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02/25/2010
Members of the lower house of the Czech Parliament agreed on Thursday to tighten rules on anonymous shareholding. The proposal, put forward by the Social Democrats, and the Greens, should ban issuing shares to anonymous persons. Supporters of the move claim that this should help counter money laundering. The right-of-centre Civic Democrats, who oppose the plan, say it will interfere with ownership rights. Tightening the rules on shareholding has been recommended by several of the country’s anti-corruption watchdogs, including Transparency International. The proposal could take effect from the start of 2011 if backed by the upper house and president.
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02/25/2010
Nature conservationists in the east of the Czech Republic bordering Slovakia have begun a survey of large mammals living in the area. They began the survey on Thursday and hope to map out the mammals in the Beskydy region by Sunday. The region is the only one in the country where wolves and bears can still be found. Last year’s survey also confirmed the presence of around 16 lynx. Around 50-60 volunteers will attempt to cover around 1200 square kilometres.
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02/25/2010
The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ordered the Czech state to pay British man Ronald Crabtree 2,000 euros in compensation for detaining him illegally. Mr. Crabtree had demanded damages of 2.0 million euros. He was detained and imprisoned on suspicion of corruption in February 2003. But instead of being ordered to be detained for the three months maximum until May, a court ruled he should be remanded in prison until December. He was eventually sentenced to three-and-a-half years. The court in Strasbourg recognised his complaint that his initial detention had been illegal. The Ministry of Justice said it was considering an appeal.
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02/25/2010
The UK border agency, the government body controlling migration into Britain, arrested six Czechs on suspicion of running a ring offering arranged marriages to gain legal entry into the country, local media reported on Thursday. The Liverpool Echo reported on Thursday that raids by officials had been carried out in the city as well as in nearby Bolton in the north-west of England. It said three Czech men and women are suspected of assisting illegal immigration and bigamy. The last charge follows from the fact that they are suspected of entering into new marriages in spite of already being married.
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02/25/2010
Representatives of Czech and Slovak football associations met on Thursday in Prague to discuss a possible merger of their football leagues. The idea has been floated that a return to former Czechoslovak situation of a common league could happen within several years. They already have a rough idea of how this could happen but expect some tough talks with European football’s governing association, UEFA. It has rejected similar moves in the past. One of the main arguments in favour of a joint league would be that the quality of football and competition would improve.
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02/25/2010
Czech speed skater Martina Sáblíková has won the gold medal in the women’s 5000 meter race, becoming the first Czech ever to win three medals in the Winter Olympics. The 22-year-old will now be returning from Vancouver with a special place in Czech sports history, having won an earlier gold in the three-kilometre race and a bronze in the 1500. Sáblíková completed the circuit on Wednesday’s race in 6:50.91, beating the track record set by the contestant before her, German Stephanie Beckert, by a tight 0.48 seconds. Third place was taken by Canadian Clara Hughes. Sáblíková, was the last to compete and was thus aware of her accomplishment immediately as she reached the finish line, triumphant and quite evidently exhausted. In other Olympics news, a success for the Czech relay team, who won the bronze in the 4x10 kilometre race Thursday morning. Meanwhile, hopes of a medal win in hockey were dashed by a 0:2 loss to Finland.
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02/24/2010
The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament has voted to return maternity benefits to their 2009 levels. The proposal from the Christian Democratic Party was supported by the left, which has opposed the government in seeking to save the system from budget cuts. The bill will now be read in the Senate. Depending on their income level before giving birth, mothers will likely receive up to several thousand crowns per month more at a cost of 1.5 billion to the state. Voting against the proposal were the centre-right Civic Democratic Party and TOP 09, whose vice-chairman, former Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek, said the benefits increase would help mothers by taking the money from their children.
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02/24/2010
The general director of Czech Radio, Richard Medek, has resigned. Citing health reasons, Mr Medek announced his decision to the Council of Czech Radio on Wednesday. Peter Duhan, the current programme director, will be taking over the Radio in the interim from February 28, and has told the Czech Press Agency that he would most likely compete for the position again. Mr Duhan also filled the post of general director during the previous vacancy, until Mr Medek was appointed on the basis of a new organisational plan for the radio. However, that plan was ultimately voted down by the council a fortnight ago. The council will be accepting nominations for the post of general director until the end of April.
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02/24/2010
A civic association dealing with the restoration of Prague’s Charles Bridge has filed a request with the City Hall to prohibit the company in question from continuing their work. The Association for the Support and Development of Culture Heritage (ASORKD) wants a preliminary measure issued to halt any further restorative work by the company Mott MacDonald until a court process over the matter is complete. The association was formed last year to protest what officials and citizens alike have described as several instances of carelessness on the company’s part. Last year the City of Prague refused to recognise a number of complaints made by the Ministry of Culture showing that the bridge’s restoration was being carried out improperly. Among them, the ministry’s conservationists found that original stone in good condition was being discarded. The association has also pressed charges in the matter and is campaigning for the bridge to be nationalised.
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02/24/2010
Transport unions in 16 municipalities in the Czech Republic are debating who will strike next week. The Dosia association of transport unions announced on Tuesday they would be striking on Monday morning from 4:00 to 9:00. Several major Czech cities have confirmed they will join the strike, as have six of the 13 union organisations in Prague, including metro workers and bus drivers. The move is in protest at a change to the taxation system that has put transportation workers’ benefits in a higher tax bracket. Union leaders have also threatened to go on an indefinite strike if the matter is not resolved to their liking.
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