party’s defeat and noted that was greatly disappointed by the low voter turnout. The party will be run by its first deputy Jana Drápalová, until a new leader is elected in the autumn.

Brno’s Ghettofest attracts hundreds of visitors

Hundreds of people turned out for the third annual street art festival Ghettofest in Brno over the weekend. The festival takes place in the city’s poorest quarter, a slum area commonly referred to as the Brno Bronx. The two-day undertaking, which aims to combat prejudice and highlight the conditions in which some of the city’s poorest inhabitants are living in, offered visitors music, dance and theatre performances as well as sports events, exhibitions and public debates. The festival will end with a mass and a prayer for peaceful co-existence.

Police searching for Vinohrady burglar

Police are searching for a burglar who is believed to have robbed over 100 homes in Prague’s central Vinohrady district in the past two years. The man, who has already been jailed five times for burglary, is on the run, having failed to serve his sixth prison term. The robber reportedly works in the late morning or early afternoon hours when many flats and houses are empty and steals mainly electronics, jewels and cash.

07.6.2014

PM pledges to increase defence spending

Attending Ground Forces’ Day at the military training ground in Strašice, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka pledged to increase defence spending, saying the government should earmark 43.5 billion crowns for military spending in 2015 and gradually raise the sum is subsequent years. The Czech Republic has cut its military spending in recent years and at present spends just over 1 percent of the equivalent of its GDP on defence. This falls short of the 2 percent target set by NATO. According to the army chief-of-staff, Petr Pavel, the military would need at least 50 billion crowns a year to fulfil its commitments to the alliance.

Czech PM says Prague will not reopen debate on rescinding Beneš decrees

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has rejected an appeal by Bavarian Social Affairs Minister Emilia Müller for Prague to consider rescinding the Beneš decrees which sanctioned the post-war expulsion of 2.5 million Sudeten Germans from the border areas of Czechoslovakia. Ms. Müller said at a meeting of the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft that the decrees were unjust and have no place in the European legal order. The Czech prime minister countered that this painful chapter of Czech-German history had been addressed in the 1997 Czech-German declaration and the Czech government had no reason to question the validity of the decrees or reopen painful issues relating to WWII.

Doctors issue health warnings in connection with heat wave

Doctors have issued health warnings in connection with the ongoing heat wave which is affecting central Europe. Temperatures in the Czech Republic are around 30 degrees Celsius and are expected to rise further hitting 35 degrees on Tuesday. Elderly people and chronically ill people suffering from diabetes and heart disorders are at heightened risk and are being advised to stay out of the sun and increase their intake of fluids.

Last minute holidays cheapest in five years

The price of last-minute holidays is currently the cheapest in five years, according to the sales portal Invia.cz. For some destinations the price of a week week-long holidays is at around 5,000 crowns, which presents a 70 percent cost cut. The price drop runs counter to expectations and Invia says it is likely to be short-lived since it is fuelled by the need to fill chartered planes to capacity.

Hundreds of bee colonies lost in Louny region

Beekeepers in the Louny region report loosing thousands of bees in the past week and have voiced the suspicion that this may be due to an as yet unidentified chemical spray that was used on fields in the vicinity. The company that farms the crops has denied any connection saying it had applied a standard spray commonly used in the area. The Veterinary Office has taken samples of the crops and the matter is being investigated. If dangerous toxic substances were used in the area the firm would face a steep fine and possibly lose its state subsidies.

Runaway horse closes D1 highway

The D1 highway between Prague and Brno had to be closed to traffic in both directions for close to an hour shortly after midnight on Saturday due to a runaway horse. The horse reportedly bolted from a stationary van. The van was transporting two horses and because one of the animals had become increasingly nervous the accompanying vet opened the door to apply a tranquilizer. In the meantime the other horse got away.

Open Doors day at Czech Radio

Czech Radio opened its doors to the public on Saturday giving people a chance to view the process of live broadcasting, pre-recording of children’s stories and minute plays and meet with popular radio personalities. Guided tours are available between 9 am and 5 pm and the public is being invited to view a collection of historic radio receivers or visit the radio store to buy recordings of successful radio plays or concerts by the Czech Radio Symphony Orchestra.

06.6.2014

Czech president and veterans taking part in Normandy anniversary events

The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, and a group of Czech veterans flew from Prague’s military airport on Friday to Normandy, France, to take part in events marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day – the invasion by the Allies in mainland Europe and a pivotal moment in the war. The president gave a speech prior to their departure in which he thanked the Czech WW II vets and stated that freedom was not something forever guaranteed but something that needed to be continually fought for. The event was accompanied by military music and a display of Czech and Czechoslovak army standards. Mr Zeman’s spokesman on international affairs said the president will speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Normandy.

