News
Czech Airlines resumes normal operation
Czech Airlines has resumed normal operation after a two-day protest by its pilots. A spokeswoman for the carrier said on Saturday the pilots’ protest would not affect flights at the weekend but a representative of the pilots’ labour union said its members remained on strike alert. Czech Airlines cancelled 25 flights from and to Prague’s Ruzyně airport on Thursday and another eight on Friday as around a hundred pilots co-ordinately took sick leaves to protest against a transfer of aircraft to a charter carrier affiliated with Czech Airlines, a move they described as the beginning of Czech Airlines’ liquidation. Czech Airlines said it considered the protest illegal and would punish the pilots participating in the action.
Thirty Czech doctors sent to Slovakia
Thirty Czech military doctors have been sent to Slovakia even though the Slovak government finally signed an agreement with local doctors ending a long labour dispute over low salaries. The Czech and Slovak Health Ministers confirmed the assistance mission on Saturday. The Czech doctors are expected to stay only for several days and will be working in hospitals in Bratislava, Nitra and Žilina which were affected by the recent industrial action.
PM: eurozone will not collapse
Prime Minister Petr Nečas has said he believes that the eurozone will not collapse as a result of the current debt crisis. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Mr. Nečas said scaremongering might only aggravate the situation. Earlier this week Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek warned of disastrous consequences the collapse of the euro would have for the Czech economy. He said a systemic financial collapse of the eurozone would have a fatal economic, fiscal and social impact on the Czech Republic, and the country would ‘struggle to survive’.
PM: Civic Democrats to promote targeted social benefits
Prime Minister Petr Nečas has said his Civic Democrats are promoting a targeted system of social benefits based on each person’s activity. Speaking at a party conference titled “Law and Solidarity” in the northern town of Ústí nad Labem on Saturday, Mr Nečas said that people who abused social benefits could not rely on state assistance. “We want to give a helping hand to those in need who are willing to change their situation and work but we will not support idlers who only pose as needy,” the prime minister said. The party conference has been called in response to the situation in the North Bohemian Šluknov district troubled by tension between the Roma community and the majority population following a number of violent attacks in the summer which the locals blamed on members of the Roma minority.
Klaus backs police president
President Václav Klaus has backed Police President Petr Lessy after Interior Minister Jan Kubice demanded his resignation. According to the daily Lidové noviny Mr. Klaus does not wish a change in the post mainly because it might trigger a government crisis just like a year ago. Mr. Klaus told the paper he thought it would be unfortunate to destabilize the current fragile political situation and that he could empathize with the police president defending his officers. Relations have been tense between the police president and the interior minister lately as the Interior Minister suggests abolishing hundreds of managerial posts in the police force, a move which according to Mr Lessy would compromise the police force’s performance.
Czech national charged with controlling prostitution in Belfast
A Czech national suspected of being at the head of a sex trafficking gang in Northern Ireland has been charged with trafficking into the UK for sexual exploitation, controlling prostitution, and brothel keeping. The BBC reported on Friday the 29-year-old man had been arrested in August by anti-organized crime police during a raid across Belfast. He is alleged to have advertised the services of at least 21 women online and taken up to 80 percent of their earnings. Some of the victims were identified in cooperation with Czech police and Interpol.
Group of policemen attacked by foreign nationals in Varnsdorf
Four police officers were allegedly injured in a fight with a group of foreign nationals which broke out on Saturday afternoon in the northern town of Varnsdorf. A police spokeswoman refused to comment further on the incident but confirmed the officers had been attacked. According to the novinky.cz news site the incident was initiated by a member of the local so-called “Yugoslav mafia”. He allegedly accused one of the police officers of fining him in the past and wanted to take revenge.
Weather
The rest of the weekend is expected to be cloudy with scattered showers and daytime highs of around 6° Celsius.
