• Insurance fraud on the rise
    06/11/2008

    Insurance fraud in the Czech Republic has risen by 50% in the first quarter of this year. The Czech Association of Insurance Companies says that one in five insurance claims is fraudulent. The most common type of fraud concerns car insurance and property damage claims. At the same time, insurance companies claim that they are more successful in fighting against this type of crime.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • State to review drug reimbursements
    06/11/2008

    The State Institute for Drug Control has started comparing the price of medicines in the Czech Republic with those in other EU countries in order to set health insurers' reimbursements according to the lowest EU rate and push Czech pharmaceutical companies to reduce prices. The change is expected to affect mainly patients suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease or depression who will end up paying more in pharmacies. Insurance companies say the money saved will be used to subsidise more expensive drugs.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Prague considering new parking rules
    06/11/2008

    Prague City Hall councillors have approved several changes to the new parking system, including a new 10-hour parking card for visitors as well as relief from parking fees for family members taking care of elderly or handicapped relatives. The proposal has yet to get City Hall's full backing. Prague has recently introduced paid parking zones in some of its districts in order to discourage people from driving to the city centre.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czech scientists launch digital math library
    06/11/2008

    The Czech Academy of Sciences has launched a pilot project of a digital mathematics library. The library is set to become part of a network of digital libraries all over the world in the future. The website is mainly designated for students and researches, but it will also be accessible to the public and its use will be free of charge.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Robert De Niro to visit Karlovy Vary
    06/11/2008

    Organisers have reported that American actor Robert De Niro – a two-time Academy Award winner - will be attending this year’s Karlovy Vary Film festival, held in early July. The prominent actor will receive the Crystal Globe for outstanding contribution to world cinema. Robert De Niro will be opening the festival with his most recent film, What Just Happened, premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Cabinet approves valuable environmental clean-up contract
    06/10/2008

    The cabinet has approved the issuing of a valuable tender to clean up environmental damage caused by former state-owned companies, according to press reports on Tuesday. The contract, which will go to one company, could be worth up to CZK 115 billion – over USD 7 billion. Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek admitted awarding the huge tender to one firm involved the risk of corruption. But he said the fact it would receive so much attention lessened that danger. Minister Kalousek said a one-contract approach was necessary, as otherwise the Czech Republic would not succeed in repairing environmental damage by 2015 and would face sanctions.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Economic growth slows to 5.3 percent in first quarter
    06/10/2008

    The Czech economy grew by 5.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2008, according to revised estimates released on Tuesday. That represents the slowest GDP growth since the end of 2004. The slowdown has been attributed to reduced domestic demand. Analysts expect GDP growth for the whole of 2008 to fall to around 4 percent due to high inflation, which limits household spending.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech crown sets another record against euro
    06/10/2008

    The Czech crown set a record of 24.50 against the common European currency on Tuesday morning. The new high was reached despite the fact GDP growth for the first quarter had earlier been revised down from 5.4 to 5.3 percent. The Czech currency has set a number of records against both the euro and US dollar in recent months.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Chamber overrides objections of president and Senate over conflict of interest law
    06/10/2008

    The Chamber of Deputies has overridden a veto by President Václav Klaus and passed an amendment to the law on conflict of interest. Mr Klaus, alongside the Senate, rejected the bill because it demands that even head teachers declare their property holdings. However, the minister of education, Ondřej Liška, said he would draft an amendment exempting principals from such declarations. The law was broadly intended to allow the public access to the property declarations of politicians.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Health unions calling one-hour strike in protest at reforms
    06/10/2008

    A one-hour strike is set to take place in Czech hospitals on June 24, a Czech doctors leader told reporters on Tuesday. The strike – which will not affect patients who need emergency care – has been called in protest at health reforms introduced by the government. Unions say the reforms have led to marked price rises for Czech patients.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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