News
Police President in trouble
President Klaus has called on the Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan to consider sacking Police President Jiri Kolar for his recent statements concerning phone tapping by the police. In connection with the investigation of an alleged bribery case in which the police tapped the phone of at least one high placed politician, the police president noted that tapping of private phone conversations is a normal police practice which does not breech citizens rights and should not bother them as long as they are innocent. President Klaus said he was shocked by the fact that the Police President should disregard a fundamental freedom guaranteed by the Constitution and expressed the view that he should not be allowed to remain in office.
Czech Republic slams Lukasenko regime
The Czech Republic has sharply criticized Belarus for manipulating a referendum that gives President Lukashenko the possibility of ruling indefinitely. It was a victory achieved by crude manipulation of both public opinion and the referendum results, a Czech foreign ministry statement says, noting that Lukashenko's regime had again missed an opportunity to improve relations with the democratic world. The Foreign Ministry said it would continue to provide support for Belarusian democratic forces.
Czech Republic, Denmark support EU accession talks with Turkey
The Czech and Danish prime ministers have said that if Turkey fulfils EU criteria it should be admitted to the European Union. During talks in Prague on Friday, the visiting Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he expected the December EU summit would give the start of accession talks with Turkey the green light. However the start of accession talks does not automatically imply admission at the end of the road, the Danish Prime Minister said, noting that Turkey would be under close scrutiny in meeting EU norms.
EU inspection team in Czech plants
A team of EU inspectors who have been checking out hygiene conditions in Czech meat and milk processing plants this week have found shortcomings at one slaughterhouse but according to the State Veterinary Office production at the plant needn't be suspended. An earlier inspection at the beginning of this year revealed that some plants were still short of fulfilling all EU hygiene criteria and they were given a few more months to comply. The plants inspected were chosen at random. The Czech Hygiene Office has already closed down 600 out of 4,000 plants which were unable to meet EU requirements.
Weather:
Saturday is expected to be partly cloudy with day temperatures between 15 and 19 degrees Celsius.
