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NEWS
Israel rejects EU mission proposal
Israel on Monday rejected a plan presented by the EU delegation, led by Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, in Egypt to send international observers to Gaza after a ceasefire. Instead, Israel wants international teams to prevent the smuggling of weapons between Egypt and Gaza through tunnels.
most Czech press
Proposed cabinet reshuffle sparks disagreement
Leaders of KDU-ČSL and the Greens took a week to discuss personnel changes after PM Mirek Topolánek provided them with details of a planned reshuffle of the centre-right coalition. The debate resulted in a dispute within KDU-ČSL, as party head Jiří Čunek, among those who could leave the cabinet, said Miroslav Kalousek should be removed as finance minister and replaced by ČSOB economist Tomáš Sedláček. Sedláček said he would be prepared to accept the offer.
most Czech press
PM says he has solution to Middle East conflict
PM Mirek Topolánek said yesterday he has a plan to resolve the Middle East conflict, or at least to end the fighting in Gaza. He has spoken with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and plans to discuss the matter with US President George Bush.
most Czech press
Govt approves priorities for EU presidency
The government yesterday approved a set of priorities for the six-month EU presidency. Deputy PM for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra will announce the details today, though he has already confirmed the key issues include the financial crisis, energy security and EU’s position in the world.
ČTK, E15 1, 6-7
Paroubek demands apology for comments on military missions
ČSSD leader Jiří Paroubek is demanding a public apology from Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and Interior Minister Ivan Langer after the two criticised ČSSD for voting against prolonging Czech military missions abroad. Langer said Paroubek would have the “blood of soldiers on his hands”, while Topolánek said Paroubek “threatened the lives of men and women in uniform”. Paroubek said he would not talk about the missions without an apology; Langer said he was not planning to apologise.
LN 2, Právo 2
EU presidency spokesman keeps his job
EU presidency spokesman Jiří Potužník will remain in his post, PM Mirek Topolánek said yesterday. Potužník said that he and Topolánek had agreed to better coordinate media presentations. Potužník offered to resign last weekend over his statement describing the Israeli strikes on Gaza as more defensive in nature than offensive.
ČTK, HN 6
Skinhead to serve 12 years for attempted murder
Skinhead Lukáš Vorobel, who stabbed Jakub Štěrbík in the neck last May after Štěrbík stood up against Vorobel’s racist shouting against Jews, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for attempted murder by a court in České Budějovice. The assault left Štěrbík temporarily paralysed and he still suffers from serious health problems.
most Czech press
ČT to apologise for using hidden camera on Klaus
Czech TV will apologise for broadcasting shots of President Václav Klaus as he prepared to give his New Year’s address without first asking Klaus for permission. The president’s spokesman called it “an unethical game of hidden camera”. ČT producer Ondřej Neumann will be punished according to internal rules. He said the aim was to show the president as a human being with stage fright.
LN 4, Právo 2
British TV broadcasts documentary on Prague mob
The British television station Bravo was to air a documentary series called “World’s Toughest Towns” yesterday that included a segment on Prague’s prostitution and the influence of the Russian mafia. Irish journalist Donal MacIntyre, one of the authors, said the idea was to provide British tourists with a different view of Prague than what they get from tourist guides.
Aktuálně.cz
Prescriptions available soon via SMS
The State Institute for Drug Control has launched a new service to enable pharmacists to check prescriptions via SMS or email, according to a special code assigned to each prescription. The new method could come into operation by the end of January or February and will be available for long-term prescriptions, such as for drugs for allergies or contraception.
HN 1, 3
Bursík proposes cabinet pay environment fee for flights
The head of the Greens and Environment Minister Martin Bursík proposed yesterday that cabinet members pay CZK 88 for every business flight made on behalf of the Czech EU presidency in order to offset environmental damage. He withdrew the proposal after strong objections from the rest of the cabinet.
HN 3
BUSINESS
Czechs seeking to end gas dispute
The Czech EU presidency is working to resolve the dispute between Russia’s Gazprom and Ukraine over a cut in Russian gas supplies and to secure deliveries to Europe. RWE Transgas, the Czech Republic’s main gas supplier, reported a 9.5% drop in deliveries from Gazprom yesterday.
most Czech press
PM announces names for national economic council
Jiří Weigl, the head of the president’s office, has become the first member of a national economic council that will deal with the possible effects of the financial crisis, PM Mirek Topolánek said yesterday. The prime minister has also asked Jiří Rusnok, the head of the Pension Funds Association, to join the team. Economist Jan Švejnar is among other potential candidates, according to Euro.cz.
LN 3, ČTK
Regulated rents rise steeply around the country
E15 reports that most cities and towns raised regulated rents by the maximum allowable limit. Regulated rents in Prague and regional capitals rose by 46% on average. Ondřej Diblík, from the real estate company Lexxus, said the higher rents would force people to leave flats in high-rent zones such as Prague 1, 2 and 6 and move to smaller flats on the outskirts.
E15 4
China maker on sale; BCT glassworks end production
Karlovy Vary china maker Karlovarský porcelán, which has been declared bankrupt, is now up for sale. Interested bidders have until the end of January to apply. Glassmaker Crystalex Nový Bor, a subsidiary of BCT group, has run out of money and will end production. The company’s 1,730 employees will not receive salaries for last month. Another BCT subsidiary, Kavalier glassworks, is threatened with bankruptcy.
HN 13, Právo 1, ČTK
More layoffs ahead; ARDO Mochov closes down
Hospodářské noviny says more layoffs can be expected in the automotive, textile and glass industries. Nearly 14,000 automotive workers could lose their jobs by June and others could see their salaries cut. The Belgian company ARDO, which makes frozen fruits and vegetables, yesterday said it would close a plant in Mochov. The company’s head of marketing, Lukáš Moravec, said the main cause was not the economic crisis but a rejection by the town council of a site to build a new plant.
HN 13, 15
Central Group issuing shares, increasing capital
Real estate developer Central Group said yesterday it would issue new shares worth CZK 1 billion and increase its capital base by CZK 190 million to CZK 1.9 billion. The value of the new shares corresponds to the amount of capital the Swiss investor Global Property Capital will invest in the company in return for 10% of the shares.
HN 15
Crisis in Germany could affect Czech solvency
A report by the credit agency Coface says there’s an increased risk that German businesses suffering from the economic crisis could delay their payments to Czech suppliers and thereby increase the risk of Czech businesses being able to pay their invoices on time.
HN 13
Car dealers selling off inventory
New car dealers in the Czech Republic have started selling off stocks to make room for 2009 models and boost after-Christmas sales. Selected 2008 models, including Peugeot, Citroen and Chevrolet, are seeing prices slashed by as much as 20%.
ČTK
Czechs wager millions on first day of online gambling
Thousands of Czechs wagered millions of crowns with Czech betting companies yesterday as the Finance Ministry’s ruling to allow the country’s five largest bookmakers to accept bets over the internet came into effect.
HN 13, 15, LN 13
Govt approves CZK 1bn for farmers
The government has approved CZK 1 billion in direct payments to farmers as a way of softening the impact of a budget proposal to cut agriculture spending this year. The CZK 1 billion will be taken from the Czech Land Fund.
ČTK
