Czech News 18.6.2014 - 12.6.2014

CR: 18.6.2014

Czech Republic stays 17th in EU wealth survey

The Czech Republic is ranked 17th in the EU in GDP per capita, according to a Eurostat survey released on Wednesday. Its gross domestic product is at 80 percent of the EU average. The country, which was ranked 17th in several previous years as well, is the richest of former Communist nations with the exception of Slovenia, and also outranked Portugal and Greece. However, in actual individual consumption per capita, which also reflects economic well-being, the Czech Republic is ranked 22nd of the EU, and is at 72 percent of the bloc’s average, according to Eurostat.

Minister: Czech Republic ready to help Slovakia with gas supplies

The Czech Republic is ready to assist Slovakia in case gas supplies through Ukraine are halted, the Czech industry and trade minister, Jan Mládek, said. Speaking after a conference on economic cooperation between the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland in Ostrava on Wednesday, Mr Mládek said Slovakia could receive gas through reverse flow from Czech pipelines. The Czech cabinet is also in talks with the Polish government on enhancing the capacity of the Czech link to Poland’s Stork II pipeline in north Moravia, Mr Mládek said.

MPs approve cyber security bill

The lower house of the Czech Parliament on Wednesday approved a bill introducing new guidelines for countering cybernetic attacks. The bill, first of its kind to be passed by the lower house, should streamline cooperation between the public and private sectors, and establish a coordinating agency to ensure a fast response to such attacks. The legislation will also require telecommunication providers to report security incidents that occur in their networks, and allow the country’s National Security Authority to declare a state of cyber emergency. The bill is yet to be debated in the Senate.

PM says justice minister must improve performance or face chop

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka says that the minister of justice Helena Válková has one last chance to prove she is capable of doing her job. The Social Democrat PM made the comment on Tuesday evening after Ms. Válková, appointed by ANO, dismissed the deputy justice minister for prisons, Pavel Štern, a Social Democrats’ appointee, over his handling of a contract to buy electronic tags. Mr. Sobotka said if the minister’s performance did not improve she would have to go. Ms. Válková’s disputes with subordinates have been in the news since Hana Marvanová quit as first deputy justice minister in early June.

Czech MEP joins Euro-sceptic faction

Czech MEP Petr Mach, the sole deputy elected on the ballot of the Euro-spectic Free Citizens' Party, has joined the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group in the European Parliament. The faction, headed by UKIP's leader Nigel Farage, has 48 MEPs from UKIP, Italy's Five Star Movement, Sweden Democrats, and others.

Czechs commemorate Heydrich’s assassins

President Miloš Zeman, Defence Minister Martin Stropnický, and other officials as well as veterans and members of the public have commemorated the British-trained commandos who assassinated high-ranking Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich. Wednesday marks on the 72nd anniversary of their death. Jan Kubiš and Josef Valčík, along with five other soldiers parachuted into Bohemia, took their own lives after having been cornered by Nazi forces in a Prague church, three weeks after the assassination. Speaking at a ceremony held at the church, Defence Minister Martin Stropnický said the Czech Republic owed its existence to heroes like them.

Pneumococcal infections highest in three years

Czech doctors last year registered 424 cases of invasive pneumococcal infections, the highest number in three years, according to figures by the National Institute of Public Health released on Wednesday. 69 people died of the infection last year. Experts say the rise has been caused by low immunization levels; in Prague, immunization levels in children have fallen below 50 percent. The sharpest increase has been registered with the 19A serotype which was last year contracted by 27 people, including four babies of up to 11 months of age.

Prague Pride to take place on August 16

The annual Prague Pride parade will take place on August 16, the organizers said. The march will take start in Wenceslas Square; it will then pass along the river to conclude on the Letná plain. Organizers said they expect some 10,000 people to take part in the march which will be preceded by a five-day festival. This year, the festival will highlight issues faced by the LGBT community in Russia and some other eastern European countries, the event’s director, Czeslaw Walek, said. Last year, around 20,000 people joined in the march.

