• Healthcare workers to protest against Health Minister's policies
    02/02/2006

    Doctors, pharmacists and representatives of small hospitals have announced they will hold a joint demonstration on February 24th in Prague in protest against the policies of Health Minister David Rath. Another protest took place on Monday, when most pharmacies in the Czech Republic closed their doors to the public for three hours.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Extradition proceedings against "Pirate of Prague" Kozeny begin in Bahamas
    02/02/2006

    Extradition proceedings against fugitive Czech businessman Viktor Kozeny have begun in the Bahamas. The United States has filed for his extradition on charges of large scale fraud and money laundering in connection to a privatisation deal in Azerbaijan. Mr Kozeny, dubbed the Pirate of Prague, is also wanted in the Czech Republic on fraud charges. Now an Irish citizen, he has been living in the Bahamas for ten years.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Law on foreigners would halve waiting period for permanent residence
    02/02/2006

    The lower house has passed a bill under which foreigners would be able to apply for permanent residence after five years spent in the Czech Republic. Currently the waiting period for application is ten years. The new law on foreigners would also allow people from European Union countries to use any form of identification proving they are EU citizens while in the Czech Republic.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Czech anti-terrorism unit to return to Afghanistan
    02/02/2006

    The Senate has approved sending a Czech Army anti-terrorism unit to Afghanistan to join US forces there for six months. The government approved the Defence Ministry's proposal last month and it has yet to be passed by the lower house. The opposition Communists say they will vote against it. A similar contingent was sent to Afghanistan two years ago. Now the 120-strong unit should leave for Afghanistan in April.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Four people die in night fire at Prague housing estate
    02/02/2006

    Four people died in a fire in an 11th floor flat in a high-rise building in the south of Prague on Wednesday night. Fire fighters said three people burnt to death in the building and a fourth person who suffered severe burns of the head and hands died after he jumped down from the 11th floor. Another eight people were taken to hospital for treatment after inhaling smoke. Police say the cause of the fire is not yet known.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

  • Cuba's explanation of arrests incomplete, unsatisfactory, says Prague
    02/01/2006

    The Czech Foreign Ministry has described as incomplete and unsatisfactory Cuba's explanation of why two Czech women were arrested on the island. The ministry issued the statement after a meeting on Wednesday between Cuba's charge d'affaires in Prague and Czech officials. Former miss Czech Republic Helena Houdova and psychologist Mariana Kroftova were held for 11 hours last week after being arrested while taking photographs in a poor district of Havana.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Biggest crime gang trial ever begins
    02/01/2006

    The biggest trial involving an alleged criminal gang ever held in the Czech Republic got underway on Wednesday. Fifty-one members of the alleged gang, led by David Berdych, are due to appear before the Central Bohemian Regional Court on charges of murder, robbery, kidnapping and extortion relating to crimes committed between 1996 and 2002. Prosecutors say there are links between gang members and elite anti-organised crime detectives. The Berdych gang are said to have used police uniforms and arms as well as false documents.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Paroubek under fire after show host told apparently racist jokes
    02/01/2006

    The prime minister, Jiri Paroubek, has come under fire for appearing in a pre-election stage show in which the host told apparently racist jokes. Daily Mlada fronta Dnes said on Wednesday that the host of the "Premiere with the Premier" show, Jiri Krampol, had told jokes suggesting Romanies avoided work and committed petty crimes. Mr Paroubek has rejected the newspaper's allegations, saying he is no way racist. For his part Mr Krampol, an actor, says if jokes can be made about blondes or doctors, they can equally be made about Romanies.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Football goalkeeper Cech set to become best paid Czech sports person ever
    02/01/2006

    International football goalkeeper Petr Cech is set to become the best paid Czech sports person of all time, after signing a contract extension that will keep him at English club Chelsea until 2010. Agency reports suggest Cech, who is 23, could make over 10 million dollars a year. He has set a number of Premier League goalkeeping records since moving to Chelsea in the summer of 2004, and was recently voted best goalkeeper in the world.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Election date set
    01/31/2006

    Politicians have reached consensus on the date of this year's general elections which will take place on June 2nd and 3rd. The Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek on Tuesday countersigned a proposal put to him by President Vaclav Klaus. In line with the decision, political parties will have to present their list of candidates by the end of March. They will run for posts in the 200 seat lower house of Parliament. The last election was held in 2002.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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