News
Government supports Czech filmmakers
The government has decided to support Czech filmmaking by increasing this year’s budget at the Culture Ministry by 100 million crowns. Culture Minister Vaclav Jehlicka asked for the subsidy because a new film law securing funding for Czech film productions has not yet been approved. The State Fund for Support and Development of Czech Cinematography has regular financial sources only from the sale of film copyrights. It also receives one crown from each cinema ticket.
Last week, President Vaclav Klaus signed a so-called digital amendment, which will secure income from advertisements shown on Czech public television. The subsidies will be available from the beginning of 2008 until analogue broadcasting is switched off. It is expected to happen in October 2010 at the earliest. Altogether the subsidies should amount to at least 425 million crowns (24 million US dollars).
Doctors protested against longer working hours
Some 300 people gathered outside the health ministry on Thursday to protest against the minister’s proposal to extend the working hours from 40 to 48 hours per week. Health minister Tomas Julinek says the measure would decrease the number of overtime hours in hospitals. But the trade unions have called his plan an introduction of a work Saturday and shadow health minister David Rath said the measures could make qualified doctors leave for abroad.
National bank increases interest rates
The Czech National Bank has raised the interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point for the fourth time this year. The main rate was brought to 3.5 %, the highest level over the last five years. Following the news, the Czech crown strengthened its position against both the euro and the dollar to an all-time high of 26.28 crowns per euro and 17.79 per US dollar.
Czech deputies to take no-confidence vote
The deputies in the lower house of Parliament will hold a vote of no-confidence on the coalition government on December 4. The chairman of the lower house Miloslav Vlcek convoked the extraordinary session at the request of the opposition Social Democrats. The vote on the government will be taken just one day before the vote on the draft state budget for 2008. The opposition Social Democrats and the Communists only have 98 votes; to topple the ruling coalition, they would need at least 101. It is not likely that they will succeed in winning over anyone from the ruling coalition.
Disputes over National Library Building calm down
Architect Jan Kaplicky met Prague councillors on Thursday to discuss his design for the new National Library Building. Among the topics up for discussion were the budget, and maintenance of Prague’s historic panorama. The Czech-born architect repeated that he was set upon the library being built in its original location, Prague’s Letna Plain.
After being chosen by the international jury in March, the winning design immediately sparked controversy. Among its most fierce opponents were the Czech president Vaclav Klaus and Prague Civic Democratic councillors. Last month, an expert team consisting of architects, conservationists and lawyers was set up to determine final location and design of the building.
Czech students come 15th in PISA survey
The Czech Republic came 15th in the latest Programme for International Student Assessment, a survey organised by the OECD every three years. This year’s survey focused on students’ knowledge of sciences and their ability to use this knowledge in solving problems of everyday life. The programme was carried out among 400,000 students in 57 countries. The average knowledge of OECD students was equalled to 500 points, with Czechs gaining 513 points and the top-of-the-list Finns gaining 563 points. The closest to the Czech Republic were the British and the Swiss.
Lower house refuses to abolish Women’s Day
The Lower House repeatedly rejected the proposal of the Senate to strip International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, of its “significant day” status. Senators consider the day to be tinged with communist ideology and want it to be replaced by Mother’s Day. They also propose to rename the May 1 Labour Day holiday to Spring and Labour Day. The proposal was rejected both by the governing and the opposition deputies.
Weather
It should be mostly cloudy in the following days with occasional rain or snow showers. Temperatures are expected to range between 2 to 5 degrees Celsius.
