• Sladek successful in local elections
    01/18/2004

    Miroslav Sladek, the controversial leader of the far- right Republican Party, has been successful in local elections in the town of Utechov, a district in the Czech Republic's second-largest city Brno. Mr Sladek, along with his Independents, called "Prosperity and Security", received over 38 percent of votes and three posts in the 7-member town council. Mr Sladek could now even be elected mayor, his first significant return to politics since his far-right Republicans were knocked out of Parliament in general elections in 1998. Mr Sladek's group's finish in elections Saturday was followed by the Independents for Moravia, led by Zdenek Drahos, the former director of public broadcaster Czech TV's studio in Brno.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • President Vaclav Klaus visits former arch-rival in Vysocina region
    01/18/2004

    Czech President Vaclav Klaus most certainly raised an eyebrow or two on Sunday when he visited his former arch political rival Milos Zeman - in retirement at his cottage in the Czech Republic's Vysocina region. Both men met for about two-and-a-half hours, saying afterwards they had avoided discussing political issues and spoken simply as "regular guys". Mr Klaus had been on the way back from ski championships in Moravia when he stopped at Mr Zeman's home; he also invited Mr Zeman to now visit him at the presidential Lany Chateau. For years Mr Klaus and Mr Zeman represented the most heated of political rivals in Czech high politics. However, they always granted each other a measure of respect. Their last clash came last year during presidential elections, where Mr Zeman crashed out and Mr Klaus eventually persevered.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Svoboda urges Palestinians to "clamp down" on terrorism
    01/17/2004

    Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda, on a tour of the Middle East, has met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. On Saturday the Foreign Minister accompanied Mr Arafat to view the leader's former headquarters in Ramallah, destroyed by Israeli forces. During their meeting Mr Svoboda said the Czech Republic recognised the Palestinians' right to a sovereign state. However, he stressed the need for the Palestinian leadership to clamp down on terrorist groups. For his part Mr Arafat urged the Czech Republic - a future EU member - to take advantage of good relations with Israel to encourage the state to honour its requirements in the proposed peace plan. Mr Arafat contended these were not being met at the current time. Finally, Mr Arafat was not the only Palestinian leader the Czech Foreign Minister met with on Saturday: Mr Svoboda also had the chance to talk with Palestinian counterpart Nabil Shaath, as well as Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Respekt editor-in-chief the victim of vicious attack
    01/17/2004

    The editor-in-chief of the independent weekly Respekt Tomas Nemecek is in hospital after being attacked by unknown assailants on Saturday morning. The attack took place outside Mr Nemecek's home in Prague. Two men estimated to be in their early twenties assaulted the journalist by first spraying tear gas in his face and kicking him repeatedly in the head. The assailants then escaped the scene, leaving passers-by to take Mr Nemecek to hospital. There he was treated for cuts and bruises and a mild concussion. Police have begun investigating whether the assault was a chance happening or a motivated attack against Mr Nemecek's paper, currently involved in lawsuits with several businesses and political groups.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • 130 gather in Vsetaty to remember Jan Palach
    01/17/2004

    Around 130 visitors from around the Czech Republic and abroad gathered in the town of Vsetaty, near Melnik, north of Prague on Saturday, to remember Jan Palach, the 20-year-old student of philosophy who set himself on fire in 1969 in protest of the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. Vsetaty was Mr Palach's home town. Saturday's gathering saw several speakers honour Jan Palach's sacrifice, including doctor Tomas Roith, who took part in the very first commemoration of the drastic suicide in 1969. Describing Jan Palach's act, Mr Roith said the suicide had been a warning against encroaching "normalisation" - the period that choked all remnants of political and cultural reforms known as the Prague Spring. Another speaker Antonin Vrba meanwhile said Mr Palach's act was misunderstood even today: in his words Mr Palach's suicide was "not only a protest against the Soviet-led invasion but foremost a protest against the loss of Prague Spring ideals".
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Souckova pledges to resign if health reforms fail to pass
    01/17/2004

    According to the Czech news agency CTK Health Minister Marie Souckova has pledged she will resign if upcoming reforms in the healthcare sector failed to pass in Parliament. Mrs Souckova told the agency she made the promise at both a Friday meeting of the Social Democratic Party's national leadership and a regional conference in south Moravia on Saturday. Reacting to his health minister's words, Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said Mrs Souckova's pledge was nothing unusual in political life, indicating crucial decisions required full conviction. Mrs Souckova is confident her planned reforms can help stabilise financial problems in the healthcare sector. She has stressed that despite problems Czech healthcare is still highly regarded abroad, known for its well-trained and highly experienced professionals.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Freedom Union has own ideas about EU commissioner candidates
    01/17/2004

    Representatives from the Freedom Union, a junior member of the country's ruling coalition, have indicated they could imagine better candidates to represent the Czech Republic in the EU than current Social Democrat candidate Milos Kuzvart. Although the Freedom Union put forward no concrete nominees on Saturday, Freedom Union leader Petr Mares said his party favoured individuals with international experience, like former diplomat to the U.S. Alexandr Vondra, or current Ambassador to the European Union Pavel Telicka. Mr Mares said he imagined three names could be put forward for the post. Originally, it has been expected that the government, made up of the ruling Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats, and the Freedom Union, would only put forward a single candidate.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Government approves sending up to 150 troops to Afghanistan
    01/15/2004

    The Czech government has approved the sending of up to 150 troops to join the U.S.-led peace-keeping operation in Afghanistan. NATO officials have been urging allies to strengthen peacekeeping and other operations in Afghanistan, where nearly 500 people have been killed since August in attacks by the ousted Taliban militia. Under the Czech plan, which must still be approved by parliament, 120 elite reconnaissance specialists will join forces attempting to destroy pockets of resistance loyal to the Taliban and al Qaeda. A further 30 Czech soldiers will be sent to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), under NATO command, in Kabul.
    Author: Rob Cameron

  • Cabinet approves deployment of soldiers to Afghanistan
    01/14/2004

    The Czech government on Wednesday approved a defence ministry proposal to send 150 soldiers to Afghanistan. According to Defence Minister Miroslav Kostelka, a 120-member special-force unit will take part in the US-led Enduring Freedom operation and thirty soldiers will be part of the ISAF operation at Kabul airport. The Czech Republic was asked to deploy the soldiers by NATO.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Czech Police to join Europole
    01/14/2004

    During its session on Wednesday, the government also approved an accession protocol by which the Czech Police Force will become part of the Europol Convention (the EU's police office), when the Czech Republic joins the European Union along with Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia, in May.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

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