NEWS
Klaus ‘ready’ to get involved in EU presidency if necessary
Despite the recent government collapse, the Czech Republic is able to manage its duties as EU president, President Václav Klaus told visiting European Commission President José Barroso on Sunday. If necessary, Klaus said in an interview with Radio Prague that he would be ready to get directly involved in the EU presidency somehow.
Právo 4
HN: EU might postpone Lisbon talks if Klaus gets involved
Hospodářské noviny reports that talks with Ireland on ratifying the Lisbon Treaty, originally set for the June EU Summit, could be postponed until July when Sweden takes over the EU Presidency over concern that President Václav Klaus would be the one to lead the discussions. Apart from the EU-Russia summit, Klaus might also lead the EU-China summit in May.
HN 1, 2
KDU-ČSL won’t take part in new cabinet; Greens want new talks
The national conference of Christian Democrats decided Monday the party will not participate in the proposed caretaker government. The party said the best solution would be for the standing cabinet to remain in office until the end of the Czech EU presidency. The Greens also said they would not participate in the ODS-ČSSD coalition and would demand that the cabinet stay in office until June.
most Czech press
Cabinet proposes restricting renters’ rights
The cabinet yesterday proposed changes to the Civic Code that would reduce the rights of tenants living in rent-controlled flats and transfer more rights to property owners. The proposal would prevent grandchildren and unmarried partners from inheriting rent-controlled flats in cases where the original tenant dies.
Právo 1, 3
Cabinet imposes more control over debt collectors
The cabinet yesterday approved changes to the law on property foreclosures which would prevent debt collectors from seizing assets worth much more than the amount of the debt. The changes, which would also impose more control over the debt collectors’ chamber, now go to parliament for consideration.
HN 13, 15, LN 4
Fischer: EU presidency will be govt priority
The fundamental priority of the caretaker government will be to successfully complete the Czech EU presidency, according to Czech Statistical Office head Jan Fischer, who is set to become the new prime minister.
E15 3
ODS, KSČM groups to discuss caretaker govt agreement today
The ODS and Communist parliamentary groups will discuss the agreement reached Sunday by political leaders to form a caretaker government and hold early elections.
ČTK
Klaus says satisfied with agreement on new cabinet
President Václav Klaus told Radio Prague that he was satisfied with the political parties’ agreement to form a caretaker cabinet led by Jan Fischer.
ČTK
Antimonopoly office head could be named new interior minister
Former ČSSD member Martin Pecina, the current head of the antimonopoly office (ÚOHS), could become the new interior minister in the caretaker government, the news site iDNES.cz reported Monday.
iDNES.cz
Prague’s population could rise to 2m by 2020
City planners and statistitians are warning that Prague’s population could reach some 2 million from a current 1.2 million by 2020 if all of the development projects currently on the books are realised. More conservative estimates place the number of inhabitants at 1.3 million by 2020, which would rise to 1.8 million in the city each day if one includes tourists and commuters.
LN 6
Mensa to help teachers identify smart kids
The international organisation Mensa, which brings together people with very high IQs, has launched a project at Czech nursery schools to train teachers to better detect gifted children.
HN 4
BUSINESS
SOS Orco in talks to prevent Orco’s bankruptcy
SOS Orco, an association of Orco Property Group shareholders, is holding “direct as well as indirect” talks with the developer’s creditors, accounting for a total of EUR 700 million in claims against Orco. The negotiations are aimed at saving the company from bankruptcy. Erste Bank yesterday lowered its one-year target price for Orco shares to CZK 97 after Patria Finance reduced its Orco target to CZK 115 two weeks ago.
HN 19, ČTK
Passenger car sales down 6% in Q1
Sales of new passenger cars on the Czech market in the first quarter dropped 5.9% year-on-year to 31,075 units. Sales of light utility vehicles fell by 40% to 9,209 units. Pavel Tunkl of the Car Importers Association attributed the decline to lower demand from corporate customers waiting for a rule change allowing them to deduct VAT on car purchases, which went into effect 1 April.
most Czech press
Foreign trade decline continues in February
Czech exports in February fell 22.2% year-on-year, while imports dropped about 21.5%, the Czech Statistical Office said. The country recorded a trade surplus of CZK 8.7 billion, about CZK 4.3 billion less than a year ago. Analysts told ČTK the February data could mark a low point for the year and that trade figures could improve from here.
most Czech press
Steel companies call for state subsidies
The Steel Federation has issued a statement saying the three biggest steelmakers in the Czech Republic will need state subsidies if they are to finance environmental projects worth CZK 4 billion because of a sharp fall in orders and prices. The companies are ArcelorMittal Ostrava, Třinecké železárny and Evraz Vítkovice. ArcelorMittal is considering closing one of its two remaining blast furnaces, after closing two of four furnaces in the past six months.
E 15 1, 10, HN 15
Finance Ministry to issue CZK 1 bonds
The Finance Ministry is planning to issue state bonds with a nominal value of CZK 1 in the third quarter in order to make them more appealing to the general public. The bonds’ interest rate will be announced shortly before the sale and the bonds will be traded over the internet and through sellers. E15 reports that banks are concerned that customers will withdraw their savings and use them to buy the bonds.
E15 1, 10
IMF: Eurozone could allow quick entry for eastern Europe
The eurozone could ease entry requirements to allow crisis-hit central and eastern European countries join the bloc as quasi members, the International Monetary Fund said in a confidential report, according to the Financial Times on Monday. Shadow Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said euro adoption would be favourable for Czechs.
LN 15
State failing to collect foreign debts
The Finance Ministry says 23 countries owe the Czech state a total of CZK 22.4 billion in arrears, with most of the debtors being developing countries. Last year, foreign debtors paid off some CZK 524 million. The biggest debtor is Cuba, which owes some CZK 6.3 billion.
HN 17
First Russian trade bank to open in Prague on Wednesday
Evropsko-ruská banka, the first Czech bank to specialise in trade with Russia, will launch operations in Prague on Wednesday.
ČTK
Granette: Spirits consumption in restaurants falls by a fifth
Spirits consumption in restaurants has fallen by as much as 20% this year, with much of the decline offset by alcohol purchases in supermarkets, according to Granette, the country’s second-biggest producer of spirits.
ČTK
