News

The right-of-centre Civic Democratic Party, which won the general election in June and recently signed a coalition agreement with two smaller parties, has called on the rival Social Democrats to outline conditions under which they would be willing to tolerate the emerging centre-right government. More than a month since voters went to the polls, the emerging coalition has been trying - but so far been unable - to break the political deadlock in Parliament. The coalition is one mandate short of a majority required to pass in a confidence vote. On Friday, the coalition - which includes the Greens and the Christian Democrats - again attempted to elect a candidate for speaker of the lower house, but was not successful. Rivals, the Social Democrats, have since repeated calls for a caretaker government to be formed instead of the proposed coalition - a position criticised by the Civic Democrats.

A documentary by Slovak film director Marek Skopa has won the Viewers' Prize at the 41st Karlovy Vary international film festival, proof say, producers, that Czech audiences have strong ties to documentary films, as well as fiction features. Titled "Other Worlds" the documentary received 47,000 votes. The prize is organised and awarded by the Czech daily newspaper "Pravo".

The British media have been reporting that English football club Aston Villa have been readying the ground for the departure of Czech striker Milan Baros - in favour of trying to retain the services of Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Baros joined Villa last year, but is reportedly not against joining Hamburg, who have made an offer of 8 million pounds for the transfer. Negotiations between the English and German sides are reportedly to continue in the coming week.

The lower house has once again failed to elect a new leadership. The centre right coalition's joint candidate for the post of speaker, Jan Kasal of the Christian Democrats, received just 99 votes of 200 on Friday morning. In contrast to last week's vote in which not all members of the Civic Democratic, Christian Democratic and Green Party coalition voted for Miroslava Nemcova of the Civic Democrats, Friday's vote secured the support of all members of the coalition. Civic Democratic MP Milos Patera who is recovering from a stroke was not present. Mr. Kasal's name had been put forward on the understanding that he would hold the post for a temporary period until a political agreement has been reached on the new government.