Medical association honours founder of Czech paediatric oncology

The founder of paediatric oncology in then Czechoslovakia, Professor Josef Koutecký, received on Wednesday the Purkyně Award from the Czech Medical Association of J.E. Purkyně in recognition of his life-time work. Professor Koutecký founded that branch of medicine in 1964; in 1978, he established the department of paediatric oncology at Prague’s Motol hospital, the first of its kind in the country, which played a crucial role in raising survival rates of children cancer patients to the current 80 percent. At Wednesday’s ceremony, Professor Koutecký said he was humbled to be awarded the prize, handed out since 1962.

Tennis: Berdych, Kvitová seeded sixth at Wimbledon

Both the top Czech male and female tennis players, Tomáš Berdych and Petra Kvitová, have been seeded sixth at the Wimbledon championships which begin on June 23. Lucie Šafářová, meanwhile, will be seeded 23rd and Klára Koukalová 31st at the Grand Slam tournament. In the Wimbledon doubles, Czech Republic’s Radek Štěpánek and India’s Leander Paes will be fifth seed while Czech Květa Pescheková along with Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik third.

Veselý wins javelin in Ostrava with world’s second longest throw of season

Czech athlete Vítězslav Veselý came first in the javelin at the Golden Spike meeting in Ostrava on Tuesday evening. Veselý’s throw of 87.38m was the second longest in the world this year. US sprinter Justin Gatlin – the best known name this year at the Czech Republic’s biggest meeting – won the 100m in a time of 9.86 seconds. Olympic champion Barbora Špotáková has been forced to pull out of the women’s javelin due to health problems.

17.6.2014

Monument to Czech airmen who fought with RAF unveiled in Prague

A monument to Czech airmen who fought in Britain’s RAF in World War II has been unveiled at Klarov in Prague. The statue in the shape of a winged lion was donated by the city’s British community. It was unveiled on Tuesday afternoon by Nicholas Soames, the grandson of UK wartime leader Winston Churchill. However the monument has been criticised by local preservationists, who say the grassy area it stands on – which already hosts another statue – is inappropriate.

Czech Republic against linking violence and religion, foreign minister tells diplomats from Arab states

The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Lubomír Zaorálek, says the country disagrees with any linking of violence and religion. Mr. Zaorálek made the comments to diplomats from Arab states in Prague on Tuesday. The move followed angry reactions after the Czech president, Miloš Zeman, told an audience in Israel that there was a link between violent attacks by Islamic radicals and “Islamic ideology”. The foreign minister said the Czech Republic supported religious tolerance and aspired to have good relations with the Arab world.

Sobotka: Justice minister’s disputes bad for government’s image

Disputes between the minister of justice, Helena Válková, and her subordinates are causing negative publicity for the government, Prime Minister Bohoslav Sobotka said on Tuesday. The Social Democrat premiere said neither Ms. Válková nor her ANO party chief Andrej Babiš had delivered on recent pledges to calm the situation at the Ministry of Justice. Hana Marvanová quit as first deputy justice minister in early June after a dispute with the minister, while on Tuesday (after Mr. Sobotka’s comments) Ms. Válková dismissed the deputy minister for prisons, Pavel Štern, a Social Democrats’ appointee, over his handling of a contract to buy electronic tags.

Babiš and unions reach deal over maintaining latter’s tax breaks

Finance Minister Andrej Babiš has reached agreement with trade unions on maintaining their tax breaks. An income tax bill pushed through by a previous finance minister, Miroslav Kalousek, was to have done way with tax exemptions for unions from the start of next year. That provision will now be dropped, the head of the Bohemian-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Josef Středula, said after talks with Mr. Babiš. Benefits such as staff public travel passes and rewards for long-term service in the police or army will also now remain untouched by the changes to income tax legislation.

