News

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen is to visit the Czech Republic next Friday. He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Jan Fischer and Foreign Minister Jan Kohout for talks expected to focus primarily on Czech military involvement in Afghanistan. In response to a NATO request for reinforcements, the Czech government earlier approved a plan to boost the Czech contingent by 55 soldiers and operate two radars in the southern Afghani province of Logar. For the time being Parliament has confirmed the continued presence of 535 Czech soldiers in the country, most of them serving on the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Logar.

Preparations are underway for the 160th anniversary of the birth of Czechoslovakia’s first president Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. Masayk, who founded an independent state of Czechs and Slovaks after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1989 laid the founding stones of democracy in the country, enjoys tremendous respect to this day. The 160th anniversary of his birth on March 7, 1850 will be marked around the country, particularly in his home town Hodonin. President Vaclav Klaus is to open an exhibition on President Masaryk’s life and work at Prague Castle on March 2 and a bronze equestrian statue of the country’s first president is to be unveiled outside the T.G. Masaryk Museum at Lany near Prague.

The Czech government called an emergency meeting late Thursday to agree moves aimed at averting a threatened transport sector strike. It agreed a proposal to abolish proposed tax changes which are at the root of workers’ grievances about increased tax on employee benefits. The government proposal should be debated in parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Dosia association of transport unions announced a strike on Monday morning from 4:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Union leaders cast doubt on whether the strike could be postponed by the government action. The head of the union representing train drivers expressed doubts Monday’s action would be called off, adding that parliament still had to vote on the tax changes. The government action might put off later action, he said. Union leaders have threatened to go on indefinite strike if their grievances are not addressed.

Minister of Culture Václav Riedlbauch has announced a tender to fill the post of director of Prague’s National Gallery. Contenders to follow long-term director Milan Knížák will have to apply by the end of March. But it is still not clear when the new appointee to one of the country’s most significant cultural institutions might take up the new post. Mr. Knížák has said he would like to stay on until the end of 2011 so that he can wrap up some unfinished projects. He has been in the post since 1999, courting controversy for some of his purchases and prizes awarded to upcoming artists. The choice of new director will be made by a committee at the ministry.