News

Czech national team manager Karel Brueckner will sign on for a further two years as the coach of the national Czech football squad, in a deal that is as good as signed, a top member of the national football federation has said. On Tuesday Czech and Moravian Football Federation board member Vlastimil Kostal revealed that only a few formalities now stood in the way of a new agreement. He made the announcement shortly after meeting personally with the coach. The two year extension means that 66-year-old Brueckner will manage the Czech team through qualification for the 2008 European Championships in Austria and Switzerland.

The Czech Republic begins its campaign against Wales on September 2nd.

Civic Democratic Chairman, Mirek Topolanek, says that his party will no longer push for its own candidate to be elected chair of the lower house. Last Thursday, Civic Democratic candidate Miroslava Nemcova failed to gain enough support for the post in a secret ballot. The results of the vote cast doubt upon the three-party coalition between the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Greens, because not even all of the coalition MPs voted for Ms. Nemcova. Now Mr. Topolanek says that the coalition will propose a joint candidate—that person is expected to come from the ranks of either the Christian Democrats or the Greens. MPs will attempt to elect a new chair of the lower house on Friday.

The Sokol /or Falcon/ athletics body -a physical exercise organization founded in 1862 during the Czech national revival - is holding its 14th all-Sokol meeting at Prague's Strahov stadium this week. Some 18 thousand gymnasts of all ages from all over the world are taking part. The Sokol athletics body is one of the oldest organizations in the world. Its modern era began with its revival after the fall of communism, but even during the dark period of Czech history ex-pats around the world kept its spirit alive. The all-Sokol meeting takes place once in six years.

The outgoing prime minister, Jiri Paroubek, told Czech TV that he would reconsider handing in his resignation on Monday, which would trigger the fall of his cabinet. Mr. Paroubek said that he had intended to open the way for a new administration but since President Klaus had made it clear that he would not accept the resignation at this stage it would be an empty gesture. The prime minister said he would leave the decision in the hands of his cabinet. The political stalemate following June's inconclusive general elections has complicated talks on a future government set-up.