• Roucek to lead Social Democrats in EP elections
    12/14/2003

    Meanwhile, the Social Democrats have chosen a former cabinet spokesman, MP Libor Roucek, to lead their candidates in the European Parliament elections. Mr Roucek, the only candidate put forward by the Social Democrat leadership, defeated members nominated by the party's regional organisations in Sunday's vote. The Czech Republic will have 22 Members of the European Parliament.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech swimmer Hlavackova takes gold at Euro Short Course Championships
    12/14/2003

    Czech swimmer Ilona Hlavackova took gold in the 50 metres backstroke at the European Short Course Championships in the Irish capital, Dublin on Saturday. Ms Hlavackova's win came a day after she won the silver in the 100 metres backstroke at the championships.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech delegation returns to Prague after EU constitution summit collapses
    12/13/2003

    Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda and other senior officials have returned to the Czech Republic after a summit to decide on a constitution for the European Union ended in failure. Talks broke down on Saturday after Spain and Poland refused to surrender voting rights they won at the Nice summit, three years ago.

    A Czech official told the CTK news agency that the inter-governmental conference could continue in the New Year, when Ireland takes over the presidency of the EU. The Czech Republic and nine other mostly former communist countries are due to join the Union on May 1.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Iraqi official tells US investigators he did not meet Mohamed Atta in Prague
    12/13/2003

    A former Iraqi official has told United States investigators that he did not have a meeting in Prague with the suspected leader of the September 11 attacks, the New York Times reported on Saturday. Ahmad Khalil Samir al-Ani denied meeting Mohamed Atta in the Czech capital.

    Though Czech officials had initially said that the two men had met, the CIA and FBI eventually concluded that no such meeting took place. A possible connection between Iraq and the September attacks was a reason used by some conservatives in the US to justify invading Iraq earlier this year.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Man dies when train hits car on level crossing
    12/13/2003

    A man was killed near Jicin in central Bohemia on Saturday when his car was hit by a train at a level crossing at which there was no barrier. Another person was seriously injured in the collision, which is now being investigated by the police.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Chamber of Deputies launches campaign against pawn shops selling stolen goods
    12/13/2003

    The Chamber of Deputies has launched a campaign against pawn shops which deal in stolen goods, passing a bill on Friday under which shopkeepers would have to ascertain the identity of clients. The bill's proponents said there were 1,800 pawn shops in Prague alone, many of which were open around the clock.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Bill passed on building weirs on Elbe despite protests from environmentalists
    12/13/2003

    A bill was also passed on Friday allowing the building of two weirs on the Elbe River in north Bohemia, despite protests from the environment minister, Libor Ambrozek, and environmental groups. Mr Ambrozek said the building of the weirs would damage the eco-system in the areas in question and was in contravention of EU norms.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech PM Spidla in Brussels for talks on EU constitution
    12/12/2003

    The Czech prime minister, Vladimir Spidla, is in Brussels for a summit to decide the shape of the European Union's first constitution. Among the issues to be discussed are voting powers, the number of commissioners and national vetoes on foreign, defence and taxation policy. The Czech Republic is one of ten, mostly ex-communist countries set to join the EU next May, in what will be the biggest enlargement in the Union's history.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • MPs pass bill allowing Czech health workers to work in EU, vice versa
    12/12/2003

    Meanwhile, the Chamber of Deputies on Friday passed a bill allowing Czech nurses, midwives and other health workers to work in the European Union. The bill, which has to be approved by the Senate and signed by the president, also allows for health workers from other EU states to work in the Czech Republic.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Klaus grants five pardons, does not specify details
    12/11/2003

    President Vaclav Klaus granted five presidential pardons on Wednesday, the first time he has done so since he first took office in March. President Klaus's spokesman said they were cases where suspended prison sentences had been imposed or applicants were suffering serious health conditions, or a combination of both. He would not specify any other details on Thursday. The Presidential Office says it has received some 900 pardon applications since March. Mr Klaus' predecessor Vaclav Havel was often criticised for dispensing controversial pardons. Mr Havel's office made public detailed information on every pardon dispensed. Mr Klaus said shortly after his election in late February that he would only grant pardons in exceptional cases.
    Author: Pavla Horáková

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