• Trade and Industry Minister to discuss Temelin with Roman, Drabova
    03/08/2007

    Trade and Industry Minister Martin Riman is going to meet the CEO of the Czech power giant CEZ Martin Roman and the head of the State Authority for Nuclear Safety Dana Drabova to discuss the safety situation at the Temelin nuclear power plant. In the last two weeks, the plant announced two leaks of slightly radioactive cooling liquid. Mr Riman said that while the incidents have no effect on nuclear safety, they need to be investigated and measures adopted to prevent such faults in the future as the Temelin plant is a very sensitive topic.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Poll: Almost half of Czechs do not believe in God
    03/08/2007

    A new poll by the STEM agency suggests that almost 50 percent of Czechs do not believe in God. More than a quarter of respondents said they were believers, 24 percent of those polled did not express a decisive opinion. According to the poll, 36 percent of women and 20 percent of men consider themselves religious. Women over 60 are the most religious social group while the lowest number of believers is among men under 30.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Cabinet to discuss draft bill on special referendum
    03/08/2007

    The cabinet is going to discuss on Monday a Communist-proposed draft bill on a special referendum concerning the stationing of a US radar base in the Czech Republic. Regardless of the stance of the government, it is up to the lower house of parliament to decide on the bill. In order to be passed the bill would need the support of 120 MPs in the 200-seat chamber. The bill is expected to be rejected by deputies from the Civic Democrat, Christian Democrat and Green parties which have 100 votes in the chamber.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Consumption of natural gas drops by 31.1 percent in January
    03/08/2007

    The consumption of natural gas in the Czech Republic dropped by 31 percent in January compared to last year to 1.13 billion cubic metres. Consumption was lower for five months in a row in a year-on-year comparison. The Czech Gas Union says the drop has not been caused solely by the mild autumn and winter but also by the implementation of gas saving measures.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Czech unemployment falls to 7.7 percent in February
    03/08/2007

    Czech unemployment fell to 7.7 percent in February from 7.9 percent in the previous month, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs said on Thursday. The total number of jobseekers fell by 12,000 to 423,000 over the month, it added. In February 2006 the unemployment level had stood at 9.1 percent. Most analysts had expected a smaller drop in the February jobless rate to 7.8 percent.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Czech airline CSA cuts 2006 loss to 14.1 million euros
    03/08/2007

    Czech state-controlled airline CSA said on Thursday it had cut its 2006 losses to 397 million crowns (18.5 million dollars). According to international accounting standards, the pre-tax totalled 1.5 million dollars, the airline added. CSA said it counted on making a 42-million-crown profit this year. But it cautioned that the result would depend on further restructuring and sales of non-core assets and that a new labour code could have a negative impact of up to 180 million crowns.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Czech court acquits two Georgians charged with anti-Russian hatred
    03/08/2007

    A Prague district court has acquitted two Georgian men charged with inciting hatred against the people and political representatives of Russia. They were prosecuted for having displayed a banner showing a Russian soldier with a swastika on his sleeve during a protest outside the Russian Embassy in Prague in October.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Senate hopes to introduce radical changes to diplomatic immunity law
    03/07/2007

    The Senate, on Wednesday, proposed that a legislator's right to immunity should only pertain to speeches made in parliament. Under current law, an MP or Senator can never be charged with a crime unless he is rid of immunity by the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies has proposed to relax the immunity law to involve solely the period in which the post is held. The Senate has been calling for more radical changes and its latest proposal has yet to win the support of lower house deputies.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Second leak at Temelin plant this week
    03/07/2007

    Officials at the Temelin nuclear power plant in South Bohemia have confirmed that some 1,100 litres of slightly radioactive cooling liquid containing boric acid have leaked from one of the plant's units. The leak occurred on Tuesday afternoon during a pressure test. The plant had not been in operation as it is currently undergoing fuel replacement. The accident occurred in a contamination containment area. Temelin spokesman Milan Nebesar says neither the plant's staff nor the environment was ever at risk. This is the plant's second leak in one week.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Geoff Hoon: US radar base entirely up to Prague and Washington
    03/07/2007

    Whether or not a radar station will be built on Czech territory is entirely up to Prague and Washington, British Secretary for Europe Geoff Hoon said on Wednesday. On his visit to the Czech Republic, he added though that the station should also serve to protect local residents. An official request to host the radar station as part of a US missile defence plan was issued late last year. The ruling coalition Green Party but also Germany, for example, say such a site should only be built if it is also part of NATO's defence system. Following talks with Mr Hoon, Czech deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra said a Czech delegation would visit the Filingdales radar site in England.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

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