• Czechs report finding pits of explosives in Basra
    05/03/2003

    Pits of explosives apparently abandoned by the Iraqi army have been discovered near a Czech army field hospital in the Iraqi city of Basra. According to Czech explosives expert Vladimir Kral dozens of anti-tank shells, grenades and rocket accelerators were found in water-filled pits by playing children. The children reported the ordnance to hospital doctors working nearby. British soldiers in charge of the area have taken control of the site, which also includes a building that locals say was used for torturing prisoners during Saddam Hussein's rule. The explosives were lying only 200 metres from the field hospital's surgical centre, which has been treating civilians and soldiers for about a week. Among the patients are children injured by explosives left over from the latest war.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • President Klaus speaks out against European integration
    05/02/2003

    President Vaclav Klaus has sharply criticised the European integration process. Speaking at a conference on economics in Munich on Friday, Mr Klaus said some European politicians, who he referred to as unionists and federalists, wanted to create a centralised European superstate. The president, who in the past has referred to himself as a Eurorealist, said the integration process should be halted because real democracy cannot exist in a structure which is bigger than a nation state. A referendum is to be held in the middle of next month on whether the Czech Republic should accede to the European Union. If the referendum is passed the country is expected to join the union in May 2004.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Defence minister: several options for air defence on the table
    04/30/2003

    Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik is currently weighing four possible options for securing the defence of Czech airspace, among them the possibility of either buying a series of new fighter jets, relying on NATO as an alliance member, or negotiating temporary use of older British Tornado fighter jets for an interim period, before buying 24 new aircraft. The Czech Republic currently needs to replace its ageing Russian-built MiG-21 fleet. Speaking to journalists on Wednesday Minster Tvrdik said he favoured securing air defence through national means. The minister met with his British counterpart Geoff Hoon, in Prague, to discuss possibilities, with Mr Hoon indicating that Great Britain would react to concrete requests. According to Mr Tvrdik, Czech experts will now put together a concrete proposal. The Defence Minister is expected to visit Great Britain next month.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Czech ambassador to Kuwait indicates setting up of field hospital no simple task
    04/30/2003

    The Czech ambassador to Kuwait Jana Hybaskova has indicated there have been minor complications in preparations underway to set up the Czech Republic's 7th field hospital in Basra, southern Iraq. The reason: an overwhelming amount of activity over the transfer of US equipment and personnel in Kuwait, presenting a logistics problem for the Czech hospital team. At the same time the ambassador expressed hope that the target date of May 6th for setting up the hospital would be met. She stressed that Czech medical personnel had began treating patients already. On Tuesday Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik also expressed full confidence the deadline would be kept.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Government releases 40 million crowns in aid to Iraq
    04/29/2003

    The Czech government has earmarked 40 million Czech crowns out of the state budget to be used for humanitarian aid to Iraq and to cover the expenses of a group of twenty Czech experts who are to assist with the reconstruction of the country. The ministries of foreign affairs, defence and trade have fourteen days to draw up a joint plan on the country's political and economic contribution to Iraq's reconstruction. The government has yet to decide how much money will be allocated to Czech firms directly involved in Iraq's reconstruction. A vote is expected within 14 days.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Government's pro-EU campaign to be launched on May 1st
    04/29/2003

    The Czech government's pro-EU campaign is to be launched on May 1st, some six weeks before Czechs are due to vote on EU membership in a national referendum. The campaign, for which the government earmarked 200 million crowns, includes TV spots, discussion programmes and panel debates, billboards and leaflets. The government is already operating a toll free phone line on EU matters and within the next few weeks every Czech household should get materials outlining the main points of the Czech Republic's association agreement with the EU.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Union Banka clients stage protest to demand compensation
    04/28/2003

    Some one hundred, mainly elderly, clients of the troubled Czech bank Union Banka gathered on Prague's Lesser Town Square on Monday to demand their money be released from their accounts. The protesters, some of whom have their life savings in the collapsed bank, signed a petition calling for a detailed investigation, accused the bank of asset stripping and demanded compensation of up to 4 million Czech crowns. While whistling and chanting slogans such as "defend our rights" the protesters made their way to parliament, hoping to forward their petition to lower house deputies. However, instead of support from MPs, they received a fine by the police for failing to have permission to stage their protest away from the square.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Record number of Chechen refugees seek asylum over the week-end
    04/28/2003

    Czech border police say this week-end saw a record number of Chechen refugees seek asylum in the Czech Republic. Dissatisfied with the living conditions in Polish refugee camps, some one hundred Chechens crossed the border into the country, bringing the total number of Chechen asylum applicants to six hundred since mid-April. A spokesperson for the North Moravian Foreign and Border Police said on Monday that the Czech authorities dealing with asylum applications are overwhelmed by the influx of Chechen refugees. With camps overcrowded, several cultural institutions serve as shelters for asylum seekers, some of whom even sleep in the kitchen areas.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Villepin: EU needs to unite in opinions in order to be strong
    04/28/2003

    French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, who is currently on an official trip to Prague, met with senior Czech politicians on Monday to lobby for a stronger Europe. Speaking in the Senate, Mr Villepin said that Europe can not depend on one power to solve the problems of the world. It is therefore necessary to actively and ambitiously focus on the future of the EU as Europe needs to be strong and speak with one voice, in order to be comparable to the United States. Referring to a letter signed in January by eight senior European politicians, including former Czech President Vaclav Havel, backing the US pro-war stance on Iraq, Mr Villepin said such examples of disagreement in Europe should serve as a lesson to the EU to take the necessary steps to avoid division in the future.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Delegation of Senators visits London to discuss future of EU
    04/28/2003

    A delegation of Czech Senators from the upper house's European Integration Committee have left for London for a three day visit to discuss the Union's future after expansion. The Senators will be meeting with senior British government officials as well as representatives of the European Parliament in the UK. The Czech Republic, along with nine other countries, is expected to join the EU in 2004.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

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