News of Radio Prague
Poll shows rising support for EU membership
A poll showing rising support for European Union membership was released on Friday along with a government report promising EU entry would net the country more than 24 billion crowns in the first three years. The polling agency CVVM said its latest survey found 58 per cent of Czech voters would support and 24 per cent oppose next month's binding referendum on EU enlargement. Among voters who said they would definitely cast ballots, the poll found 70 per cent backed enlargement. The Czech government is pushing for a "yes" vote in the mid-June referendum, which is scheduled to follow similar referenda in three other candidate states - Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia.
Czech soldiers injured in road accident in Iraq
Three Czech soldiers were injured in a road accident on Friday some 150 kilometres south of Baghdad. According to the Defence Ministry one of the three injured soldiers is in a critical state. Exhaustion of the driver is thought to have been the cause of the crash.
Long queues at Czech field hospital in Iraq
Doctors at the Czech military field hospital in Basra, southern Iraq, are working around the clock in an effort to keep up with long queues of sick and injured Iraqi civilians. The World Health Organization has warned about the threat of cholera in southern Iraq linked to poor sanitation and war but so far, cholera has not been detected by Czech doctors deployed in Basra. About 400 people regularly queue outside the hospital tents, but on their best day the doctors and nurses have treated only 77 patients. Most civilians suffer from infections, skin disease, diarrhoea and chronic ailments.
Coalition parties to discuss public finance reform
Representatives of the three Czech ruling coalition parties are to meet again on Sunday to try and agree on concrete steps to cut the country's large budget deficit. Leaders agreed last week to slash spending and raise taxes to turn around the deterioration of Czech public finances, which is hampering its aim to join the euro zone several years after EU entry in May 2004. A strong consensus on the reform is key for the survival of the weak coalition, whose 101 seats in the 200-seat lower house of parliament have proven an unreliable majority.
Klaus to visit USA
President Vaclav Klaus is planning a visit to the United States in mid June, the president's spokesman Tomas Klvana said after Mr Klaus's meeting with US Ambassador Craig Stapleton on Friday. According to Tomas Klvana, President Klaus has received invitations to several conferences in the United States but he is also to meet top-level officials. The presidential office did not confirm whether Vaclav Klaus was to meet President George W. Bush.
Weather
Saturday is expected to be partly cloudy to overcast with daytime temperatures ranging from 17 to 21 degrees Celsius.