Czech minister of industry and trade heads to China

The Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek is heading for China on Friday night at the head of a delegation of around 30 businessmen and officials. Mládek is due to meet top Chinese officials as well as the leaders of some of the most prosperous provinces. The trip is aimed at not only boosting Czech exports to China but also at trying to stimulate Chinese investment in the Czech Republic, which is currently minimal. The minister added that he hoped for a breakthrough in talks aimed at establishing direct flights from Prague to China with the goal of services to Beijing or Shanghai being launched within 12 months. The centre-left government has sought to reset relations with China by downgrading support for occupied Tibet.

Gratias Agit awards presented to recipients for promoting the good name of the Czech Republic

The Foreign Ministry on Friday presented its Gratias Agit awards to those who have worked to promote the good name of the Czech Republic internationally. Among the recipients this year are renowned Polish film director Agnieszka Holland, fashion designer Blanka Matragi, and WW II veteran Otto Pick. Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek presented the awards at Černín Palace. The Gratias Agit awards have been presented annually since 1997.

Šumava National Park head puts brakes on planned projects

The interim director of Šumava National Park, Pavel Hubený, has halted a number of projects greenlighted by his predecessor Jiří Mánek, writes Czech daily Mladá fronta Dnes. According to the newspaper, the projects in question could clash with protection of the environment aims. Projects shelved included the construction of a cabin at Plešné Lake for tourism purposes or the construction of a new observation tower at Polom. In all, the shelved projects would have cost a total of 400 million crowns. The interim head of the national park said some of the projects lacked construction permits or had not been assessed for potential impact on the environment. Some projects will go ahead such as the repair of the lookout tower at Poledník.

New team, answerable to mayor, to look into Opencard problem

Prague city councillors decided on Friday that Mayor Tomáš Hudeček will oversee a team looking into the problematic multipurpose Opencard; a contract on the licensing of the card, used by Prague residents primarily as a metro pass, is due to expire this month. The city has been unable to reach a new deal with the company eMoneyservices which owns the license. It is possible that card owners who have pre-paid months ahead will have to queue up for a paper replacement before a new system is approved in a new tender.

Bartoš steps down as Pirate leader

The head of the Pirate Party in the Czech Republic, Ivan Bartoš, resigned as leader on Friday, along with deputy leaders Lenka Wagnerová and Michal Havránek. On facebook, Bartoš – who intends to stay on as a regular member – made clear he was accepting political responsibility for the party’s failure to get a candidate elected to the EP in recent European elections. The Pirates finished not far below the five percent threshold with 4.8 percent. With the exception of a half-year break, Bartoš led the Pirate Party since 2009.

STEM poll suggests ANO leader most popular

A new poll released by the STEM agency suggests that the popularity of ANO leader Andrej Babiš has continued to increase. The survey found that 66 percent of respondents viewed the businessman turned politician positively. The ANO movement clinched its first success last year, finishing a close second in its first Parliamentary elections. Defence Minister Martin Stropnický finished second in the survey, and Social Democrat Minister for Human Rights Jiří Dienstbier, third. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka was fourth and the leader of the controversial Dawn Party, Tomio Okamura, fifth.

Methanol poisoning suspected in death of Kroměříž man

Police are investigating whether a 64-year-old man should be added to the death toll from the so-called methanol scandal. A preliminary analysis suggests that the man from the Kroměříž area could be the 49th victim of toxic spirits but a final autopsy will determine whether that is the case. In spite of dismantling the gang believed to be behind the methanol affair, police say that around 2,000 litres of contaminated spirits are still unaccounted for. Many methanol producers bosses and victims came from the south-eastern Zlín region.

Court sentences fraudster to nine years

The regional court in Olomouc has sentenced a Přerov woman to nine years in prison for defrauding creditors of more than 11 million crowns. The woman borrowed funds from creditors by posing as a lawyer, businesswoman and investments expert. Lenders were promising attractive returns which never materialised. Earlier, the defendant was sentenced to 8.5 years for similar crimes in Slovakia. Police caught up with the fraudster in Přerov; at the time of her arrest she reportedly owned several luxury cars in her name and was renting several apartments.

