News

The country’s Defence Ministry is selling off computers, receivers, as well as spare parts for tanks and armoured vehicles, according to the Czech News Agency. The head of the section overseeing sales, Josef Lachman, confirmed that items were being sold “as is” – some used, broken or damaged. Potential buyers can view items before putting money down. Some 130 tank motors are also on offer, along with monitors and other electronic items. Also being sold is property worth an estimated 162 million crowns.

Legendary Czech footballer Josef “Pepi” Bican, who died in 2001, has been named to the Czech F.A.’s Hall of Fame. The striker, who played for Slavia Prague, was inducted on the date of what would have been his 100th birthday. Originally, Bican’s name was to have been added in 2012, but the move was originally blocked by his son, on the grounds that persecution of his father by the former communist regime had not been acknowledged by the football association. The association’s head, Miroslav Pelta, addressed the past and apologised earlier this year.

President Miloš Zeman has urged the OKD mining company to keep the unprofitable Paskov mine in operation until 2016. Following talks with company representatives, who earlier ruled out the possibility of keeping the mine operational without state support, Mr. Zeman said the company’s owners should use their financial reserves to reduce the social impact of the closure. He suggested that the sale of the 44,000 flats which business tycoon Zdenek Bakala acquired when he gained control of OKD in 2004 could be used to finance the mine’s operation until 2016. Mr. Bakala has come under widespread criticism for holding onto the flats and failing to deliver on his promise to sell them to their residents. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok who took part in the talks, said the government was working hard to attract a big investor to the Ostrava region in the hope of creating more jobs when the mine’s closure would expand the ranks of the unemployed.

Chechen national Ali Acajev will not be extradited to Russia where he is wanted on suspicion of contract murder. The Czech Constitutional Court on Tuesday overturned a 2009 ruling by the Supreme Court which opened the way for his extradition. Acajev’s lawyer argues that his client would not get a fair trial in Russia in view of the fact that between 1994 and 1996 he fought for Chechnya’s independence in the war against Russia.