NEWS
13 killed in shock floods
Last week’s floods in north and central Moravia, south Bohemia and the Plzeň region killed 13 people and caused damage worth billions of crowns. The estimated cost of damage to motorways and major roads alone stands at CZK 1 billion. The floods are the third worst to hit the Czech Republic since those in 1997 and 2002, according to Lidové noviny.
most Czech press
Paroubek would bolster Czech-Russian relations
If the Social Democrats win the autumn parliamentary elections, the party plans to revive the country’s relations with Russia, especially on an economic and cultural level, ČSSD leader Jiří Paroubek said after meeting with the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday. Paroubek said Putin would be the first foreign statesman to be invited to the Czech Republic. The ČSSD leader also told Saturday’s Mf Dnes that Putin and he had discussed the planned Russian visit of US President Barack Obama at the start of July, which will include talks on the US anti-missile defence system.
most Saturday press
CZK 8.4m stolen in post office cash delivery
Three suspects seized CZK 8.4 million from G4S Cash Services on Friday afternoon in a robbery outside a Prague post office.
MfD B1, B2 Sat
Klaus loses public support over Lisbon
Václav Klaus’s national approval rating has fallen to 55%, down 15 percentage points since New Year in the worst result since his election as president in 2003. The pollster STEM attributes the fall to Klaus’s refusal to sign the Lisbon Treaty despite its ratification by parliament. Caretaker PM Jan Fischer has the approval of 61% of the population.
MfD A4 Sat
Czech EU presidency ‘a wasted chance’
Political scientists Petr Kaniok and Jana Reschová say the Czech Republic squandered the chance to improve its image during the EU presidency from January to June. Reschová blamed inconsistencies in the stances of Czech officials, including the president’s refusal to sign the Lisbon Treaty.
ČTK
Crunch will hurt municipal budgets
Tax revenue for Czech municipalities this year will be down CZK 13-15 billion from 2008, a decline greater than previously expected, according to Kladno mayor Dan Jiránek.
ČTK
Nigerian fraudsters using Czech ad portals
Saturday Mf Dnes has warned that Nigerian fraudsters are advertising electronics, including notebooks and mobile phones, for half their usual price on Czech advertising portals, demanding pre-payments for goods that are never delivered to customers. The advertisements are written in poor Czech, with buyers asked to send money to Great Britain via Western Union. As many as several hundred people in the ČR have reportedly been cheated.
MfD A1, A8 Sat
Tougher rules on court notice delivery
Czech Post will now only deliver court notices to parties at their official addresses, regardless of where they actually live, under a new law effective from Wednesday 1 July. The postal service was previously required to deliver this mail to the parties’ active addresses, leading to long delays and costing millions of crowns each year. This measure only affects civil disputes .
HN 5
Court rejects state pharmaceutical fee waiver
Ostrava Regional Court on Friday prevented the Moravia-Silesia regional government from waiving CZK 30 fees on prescriptions at a Havířov hospital pharmacy. The case marks the third time that private pharmacists have successfully complained against unfair state competition in the region.
ČTK
Czech ad wins prize at Cannes Lions
An advertisement created by Czech advertising agency Euro RSCG to promote a National Museum exhibit celebrating the 90-year anniversary of Czechoslavakia’s foundation, has won 3rd place at Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. The ad depicts a cleaning lady spitting on a glass box containing the Munich Agreement.
HN 1, 21
BUSINESS
Farmers plan motorway blockade today
Starting from 9am today, farmers will use hundreds of agricultural machines to halt traffic for two to three hours on several motorways and main roads in six regions in a protest against low purchase prices on milk and general EU agricultural policy.
most Czech press
Rogue financier charged with tax evasion
Police have charged Czech entrepreneur David Beran with avoiding tax of CZK 250 million due from his lending firm Profi Credit Czech between 2001 and 2007. Beran has repeatedly ignored police summons. His whereabouts abroad remain unknown.
Právo 7 Sat
Steel giant unlikely to get state aid
Industry and Trade Minister Vladimír Tošovský on Friday denied ArcelorMittal Ostrava’s request for the government to subsidise the salaries of the steel firm’s unneeded workers. “There is no reason why the state should support one company,” Tošovský said.
HN 1, 17
Vítkovice will not pay dividends
Machinery manufacturer Vítkovice will hold onto last year’s net profit worth CZK 1.37 billion. Earnings in 2008 stayed flat despite a 19% drop in annual revenue to CZK 2.75 billion.
ČTK
Morgan Stanley: ČR good investment
According to Morgan Stanley’s latest model portfolio, international firms should increase their holdings in the Czech Republic but withdraw funds from Turkey, South Korea and Hungary.
HN 24
Most July holiday deals sold out
The Association of Czech Travel Agents (ACKČR) has reported the sale of almost all holiday packages offered by the larger travel agencies for the first three weeks of July.
HN 21
New feedback website launched for Czech firms
The association Korektní podnikání (correct business association) has launched a website (www.banREF.cz) where people can publish comments via SMS on the services of more than 2.5 million Czech enterprises and non-profit organisations.
HN 20
Bankrupt glass firm has 13 suitors
Talks are continuing with 13 potential investors about the takeover of Kavalier, the sole operating unit of bankrupt glass group Bohemia Crystalex Trading, after three more bidders lost interest.
ČTK
Crunch puts Czech lorry maker in the red
Tatra, the largest Czech lorry manufacturer, lost CZK 572 million last year after netting CZK 859 million in 2007. Tatra will use CZK 393 million of its retained profit to cover some of the loss.
ČTK
Czech banks cut 1,100 jobs in last year
The Czech National Bank announced that the number of employees in the Czech banking sector fell to 38,918 at the end of March, down 1,100 or 3% from the previous year. Most redundancies occurred at medium-sized banks.
ČTK
Pope and Obama green tea ad will be withdrawn
Advertising watchdog Rada pro reklamu has called on HealthCare-Products to remove poster ads for green tea featuring Pope Benedict XVI and US President Barack Obama, calling the campaign unethical. The firm said it would comply.
ČTK
Czech Airlines has new vice-president
Beginning 1 August, banker Jiří Hrbáček will replace Luboš Černý as financial division vice-president and a board member of Czech Airlines.
ČTK
Car electronics firm fires remaining staff
Stříbro-based automotive supplier Alcoa Fujikura wants to fire another 613 of its 730 employees following 1,000 sackings around New Year. The firm has seen a fall in orders and has already moved part of its production to Romania.
ČTK
