News
Civic Democrats to blame if Czechs cannot vote on EU constitution, says Paroubek
The Czech prime minister, Jiri Paroubek, says if a bill allowing a referendum on the European Union constitution does not receive the necessary two-thirds majority in parliament the Civic Democrats will bear responsibility for denying Czechs the right to vote on the issue. The prime minister made the comments in an interview for the Czech BBC. Mr Paroubek says the constitution is still viable, and a referendum should take place at the same time as general elections next June. For their part the Civic Democrats say the document is dead.
The prime minister is holding talks on the issue with the Communist Party; they say they are in favour of a referendum, but insist that money earmarked for a campaign calling for a yes vote should also be shared with opposition groups.
Fugitive business likely to have fled country, says interior minister
The interior minister, Frantisek Bublan, says there is evidence that fugitive businessman Radovan Krejcir has evaded a police search and fled the Czech Republic. Mr Krejcir managed to escape from custody soon after he was arrested; he gave the police the slip after asking to use the bathroom during a search of his home near Prague at the weekend. He faces charges of tax evasion and fraud amounting to almost 3 billion Czech crowns (around 120 million US dollars); he is also suspected of planning a murder. Mr Krejcir, who is 36, is reported to be one of the richest people in the Czech Republic.
Czech Republic opens six temporary consular offices for summer months
The Czech Republic is opening six temporary consular offices to serve the country's citizens during the summer months. They are in Split and Riejka in Croatia, Barcelona, Venice, Marseille and Burgas, Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, Czech Radio has begun its annual summer broadcasting in Croatia, which attracts hundreds of thousands of Czech tourists every year. The daily 15-minute Czech-language broadcasts on Radio Split include news, weather and holiday tips.
Hundreds of doctors leaving for western Europe every month
Two to three hundred Czech doctors are leaving for western Europe every month, according to figures from the Czech Doctors Association published in Monday's Mlada fronta Dnes. The Association bases its figures on applications it receives for a certificate needed to work abroad. Britain is one of the most popular destinations for Czech doctors, with some of them commuting home to the Czech Republic at weekends, the paper says.
Asian run shops, markets important to Czech shoppers, says study
Cheap shops and market stalls run by Chinese and Vietnamese traders are the main or second "most important place for buying clothes" for Czech consumers, according to a study by Incoma Research quoted in Monday's edition of Hospodarske noviny. The traders have an annual turnover of 10 billion crowns (400 million US dollars) on textiles alone, the report says.
Ambulance kills man on zebra crossing
A man was killed on Monday when he was knocked down by an ambulance on a zebra crossing in Prague's Jizni Mesto, Czech Television has reported. The man died immediately after being hit by the ambulance, which did not have its siren or flashing lights turned on. Police are investigating the accident.
Weather
The hot weather we have been enjoying in the Czech Republic is set to continue, with temperatures due to reach a peak of over 30 degrees on Wednesday. But it won't be all clear skies - rain is expected later in the week.
