News
No threat of the EC suspending subsidies, says ministry
There is no threat of the European Commission suspending subsidies from EU structural funds, regardless of mistakes in relevant Czech audits, according to deputy regional development minister Daniel Braun. After meeting with EC representatives on Friday Mr Braun said that he and his EU counterparts had agreed on the steps the Czech Republic should take in order for the EC not to suspend Czech operational programmes. While he confirmed the EC could stop the subsidies in the event of major problems with the programmes, he said this was not imminent. The EC´s criticism regards the Czech system of auditing, inspections and human resources stability, particularly in the Education Ministry, where the EC suspended the payment of 1.2 billion crowns.
National Disability Council calls for protests
The National Disability Council and health care unions are organising a protest against the Health Ministry’s proposed waiting period for operations and distances of medical care. According to the new proposals, which should take effect in April, patients must be able to reach a doctor, dentist or pharmacy within 40 minutes, or specialised care within three hours. Waits for hip joint replacements, for example, should taker on longer than 78 weeks. The groups plan to demonstrate in front of the Ministry of Health at noon on March 27. The protest is also supported by the Czech €doctors’ chamber.
Soc. Dem. to back reduced hospital catering fee
The leadership of the opposition Social Democratic Party has decided to allow a fee on hospital catering in it’s platform, thus backing off from its rejection of all heath care fees. The party platform will now allow for a 60 crown per day fee on hospital catering that patients would pay for 30 days at most. The current fee is 100 crowns per day regardless of the length of stay. Party chairman Bohuslav Sobotka says the fee is in the interest of financially stabilising regional hospitals so that they can remain in public hands.
Social Democrats to seek no confidence vote
The Social Democrats agreed on Saturday to call for a parliamentary vote of no confidence in the government within the next two weeks. Party leader Sobotka is seeking signatures for a special session; even with the support of the Communist Party however the numbers will be stacked against them. Mr Sobotka cited the trial of former transport minister Vít Bárta as an additional reason for a vote of no confidence. Public support in Mr Bárta’s Public Affairs party has evaporated since his corruption scandal began early last year, and critics of the government argue the party no longer has a mandate. The Social Democratic Party has made two unsuccessful no-confidence votes during the current election term, which began in mid-2010.
Majority believes Bárta guilty of bribery
Meanwhile, 70% of Czechs believe the money that Mr Bárta gave to two of his party’s leading members were intended as bribes, according to a survey carried out by the STEM/MARK agency for Czech Television. Slightly less men than women believed Mr Bárta’s defence, that the money in question was given as personal loans. The corruption trial of Vít Bárta and Jaroslav Škárka adjourned on Friday to study the evidence and will continue in April.
Moravský Krumlov repairing chateau in hopes of retrieving Slav Epic
The town of Moravský Krumlov will begin repairing it’s chateau in the summer in a bid to have Alphons Mucha’s Slav Epic returned to his custody. The 20-canvass masterpiece was removed to Prague after a long-running dispute over which city should host the Art Nouveau paintings. The Krumlov town hall is seeking to satisfy the demands of preservationists, namely to upgrade the air conditioning and stabilise the humidity in the castle, in the hopes that the paintings will b e returned after their exhibit in Prague closes in two years. The painter’s family is seeking a permanent home for the works in Prague, but will support their return to Moravský Krumlov if no suitable venue in the capital is created.
Czechs keep more pets than any country in Europe
Czechs keep more household pets than any country in Europe, according to surveys compiled by the website Novinky.cz. The site claims that half of Czech households have one or more pets, with two million dogs and a million cats in four and a half million households. Conversely, a poll made for an association of German kennels suggests that only 13% of households in Germany have dogs, compared to 38% in France. According to the GfK agency, Czechs spend more than two billion crowns a year on veterinary services and a similar amount on pet food.
Weather
Conditions over the weekend are expected to be mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and daytime highs of 8 to 10° Celsius.
