• Svoboda praises work of NGOs in Indonesia on visit to Banda Aceh
    03/11/2005

    The Czech foreign minister, Cyril Svoboda, has praised the work of non-governmental organisations taking part in relief and reconstruction work in Indonesia in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. Speaking in Banda Aceh on Friday, Mr Svoboda said the NGOs played a positive role, and it would not be a good decision if the Indonesian authorities barred foreigners from the region.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech Republic issues Eurobonds for second time
    03/11/2005

    The Czech Republic issued Eurobonds worth one billion euros on Friday, the second time the country has raised money in this way. Investors have until March 18 to buy the bonds, which will come to fruition in 15 years time.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Housing boom sees most flats completed in over decade
    03/11/2005

    There was a boom in housing construction in the Czech Republic in 2004, with the highest number of new flats completed in over a decade, according to figures released Friday. Over 32,000 flats were completed last year, the highest number since 1992. The trend has been attributed to the easier availability of mortgages, a growth in home building savings and favourable interest rates.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Civic Democrat Tlusty takes out ad refuting Czech Television reports
    03/11/2005

    A leading member of the opposition Civic Democrats, Vlastimil Tlusty, has taken out a newspaper advertisement refuting reports by Czech Television questioning the origin of property belonging to Mr Tlusty's wife's company. The advertisement in Friday's Mlada fronta Dnes accuses Czech TV of broadcasting "lies" about the company. Mr Tlusty himself appeared on TV recently with documents he said showed the purchase of his house had been above board.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Manuscripts damaged as steam escapes from chimney at National Museum
    03/11/2005

    Two hundred manuscripts from the 16th to 18th centuries have been damaged by steam which escaped from a chimney at Prague's National Museum. Director Michal Lukes said on Friday the damage could be repaired, at a cost of around 100,000 Czech crowns (almost 5,000 US dollars). The management of the National Museum say the building is in need of extensive repairs.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Martin Hasek returns to bolster Sparta FC defence
    03/11/2005

    Defender Martin Hasek is to rejoin Sparta Prague football club at the age of 35, following Sparta's recent sale of Jaroslav Kovac to Spartak Moscow. Hasek, younger brother of legendary ice hockey goaltender Dominik, may make his first appearance for Sparta against Ceske Budejovice this weekend.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech court rejects Mein Kampf publisher conviction
    03/10/2005

    The Czech Supreme Court has overturned a previous conviction of a man who published a Czech language translation of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf", ruling he had not aimed to propagate the book's racist ideas. Publisher Michal Zitko was originally convicted in January 2004 for having translated and published Hitler's book, a document which foreshadowed the dictator's intentions leading to the Second World War and the Holocaust. Previously Michal Zitko was given a three year suspended sentence for promoting "a movement aimed at suppressing human rights". But, the Supreme Court said on Thursday the publisher's actions had not been an active attempt to support those who followed Hitler's book.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • GDP growth up in 2004
    03/10/2005

    The Czech Statistical Office has released figures showing the Czech Republic's GDP grew by 4.0 per cent in 2004, up from 3.7 percent the previous year. The growth was pulled by investment which added 9.1 percent on the year, and by foreign trade which had acted as a drag in 2003. Czech exporters also benefited from the country's accession to the European Union, the Statistical Office said. Meanwhile, Martin Jahn, the deputy prime minister for economic affairs, has said the Czech economy is at its strongest in ten years, leaving room for further government reforms in the social and tax spheres.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Average income grows by over 1,000 crowns per month
    03/10/2005

    The Czech Statistical Office has also reported the average income grew by slightly more than 1,000 crowns last year to roughly 18,000 crowns per month, or about 820 US dollars. In real terms that represents a rise of 3.7 percent, the lowest in four years.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Minister for regional development: regulated rent could be raised up to 12 percent
    03/10/2005

    The minister for regional development has said that districts and towns should be allowed to raise regulated rent from between 6 to 12 percent per year for a period of five or six years. He added tenants whose rent exceeded 30 percent of their net income would be eligible for social support. The minister is confident his plan could gain support in Parliament, though coalition partner the Christian Democrats, and the country's largest opposition party, the Civic Democrats, are calling for a quicker increase. Around 750, 000 apartments in the Czech Republic are subject to regulated rent, of which roughly 300, 000 are privately owned.
    Author: Jan Velinger

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