News

Union heads from 12 power stations run by the state owned power utility CEZ have threatened to go to court if CEZ is excluded from the privatization of coal producers Sokolska uhelna and Severoceske Doly. A ministerial commission is to decide on Thursday whether or not to exclude CEZ from the privatization of the two companies. The Cabinet is opposed to CEZ's participation, a fact that is said to have been a decisive factor in the recent dismissal of Jaroslav Mil from the post of CEZ general director and chairman of the board. Industry and Trade Minister Milan Urban said the energy giant should not be thinking about coal mining at present but should rather focus on electricity production.

Up to 800 cows may have to be put down in connection with the seventh confirmed case of BSE in the Czech Republic. The last cow found to be infected was from a farm in northeast Bohemia and what appears to be significant for vets is that the animal was born in the year 2,000 i.e. much later that the previously detected cases. Regional vets and the State Veterinary Office are now debating the final number of animals which will have to be put down. "We want to keep the number as low as possible without taking any risks" a spokesman said. Czech vets have tested more than 450, 000 animals for BSE to date. The public appears to have faith in the applied safety measures since beef consumption has not dropped on the news of the last two positive cases of BSE.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus also considers October 28th a significant Czech holiday. Speaking to journalists after placing a wreath at the statue of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the founder and first president of Czechoslovakia, he said it was a day of commemoration and inspiration. As has become tradition, the Czech President received foreign diplomats on the national holiday and awarded state medals to twenty-five personalities at a ceremony at Prague Castle. Among those honoured were oncologist Pavel Klener, Olympic medallist Dana Zatopkova, and Czech actor Jiri Kodet.

Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla announced on Wednesday that Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka will be appointed deputy prime minister. Speaking at a special press conference on Wednesday, Mr Spidla said he has already made the request to Czech President Vaclav Klaus, who had no objections. Mr Spidla hopes to put the finance minister in charge of the public finance reform plan, mainly to oversee the drafting of bills on the areas of pension reform, tax reform, health care, and what is called the "grey economy". Mr Sobotka is expected to be appointed new deputy prime minister within the next month.