News

The zoo in Dvůr Králové is preparing to fly four of its extremely rare Northern White rhinos (of only eight in the world) to Kenya at the weekend in an attempt to try and save the sub-species from extinction. The idea is to enhance breeding conditions for the rhino. But the plan has come under criticism by those who fear the transfer will be too risky - given the temperature differences between Kenya and Central Europe. The director of the Dvůr Králové zoo has defended the move saying the animals deserved a last chance in their natural habitat. Dvůr Králové has six Northern White rhinos in all, while the Wild Animal Park in San Diego, California has two. The Czech rhinos are the only ones to have reproduced in captivity. The animals are a sub-species of the White Rhino.

Retired Czech footballer Pavel Nedvěd will return to the pitch next week for the first time since ending his career in May. The 2003 European footballer of the year will join other greats such as France’s Zinedine Zidane as well as current players in a match between European and African sides to fight against racism. Nedvěd will captain the European side, Didier Drogba, the African team. Funds raised in the match will go to African children as well as towards research on the neurodegenerative disease ALS - Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The match will take place at the Olympic stadium in Turin, Italy on Monday.

The Ministry of Finance has said it will prepare a further package to curb the country’s rising budget deficit. But a spokesman said there would be no attempts to push the second package through parliament before elections due in May next year. That ambitious step to set a framework for the 2011 budget had previously been backed by Finance Minister Eduard Janota.

The Czech Republic faces the likelihood of disciplinary measures from the European Commission because of its high deficit. There are also mounting worries that the country’s credit rating could be cut by international agencies.

The Finance Ministry’s comments come with tension still high over the final format of next year’s budget following sweeping changes voted through last week. Last week’s changes, backed by left wing parties, largely aimed at increasing wages of public workers. The government has said it will seek to absorb the extra spending so that the 2010 budget deficit stays at around 163 billion crowns or around 5.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product. That task is set to be the main focus of a Cabinet meeting on January 10.

Top Civic Democrat Petr Nečas called Thursday for the government as a whole and not just the prime minister to give a public commitment that it will seek to curb the budget deficit.

Two top members of the Czech army have resigned their positions with effect from the end of the year. Czech media have linked the moves to a series of recent scandals concerning Czech units serving abroad. A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said the requests to leave were made by the two deputy chiefs of general staff and would not comment further.

General Jiří Halaška was responsible for managing units serving on foreign missions. He was suspended from duty in November following a scandal when two Czech soldiers serving in Afghanistan were revealed to be wearing SS symbols on their uniforms. General Josef Prokš said he wanted to leave the army after 15 years service and no further motives should be sought.

As well as problems in Afghanistan, the Czech peacekeeping force in Kosovo has been tarnished by reports of soldiers smoking dope and regularly getting drunk. One soldier also accidentally shot a colleague.