Town signs agreement with developer on distribution centre

The mayor of the town of Dobroviz, Martin Saft, signed a cooperation agreement with developer Panattoni on Monday on the construction of a distribution centre for US company Amazon, Safr told the Czech News Agency. The agreement includes a pledge by the developer to build a local motorway bypass by the end of 2015, to modernise a municipal sewage treatment plant, and to contribute an annual one million crowns to the town.The investment is worth 100 million crowns and should pave the way for some 1,500 jobs. The distrubution centre is to be opened within a year. Panattoni director Pavel Sovička confirmed that preparatory work will begin this week.

District of Prague 7 takes steps towards banning gambling venues

Councilors in the district of Prague 7 agreed on steps on Monday to ban gambling venues: primarily affected would be outlets with video gambling terminals. The move must still be approved by Prague City Hall. A spokesman confirmed that Prague 7 had long pursued policies to curb gambling and had opted for zero tolerance based on the results of a recent referendum. The referendum was not conclusive due to a low voter turnout but a majority voted in favour of a complete ban as opposed to partial restrictions.

Brno bans soliciting throughout city

Councillors in Brno have voted to ban prostitutes from soliciting anywhere in the Moravian capital. A previous ban applied only to certain areas of the city. Those caught offering sex for money will be fined 1,000 CZK on the spot or a fine of up 30,000 CZK at the local authority. A Town Hall spokesperson said the move was aimed at protecting young people and public morals.

Customs officers seize dangerous nuts

Customs officers in Prague have seized 16 tonnes of walnuts from Bolivia that could be harmful to health. The walnuts contain aflatoxins, which are among the strongest known carcinogens. None of the nuts reached consumers in the Czech Republic, a spokesperson for the customs authority said on Tuesday.

Illness forces Špotáková out of Golden Spike

Czech athlete Barbora Špotáková has had to drop out of the women’s javelin at the Golden Spike in Ostrava due to illness. The Olympic champion and world record holder is suffering from suspected appendicitis. Sprint star Usain Bolt is also not coming this year to the Czech Republic’s biggest athletics meeting, but other big names such as Justin Gatlin are taking part.

16.6.2014

Government approves preliminary budget for 2015

The Czech government approved preliminary state budget for 2015 with a deficit of 100 billion, Finance Minister Andrej Babiš revealed after the cabinet meeting on Monday. The government will continue to discuss the budget until September when it has to approve the draft and submit it to the Chamber of Deputies. The finance minister said the first round of the “marathon” was at an end and that the budget for next year included wage increases for firemen, police, and teachers as well as a rise in pensions and an increase in investment.

Opencard contract with eMoneyServices sees final day

A contract between the city of Prague and eMoneyServices over the use of the transit and other purpose Opencard runs out after Monday. Prague was unable to reach an agreement with the firm on further cooperation and the city plans to take up administration of the card on its own for the time being. Card holders, of which there are a reported 1.2 million, have been promised they will not register any differences. eMOneyServices has said that while Prague can operate the system, it does not hold the rights to the software and will therefore not be able to fix bugs which come up or reprogram parts of the package.

Government to nominate Sir Nicholas Winton for country´s highest honour

The Czech government will propose to the president that Sir Nicholas Winton, the British national who saved more than 650 mostly Jewish children from the Holocaust by organizing the kindertransports out of Czechoslovakia before the start of WWII, receive the country’s highest honour – the Order of the White Lion. The decision was taken by the government on Monday, several weeks after President Miloš Zeman said he would award Sir Winton the distinction at the official ceremony held on October 28th, marking the founding of Czechoslovakia. The president himself made the announcement on the occasion of Sir Winton’s 105th birthday.

