News
Czech Euro MP Jana Bobosikova threatens to sue fellow parliamentarian for slander
Czech member of European Parliament Jana Bobosikova has requested that her colleague Vladimir Zelezny apologise for his statements about her and her family made in the Czech media last week, in which he criticised her for hiring her husband as her assistant in the European Parliament and accused her of betraying her party's principles. Mrs Bobosikova has threatened to sue Mr Zelezny for slander if he fails to explain his remarks over the next seven days. The public falling-out between both Euro MPs sharply contrasts their professional relationship earlier in the year when both successfully ran for European parliament under the banner of the so-called Independents.
Doctors' unions planning to stage protests over low pay in health sector
The chairman of the Doctors' Trade Union, Milan Kubek, has revealed that the unions will organise a token strike unless Health Minister Milada Emmerova accepts demands to introduce an independent wage scale system in the health sector. Mr Kubek told journalists on Monday that he was hoping he would be able to meet with the health minister as early as next week, and if that failed, to ask Prime Minister Stanislav Gross for a meeting. The Doctors' Trade Union chairman said that the lack of progress in talks between the government and the unions last week led to the decision to increase pressure on the government.
The unions are dissatisfied because 2004 marks the first time since 1998 that health care employees' real incomes have fallen.
Court in Usti nad Labem halts eight-year-old case involving Romani family
A court in the north Bohemian city of Usti nad Labem has ruled the municipality does not have to pay any compensation to the Cervenaks, a Romani family that was suing the city for damages allegedly suffered in 1993. For the Cervenak family the heart of the dispute was the loss of city-owned apartments that followed after family members moved to Slovakia. When family members began returning to Usti nad Labem within a matter of days, they found they were unable to return to their original homes.
Cervenak family members contended they were never properly compensated for the property they had given up, although they were later given some accommodation by the city after the president's office intervened, and received 900, 000 crowns from the Czech state in an out-of-court settlement after the family took their case to the European Court of Human Rights.
Five out of eight family members withdrew their current lawsuit in Usti nad Labem last month, leaving just three plaintiffs in Monday's ruling. The trio had been asking for compensation of 8 million crowns, or roughly 270, 000 euros.
Czechs win two gold medals at Paralympics
The weekend brought Czech athletes two gold medals at the Paralympics in Greece. Czech swimmer Martin Kovar won the 100 metre free style on Sunday in 1:43,51 - setting a new world record, while Veronika Foltova won the discus. Meanwhile, 29-year-old cyclist Jiri Jezek won the silver medal in the cycling race, narrowly beaten by Spaniard Robert Alcaideo.
The results put the Czech Republic in ninth place in the overall medal standings.
Temelin cuts output due to cooling defect
The Temelin nuclear power station has reported a reduction in output on the first unit following problems with cooling. Temelin staff reportedly discovered leaks in the generator cooling circuits in the non-nuclear part of the power station.
The defects may take a week or longer to repair. The second unit is running on full output.
Weather
Tuesday is expected to be sunny with daytime temperatures reaching highs of around 17 degrees Celsius.
