• Green Party to challenge electoral system at Constitutional Court
    06/14/2006

    The Green Party have decided to file a complaint with the Constitutional Court against the country's proportional representation electoral system. The Greens, who have won seats in parliament for the first time, say the current system discriminates against smaller parties. But if the court rules in favour of changing the electoral system, the results of the parliamentary elections earlier this month will not be affected.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Prague Stock Exchange experiences worst day ever
    06/14/2006

    The Prague Stock Exchange has experienced one of the worst days in its history. With the value of shares tumbling, Tuesday saw a major sell-off - a record 11 billion crowns worth of shares. Since the beginning of the year, the total value of Czech shares has decreased by over 20 percent.

    Analysts say the current situation has nothing to do with prices of firms and economic indicators but rather an expected rise in interest rates in the United States, leading to the transfer of money across the Atlantic.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Czech Republic recognises Montenegro independence
    06/14/2006

    The Czech Republic has joined a growing list of countries recognising Montenegro's independence, ten days after the Balkan republic became Europe's newest sovereign state. Montenegro, once part of Yugoslavia, formally declared its independence on June 3rd after 55.5 percent of its voters last month supported separation from Serbia, with which it had been tied in a loose federation since 2003.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • German foreign ministry: border police turned away Czech football fans for security reasons
    06/14/2006

    A group of Czech football fans, who were not granted entry into Germany this week, were turned away for security reasons, the German Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Prague had issued a formal complaint to the ministry, after the Czechs said they were turned away by German border police for not having sufficient funds to cover their trip to the neighbouring state. Germany has been bracing itself for the anticipated three million visitors to the Football World Cup, which it is currently hosting, with tight security measures and controls.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Football World Cup: Czechs to face Ghana without first choice strikers
    06/14/2006

    The Czech football team's two first choice strikers will miss Saturday's Group E game against Ghana at the World Cup in Germany. Milan Baros has been struggling with a foot injury and missed most of the squad's training sessions, while Jan Koller has been ruled out of the remaining two group games after he strained his hamstring in Monday's 3-0 win over the United States.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Guns N' Roses play Prague
    06/14/2006

    Guns N' Roses - with a completely new line up behind frontman Axl Rose - performed in Prague on Tuesday, 14 years after Rose first took the stage in the Czech capital. Tuesday's show, held at Prague's Sazka Arena, saw an almost sell-out crowd. Rose took to the stage with the band's signature song "Welcome to the Jungle". Other hits performed included "Live and Let Die" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door".
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Talks on forming new government continue
    06/13/2006

    The Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Green Party are holding another round of talks on forming a centre-right coalition government on Tuesday evening. The parties' representatives say that they have reached agreement on tax reform and are now seeking to find common ground on the mainstays of health and pension reform. Despite progress in negotiations, the future of a centre-right coalition is shaky since the three parties do not have a majority in the lower house. The Social Democrats have so far refused to support a centre-right coalition although talks continue behind closed doors.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Social Democrats courting Greens
    06/13/2006

    The Social Democrats are courting the Green Party as a possible coalition partner, should talks on a centre right government fail. The leader of the Green Party Martin Bursik said tentative attempts had been made to convince him that the Civic Democrats were not a good partner and cared little for environmental protection. Although in terms of their policy programme the Greens are closer to the Social Democrats, the party has refused to consider being part of a government that would have to rely on support from the Communist Party.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Topolanek enjoys more public support than his rival
    06/13/2006

    An opinion survey conducted by the Factum Invenio agency has indicated that the leader of the centre-right Civic Democrats Mirek Topolanek enjoys greater public support than his rival Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek. A third of respondents said they would prefer to see Mr. Topolanek as the country's next prime minister. The outgoing prime minister, Jiri Paroubek, was only supported by a quarter of those polled.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • President Klaus to de-brief interior minister
    06/13/2006

    President Vaclav Klaus is expecting to be de-briefed by Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan on progress on the so-called Kubice case at Prague Castle on Wednesday. Jan Kubice, who heads the country's elite organized crime squad, said in a report to the lower house just days before the June general elections that high placed government officials had tried to thwart criminal investigations on a number of cases in order to protect party colleagues. He indicated that organized crime had penetrated state administration. The president has called for a speedy and unbiased investigation into the claims. The outgoing Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek insists that the allegations were part of a smear campaign against his party on the eve of the elections.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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