Czech car production increases by 8.5 pct between January and May

Car production in the Czech Republic increased by 8.5 percent between January and May this year, according to fresh figures by the country’s Automotive Industry Association released on Monday. In total, nearly 520,000 cars were made in the first five months of the year. Škoda Auto annually increased its production by 22 percent to over 322,000 cars, followed by Hyundai with some 132,000 vehicles. The output of the car maker TPCA, meanwhile, decreased by 24 percent to 65,000 cars.

Government approves investment deal with South Korea's Nexen

The Czech government approved an investment agreement worth 22.8 billion crowns with South Korean tire maker Nexen on Monday, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka revealed. In the first years of the investment project, Nexen will create at least 1,000 jobs in the Žatec industrial zone in the Ústí region. In the future, Nexen could invest up to 40 billion in the zone, which would be the largest investment a foreign company has ever made in the Czech Republic. The prime minister said the government had given a clear signal that the Czech Republic was keen in drawing new investors for projects. The Czech Republic won the contract in competition with strong international rivals, he added. Nexen could launch production in the zone within roughly two years.

City Hall announces planned changes to blue zones

City Hall has announced planned changes to Prague’s parking system: until now, so-called blue zones were reserved for local residents and businesses but a new phone app will make it possible for motorists to pay and park in blue-marked spaces for up to two hours. The planned change is primarily to make life easier for entrepreneurs who have found it exceedingly difficult to park in areas during the day. In addition, parking spots will also be labelled in orange and purple: purple will be for residents or for non-residents who pay via parking meter. The system should be broadened to districts that did not use blue zones until now. The proposal will still have to be passed by city councilors.

Lukoil Czech lands 27-million fine over oil reserves deal

The Czech branch of the Russian-based oil firm Lukoil has received a fine of 27 million crowns over a deal with State Administration of Material Reserves, the daily Lidové noviny said on Monday. The case goes back to 2009 when the firm reportedly failed to replace part of 30,000 cubic metres of aviation fuel. The firm is headed by chief advisor of President Miloš Zeman, Martin Nejedlý; Mr Zeman said earlier he would consider firing him depending on the court verdict.

State fund to boost number of nursery and elementary schools

The government has approved an Education Ministry plan to try and increase the number of nursery and elementary schools. Beginning in 2015, existing or planned facilities should be able to draw from a national subsidy fund overseeing 1.5 billion crowns; 12 billion crowns will be made available from European funding. The new framework proposed by the ministry should broaden the number of schools, or renovate existing ones, in areas based on demographics and demand. Prague itself has too few facilities for young children: thousands last year were not able to register at nursery schools, leaving parents little choice but to pay for private daycare or to look for other options.

Police catch thieving duo originally stopped for misdemeanor

Prague police revealed on Monday they caught two thieves red-handed at the weekend with items worth roughly half a million crowns in their car. Police originally wanted to stop the driver for a traffic misdemeanor only, but the suspect sped up and tried to evade pursuit. The driver and his female accomplice then abandoned their car and tried to escape on foot. The two were caught with expensive items including a high-end cell phone and several watches on their persons. Additional items were found in the vehicle. The two – who both have criminal records and bans for driving under the influence of pervetin or other drugs – reportedly admitted to numerous recent car thefts and break-ins in, or just outside of, Prague.

Ivory smuggler caught

A 32-year-old foreign national was detained at Prague’s Václav Havel Airport on Sunday for attempting to smuggle 35 kilograms of rare African elephant tusks along with methamphetamine in a piece of luggage, customs officials have revealed. The package was reportedly destined for Vietnam. Officials estimate the tusks alone could be worth the equivalent of a million crowns when sold in Asia and but twice that amount in China.

15.6.2014

Czech minister in talks over children removed from family by Norway social services

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek has met for talks with Norway’s State Secretary Bard Glad Pedersen over the situation of two Czech children removed from the family by Norwegian social services, the news agency ČTK reported. The children were taken away in 2011 over suspicions of sexual abuse; a year later, the children were place in foster families despite the fact that a police investigation found no evidence of abuse. Mr Zaorálek said he discussed the case with Secretary Pedersen, and recommended the family raise a complaint at the European Court of Human Rights, and file a petition for a revision of the case with Norwegian courts.

