News
Supreme State Attorney dismissed
The Czech Republic's Supreme State Attorney Marie Benesova has been dismissed from office. Ms Benesova was sacked at the request of Justice Minister Pavel Nemec with whom she had long-standing disputes. Although Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek had long backed Ms Benesova in the post, he recently conceded that the ongoing feud was paralyzing his administration. The justice minister has proposed state attorney Renata Vesecka as a suitable replacement. The outgoing Supreme State Attorney, Marie Benesova, has told the CTK news agency that she was given no chance to defend herself in her dispute with Justice Minister Pavel Nemec and that the decision on her dismissal was actually made when she was on holiday abroad.
Pensions to rise by almost 5 percent in January, govt decides
The government has decided to increase the old-age, widows' and disability pensions by 4.9 percent as of January. The average monthly pension will thus reach 8,128 crowns (or over 330 dollars). According to experts, the country's current pay-as-you-go pension system is to survive for another 20 years approximately. The society, nevertheless, has been ageing and the spending on pensions has been increasing. Currently, the state spends about 8 percent of GDP on pensions.
Government to sell its stake in Severoceska uhelna to CEZ
The government has decided to sell its share in the country's biggest brown-coal mining company, Severoceska uhelna, to the Czech energy giant CEZ for 9 billion crowns (370 million dollars). CEZ which now holds a 37-percent stake in the mining company will have a 93-percent share after the purchase. Severoceska uhelna is the biggest supplier of brown coal for CEZ's power plants. The deal will now be examined by the Czech antitrust office and the European Commission.
Czech Republic gears up for possible Hyundai car plant
The chief executive of South Korean car-maker Hyundai, Chung Mong-Koo, toured a site in the Czech Republic on Thursday, regional governor Evzen Tosenovsky said. The Czech news agency CTK, citing the Korea Economic Daily, reported that Hyundai planned to invest about 1.9 billion dollars in the Czech Republic, building a plant with annual output of 300,000 cars. Czech officials have declined to comment on the report. Quoting an unnamed regional council source, CTK said that two sites at industrial zones in North Moravia were being considered. If Hyundai decide to locate a new plant in the Czech Republic it would be the country's third car plant after Skoda and TPCA, the joint venture between Toyota and PSA Peugeot Citroen which launched production this year.
Charity concert in aid of New Orleans
Some 200 locals and tourists gathered on Prague's Wenceslas Square on Wednesday evening for a jazz concert in aid of New Orleans. The charity concert was organized at the initiative of Czech musicians and was held under the auspices of Senate chairman Premysl Sobotka. Among the performers were Milan Svoboda, the Prague Big Band Orchestra and Jiri Stivin. People could contribute cash on the spot or make a donation via an SMS text message.
Jested TV tower, Vysehrad Codex listed as national heritage
The government has decided that the television tower on Jested Mountain in North Bohemia and the 11th-century Vysehrad Codex, a Latin illuminated manuscript, along with another eight items will be classified as national cultural heritage. Culture Minister Vitezslav Jandak also proposed to grant the national heritage status to another two valuable manuscripts, as well as to a series of archaeological findings from Mikulcice, south Moravia, a collection of Czech Gothic statues, the bells from St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle, and a series of altar paintings by Czech Baroque artists Karel Skreta and Petr Brandl. Among other listed items are also five Tatra vintage cars.
Weather
We can expect partly cloudy skies and daytime temperatures ranging from 13 to 15 degrees Celsius.
