News

Czech Prime Minister supports investigation of possible corruption in government committee

After a meeting with the head of the Christian Democrats Cyril Svoboda on Thursday, Prime Minister Jan Fischer said he would back Svoboda’s suggestion to investigate all members of a government committee in charge of public tenders. The tenders that the committee awards involve sums upward of half a billion Czech crowns. Mr. Fischer said the proposed measure would be debated at Monday’s government session. Mr. Svoboda believes that it is possible the investigation will reveal irregularities and that some large public tenders may need to be cancelled. One example of such tenders is a multi-billion crown contract for the removal of environmental damage in Czech forests.

Record trade balance surplus of 150 billion crowns

According to analysts’ estimations, the country’s trade balance in 2009 has reached a record surplus of 150 billion crowns. A decline in transportation costs and car scrap incentives in neighboring countries are cited as the main reasons for this record surplus in times of deep global recession. Should car scrap incentives be discontinued by some governments, it would affect the trade balance of the Czech Republic negatively, analysts say. As a consequence, some economists warn the trade balance surplus should not be interpreted as a signal of long-term improvement of the economic situation both in the Czech Republic and abroad. For 2010, experts predict a trade surplus of about 90 billion crowns.

Canada increases limit of work visas available to Czechs

The Canadian embassy in Prague announced on Thursday that in 2010, the Canadian government will offer 1200 work visas to young Czech citizens wishing to live and work in Canada for a year. That is 200 more than in 2009. The increase is part of a government program aiming to boost mobility for young people. The program has been in operation since 2007 and to this date, some 1300 Czechs have taken advantage of the offer. Those who wish to apply for work visas have to pay a fee of 2500 Czech crowns and meet certain requirements, such as being aged between 18 and 35 years.

Czech doctors said to have been ordered to perform surgery on the late dictator Saddam Hussein

On Thursday, the Czech weekly Sedmička published an article claiming that doctors from Prague in the late seventies were supposed to perform surgery on the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The information is based on documents that the magazine’s staff says it has at its disposal. At the time, political relations between Iraq and then Czechoslovakia were very good and the Iraqi government asked the Czech authorities for help with Mr. Hussein’s health issues in 1977. The late dictator was then suffering from strong pain resulting from a slipped disk.

Two women sterilized without knowing receive compensation

On Thursday, the Supreme Court in Prague ruled that two women, who were sterilized without their knowledge, should receive hundreds of thousands of crowns in compensation. According to the League of Human Rights, the doctors who sterilized the two patients were trying to prevent serious health complications but didn’t offer them the chance to make a decision about their own health. Under the communist regime and even into the late 90s, women predominantly of Roma origin were sometimes sterilized against their will and the Minister of Human Rights and Minorities Michael Kocáb said that new measures will prevent such incidents from happening in the future.

Over a hundred died on Czech streets in alcohol-related road accidents in 2009

According to a report by Czech Television, 123 Czechs have died in traffic accidents related to alcohol consumption in 2009. Of the total number of such accidents, 83 took place between January and November while 40 happened in December alone. Compared to police statistics of previous years, 2009 was less tragic in terms of alcohol-related traffic accidents. The total number of accident victims on Czech roads this year was 830.

President gives clemency to policewoman

Czech President Václav Klaus has given clemency to a former member of the foreign police who accepted bribes and was sentenced to two years in prison. The policewoman had been accepting money from foreigners who were hoping that their bribes would expedite their visa applications, which are handled by the foreign police in the Czech Republic. The president’s decision was motivated by the policewoman’s state of health as well as numerous letters petitioning for her not to be sent to prison, including one by the mayor of the town where she lives.

Czech tennis star reaches semi-finale in Brisbane International

Czech tennis number one Radek Štěpánek has reached the semi-final of the Brisbane International, which he won last year. Mr. Štěpánek is two wins away from earning the title for a second time. The 31-year old, who represented the Czech Republic at the Davis Cup, beat the American Wayne Odesnik 7:6 and 6:1. After reaching the quarter-final on Wednesday, Czech tennis player Lucie Safarova dropped out of the competition after a mixed match.

Heavy snowfall expected over the weekend

By Sunday, some regions of the Czech Republic will see heavy snowfall. Heavy snowstorms are expected in Moravia, the eastern part of the Czech Republic, which could see up to 60 centimeters of fresh snow in the coming days. Drivers have been warned to exercise caution on icy roads and snowdrifts.

Weather

Conditions over the next few days are expected to be cold and snowy, with night temperatures dropping down to -11 degrees Celsius.