Survey: Half of Czechs plan to care of themselves in retirement

Every other Czech believes they will be able to take care of themselves in retirement, according to a survey by the Sodexho firm carried out in May and released on Sunday. Meanwhile, some 45 percent of those polled said they believed their children would take care of them; some 10 percent also said they were planning to rely on specialized institutional care. A mere one percent of people who took party in the survey said they were going to depend on state assistance.

Slight changes to Czech Railways timetables

The country’s state-owned rail operator Czech Railways introduces slight changes to its timetable on Sunday. The only major alteration concerns the Ostravan express between Prague and Bohumín via Ostrava which now terminates in Olomouc and runs under the name Moravan. Other, minor changes only apply to regional and local connections, a Czech Railways spokeswoman said. The operator will also launch new Austrian-made Railjet trains on the Prague-Vienna route.

Slovak girl wins Czech-Slovak Miss Roma beauty pageant

A 17-year-old girl from Slovakia won the Miss Roma 2014 beauty pageant held in the eastern Czech town Hodonín on Saturday night, the news website novinky.cz reported. Romany girls from Slovakia also finished on second and third place. The contest included a czardas dance which the jury said played a big role in evaluating the finalists. Organizers believe the beauty contest is a way of fostering Romany girls’ self-confidence.

Czech Dino Park operator expands to Spain

The Plzeň-based West Media firm which operates a network of dinosaur-themed amusement parks in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is expanding to Spain, the news agency ČTK reported on Sunday. Its first Dino Park in Spain should open near the town of Benidorm on the Mediterranean Costa Blanca, in early July. It has taken the company about a year to set up the park in Spain, which will have 26 models of prehistoric animals, the firm said. Its first Dino Park opened in Plzeň in 2002.

Man faces 18 years for murdering his landlord

A court in Plzeň on Sunday sent to custody a 53-year-old who was arrested on Friday for having shot dead his 51-year-old landlord. The suspect reportedly shot his victim in the head several times with a legally-held firearm before turning himself in to the police. He had owed several months of rent, and the attacked the victim after having been asked to move out, according to media reports. The man faces up to 18 years in prison.

Aviation museum draws most visitors during Prague museum night

The aviation museum in the Prague district of Kbely drew over 24,000 visitors during the 11th annual Prague Museum Night on Saturday, the highest number of all participating venues. The event saw 39 museums, galleries and other venues in the capital open their doors to the public between 7 PM on Saturday and 1 AM on Sunday; organizers said the institutions, including the National Museum, the Václav Havel Library and the Police Museum, in total registered nearly 170,000 visits, some 20,000 more than last year.

14.6.2014

Czechs mark anniversary of WWII Lidice massacre

Czech officials, survivors and other guests marked the 72nd anniversary of the Nazi massacre in Lidice. The German authorities razed the central Bohemian village to the ground and killed most of its inhabitants in retaliation for the assassination of high-ranking Nazi official, Reinhard Heydrich, in 1942. The head of the Czech Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Dominik Duka celebrated a mass on Saturday in the village to commemorate the victims including the local priest, Josef Štembera, who was offered to leave by the Nazis but he chose to say and die with his parishioners.

Social Democrats reject inner-party vote on church property deal

Social Democrat leadership on Saturday rejected a proposal to hold an inner-party vote on taxation of a controversial church property deal. Some Social Democrat officials pushed for taxing the financial compensation Czech churches receive in compensation for property confiscated by the Communist regime in the 1950s, as approved by a Czech centre-right government in 2012. Approving the plan could destabilize the Czech government as the coalition Christian Democrats strongly oppose any changes to the church restitution deal.

