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05/10/2009
The new Czech foreign minister, Jan Kohout, visited Slovakia on Sunday on his first trip abroad two days after he assumed office. Mr Kohout met for talks with his Slovak counterpart, Miroslav Lajčák to discuss the Czech presidency of the EU that the new Czech government has to complete. The ministers also said they would like to enhance the knowledge of the Czech and Slovak languages in their respective countries, particularly in the young generations. Czech and Slovak are similar Western Slavic languages and their knowledge was common in both parts of the Czechoslovak federation.
Slovakia has traditionally been the first destination Czech officials visit after taking office. Both President Klaus and the former PM, Mirek Topolánek, visited the country at the start of their terms.
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05/10/2009
The plan of Czech Army’s foreign missions for 2009 is ready, the new deputy PM and minister of defence, Martin Barták, told Czech TV on Sunday. The government could start debating it within a month’s time, and the lower house of the Czech Parliament could then discuss the plan in late June or early July. Mr Barták said that while the key mission of the Czech military in Afghanistan is currently spread in three regions, in the future it should be more focused and centred on the development of the Afghan society. The new defence minister also said that the army’s foreign mission should not be affected by budget cuts planned by the government for next year.
Czech Army currently deploys around 1,000 military staff in four foreign missions; most of them serve as part of NATO’s ISAF mission in Afghanistan.
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05/10/2009
Ladislav Jakl, a secretary of the Czech President, Václav Klaus, told Czech TV on Sunday that the ratification of the Lisbon treaty by the Czech Republic will only be completed after it is signed by the president. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout said that the president should sign the treaty but refused to give an opinion on whether the Czech head of state is obliged to do so. President’s secretary Jakl also said that there are already enough senators to petition the Constitutional Court with a further review of the treaty.
The Czech president is a staunch critic of the EU’s reform document; Social Democrat Senator Alena Gajdůšková told the news website tyden.cz that the president could be impeached if he refuses to sign the treaty that had been approved by both chambers of the Czech Parliament.
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05/10/2009
In related news, Czech President Václav Klaus received the International Prize of the German-based Friedrich August Hayek Foundation in Freiburg on Sunday in recognition of his efforts to promote the free market society. Former German President Rudolf Herzog noted at the ceremony that Mr Klaus had always honoured the freedom of the individual. For his part, the Czech president said that F. A. Hayek was one of his greatest teachers.
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05/10/2009
Eighteen people are currently being tested for the swine influenza virus in the Czech Republic, the Czech Health Ministry announced on Sunday. Eight people are awaiting test results in hospital while the health authorities have ruled out 54 suspected cases of the virus. Most of the patients are Czech tourists who have recently returned from Mexico and the United States.
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05/10/2009
The US Embassy in Prague will present nearly 400 English-language books to a research library in Ostrava next week. The gift will include some 150 classic works of American fiction by authors such as John Steinbeck, Jack London and F.S. Fitzgerald. Another 230 books are reference publications: travel guides, atlases and books on US history. The gift also features a collection of speeches by American presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
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05/10/2009
Kenyan athlete Patrick Ivuti won the Prague International Marathon on Sunday. He made a time of 2:07:28, breaking the course record by more than a minute. The first woman to reach the finishing line was Russia’s Olga Glokova. Patrick Ivuti had a good start and was holding a front position throughout most of the marathon. In the second half of the race, he sped up and broke away, taking 16,000 euros in prize money and a bonus of another 10,000 euros for setting the new course record. The first Czech to finish the Prague International Marathon was Mulugeta Serbessa, a 38-year-old Ethiopian-born runner.
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05/10/2009
Czech tennis player Tomáš Berdych, seeded fourth, defeated Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 in Sunday’s final of Munich's ATP claycourt tournament, securing the first title this year and fifth career ATP tour title. Berdych took the first set in only 44 minutes but then allowed the unseeded Russian to come back in the second. In the third set, Berdych was already 5-1 ahead but Youzhny rallied back to 5-5 and had the Czech on the ropes in the tie-breaker. Berdych however produced some faultless play under pressure and won 7-5, picking up the 71,700 euros winners cheque.
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05/09/2009
The former Czech deputy prime minister for European affairs, Alexandr Vondra, criticized French president Nicolas Sarkozy for having complicated the Czech EU presidency, the French daily Le Monde reported on Saturday. Mr Vondra, who handed over EU agenda to his successor in the new government on Friday, criticized the French head of state at the EU summit for Eastern Partnership which was held in Prague on Thursday, and which was ignored by leaders of several EU countries including France. The former Czech deputy PM also said that Mr Sarkozy’s “imperial style” and unpredictable moods made things more difficult for the collective presidency of the bloc.
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05/09/2009
In related news, Sweden is ready to assist the Czech Republic with the remainder of the country’s presidency of the European Union, the Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeld told Swedish Radio on Friday. Mr Reinfled said his country, which will take over the presidency in July, is now facing higher responsibility because of the fall of the Czech government halfway through the presidency. The Swedish leader said that instead of waiting for the end of the Czech term at the EU’s helm, it was better to provide assistance to the new Czech government to successfully complete the presidency. In June, the EU will hold an important summit that will deal with the situation in Ireland and will also elect the new head of the European Commission.
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