Špotáková makes ideal return to international athletics with Rome win in javelin

The Czech javelin thrower Barbora Špotáková made the perfect return to international athletics after maternity leave with a first place finish at a Diamond League meeting in Rome on Thursday evening. The reigning Olympic champion, who is 32, did not take part in any major events last year after giving birth to her first child. Špotáková topped the podium in Rome with a throw of 66.43 metres, more than three metres ahead of her nearest rival.

05.6.2014

Human rights minister wants foreigners with permanent residence to get right to vote in Czech Republic

The minister for human rights, Jiří Dienstbier, wants foreigners who live permanently in the Czech Republic to be allowed to vote, the news website Lidovky.cz reported. Under a plan put forward by Mr. Dienstbier the 200,000 foreigners with permanent residence would first be able to vote in local elections and then at the national level. At present only residents from EU countries can vote and then only in local elections. NGOs have welcomed the suggestion but politicians have reacted cautiously to the idea, Lidovky.cz wrote.

Foreign minister to represent Czech Republic at inauguration of Ukrainian president

The minister of foreign affairs, Lubomír Zaorálek, will represent the Czech Republic at the inauguration of Petro Poroshenko as Ukrainian president in Kiev on Saturday, an official at his ministry said on Thursday. President Miloš Zeman will not be attending due to work commitments. The Czech head of state met Mr. Poroshenko in Warsaw this week at events marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of communism in Poland. He had already invited the Ukrainian president-elect to Prague.

State should support return of Czechs from abroad, conference hears

An estimated 200,000 Czechs have left the country since 1989 and there could be up to 2.2 million people around the world of Czech origin. Experts at a conference of the EU’s Re-turn scheme said efforts should be made to tap the potential of Czechs living abroad and that their return to the country should be supported, the Czech News Agency said. Tomáš Grulich, the chairman of the Senate committee for Czechs abroad, said research had shown that such people wished to return; he said they were brave people who had to establish themselves abroad and that their loss was to the country’s detriment. The Czech Republic is one of seven countries involved in the Re-turn scheme.

Christian Democrats and TOP 09 form joint group within European People’s Party

The governing coalition Christian Democrats and the opposition TOP 09 have formed a joint Czech delegation as part of the European People’s Party group at the European Parliament. The group is headed by Luděk Niedermayer, a former vice governor of the Czech National Bank, who stood for TOP 09 in elections last month. It has seven members, four from TOP 09 and three from the Christian Democrats; this makes it the eighth biggest national delegation in the EPP, which is the largest party in the European Parliament.

Audit of ANO controlled ministries reveals contract shortcomings

An audit ordered by Finance Minister Andrej Babiš of the six ministries controlled by his ANO party has found a great number of shortcomings related to contracts signed in the past. At a news conference on Thursday, Deputy Finance Minister Lukáš Wagenknecht said CZK 16 billion in invoices were linked to contracts that were, for instance, over 15 years old, exceeded their original parameters, or were with companies that had no employees or were in liquidation. Mr. Wagenknecht said it would be possible to make savings of nearly CZK 230 million a year very quickly.

Average monthly salary climbs by 3.3 percent in first quarter

The average monthly salary in the Czech Republic grew by 3.3 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2014, according to official figures released on Thursday. Accounting for inflation, real growth was 3.1 percent. Average monthly pay stood at CZK 24,806 at the end of March. The figure for Prague was just under CZK 33,000.

Guitar great Jeff Beck plays on Prague Castle terrace

The great British rock guitar player Jeff Beck played a concert on the terrace of the Riding School of Prague Castle on Wednesday night. The eight-time Grammy winner, who is 70, performed a mainly instrumental set taking in a number of genres from blues to jazz fusion with a three-piece band. An estimated 1,200 fans attended the seated show at the sold-out venue, which started hosting occasional outdoor live music events last summer.

Dutch film wins most awards at Zlín festival

The Dutch film ‘Boys’ directed by Mischa Kamp picked up the most awards at the International Film Festival for Children and Youth in Zlín on Wednesday evening. The film, which recounts the awakening of homosexual desires in two teenagers training for a national relay race, It won four awards at the festival with the main actor Gijs Blom picking up the prize for best young actor. The Czech film ‘To See the Sea’ by director Jiří Mádl picked up two awards among the other winners.

České Budějovice and Hradec Králové bounce back into top tier football

Football clubs Dynamo České Budějovice and FC Hradec Králové have bounced back into the top tier of Czech football after a year in division one. The south Bohemian club ensured its promotion with a 6:0 thrashing of Tábor on Wednesday night. Hradec Králové had a more modest 1:0 victory against Pardubice. Dynamo České Budějovice’s general manager is former Czech international and club player Karel Poborský.