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08/27/2009
The experimental theatre Laterna Magika on Wednesday held the 6000th performance of its show “The Wonderful Circus”, by far the most performed show in Czech history. The Wonderful Circus, a blend of dance, film and black light theatre, first came to the stage in 1977 and many of the Czech Republic’s most famous artists, such as animator and director Jan Švankmajer, have participated in it since that time. The performance marks the theatre’s second important jubilee this year, after its 50th anniversary was celebrated in May.
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08/27/2009
Police in the eastern Bohemian town of Pardubice have arrested a man for a string of offences that began when he stole a public bus. The man, who was heavily intoxicated, drove off in the bus, finding the keys in the ignition. He then picked up a friend, lost control of the vehicle and drove it into a building before driving off again. When police stopped and boarded the stolen vehicle, both men claimed to be passengers and the driver physically attacked an officer. The police also found that the driver did not possess the appropriate licence to drive a bus, and that his automobile licence had been revoked. If convicted of the all five charges against him, the man faces 3 years in prison.
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08/27/2009
The “Rock na valníku” Festival began on Thursday in the town of Slaný, to the north-west of Prague. The festival, which is now in its 10th year, showcases a wide range of mainstream Czech musicians and is visited annually by roughly 4000 visitors. This summer’s line-up is set to include performers such as Tři sestry, Sto Zvírat, and Ivan Mládek.
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08/27/2009
Footballers Tomáš Rosický and Jan Koller will be returning to the Czech national team for a crucial World Cup qualifying match against Slovakia. The announcement, made by coach Ivan Hašek, marks the return of two of the major forces in Czech football. Jan Koller, who is 36, had retired from international football after last year’s European Championship. He is the Czech Republic’s all-time top scorer with 55 goals. Captain Tomáš Rosický has been out of competition since early 2008 due to a knee injury. The Czechs take on Slovakia in Bratislava on September 5, in a game they must win to keep alive their chances of reaching the 2010 World Cup.
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08/26/2009
State-controlled carrier, Czech Airlines, warned on Wednesday that it is fighting for its very survival. Company president Radomír Lašák said in a press conference that unlike rivals, the airline has no cash reserves to cushion it from the current crisis hitting airlines worldwide. A 10 percent drop in passengers and similar fall in ticket prices has racked up a 1.8 billion crown, around 100 million dollars, loss for the airline in the first six months. It had planned for a loss of just 300 million crowns for the whole year. Mr Lašák outlined a three point programme to save the airline later in the day based upon a 30 percent cut in pilots’ pay, 15 percent wage cuts for other employees and a freeze on other benefits. If unions agreed to the deal then the current board would be willing to step down, he added.
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08/26/2009
In related news, the head of a pilots’ union at Czech Airlines has been reprimanded by company management for allegedly leaking internal information to the media. The airline said CZALPA union head Filip Gaspar had broken internal rules by leaking confidential and secret information. A statement from the union protested that he had merely commented on articles concerning safety and the threat of mass lay-offs. Mr Gaspar said the airline’s management is attempting to curb criticism from the unions.
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08/26/2009
Czech ombudsman Otakar Motejl has expressed misgivings about fresh attempts by the northern town of Chomutov to reclaim debts. The town embarked on a fresh attempt to gather debts this week by sending in the bailiffs. Mr Motejl warned that the value of property seized should be in line with debts and pointed out that complaints indicate this has not always been the case. Some debtors have said that computers, televisions and hi-fi systems were seized because of debts of a few hundred crowns. Town mayor and Civic Democrat candidate in upcoming general elections, Ivana Řápková, already courted controversy earlier this year with her tough line to recover more than 240 million crowns in unpaid debts to the town hall. Initial measures included fines and intercepting benefit payments with some of the measures ruled illegal.
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08/26/2009
Czech health and interior ministries are fighting over whether all national and top local politicians are vaccinated against swine flu, according to the Czech press. The Ministry of Interior has advanced plans that all members of the government and parliament as well as top regional and local politicians are vaccinated, according to Wednesday’s edition of Mladá fronta dnes. The Ministry of Health says it is only considering vaccinations for a handful of ministers playing a central role in a possible health crisis. The government agreed last week to buy enough vaccine for half a million people with the main target of protecting health service staff.
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08/26/2009
The caretaker government of Prime Minister Jan Fischer announced Wednesday that it had agreed changes relaxing the scope of the so-called “muzzle law.” The sweeping law, which came into force in April, threatens journalists and media companies with prison sentences of up to five years or heavy fines if they reveal information about individuals involved in criminal investigations. The new law was described as an attack on media freedom by international media watchdogs. An amendment put to the cabinet by human rights minister, Michael Kocáb, would introduce a public interest defence for releasing information. The amendment could take effect from January 1, 2010, if it is backed by parliament.
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08/26/2009
An independent MP has lodged a challenge with the Constitutional Court against the holding of early elections on October 9 and 10. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday confirmed the complaint by non-aligned lower house MP Miloš Melčak against the law shortening the current parliament’s mandate and president’s decision to call early elections. Its spokesman refused to give further details before Thursday with Mr Melčak also refusing to elaborate. The two main political parties and Greens agreed to create a caretaker government pending early elections to the lower house following the no-confidence vote in former prime minister Mirek Topolánek’s government at the end of March. Mr Melčak was elected for the left-wing Social Democrats but switched his support to help pave the way for Mr Topolánek centre-right coalition. Constitutional experts said the complaint stands little chance of derailing the elections.
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