• Green card system begins in earnest as first 30-day period expires
    02/01/2009

    Workers from 12 countries can begin applying for new green cards for the Czech Republic from Sunday. However, with unemployment rising in the country, it is unclear how many foreign workers will avail of the joint work and stay permit scheme, which requires that employers prove unable to find a Czech or EU citizen to fill a position for a period of 30 days (the first 30-day period has just ended). Among countries whose citizens can take part are Ukraine and former Yugoslav states. Vietnam and Mongolia, whose citizens have been coming to the Czech Republic in increasing numbers in recent years, have not been included in the green card scheme.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Rebel Greens set up anti-Bursík group
    02/01/2009

    Rebel members of the smallest party in the governing coalition the Greens have set up a group called Democratic Challenge. The faction, who are opposed to the leadership of Greens chairman Martin Bursík, was set up by Dana Kuchtová, a former education minister who was forced to resign in September 2007. Ms Kuchtová said she hoped the party would return to operating democratically. For his part, Mr Bursík said he was sorry he had not been able to stop his opponent setting up the group.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Gold discs become easier to earn as CD sales fall
    02/01/2009

    The Czech branch of a music industry umbrella organisation has reduced the number of sales artists need to attain a gold disc. Six thousand rather than the previous 7,500 sales are now enough to earn musicians the accolade, a spokesperson for the Czech office of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry said. The number has been lowered because of a decline in CD sales of around 10 percent year-on-year. Sales of 12,000 CDs are rewarded with a platinum disc. Selling 30,000 copies of an album is considered very successful on the Czech market.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Jágr out of Czech squad for Swedish Games due to illness
    02/01/2009

    The ice hockey star Jaromír Jágr has pulled out of the Czech Republic’s squad for the forthcoming Swedish Games because of illness. Tickets for the Czech Republic’s opening game at Prague’s O2 Arena this Thursday sold out on the news that Jágr had agreed to play in his first international tournament since 2006.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Viennese style Ball at the Opera held in Prague after 14-year gap
    02/01/2009

    A Viennese-style Ball at the Opera was held at Prague’s State Opera on Saturday night. Among the guests were the Czech-born businesswoman Ivana Trump and Ian Gillan from the rock band Deep Purple. The first such Ball at the Opera was organised in Prague in 1948, while the last one – prior to Saturday – took place 14 years ago.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Palestinian leader Abbas cancels Prague visit
    01/31/2009

    The president of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has cancelled a visit to Prague scheduled for Monday. A spokesperson for the Czech president, Václav Klaus, said Mr Abbas had to change his plans because of talks in Cairo and the situation in the Middle East. The Palestinian leader had been due to meet Mr Klaus, Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and other senior Czech representatives in Prague.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Communists lead Prague protest against planned American radar base
    01/31/2009

    Around 1,000 people protested in Prague on Saturday against a planned US radar base. Among those who spoke was Vojtěch Filip, the leader of the Communist Party, which organised the demonstration. Opinion polls have consistently suggested that around two thirds of Czech are opposed to the radar base, which would be built in central Bohemia and be part of a planned American anti-missile shield. Prague and Washington have signed treaties on the radar, though the Czech Parliament has not yet voted on the matter.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Russia again intensifies rhetoric on US anti-missile shield
    01/31/2009

    Meanwhile, Russia, which is opposed to the radar and a planned missile site in Poland, has again intensified its rhetoric on the subject. A few days ago Moscow indicated it had dropped a threat to place short-range missiles in its Baltic territory of Kaliningrad in response to the US facilities. On Friday, however, the AP news agency reported that Russia said it would place missiles in Kaliningrad if the American project went ahead.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Gipsy.cz to represent Czech Republic at Eurovision
    01/31/2009

    Czech Television has chosen the Romany pop group Gipsy.cz to represent the Czech Republic in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Czech TV dispensed with the idea of a national song contest and itself nominated Gipsy.cz for the semi-finals of the Eurovision, which is being held in Moscow in May. Viewers will be able to vote on what song Gipsy.cz performs.

    Since the Czech Republic began taking part in Eurovision in 2007 neither of the country’s two entrants – rock band Kabát and pop singer Tereza Kerndlová – made it past the semi-final stage.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • PM Topolánek attends Czech ball in Brussels
    01/31/2009

    The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolánek, attended a Czech ball in Brussels on Friday evening representing the symbolic launch of Czech cultural events during the country’s presidency of the European Union, the Czech News Agency reported. Speaking at the start of the ball, Mr Topolánek joked that he hoped it would become a tradition, at least until the Czech Republic was expelled from the EU. He said as well as its interests and agenda, the Czech Republic would also like to present its humour and bad habits during its presidency.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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