Civic Democrats nominate ex-mayor as ballot leader in Prague

Former Prague mayor Bohuslav Svoboda has been nominated the leader of the Civic Democrat ballot in October’s local elections. Mr Svoboda, who served as mayor between 2010 and 2013, received 57 out of 74 votes at the party’s regional congress on Saturday, the news agency ČTK reported. The chair of the party’s Prague organization, Filip Humplík, will be number two on the ballot, followed by Jaroslava Janderová, Alexander Bellu and Alexandra Uženija. Local elections will be held in October.

Thousands join Prague walk for breast cancer

Thousands of people joined Avon walk for breast cancer through central Prague on Saturday to raise awareness of the disease. The march began at Old Town Square at noon and concluded several hours later at the Žluté lázně resort on the bank of the Vltava. Some 7,000 patients are diagnosed with breast cancer in the Czech Republic each year, while another 2,000 die of the disease.

Communists push for lifting of Iran nuclear plant embargo

The Czech Republic’s Communist Party has put forward a motion to cancel legislation that prohibits Czech firms from supplying technology to the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran, the news agency ČTK reported on Saturday. The party argues the law is obsolete as the power plant is complete, and no supplies of Czech equipment can take place. It is the Communist Party’s third attempt to have the law scrapped. The legislation was adopted in 2000 in a reaction to plans by a Czech firm to export air conditioning system to the plant; the plan came under criticism from US and UK governments.

Terezín loses EU grant to build visitors parking lot

The town of Terezín in central Bohemian has lost an EU grant to build a visitors’ parking lot, the town mayor told the news agency ČTK on Saturday. Terezín was to receive funds from an EU’s regional operational programme to build a parking lot in front of its tourist information centre, located near its historic fortifications; however, the town will fail to invest 10 percent of the grant by the end of July, the mayor said, adding that the town will apply for a new grant in the next round of applications. Around 220,000 people visit Terezín each year, the site of a former Nazi concentration camp and a ghetto for European Jews.

Handball: Czechs beat Serbia to qualify for world championships

The Czech national handball team sensationally beat Serbia 32:21 in Brno on Saturday in the second leg of their qualifying tie and booked a spot at the world championships in Qatar next year. They lost the first leg 15:23 in Serbia last week. The women’s national handball team, meanwhile, lost to Poland 22:25 on Saturday, failing to qualify for this year’s European championships.

In tennis, Štěpánek reaches semis at London’s ATP event

Czechs tennis player Radek Štěpánek defeated South Africa’s Kevin Anderson 1-6 6-2 6-3 at the Aegon Championships in London to reach the tournament semi-finals, his first in two years. Czech number one Tomáš Berdych, meanwhile, has been knocked out after he lost to Feliciano Lopez of Spain in the quarter-finals. Štěpánek will now face Lopez to qualify for the finals.

13.6.2014

Foreign Ministry advises Czech nationals to leave Iraq

The Czech Foreign Ministry has advised Czech nationals in Iraq to leave the country without delay. The ministry said that in view of the escalating violence it was no longer safe for them to remain and it might be even more difficult to leave the country at a later date. The ministry has also issued a travel warning to tourists not to enter the country.

Special team set up to fight tax evasion ready for action

A special team established to fight tax evasion should be up and running by June 15th, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said on Friday. The team will be made up of close to one hundred people from the ranks of the police, tax and customs authorities and the finance ministry. The tax-evasion squad has been set up along the lines of Slovakia’s Cobra tax inspection team which uncovered tax fraud amounting to 94.2 million euros last year alone. The Czech Republic loses approximately 150 billion crowns a year through tax evasion.

Military training may become compulsory again

The Czech Defence Ministry is drafting a new national defence bill under which the state may be able to order military recruitment even in peacetime, the daily Hospodarské noviny writes in its Friday edition. The Czech military now has roughly 20,000 professional soldiers, but in the event of a military threat, it might need tens of thousands of re-enforcements. Compulsory military service was abolished in 2004, meaning that the last conscripts underwent military training 10 years ago which the army says it too long for them to be sent straight into action. The government is scheduled to debate the bill in the autumn.

