NEWS
Swine flu avoids ČR so far
Prague doctors have ruled out swine flu in all three Czech patients who felt unwell after returning from Mexico. Firo-tour yesterday cancelled holiday trips to Mexico after a similar move by Exim Tours. Czech veterinarians and pork producers have voiced objections to the term “swine flu” and proposed that it be called “Mexican flu” or “North American flu”. The European Commission yesterday replaced “swine flu” by “novel flu” in its terminology out of fear the name might hurt EU farmers.
most Czech press
Outgoing minister warns against taking anti-flu meds
Outgoing Health Minister Daniela Filipiová has warned against taking medicines against swine flu as a preventive measure since that would allow the organism to build up resistance to the medication. Pharmacies have recorded growing demand for face masks and anti-flu medicines like Tamiflu and Relenza. Jiří Beran from the centre for vaccinations and travel medicine says Europeans have different immune systems from Hispanics and that might be why nobody outside of Mexico has died yet from the flu.
most Czech press
Karlovy Vary film festival to host Miloš Forman
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival this year will host the renowned Czech director Miloš Forman and premiere his film “Dobře placená procházka” (Well Paid Stroll), an adaptation of a jazz opera by Jiří Suchý. Festival president Jiří Bartoška said the event had not been badly affected by the economic crisis because of long-term contracts with its partners.
most Czech press
Dana Jurásková appointed health minister
Caretaker Prime Minister Jan Fischer has announced that Dana Jurásková, the head of the general teaching hospital (VFN), will become the new Health Minister, in the first appointment of his new cabinet. Jurásková will officially remain head of the VFN during her period as minister.
most Czech press
MPs vote on early elections
A bill allowing the holding of early general elections in October yesterday passed the first reading in the lower house. Opposition ČSSD leader Jiří Paroubek told PM-designate Jan Fischer his caretaker government should push state-run companies to reduce managers’ salaries.
most Czech press
Court upholds fine for severed head at Nova
The Supreme Administrative Court has confirmed a CZK 150,000 fine handed to TV station Nova in 2007 for airing before 10pm an episode of the US series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” that included a detailed shot of a severed head. The Broadcasting Council says the footage may have shocked children.
MfD A4
ČR ratifies US-EU deal on extradition
The Czech Republic has ratified an EU-US agreement on extraditing convicted or suspected criminals. The accord still needs Belgium’s and Greece’s signatures.
ČTK
Pharmacists will ID for decongestant
Cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine, which can be misused to make methamphetamine, will still be sold over the counter, but pharmacists will now check buyers’ IDs and prevent hoarding, under a Senate bill passed by MPs yesterday.
ČTK
Poll: Czechs feel threatened by foreign labour
A recent STEM survey shows 80% of Czechs think there are too many foreigners working in the Czech Republic, and two out of three people say foreigners are taking jobs away from Czechs.
ČTK
Proposal to allow driving at 160 km/h
Three ODS MPs have submitted a draft amendment that would allow for raising the speed limit from 130 km/h to 160 km/h on select segments of motorways.
ČTK
Albania bids for EU membership in Prague
Albanian PM Sali Berisha, in Prague yesterday, handed his country’s official request for EU membership to outgoing Czech PM Mirek Topolánek.
Právo 4
Czech Roma appeal to pope for help
The Romani group Roma Realia has sent a letter to Pope Benedict XVI asking him to open a debate on the status of Roma in Europe and reporting on the hardships faced by Czech Roma.
ČTK
ČVUT to open IT faculty
The Czech Technical University (ČVUT) in Prague will open a new Faculty of Information Technologies for the coming academic year. The faculty will initially have six BA programmes and later will expand to offering MA and PhD programmes.
LN 4
BUSINESS
ČNB’s Singer: Economy to contract more than 2%
Czech National Bank Vice-Governor Miroslav Singer said yesterday that according to a new bank projection, the economy will contract this year by more than 2%. In February, the bank was expecting a 0.3% decline this year. The International Monetary Fund has forecast a drop of 3.5%.
HN 15, E15 1
PPF, Generali form CZK 40bn investment fund
The investment group PPF, via its subsidiary PPF Partners, and the Italian insurer Generali are planning to create a joint fund of some CZK 40 billion to acquire stakes in central and eastern European companies. The project is planned to launch in the autumn.
E15, 1, 11
KB to stop 100% mortgage lending
Komerční banka will stop offering mortgages of 100% of a property’s value as of 1 May, lowering the maximum loan to 90%, because of the increased risk involved. Česká spořitelna, Raiffeisenbank and GE Money Bank have adopted similar limits. Hypoteční banka is still offering 100% mortgages.
HN 15
Bureau collects CZK 4.5m in fines from uninsured drivers
The Czech Insurers’ Bureau has so far collected CZK 4.5 million from drivers without liability insurance and sent tens of thousands of warning letters to drivers who have not paid compulsory insurance. Uninsured drivers were responsible for CZK 469.7 million in damages last year.
most Czech press
Bill to facilitate car ownership for small firms
Under an amendment proposed by MP Zdeněk Prosek (ODS), small and medium-sized firms with up to three company cars would no longer have to keep travel diaries and save fuel receipts, but instead could declare blanket tax-deductible costs of CZK 5,000 per month for each car.
ČTK
Telefónica O2 nets more on lower Q1 sales
Top Czech landline and mobile operator Telefónica O2 increased its consolidated net profit for the first quarter of 2009 by 8.7% year-on-year to CZK 2.65 billion, despite a 1.6% drop in revenues to CZK 15.1bn.
HN 23, ČTK
Unpaid privatisation proceeds at CZK 3.87bn
The Finance Ministry has published a list of business owners who have bought state-run companies but never paid for them. These debtors now owe the state CZK 3.87 billion.
ČTK
Ostrava microbrew launches women’s special
Zámecký minipivovar at the chateau in Ostrava-Zábřeh has launched a special wheat beer, Ženské pivo Pikard (Women’s Beer Pikard), targeted at female customers of a local restaurant.
ČTK
Křovák fills in for Fischer at statistical office
Jiří Křovák, vice-chairman of the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ), has been authorised by ČSÚ chair Jan Fischer to head the office while Fischer acts as Czech caretaker prime minister.
ČTK
Cinemas in ČR defy crunch
Czech cinemas in the first quarter of 2009 sold 3.27 million tickets worth CZK 323.4 million, almost 400,000 tickets and some CZK 35m more than a year earlier.
ČTK
