• Survey: Czech Republic likely to have lowest turnout for EU constitution referendum
    01/29/2005

    The Czech Republic is likely to have the lowest turnout of any European Union state holding a referendum on the EU constitution, according to research by the Eurobarometer polling agency. Only 19 percent of Czechs surveyed said they would vote. While a quarter of Czechs said they had never heard of the EU constitution, the number who had was - at 67 percent - higher than the average in the nine states due to hold referendums.

    Prime Minister Stanislav Gross wants to hold the vote on the same day as the next general elections in 2006. But the opposition Civic Democrats are threatening to try to block the referendum if it is not held by the end of this year.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Gross calls on Social Democrats to abandon utopian idea of social state
    01/29/2005

    The chairman of the Social Democrats, Stanislav Gross, has urged the party to abandon their utopian and populist attitude to the "social state". He told 500 delegates at a conference in Prague the Social Democrats should join the mainstream of European social democracy and not stick dogmatically to what he called "old visions". Meanwhile, members of the party close to the labour minister, Zdenek Skromach, are in favour of maintaining the Social Democrats' traditional socialist values. Mr Skromach will face Mr Gross in a vote for the party leadership in March.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Disgraced former head of Office of Government working for Interior Ministry
    01/29/2005

    The former head of the Office of the Government, Pavel Pribyl, is once again working for the Interior Ministry, according to press reports Saturday. Mr Pribyl was forced to resign last year when it emerged that he had led a riot police unit which attacked anti-communist demonstrators in early 1989. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said Mr Pribyl had been employed in an external capacity to help improve police standards.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Rent on rent-regulated apartments to rise up to eight percent a year
    01/29/2005

    Rent on rent-regulated apartments will rise by a maximum of eight percent a year for the next five or six years, according to the local development minister, Jiri Paroubek. The increases will affect one fifth of flats in the Czech Republic; like free-market rents they will vary in different parts of the country. Mr Paroubek said deregulating rents in one go was impossible because it would threaten social cohesion.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czechs, Slovaks deny ransom paid for release of aid worker
    01/29/2005

    Both the Czech and Slovak authorities have denied reports by the Russian newspaper Novaja Gazeta that a ransom was paid for the release in November of Miriam Jevikova, a Slovak woman who was kidnapped five months earlier while working for a Czech aid agency in Ingushetia. The internet site of the Russian paper said 4.5 million crowns (almost 200,000 US dollars) had been handed over to Ms Jevikova's kidnappers.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Arsenal tried to sign Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech, says manager
    01/29/2005

    The manager of Arsenal football club, Arsene Wenger, said he tried and failed to sign Czech international goalkeeper Petr Cech before he joined Chelsea last year. Wenger said Arsenal wanted to sign the player from French club Rennes, but could not get a work permit for him. Cech, who is 22, has been a huge success since joining Chelsea, conceding just eight goals in 24 league games this season.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Social Democrats preparing for policy debate
    01/28/2005

    The ruling Social Democratic Party is preparing for an important conference this weekend, with the party's future policy direction up for debate. Chairman Stanislav Gross and Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka are reportedly in favour of a more centrist approach. Meanwhile, Labour Minister Zdenek Skromach is calling on the Social Democrats to stick to their traditional socialist principles. The Social Democrats lost European Parliament, Senate and regional elections last year, and currently have around 14 percent voter support.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Mistakes by Czech Republic led to large fine in arbitration case, says commission
    01/28/2005

    A special lower house commission says the Czech Republic made several mistakes which led to the country having to pay out ten billion crowns (over 400 million US dollars) in an arbitration case; the Czech state was fined after being found guilty of not protecting the investment of a US company in TV Nova. Commission head Stanislav Krecek said it would be up to the state prosecutor to decide whether any charges were filed in connection with the costly mistakes.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Havel slams EU decision on Cuban dissidents as "diplomatic apartheid"
    01/28/2005

    Former Czech president Vaclav Havel has sharply criticised the European Union for deciding to no longer invite Cuban dissidents to receptions at EU states' embassies in Havana. The EU has reportedly adopted this position so as to facilitate increased dialogue with the Cuban authorities. However, in an article in France's Le Figaro newspaper Mr Havel described the EU's stance as "diplomatic apartheid". He said the Union could not have found a better way of tarnishing the ideals of freedom and respect for human rights.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Prague centre street closed for two weeks after collapse of pavement
    01/28/2005

    Vodickova Street in the centre of Prague has been closed after the pavement collapsed on Thursday while repair work was underway. Two workers fell into the hole, with one of them sustaining serious injuries to his spine. Officials say the street is likely to be closed to traffic for at least two weeks.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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