NEWS
Klaus frees jailed Vítkov Romani dad
President Václav Klaus interrupted the prison sentence of the father of the Romani girl who was severely burnt in arson attack on her family’s home in Vítkov. The father had been jailed for failing to pay a prior penalty for driving without a license. Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Michael Kocáb visited the girl’s mother in hospital in Ostrava and donated CZK 100,000 to the public collection for the family. Vítkov Mayor Pavel Smolka said the town can provide the family a three-room flat as a new home but the nine-member family wants to return to a house.
most Czech press
Černý to pull Entropa to protest govt collapse
Czech artist David Černý said he will remove his controversial installation Entropa from EU Council headquarters in Brussels before the end of the Czech EU presidency as a protest against the way the Czech government was toppled. “It’s a big shame for the whole country. Now that I see that there will be former Bolsheviks in the government, I don’t want to be connected with them,” Černý told Hospodářské noviny.
most Czech press
Embassy: Czech asylum applications to Canada booming
In the first quarter of this year, 653 Czechs applied for asylum in Canada, according to the Canadian Embassy in Prague. The figure is more than two-thirds of the total for 2008. Thirty-four of the applicants have been granted asylum so far this year.
MfD A1, A2
Fischer finishes meeting cabinet candidates
Over the past week Czech PM-designate Jan Fischer has met with all candidates for cabinet posts in his caretaker government, which is scheduled to take office by 9 May. Fischer told journalists yesterday that he has not promised any positions yet. He will inform President Václav Klaus about these meetings today, and will meet this week or early next week with the leaders of the current coalition government.
most Czech press
Ministries aim to phase out childrens’ homes
Five ministries have put together a plan aimed at reducing the incidence of children being placed in homes and eventually closing down such facilities. The plan, being launched as a pilot project in the Pardubice region, will focus on preventive work to keep children with their parents and placing kids with foster families rather than institutions.
Mfd A5
ČSSD wants to keep Špidla in Brussels
Jiří Havel, a Social Democratic candidate for European Parliament, told E15 that Vladimír Špidla is the best qualified Czech to serve as the country’s European Commission member and should retain the post when nominations are presented to the new EP.
E15 1, 6
Changes in store for criticized units in Afghanistan
The two Czech military police units operating in Afghanistan will undergo extensive personnel changes to remedy the weak discipline and poor leadership identified in a Defence Ministry report. According to the report and some members of the military police’s Special Operations Group, the units have not been used for the operations for which they were trained.
Mfd A2
Unarmed Romani guards will monitor protests
Romani security patrols established following recent outbreaks of extremist violence will only monitor demonstrations and other far-right activities, the Government Romani Affairs Council said. Council member Cyril Koky, Roma coordinator for Central Bohemia, said the patrols will not be armed and are not intended to stir up fights. Romani activists are planning demonstrations in towns nationwide on 3 May Roma to protest rising extremism in the country.
HN 3, ČTK
Govt mulls 3.5% pay hike for public sector
The government is considering a 3.5% raise in pay for the country’s approximately half-million public sector employees. The increase, which would take effect 1 June, would cover administrators, medical personnel at state hospitals, teachers, teachers, soldiers, police and the clergy. The plan will be discussed by the outgoing cabinet on Monday.
ČTK
Zeman criticizes ČSSD no confidence vote
Former ČSSD leader Miloš Zeman told a press conference yesterday that the party’s vote to bring down the ODS-led government broke tradition. In the past, Zeman said, ČSSD subordinated party interests to the interests of the country as a whole.
MfD A3
Tlustý appeals ODS ouster
MP Vlastimil Tlustý has filed a complaint against the decision of the ODS group in Rakovník to cancel his party membership. He told ČTK yesterday that he did not receive any written statement about this decision.
ČTK
Russian classes becoming trendy again
Since 1996 the number of Czech students taking Russian has increased 11-fold, according to the Czech Statistical Office. Last year Russian surpassed French in popularity. German is becoming less popular among Czech students.
ČTK
BUSINESS
McDonald’s ups Czech sales, more chains eyeing market
The Czech unit of McDonald’s raised sales by nearly 18% to CZK 3.78 billion last year. Competition on the Czech fast-food market is expected to increase, with rival chains Burger King and Subway planning to expand and more outlets heading for the Czech Republic, including U.S.-based Hooters and New York Pizza.
most Czech press
Outgoing govt advances huge clean up project
Departing PM Mirek Topolánek’s cabinet yesterday chose companies to advance to the second round of a CZK 115 billion tender to clean up old environmental damage, the biggest order in the country’s history, triggering calls for the project to be postponed. The firms are A.S.A.’s Geosan Group, J&T’s Environmental Services and Marius Pedersen Engineering “An outgoing cabinet should not take such important steps because it will not bear responsibility for the result,” Transparency International Czech unit head David Ondráčka said.
HN 1, 18, MfD A8
Car dealers: Supply short as VAT waiver boosts demand
Czech car dealers say there is a shortage of new vehicles on the market, as the possibility to deduct VAT from the tax base has boosted demand at a time when cars are in short supply due to production cuts triggered by the economic downturn. Some buyers will have to wait two or three months for their car. Škoda Auto is considering temporarily expanding production of Fabias to its Vrchlabí plant to meet the increased demand.
HN 15, ČTK
Kalousek: Deficit under CZK 150bn if IMF wrong
Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said yesterday that the state budget deficit should not exceed CZK 150 billion this year and next year, but only if Czech GDP does not fall by 3.5%, as predicted by the International Monetary Fund.
E15 2, LN 15, ČTK
Industry group: Fischer govt should prioritize euro prep
Jaroslav Míl, head of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic, said yesterday that Jan Fischer’s new cabinet should make preparation for euro adoption one of its priorities and set up a calendar for implementing some of the necessary measures for the currency switch.
ČTK
Culture ministry to hold auction for cheaper power
The Culture Ministry will hold an electronic auction for power supplies to all its buildings in hopes of reducing its electricity bills, which total CZK 97 million a year. The ministry will unseal bids for the year 2010 on Monday, with the auction itself to take place within two weeks.
HN 16
Brno firm debuts new cable TV service
Brno-based firm Self servis has launched a new cable television service, Spray TV, in seven major towns. The company hopes to make Spray, which currently offers 31 channels, available to 50% of Czech audience via six digital networks.
E15 8
EU agrees on money for gas storage in ČR
The EU agreed yesterday on a EUR 5 billion subsidy for energy projects, of which EUR 35 million will go toward building gas storage facilities in the Czech Republic.
ČTK
