Czech EU ambassador may face dismissal
Foreign Minister Jan Kohout has rejected claims, by the weekly Respekt, that he was planning to dismiss the Czech ambassador to the EU, Milena Vicenová, for incompetence.
Minister Kohout, currently on a visit to Ethiopia, said that a change of guard at ambassadorial posts was standard procedure and Popular children’s book - The History of the Brave Czech Nation – made into new animated series ...
Czech beer re-imported from Germany due to lower prices ...
Czech-Polish salami war on horizon over EU ‘speciality’ label ... expressed regret that the issue had been politicized in the press. He refused to disclose any further details until his return. Ms. Vicenová’s alleged dismissal was confirmed indirectly by the two strongest parties on the Czech political scene, the Civic and Social Democrats, who are at odds over the plan. The centre right Civic Democrats, who nominated Ms Vicenová to the post, even suggested her dismissal was an act of revenge by the foreign minister who himself was dismissed from the same post by them a few years ago.
Czech unemployment rate hits five-year high
Czech unemployment rose to 9.9 percent in February, hitting a five-year high, official data showed on Monday. The rate rose from 9.8 percent in January 2010 and from 7.4 percent in February last year, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said. Employment offices registered over 500,000 job seekers ready to start work immediately. Analysts expect unemployment to hit 10 percent before the end of this year. The Czech jobless rate has been rising steadily since the global crisis hit the economy in November 2008. At that time, it stood at 5.3 percent.
Czech government refuses loan of gold for Czech pavilion at Expo 2010
The Czech government has refused to loan a ton of gold from the national bank for a Czech exhibit at this year’s Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The gold was needed for the so-called ‘Czeknowlogy’ part of the exhibit where sensors should allow the emotions of visitors to be displayed on a giant drop of pure gold. The Czech finance minister, Eduard Janota, said he considered the loan risky in view of the possibility that the exhibit could be auctioned off with other gold then being returned to the Czech Republic. The organizers say they have an alternative solution involving private sponsors.
Mixed views about International Women’s Day
A survey conducted in connection with International Women’s Day suggests that the majority of Czechs feel it is an occasion worth marking. A quarter of respondents said they see it as a nice opportunity to give women in their close vicinity flowers and chocolates. Thirteen percent say it is a day of acknowledgment for all the extra work women do in running the house and looking after the kids. Only 11 percent of respondents said it was a day dedicated to the fight for women’s rights and should be marked as such. Young people generally had no idea that March 8th is International Women’s Day and a few suggested it was Mothering Sunday.
Social Democrat leader says time not yet ripe for quotas for women in politics
Social Democrat leader Jiří Paroubek said on Monday he was aware of the problem of there being too few women in Czech politics and that he personally, would support quotas for women on his party’s list of candidates for the upcoming general elections. However, the Social Democrat leader said the time was clearly not ripe for such a move. He was referring to the fact that although his party’s statutes say that at least one post in the party leadership should be reserved for a woman, that post has been empty for some time and is likely to remain so. The only candidate for the post Alena Borůvková failed to win enough votes to get elected last autumn.
Trade union leader faces isolation over homophobic remarks
Trade unions have publicly distanced themselves from homophobic statements made by transport unions leader Jaromir Dušek. Mr. Dušek evoked outrage on the Czech political scene when he said in an interview for Saturday’s Lidové Noviny that the transport sector was run by a clique of homosexuals who had people both in the cabinet and the office of the government. He has refused to apologize for the remarks, despite coming under severe criticism from Prime Minister Jan Fischer. Transport Minister Gustav Slámečka accused Mr. Dušek of Nazi rhetoric, while the minister for human rights and minorities, Michael Kocáb, said he was shaken by Mr. Dušek’s stand.
The trade union leader has found himself in growing isolation; both the prime minister and transport minister say they no longer consider him a partner for negotiation and many trade union leaders are now calling for his head. A decision is expected on Tuesday.
CSU deputy Gunther Beckstein says road checks must continue
The former Bavarian premier, CSU deputy, Gunther Beckstein, said on Monday that road checks on Czech drivers in Bavaria could not cease, since they were an essential tool in curbing crime. Speaking after a meeting with the Czech Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolánek, Mr. Beckstein promised to appeal to his party colleague, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Hermann, to moderate the road checks and make sure they were fully in line with Schengen regulations. Czech politicians recently demanded an apology from Germany after receiving more than 100 complaints from Czech drivers saying they had been searched and questioned in a humiliating manner by German traffic police, particularly in Bavaria. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle who visited Prague last Thursday promised to look into the matter.
President Klaus briefed about NATO request
President Václav Klaus on Monday met with Prime Minister Jan Fischer and Defense Minister Martin Barták to discuss a possible increase of Czech troops in Afghanistan and organizational changes to the army ensuing from budget cuts. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen last week urged the Czech Republic to increase its presence in Afghanistan by 51 solders who would provide helicopter training and operate two clinics. Although the Czech government has already approved the increase, the plan is likely to meet with opposition in Parliament where left-wing parties are planning to reject it. The Czech Republic currently has over 500 soldiers in Afghanistan, serving on the provincial reconstruction team in Logar.
Czech snow-boarder seriously injured in the Alps
A Czech snow-boarder has been critically injured after tumbling more than 100 meters down a steep slope in the Austrian Alps. He was rescued by helicopter and is reported to be in serious condition in a Salzburg hospital. Emergency workers said the 32-year-old had put himself at great risk by leaving the marked trail and snowboarding in unknown terrain.
Police investigating gas explosion
The police are investigating a gas explosion in Prague’s southern district of Radotin that damaged two building early on Monday. The explosion happened in one of the apartments which was completely destroyed by the blast. Two men – a father and son - were rushed to hospital with severe burns. According to preliminary findings it appears that the son turned on the gas in an attempt to commit suicide and the father caused the explosion by walking into the room and lighting a cigarette.
Weather
The coming days are expected to be sunny but cold with day temperatures between 1 and minus 3 degrees Celsius.
(radio-Prague)
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