News of Radio Prague
EU agrees with all candidates on completion of accession talks
Leaders from the fifteen European Union states and ten mainly ex-communist candidates agreed on final entry terms on Friday at the EU summit in Copenhagen, ending years of negotiation and decades of division. The Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who steered the milestone summit to its successful conclusion despite last-minute snags and bickering over funding for future members, said that "one of the darkest and bloodiest chapters in European history" had been closed. The new members, expected to join the bloc in 2004, will be Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Czechs get 83 million euros from EU
In dramatic last minute talks, the Czech Republic negotiated an increase in compensation payment for 2004-2006, which means an additional 83 million euros from the EU for the government budget. During the same time the country will be allowed to transfer 100 million euros from EU structural funds. Moreover, it will be able to increase direct agricultural subsidies from the government budget to 55, 60 and 65 percent of the EU level in 2004-2006.
Spidla: Euro feasible in 2009-2010
The Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said on Saturday that the Czech Republic could join the single European currency, the euro, in 2009-2010, although no date had been set and the Czech Republic did not want to force the matter. Mr Spidla also said accession to the euro would be very complex, but he added that the country must not stay in isolation as the Czech currency was fragile and vulnerable, and if alone it would not be capable of standing speculators' attacks.
Topolanek elected new Civic Democrats' chairman
The Deputy Chairman of the Senate, Mirek Topolanek, has been elected chairman of the opposition Civic Democratic Party at the party's weekend congress in the West Bohemian town of Frantiskovy Lazne. Mr Topolanek replaces former Prime Minister and Chairman of the lower house, Vaclav Klaus who did not seek re-election after almost twelve years at the head of the party which he founded in 1991. Mr Klaus intends to run for the post of Czech President early next year.
Christian Democrats nominate presidential candidate
The Christian Democratic Party, the junior partner in the ruling coalition, has nominated Senate Chairman Petr Pithart as their official candidate for the presidential office. The senior coalition partner, the Social Democrats have put forward former Justice Minister Jaroslav Bures. The opposition Civic Democrats' candidate is their long-time leader Vaclav Klaus, and the Communists say they will support former communist-era military prosecutor Miroslav Krizenecky. The presidential election is expected to take place in February, after Vaclav Havel's last term of office ends. It is widely expected that no candidate will get enough support in the parliament to be elected in the first attempt.
Weather
Monday will be cloudy with snow or sleet in places. Daytime temperatures should range from minus two to plus three degrees Celsius.
