News

The Rolling Stones will not appear in the Czech Republic this summer, after plans to reschedule a date in Brno were abandoned. The British rock band had been due to play in the Moravian capital in mid-June, but pulled out when guitarist Keith Richards underwent an operation. The Rolling Stones have appeared in Prague four times in the past decade and a half.

As Czech meteorologists warned, powerful summer storms hit some parts of the Czech Republic on Tuesday. Strong winds have caused serious damage in the south Moravian region surrounding Zlin. Firefighters are dealing with uprooted trees and downed electrical lines. Trees have blocked roads and damaged parked vehicles. Heavy rain in the region has also flooded many cellars, said a spokesman from the local fire department. Storms are expected to strike again in several Moravian regions, bringing heavy rains, winds, and hail.

Subject to similar drastic weather conditions, the chateau of Pohanska near Breclav, has been damaged by a hailstorm. The daily Pravo writes that the chateau looks as though it was the victim of a military firing squad. There is extensive damage to chateau Pohanska's façade, and eight windows were broken as a result of the storm.

Reacting to the newly-signed coalition agreement, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Jiri Paroubek, says that the proposed centre-right government will be impossible to tolerate. Mr. Paroubek told reporters that the coalition agreement is a document structured along the lines of "poor journalism," and on the other hand contains details that would dramatically affect the lives of Czechs. According to Mr. Paroubek, the coalition agreement was made without regard for the concerns of the Social Democratic Party, which won the second largest share of votes in the recent elections. The Social Democratic leader is displeased with the chapter on healthcare, as well as what he sees as the coalition's unclear position on the adoption of the Euro. Meanwhile, deputy Social Democratic leader Bohuslav Sobotka says that his party can not sign a "blank cheque" for the proposed coalition.

In recent days the Civic Democratic and Social Democratic leaders met several times to try and find common ground for support of the new government. Their efforts have been unsuccessful, but Green Party leader Martin Bursik says that Monday's coalition agreement should be a new starting point for dialogue with the Social Democrats.

The lead candidate for prime minister, Mirek Topolanek of the Civic Democratic Party, has told reporters that he would support the establishment of an American anti-missile base in the Czech Republic. Mr. Topolanek says that such a move would not only contribute to alliance agreements that the Czech Republic has, but would also add to the safety of the Czech state. Mr. Topolanek told the daily Mlada Fronta Dnes that details pertaining to an upcoming visit by a NATO delegation are currently being ironed-out, and that he sees no need for a national referendum on the issue—according to the Civic Democratic leader, the government should decide whether or not to establish the anti-missile base. The matter will be decided within weeks, as the Americans are awaiting an answer by the end of September; Congress will discuss the possible base in the autumn sitting, and construction could begin in 2007. Poland and Hungary are the other possible candidate countries in the running to house the anti-missile base.