News
Klaus pardons former gambler convicted of fraud
President Vaclav Klaus has granted pardon to a former gambling addict convicted of committing fraud nine years ago. According to the presidential office, Jiri Hladky paid the damages in full in the time set by the court and has lived a law-abiding life for five years. President Klaus has granted pardons to 17 people since taking office last year in March. His predecessor, Vaclav Havel, was often criticised for dispensing too many pardons and sometimes to controversial figures. Mr Klaus said shortly after his election last year that he would only grant pardons in exceptional cases.
Skromach: Government to take steps to keep Czech workforce at home
The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Zdenek Skromach, has said that the government is going to take steps to prevent the Czech workforce from leaving the country in search of work in other EU countries. Those steps should include, for example, harmonising of social benefits and taxes. Meanwhile, the Czech government is still negotiating with the "old" member states about free access for Czech citizens to their labour markets as most of the current EU states have taken measures preventing the new European citizens to be employed there. Czechs will be allowed to work freely in Britain, Ireland and Sweden as well as in the fellow EU accession states of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Baltic countries.
Mlynar wants change on Eurotel's management to be checked by UOHS
The Information Technology Minister, Vladimir Mlynar, has asked the anti-monopoly office to examine Wednesday's replacement of two executives of the mobile operator Eurotel and a subsequent personnel link with the management of Eurotel's parent company, Cesky Telecom. Mr Mlynar said he wants to know whether or not the change runs counter to the terms under which the anti-monopoly office approved the merger of the two telecommunications companies last year. On Wednesday, the executive board of Cesky Telecom dismissed Eurotel's CEO, Terrence Valeski, along with the head of the legal division, Lubos Borik, and replaced them with executives from Cesky Telecom.
Chamber should decide on VZP, Musilkova - Kubinyi
The new Health Minister, Jozef Kubinyi, has said that the problems of the country's national health insurer, the General Health Insurance Company, or VZP, and its head, Jirina Musilkova, should be discussed by the lower house of parliament. Shortly after taking office two weeks ago, Minister Kubinyi said that the VZP was "ineffective" and mismanaged its funds and that Ms Musilkova could not handle her post and should resign. Minister Kubinyi said the law does not allow him to propose that Ms Musilkova be recalled from her post.
North Moravian police detain two child porn producers
Police in North Moravia say they have detained two men suspected of producing and distributing child porn videos and of abusing boys aged 8 to 12 years. One of the suspects worked as the head of a young boys' hiking group. Both men are accused of abusing about 20 children. If found guilty, the two 34-year-olds face up to 10 years in prison.
Weather
Friday should be a bright and sunny day with daytime temperatures reaching highs of 24 degrees Celsius.