Saudi Arabia angered by Czech president’s anti-Muslim statements

The Czech ambassador to Riyad, Jiří Slavík, was summoned to the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Sunday to hear a complaint about President Miloš Zeman's anti-Muslim statements, the daily Lidové noviny reported on Friday. According to the paper the ambassador heard a resolute complaint about a number of the president’s statements the most recent of which pertained to the attack on the Jewish Museum in Brussels. Speaking at an Israeli reception President Zeman noted that Islamic ideology was behind such violent attacks. The Czech Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over what it described as heightened tension in Czech-Saudi relations. Foreign Minister Zaorálek said he had invited Arab ambassadors to the Czech Foreign Ministry next week and would discuss the matter with them.

Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka reacted to the news on Friday saying that the president’s statements should not be blown out of proportion and that he had no indication that Saudi Arabia was considering economic sanctions against the Czech Republic over the issue.

Communist Party calls for faster separation of churches from the State

The Communist Party is calling for a faster separation of churches from the State, the ctk news agency reports. The party is unhappy with the scope of the church restitution, which it considers excessive, and says this could be one way of easing the burden on public finances. The restitution law envisages a gradual reduction of state support for churches leading up to a complete separation in 17 years’ time, when churches should become fully financially independent.

Mayor: Prague to take over running of Opencard from current operator

Prague plans to take over operation of the Opencard electronic card system from the middle of this month, Mayor Tomáš Hudeček told the Czech News Agency. City Hall has been locked in a dispute with the company eMoneyServices over the figures quoted by the latter for extending a service contract for the Opencard, which is used for public transport and other services. Mr. Hudeček said Prague would begin operating the Opencard itself once its current contracts end with eMoneyServices; it holds the copyright on the system but could not be contacted by the Czech News Agency on Thursday. The Opencard cost CZK 1.35 billion to implement and has been mired in controversy.

Czech president to attend freedom celebrations in Budapest

Czech President Miloš Zeman is to join central and east European leaders in Budapest on Monday for Hungary’s celebrations of the fall of communism 25 years ago. The celebrations in Budapest have been planned to coincide with the 31st anniversary of the funeral of the leader of the 1956 uprising Imre Nagy who was executed following the crushing of the rebellion by Soviet forces. The Budapest celebrations are the second in a series of events marking the freedom anniversary around Europe. Other venues where celebrations are due to be held are the German city of Leipzig, Prague and Bratislava.

Lobbyist Martin Dědic released on bail

Lobbyist Martin Dědic who faces corruption charges has been released on bail. According to the state attorney the bail was set at 4 million crowns. Dědic is suspected of accepting bribes, money laundering and involvement in manipulation of public tenders at a hospital and transport company in Ostrava. If convicted he would face up to 12 years in jail. Eight other people have been charged in connection with the case.

Elkán named CEO of Czech Post

Martin Elkán has been named CEO of Czech Post, the ctk news agency reports. Elkán, who headed Czech Post’s marketing division, is expected to lead the institution out of a crisis precipitated by a drop in demand for its traditional services. Czech Post will need to consolidate its finances and expand into new areas, but at the same time meet political demand for it to maintain highly unprofitable small outlets around the country. It currently employs 32,000 people.

News site: Number of injuries on Prague Metro escalators climbing

The number of injuries to passengers riding escalators at Prague Metro stations has risen in recent years, the news website iDnes.cz reported. It said escalators at some stations were running excessively quickly. The number of injuries was 441 last year, compared to 368 in 2009. However, injuries to children’s hands and feet have declined after brushes were installed alongside steps in some stations. Most injuries last year were caused by passengers colliding on escalators. Those in a number of stations, such as Náměstí Míru, run faster than permitted under EU norms, iDnes.cz said.

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.