• Funding for internet for schools project ceases
    12/16/2006

    The plug has been pulled on a project to increase internet access in Czech schools, Czech Television reported. The Education Ministry was due to receive a billion crowns a year for this purpose until 2010, but deputies refused to approve it in the 2007 budget. The Association of School IT Experts condemned the move; a spokesperson said Greece was the only state in the EU with worse school internet provision.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Karosa brand name to disappear
    12/16/2006

    The Czech bus maker Karosa is to be renamed Iveco Czech Republic from the beginning of next year, the company announced. It has been making buses since 1928. Karosa vehicles have a leading position on the Russian market and are also exported to states such as France, Germany and Finland.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Charges dropped against "meta-amphetamine diet" man
    12/16/2006

    Charges have been dropped against an Ostrava man who advocated a weight-loss diet based on taking the meta-amphetamine pervitine. Dalimil Dobrota said on his website that slimmers were guaranteed to shed pounds if they took the drug and did not eat at all, and offered to send instructions on how to make pervitine at home. Police said they decided not to prosecute Mr Dobrota after coming to the conclusion that he was a "madman".
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • New Arabic-Czech dictionary launched
    12/16/2006

    A new Arabic-Czech dictionary has been launched. Four authors spent a decade preparing the dictionary, which is based on the literary Arabic of the last 20 years. Around 40 students are admitted to study Arabic at Prague's Charles University every two years. It is also taught at the University of West Bohemia in Plzen and at language schools around the Czech Republic.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • President Klaus disturbed by set-back in government talks
    12/15/2006

    President Vaclav Klaus has expressed deep concern following the breakdown in talks on forming a broad coalition government in the Czech Republic: talks that collapsed earlier this week. On Wednesday the Civic Democratic Party abruptly ended negotiations with its main rival - the Social Democratic Party, with Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek saying that differences over policy issues and the make-up of the cabinet were too great to overcome.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Civic Democrats return to three-party proposal
    12/15/2006

    Meanwhile, the Civic Democrats have proposed returning to previous negotiations on a three-party coalition made up of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Greens. The idea has now been revived in a fresh bid to form a viable government. At a press conference on Friday Prime Minister Topolanek said he was confident such a government - one backing essential reforms - had a chance of finding support in the lower house. He added that the three-party coalition concept had not been tested in a vote of confidence.

    Civic Democrats, like the prime minister and the minister for regional development, have noted that that the government would need to be backed by a number of what they have called "constructively-minded" Social Democrats in order to pass in a confidence vote.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Cunek gives nod to three-party negotiations
    12/15/2006

    In reaction, Christian Democrat leader Jiri Cunek has indicated a willingness by his party to take part in negotiations on a three-party government, a shift in stance after previously pushing strongly for the inclusion of the Social Democrats in government.

    The Greens, headed by Martin Bursik, meanwhile, have said they will address the question of talks after meeting with representatives of both the Civic and Christian Democratic parties on Sunday.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • PM postpones meeting with president
    12/15/2006

    Following the developments, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek reached agreement with President Klaus to postpone their planned Friday meeting. The two agreed to meet during next week. Originally, the prime minister was meant to hand the president a list of proposed government ministers this Friday, but new negotiations may take several days, deputy leader Petr Necas has said.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • STEM survey: three-party coalition would win 118 seats
    12/15/2006

    The results of a new poll released by the STEM agency have revealed that if elections were held today the three-party coalition proposed by the right-of-centre Civic Democrats would gain a clear majority in the lower house: 118 seats. The survey suggests that the Civic Democrats would win 83, the Social Democrats 52, the Communist Party 30, the Green Party 22, and the Christian Democrats 13. The difference in voter support between the Civic and Social Democrats, say analysts, has narrowed since the beginning of December.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Kapsch, transport ministry, reach agreement on contract addendum
    12/15/2006

    The electronic toll systems company Kapsch and the transport ministry have negotiated changes to a contract on the Czech Republic's new electronic toll system that will require the company to pay 14 million crowns per day - more than 600,000 US dollars - for every day the system is not up and running as of January 2007. The system introduces electronic "gates" that tally tolls for trucks 12 tonnes and over. The company has backed the potential sanctions with a 660 million crown bank guarantee.
    Author: Jan Velinger

Pages