News of Radio Prague
Flooding has reached Prague
Flooding in the Czech Republic, which left four people feared dead, reached Prague on Friday morning. The swelled Vltava river seemed to be the main attraction of the day for foreign tourists and Prague residents alike, who were gathering on bridges in the centre of the city taking photos. Apart from the embankment, Vltava flooded Kampa island and its new picture gallery, the Sova Mills, whose employees were pumping water from the cellars and carrying precious pictures from exhibition halls in the basement to upper floors. Restaurants and hotels on the left bank of Vltava have not stopped operating, though, and local inhabitants seem to be remaining calm.
Social Democrats say they did not break coalition agreements
The chairman of the ruling Social Democratic party and Czech Prime Minister, Vladimir Spidla told journalists on Friday that his party had not broken the coalition agreement with their partners from the Freedom Union, by failing to elect the Freedom Union's Hana Marvanova as the Head of the Media Commission in the lower house. Ms. Marvanova, though, has taken the opposite view, and the leader of Freedom Union MPs, Karel Kuhnl has already phoned to his Social Democrat colleague, Mr. Urban, who assured him that Ms. Marvanova had the right to hold the post. Mr. Kuhnl refused to disclose what steps his party would take to calm the situation.
Restaurant-owner tried for not serving Roma guests
A restaurant-owner in the North Moravian city of Ostrava stood trial at the Regional court on Friday, after a Roma couple sued him for not serving them in his restaurant because of the colour of their skin. The man defended himself by saying his Club Vegas was a private one which only its members are allowed to enter. Despite the fact that there was reportedly a notice on the door announcing this, a witness told the court he was not a member and had always been served. Markus Pape from the European Centre for Roma Rights has described the incident as disguised racism.
Czech mountaineer died in the Austrian Alps
A Czech mountaineer died on Thursday near Breitenstein in the Austrian Alps after a fall from a 12 metre high rock. Three Czech mountain climbers were climbing the rock when a knot came loose and the 23-year old man fell. He was immediately transported to hospital, where he died of serious head injuries.
Suspect cannot be expelled from his party under its statutes
A Social Democratic Party district organization in Western Prague cannot remove former high-ranking Foreign ministry official, Karel Srba from the party because of its statutes. Chairwoman of the district party organization said on Thursday that Karel Srba could only be expelled from the Social Democratic party by its local organization. That, however, was recently abolished. Karel Srba, who is facing charges of plotting to kill a journalist and is also suspected of corruption and frauds, does not communicate with his party colleagues from the custody in the city of Pilsen.
Weather
And finally a look at the weather forecast: we are expecting a rather warm weekend with occasional showers and thunderstorms. Afternoon highs should reach 22 to 26 degrees Celsius.
