News

Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has said he supports Health Minister David Rath's information campaign in the form of paid newspaper advertisements. Mr Paroubek called it the only way to put right facts concerning the activity of the healthcare sector. Advertisements featuring Minister Rath's portrait have appeared in Czech papers this week promising to ensure more healthcare and medicines for Czechs in 2006. The ministry claims in the advertisement that it motivates physicians to prescribe cheaper generic drugs in higher quantity. The chairman of the coalition Christian Democrats, Miroslav Kalousek has called the advertisements unethical.

The state-owned air carrier Czech Airlines has denied allegations published in Saturday's issue of the popular tabloid Blesk that it had paid for a recent private stay of Labour and Social Affairs Minister Zdenek Skromach in New York. The paper writes that Minister Skromach stayed in a hotel where Czech Airlines has an open account to accommodate its crews. Mr Skromach denied the accusation and said it was smear campaign. At a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Mr Skromach produced receipts to prove he had paid for the family trip himself.

According to Saturday's press, the Czech company Kingscourt Express has decided to discontinue its regular coach lines between Prague and London. The company has been operating the line for 16 years but says it could not compete with low cost airlines.

Three teenagers at a home for problem children in Boletice, north Bohemia have been accused of planning to kill one of their supervisors and escape from the institution. The three were being held in a special section for perpetrators of murder and other violent crimes. As they are under the age of 15 the boys cannot be prosecuted.