NEWS
PM’s son under police protection
The 20-year-old son of Prime Minister Jan Fischer has had nonstop police protection since last Thursday due to the neo-Nazi arrests. Some radical webpages have mentioned the prime minister’s Jewish background. His wife, Dana Fischerová, confirmed the information to Lidové noviny. Interior Minister Martin Pecina’s two children are also under protection.
most Saturday press
Klaus wants crackdown on neo-Nazis
President Václav Klaus said on Saturday that politicians and mayors often fear using all existing legal means to stop a recent surge in activity among far-right groups. The political scientist Jan Charvát said police only arrested one of the top leaders of the neo-Nazi movement last Tuesday. Lukáš Rod, is responsible for organising various extremist events.
ČTK, LN 2 Sat
Brožová gives up MP candidacy
Actress Kateřina Brožová announced Friday that she would not run for MP as the top Social Democrat candidate in Teplice, citing concerns about her daughter’s growing up and her own artistic career. Party leader Jiří Paroubek, who had personally backed Brožová, expressed disappointment.
most Czech press
Bursík criticises Schwarzenberg’s part in TOP 09
Former Green Party leader Martin Bursík told Lidové noviny that he does not understand why former Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has accepted a role in Miroslav Kalousek’s TOP 09 party. Bursík said the party only represents a steppingstone before Kalousek enters the ODS. Kalousek denied the allegations in an interview with Právo.
LN 1, 11 Sat, Právo 7 Sat
New party enjoys popularity in polls
Almost 40% of respondents said they might vote for TOP 09, a new party founded last week by the former cabinet ministers Miroslav Kalousek and Karel Schwarzenberg, according to a STEM survey. The survey, conducted by Median for Lidové noviny, shows that TOP 09 supporters come mainly from ODS voters, with 18% of them claiming they would support Kalousek’s party and a further 47% saying they view the party positively.
most Czech press
Swine flu vaccine produced in ČR
In August, the American pharmaceutical company Baxter plans to start offering an H1N1 vaccine produced in its plant in Bohumil. Baxter manufactures the vaccine based on a patented cellular technology that accelerates production. The cabinet has been putting together a contract for 12 million vaccines.
MfD A4 Sat, Právo 4 Sat
Courts might take some time off in summer
The Justice Ministry is considering introducing twice-yearly compulsory holiday for courts. Cutting two weeks in the summer and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day would save hundreds of millions of crowns. The ministry will be allotted CZK 1.5 billion less next year than this year.
HN 1, 4
Govt cuts defence budget by one-eighth
A budgetary outlook passed last week by the cabinet will cut defence spending from this year’s CZK 56 billion to CZK 49bn in 2010 and CZK 50bn in 2012.
ČTK
NKÚ finances under scrutiny
The lower chamber decided on Friday to have the Committee on Budgetary Control examine the finances of the Supreme Audit Office (NKÚ) for the first time in history. MPs are also putting together a proposal for a disciplinary prosecution of NKÚ head František Dohnal due to his high expense reports.
Právo 5 Sat
New train timetables kick in
Czech Railways switched to new timetables Sunday, abolishing dozens of less-popular services, including about 30 in the Vysočina region. Service on some lines will increase.
ČTK
Out-of-wedlock births increasing
The Czech Statistical Office says 38.5% of children born in the first quarter of 2009 were to unmarried mothers, 2.5 percentage points higher than a year ago. Among firstborns, the share was 49.4%.
ČTK
Černý’s pink tank removed
Artist David Černý took back his pink tank shell from Prague’s Kinský square on Friday. The torso was placed there last year to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the occupation of Czechoslovakia by armies of Warsaw Pact countries. The decision to remove the tank was made by the Prague 5 Town Hall, which claims that its primary reason was that Černý did not ask for permission before placing it there. The tank will be exhibited in Meet Factory.
most Saturday press
BUSINESS
High deficit delays ČR’s euro bid
A fiscal outlook released Friday by the Finance Ministry puts the deficit at 5.1% of GDP in 2010 and 4.9% in 2011. Countries cannot join the eurozone with deficits above 3%.
ČTK
Top Czech wind plant starts churning outside Chomutov
The German firm Ecoenerg Windkraft this past weekend launched the largest Czech wind-power farm outside Kryštofovy Hamry in north Bohemia. The 21 turbines can generate up to 42 megawatts of electricity, enough power to supply 30,000 people.
ČTK
Flat prices continue to fall
An analysis by the IRI institute for regional information commissioned by Hospodářské noviny shows that flat prices have fallen for the past six months and now sit at about 7% lower. The drop accelerated in the last three months, and prices are expected to be down 15%-20% on average this year. Rooney & Bennett head Arnošt Hejduk said that those who want to buy should wait.
HN 1-3
AB InBev may be selling eastern brands
The Belgian daily Le Soir has reported that Anheuser-Busch InBev is considering selling its activities in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia to a single buyer. If confirmed, the package would include Prague-based Staropramen.
ČTK
Car-part makers hire temps as sales pick up
Trade unions blame Czech makers of car components for hiring agency workers, mostly foreigners, instead of taking back local full-timers. Suppliers cut many jobs during the global crunch, but sales are now picking up thanks to the scrapping bonuses in some EU states.
prazskydenik.cz
AAA says used car prices have bottomed out
Anthony Denny, CEO at Czech used car dealer AAA Auto, says prices of secondhand cars have dropped 10-30% over the past year, but will not decline further.
ČTK
ArcelorMittal shareholders file lawsuit
Six of the ArcelorMittal Ostrava steelworks’ minority shareholders filed suit last week against the board of directors after they were denied dividends when the holding lent money to its parent, ArcelorMittal. The loan reached CZK 25 billion last year while the company’s profits over the last three years are approximately CZK 25 billion. PPF, which controls almost 14% of ArcelorMittal, has released a statement calling the situation disturbing and will demand answers at Wednesday’s annual general assembly.
HN 17, 20
E15: Russian Tvel might produce nuclear fuel in ČR
Based on information from both Czech and Russian business circles, E15 reports that Tvel, the sole supplier of nuclear fuel for Czech plants as of next year, is considering producing the fuel in the Czech Republic. Vasily Konstantinov, vice-president of the Russian company, said on Russian radio that the Czech Republic interests the company due to its EU membership and the fact that there are existing Russian-style plants here.
E15 1, 8
Bouquet from a vending machine
Four Prague metro stations now feature 24-hour automats that sell flowers. The company Fresh Flowers plans to expand to other cities.
MfD A1, A9 Sat
Liberec travel agent in administration
Balkan Travel has asked a court for protection from creditors. The Liberec-based agency closed down on 4 June after Raiffeisenbank denied it a loan due to slumping sales.
ČTK
