• US weekly: Romanies in Czech Republic face apartheid
    07/29/2008

    Romanies in central and eastern European countries, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia, suffer “tacit apartheid”, the US weekly Business Week reported on Monday, citing a Prague-based human rights worker. According to the article, which focuses on the economic situation of the four-million Romany minority in the region, Romanies mostly live hidden from public eyes in ghettoes situated far from the capitals, such as Prague and Bratislava. Despite EU subsidies, not much progress has been achieved because of “weak political will”, the Business Week has reported.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Study: President Klaus is best speaker
    07/29/2008

    President Václav Klaus is the best speaker among Czech politicians, according to a study evaluating the rhetorical skills of ten leading Czech politicians. The Westminster polling agency, which conducted the study, praised the head of state for his “thorough use of formal language, clarity and communicability of his speeches”. Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek was ranked ninth, due to his “inability to formulate a simple thought into a comprehensive whole”. Controversial Christian Democrat chairman Jiří Čunek came last.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czech drug smuggler reportedly arrested in Peru
    07/29/2008

    A Czech citizen was arrested in Peru on Monday for attempting to smuggle 13 kg of cocaine to Spain, the EFE news agency reported. The 60-year old Czech was reportedly apprehended at an international airport in Lima when police officers discovered the drugs in his suitcase. The EFE agency reported a similar case in April, but the information was later disclaimed by the Czech embassy in Peru.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Woody Allen to perform in Prague
    07/29/2008

    American director, actor and occasional clarinettist Woody Allen will come to the Czech Republic later this year to play a concert with his New Orleans Jazz Band. The concert is scheduled to take place on 20 December at the Congress Centre in Prague.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • NATO chief Europe complains about lack of Czech choppers
    07/28/2008

    The commander of NATO forces in Europe John Craddock has complained that Czech helicopters have not yet been deployed in Afghanistan. In an interview for the Financial Times on Monday, General Craddock said that allied nations were not keeping their obligations to send additional troops to Afghanistan. He also complained about insufficient funding of NATO operations in the country and specifically mentioned Czech helicopters which could not be moved to Afghanistan due to a lack of finances. According to the general the situation in Afghanistan is very explosive, with more allied soldiers dying there than in Iraq for the first time. The Czech Republic currently has around 300 troops on four missions in Afghanistan.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Top general against CASA planes deal
    07/28/2008

    In related news, the Chief of the Czech Army’s General Staff Vlastimil Picek warned against a planned purchase of three Spanish-made CASA transport planes, the weekly Euro reported on Monday. General Picek has written to Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanová over the issue, citing technical objections against the CASA C-295M tactical transport aircraft. The plane cannot fly from the Czech Republic to Afghanistan without a stopover, which means it cannot be used for the evacuation of wounded Czech soldiers. The aircraft is not capable of transporting any track or wheel vehicles used by the Czech Army on its foreign missions.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Irishman wanted for sexual abuse of children to be extradited to UK
    07/28/2008

    Alleged Irish paedophile Patrick Brunnel, who is suspected of sexually abusing several children in the UK, can be extradited to British authorities, a court in Prague ruled on Monday. The 21-year-old is accused of 16 crimes connected with sexual abuse of children in the UK between 2003 and 2006. If convicted, he could face a life sentence. The man was arrested in the Czech Republic in mid July, after two years of living in Prague. He apparently committed no crimes while living in the Czech capital.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Czechs EU’s number one in exclusive cell phone use
    07/28/2008

    Czechs are more likely to only use mobile telephones than any other nation in the EU, the daily Lidové Noviny reported on Monday, referring to a study by the German Bittcom association. The survey reveals that 64 percent of Czech households exclusively use cell phones and not land lines. Czechs are followed by Finns (61 percent), Lithuanians (53 percent) and Hungarians (50 percent). One of the reasons for the high prevalence of cell phone users might be the fact that land lines were difficult to get during communism and people went straight to cell phones once they became available.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Price of petrol, diesel drops
    07/28/2008

    The prices of petrol and diesel in the Czech Republic have dropped, the petrol merchant CCS said on Monday. The price of petrol dropped by 26 hallers to 32.21 crowns, or 2.14 US dollars per litre while the price of diesel decreased by 29 hallers to 34.44 crowns, or 2.29 US dollars per litre. Experts say that the strong Czech crown as well as lowering prices of fuel will make prices at Czech petrol stations keep decreasing in the coming weeks as well.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Serbian ambassador to return to Prague by end of August
    07/28/2008

    Serbian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Vladimir Vereš, who was withdrawn for consultations to Belgrade in May following the recognition of Kosovo by the Czech Republic, will return to Prague by the end of August. The Serbian Embassy in Prague said on Monday that no exact date was set. Serbian officials announced last that their envoys to EU countries which recognized independent Kosovo would soon resume their positions.
    Author: Jan Richter

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