• Reaction to results
    11/07/2004

    The weekend's election results - in particular the ruling Social Democrats' poor finish - were greeted as bad news for Prime Minister Stanislav Gross, who took over as chairman of his party in June. The regional and Senate elections were widely gauged as Mr Gross' first serious electoral challenge, a measure of public opinion ahead of parliamentary elections in two years' time. But, his party came up short and some notable Social Democrats have been unable to hide their disappointment.

    Mr Gross has himself commented his party's performance by saying he was "not happy" with the results, although he added they were an improvement over his party's dismal finish in European parliamentary elections earlier in the year. Mr Gross also said the low voter turn-out, just shy of 30 percent, had benefited the other parties.

    Finally, on Sunday Czech President Vaclav Klaus - who is honorary chairman of the Civic Democratic Party - also commented the election results by issuing a written statement saying that voters had sent an "extraordinarily important signal" to him and Czech society.

    In the statement Mr Klaus said that the results of the elections showed the current coalition government was "not steering the country in the right direction".
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Tourist office reveals over 72 million visited Czech Republic in first three quarters of 2004
    11/07/2004

    The Czech Tourist Office has revealed statistics showing that over 72 million tourists visited the Czech Republic in the first three quarters of 2004 - roughly the same as the previous year. The vast majority of visits, however, involve day-trips in which tourists come to the country on short business trips or to shop. According to the tourist office the number of tourists who actually spend at least one night in the country is around 5 million per year. The Czech Tourist Office has reported that the number of visitors from neighbouring countries has actually fallen in 2004, despite a simplification of procedures at border crossings following EU accession in May.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Jagr signs with Omsk
    11/07/2004

    The Czech star hockey player Jaromir Jagr has played his last game in the Czech league and signed with Russia's Omsk. Jagr reached agreement with the club on Saturday; Omsk is currently 12th in the Russian league. Jagr's last game for Kladno, where he had been playing due to the NHL lockout, saw the star forward help down opponents Liberec on a score line of 5-4.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Safin downs Stepanek at Paris Masters
    11/07/2004

    Tennis player Radek Stepanek has missed an opportunity to win his first ATP title - the prestigious Paris Masters. On Sunday the Czech player was downed in the final by Russia's Marat Safin, who had previously won the title in 2000 and 2002. Stepanek lost in three sets 6-3, 7-6, 6-3, making 48 unforced errors to Safin's 18. Safin's win makes him only the 2nd player to ever win the Paris Masters three times. Germany's Boris Becker was the 1st.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Opposition Civic Democrats dominate in both regional & Senate elections
    11/06/2004

    This Saturday afternoon polls closed bringing to an end two days of regional and Senate elections in the Czech Republic. The polls closed at two in the afternoon local time. As was widely predicated voter turn-out was on the low end of the scale, at around just 29 percent.

    With the majority of constituencies in the regions now counted success for the right-of centre Civic Democrats, led by party chairman Mirek Topolanek, is certain.

    In the race for regional governments the opposition Civic Democrats have garnered the greatest percentage of votes, leading in 12 out of 13 regions, which they are expected to win. The Communist Party, and the ruling Social Democrats came in 2nd and 3rd in voter preference. One region in south Moravia is being closely contested by the Christian Democrats.

    In the Senate, meanwhile, 65 percent of the ballots counted show the Civic Democrats leading in 15 Senate races, while the Communists lead in 6, and the Christian Democrats in 4. Smaller party representatives are vying for the last two spots.

    Senate run-offs will take place in two weeks' time.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Gross rues poor finish by Social Democrats
    11/06/2004

    The Social Democrats' party chairman Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has rued his party's poor performance in the both the regional and Senate elections; on Saturday Mr Gross told journalists that he was "not happy" with the results. But, Mr Gross suggested that low voter turn-out had helped both the opposition right-of-centre Civic Democrats and the Communist Party; he did say at the moment it appeared he had little choice but to congratulate the Civic Democratic Party. The regional and Senate elections were widely seen as the prime minister's first big political test since taking over leadership of his party, following the Social Democrats' dismal showing in European parliamentary elections in June.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Body of businessman found, police arrest murder suspects
    11/06/2004

    Police have found the body of Stanislav Brunclik, a businessman abducted by kidnappers in late September. The abductors were paid several million crowns in ransom by the victim's father, but Mr Brunclik, who was 33, was never released. Following a police search lasting over a month the man's body was finally found buried in a forest in the Pardubice region of east Bohemia.

    Police have already arrested two suspects in the case: two men in their mid-twenties; if found guilty of murder each could face between 12 and 15 years in prison, or could even be given extraordinary sentences of 25 years.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • First snowfall registered in Krusny Hory region near Karlovy Vary
    11/06/2004

    The Czech Republic registered this year's first snowfall in Krusny Hory (Krusny Mountains) near the region of the famous Bohemian spa town Karlovy Vary. Two centimetres of snow covered roads in the area. Snow was expected in the area after temperatures dropped Friday. This evening the area will see just 0 degrees Celsius.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • 2007 target date for Czechs to join EU's Schengen zone
    11/05/2004

    The Czech Republic, along with the other EU member states of the so-called Visegrad group, which includes Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland, has been urged by EU heads to meet Schengen zone standards as soon as possible over the next few years. Joining the Schengen zone will see the Czech Republic and other new EU member states drop state border controls with EU neighbours. On the final day of a meeting between EU heads in Brussels, Czech representatives set October 2007 as the likely date for the country to join the Schengen zone. Among other things, the widening of the zone requires a harmonization of protocol on asylum and illegal migration.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Prime Minister says referendum on EU constitution not a certainty yet
    11/05/2004

    Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has said that it is not yet certain whether the Czech Republic will hold a referendum on the EU constitutional treaty, and if so, when the referendum will take place. However, the prime minister has said he hoped the constitution would be ratified. On Friday Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda pointed out that the question of shortening the process of ratification had been raised in Brussels, to not take a full two years among all EU states.

    Originally, the Czech government said it aimed to hold its referendum on the constitution treaty in June 2006, simultaneously with general elections.

    The deadline for the ratification of the EU constitution is October 2006.
    Author: Jan Velinger

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