News

Senators debating government bills for first time due to dissolution of lower house

Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok on Wednesday attended a session of the Senate to try and ensure safe passage for a number of government-proposed bills to which senators have tabled amendments. They include bills aimed at increasing contributions to the health system from state insurers and measures linked to public tenders. Following the dissolution of the chamber of deputies the fate of these bills is now in the hands of the Senate. Should the upper chamber reject them it could seriously complicate the running of the country. The debate is expected to continue on Thursday.

Senate approves extended Czech participation in UN mission in Sinai

The Senate has approved a government proposal for the Czech Republic to send another 13 soldiers and a CASA plane to the U.N. mission in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula where they should serve from November until the end of 2014. The proposal comes in response to a request from the mission’s command which asked Prague for a CASA plane as well as technical personnel. The extension of Czech participation, which now comprises three military officers, requires the consent of the Senate, the upper house of parliament, in view of the fact that the lower house is dissolved.

Health sector TUs on strike alert

Trade unions in the health sector have gone on strike alert to draw attention to what they describe as a looming crisis in the health sector and social services. The head of the umbrella organization of health and social services employees Dagmar Zitnikova said many hospitals and spa facilities were now on the brink of bankruptcy and these issues needed to be addressed urgently. She called on parties running in October’s general elections to make public their stand on the matter.

Czech and Israeli business to cooperate in seeking new markets

Czech and Israeli entrepreneurs have agreed to cooperate in finding new markets in Africa and Asia, according to the president of the Czech-Israeli Chamber of Commerce Pavel Smutný. Czech-Israeli business talks took place within President Miloš Zeman’s four-day state visit to Israel. Czech businesses, which export largely to EU member states, are seeking ways to diversify their interests and find new markets in Africa, Asia, China and India. They have criticized the former Czech government for closing down dozens of Czech embassies around the world in order to save money, saying the lack of representation was harming the country’s business interests.

Arnica releases list of main polluters

Czech firms released a smaller volume of pollutants into the environment in 2012 than in 2011, but the quantity of mercury released into the air and water went up, the environmental watchdog Arnica reported on Wednesday. The main polluters are traditionally located in the industrialized regions of Moravia-Silesia, Ustí nad Labem and Central Bohemia. Power generating facilities, mainly plants operated by the state-owned power utility ČEZ continue to be the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, Arnica says. On the other hand the chemical plant Spolana Neratovice tops the list of polluters in the amount of potentially carcinogenic substances released. Overall the amount of carcinogenic substances released decreased by about one fifth compared with 2011.

Finance minister accuses predecessor of turning blind eye to violations of the labour code

Finance Minister Jan Fischer has accused his predecessor Miroslav Kalousek of tolerating violations of the labour code at the ministry while in office. Minister Fischer said that an internal investigation had revealed serious malpractices in the past including violations in work ethics and attendance where favoured employees had had month-long work absences covered by non-existent business trips. Others had been subjected to mobbing at the workplace which their superiors turned a blind eye on. Mr. Fisher said he believed his predecessor could not have been unaware of what was going on.

Study produced drug map of Czech Republic

A chemical analysis of wastewater in ten regions has detected traces of different drugs that are used in different areas of the country. Plzen showed higher levels of heroin, Prague higher levels of cocaine, Brno the party drug ecstasy and Usti nad Labem and Ostrava crystal methamphetamine. The head of the research team Lubor Hruska said he was surprised by the clear-cut distinctions. It is the first study of its kind in the Czech Republic.

Former government office head refuses to testify in corruption scandal

The former head of the Office of the Government Lubomír Poul has refused to testify in the case of the former chief-of-staff Jana Nagyová, who is charged with abuse of office and corruption in a scandal that brought down the former centre-right government. Nagyová´s defence counsel Eduard Bruna said Lubomír Poul was badly shaken by the scandal involving his former colleague and had used his right not to give testimony. The former head of the Office of the Government was detained along with seven other people during a June raid. Unlike the others he was not charged.

Growing number of employed pensioners

The number of working pensioners in the Czech Republic is on the rise despite an increase in the retirement age, the Czech Statistics Office reported on Wednesday. While in 2010 the number of employed pensioners between 65 and 70 years of age was 129 thousand in the first half of this year it had increased to 145 thousand. The number of pensioners who continue to work past their retirement age has now reached over 11 percent.

Jágr equals record number of NHL regular season games played by Czech

The ice hockey star Jaromír Jágr has equalled the record for the most NHL regular season games played by a Czech. Jágr’s appearance for New Jersey Devils on Tuesday was his 1,395th NHL regular season match, putting him on equal terms with defender Roman Hamrlík. The two are now 32nd overall in terms of number of games played but are the leaders among active players. Jágr, who is 41, scored for New Jersey in their defeat to Vancouver on Tuesday, as did his compatriot Patrik Eliáš.

Weather

The coming days should be partly cloudy with intervals of rain and shine and daytime highs reaching 15 degrees Celsius.