• Large majority remain opposed to war in Iraq
    03/12/2003

    A new poll released by the CVVM agency suggests the overwhelming majority of Czechs are against a war in Iraq, with or without a UN resolution. The poll claimed just 12 percent of people would support a war without the backing of the UN Security Council, and just 22 percent would support a war even with UN support. The agency said public support for a U.S.-led war against Iraq had fallen steadily over the last 12 months. The Czech Republic has sent its elite anti-chemical unit to Kuwait as part of preparations for the war. However the Czech government has said their involvement is conditional on the support of the UN.
    Author: Rob Cameron

  • Czech government wins vote of confidence
    03/11/2003

    The government of Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla won a vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday afternoon, after all the ruling coalition MPs voted in favour of the Czech cabinet. With only a simple majority needed, the coalition's one-vote majority was enough to ensure the confidence vote, meaning that all 101 coalition deputies in the 200-seat lower house voted in favour. The opposition Civic Democrat and Communist deputies voted against. Prime Minister Spidla called the vote after several party members defied him and party colleagues to vote for the opposition candidate Vaclav Klaus during the presidential elections on February 28.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Irish police search for Czech Romany family
    03/10/2003

    Police in the Republic of Ireland are searching for a Czech Romany family who failed to turn up to a court deportation hearing on Friday, Irish newspapers have reported. David Lobe and his family had previously been refused asylum in Great Britain before applying in Ireland, where they had another child, something which until recently would have guaranteed them the right to stay in the country.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Activists stage anti-war protest in Prague
    03/09/2003

    Around one hundred people have demonstrated in Prague against a possible war in Iraq. The demonstrators, mainly Czechs, Iraqis and Americans walked through the streets of Prague carrying banners and chanting anti-war slogans. The protesters, organised by the Iraqi minority in the Czech Republic and the International Peace Movement, then staged a protest in front of the US and Iraqi embassies and read out their statements. The event was monitored by several dozen police.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • World leaders congratulate Klaus on inauguration
    03/09/2003

    Pope John Paul II, the French President Jacques Chirac, the Austrian President Thomas Klestil, the Spanish King Juan Carlos, the Chinese President Chiang Ze-min, and other world leaders have congratulated the new Czech President Vaclav Klaus on his inauguration. After his election last Friday Mr Klaus received congratulations over the telephone from US President George W. Bush and the German President Johannes Rau. The Slovak President Rudolf Schuster congratulated Mr Klaus shortly after his election last Friday.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Vaclav Klaus sworn into office on Friday
    03/09/2003

    Mr Klaus was sworn in on Friday afternoon as the second president in the history of the Czech Republic and the tenth head of state since 1918 when independent Czechoslovakia was founded. The inauguration ceremony took place at the historic Prague Castle. In attendance were members of parliament, foreign diplomats, as well as former president Vaclav Havel and his wife Dagmar.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Czech-Slovak unit starts monitoring situation in Kuwait
    03/09/2003

    The joint Czech and Slovak anti-chemical, biological and nuclear battalion deployed in Kuwait began monitoring the chemical and radiation situation in the Kuwaiti capital on Saturday in preparation for a possible retaliatory strike in the case of war in Iraq. The troops recently moved from their base at Camp Doha to strategic objects in the country, such as military bases and vital installations including the Kuwaiti oilfields. The joint battalion of about 400 Czech and 60 Slovak troops has a mandate to respond to attacks in 24 countries, including Israel and Turkey, as part of a task force with US and German troops. The Czech and Slovak parliaments have also given permission for the battalion to operate in Iraq.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Pope, Chirac, Klestil, others congratulate Klaus on inauguration
    03/08/2003

    Pope John Paul II, the French President Jacques Chirac, the Austrian President Thomas Klestil, the Chinese President Chiang Ze-min, and other world leaders have congratulated the new Czech President Vaclav Klaus on his inauguration. After his election last Friday Mr Klaus received congratulations over the telephone from US President George W. Bush and the German President Johannes Rau. The Slovak President Rudolf Schuster congratulated Mr Klaus shortly after his election last Friday.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Vaclav Klaus sworn into office on Friday
    03/08/2003

    Mr Klaus was sworn in on Friday afternoon as the second president in the history of the Czech Republic and the tenth head of state since 1918 when independent Czechoslovakia was founded. The inauguration ceremony took place at the historic Prague Castle. In attendance were members of parliament, foreign diplomats, as well as former president Vaclav Havel and his wife Dagmar.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • End of political uncertainty
    03/08/2003

    Mr Klaus' inauguration sees him complete a political triumph, succeeding long-time former rival, the former dissident and playwright Vaclav Havel, who stepped down as president on February 2, after more than twelve years in office. Last Friday Mr Klaus narrowly won the presidency in a special joint-session of parliament, ending weeks of uncertainty about the future of the presidency after two previous election attempts ended in stalemate. Mr Klaus' presidential term will last until March 2008.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

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