• Prague mayor wants to change controversial grant system
    06/07/2008

    Prague Mayor Pavel Bém said he would like to change the controversial theatre subsidy system in the Czech capital. Earlier this year, Prague City Hall came up with a new system of financing Prague’s theatres and other art scenes which tied subsidies to ticket sales. The system has been criticized for not distinguishing between genuine art and commercial projects catering to tourists. Last month, many of Prague's theatres staged a week of protests against the programme and were also backed by playwright and former Czech President Václav Havel.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Hundreds protest uranium mining
    06/07/2008

    Some 300 activists protested against uranium mining near Liberec, northern Bohemia, on Saturday, despite a recent denial by the Environment Ministry to conduct preliminary tests in the area. Local inhabitants, mayors of nearby communities as well as environmental activists oppose any possible plans to launch uranium mining in northern Bohemia, a region with an estimated 20,000 tons of uranium ore.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Czechs mark Tax Freedom Day
    06/07/2008

    Saturday marks the Tax Freedom Day in the Czech Republic, three days earlier than last year, the Liberal Institute think-tank reported. Tax Freedom Day is the day on which Czech taxpayers stop working for the government and start earning money for themselves. This year, the government collects more than 43 percent of individual and corporate incomes.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Poll: nine of ten Czechs use cell phones
    06/07/2008

    Nine out of ten Czechs over 15 years of age use cell phones, according to a poll carried out by the Factum Invenio agency. The most popular cell phone makes with Czechs are Nokia, with almost a 50 per cent share of the marker, followed by Sony Ericsson and Siemens. At the end of the first quarter of 2008, Czechs had 13.1 million cell phones, which is 126 phones per 100 people.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Argentinean Calleri wins tennis Czech Open
    06/07/2008

    Argentinean tennis player Augustín Calleri, seeded fourth, won the 15th Unicredit Czech Open in Prostějov on Saturday after beating fellow Argentinean Martin Vassallo Arguello 6:0, 6:3. Czech players Tpomáš Berdych and Bohand Ulihrach were knocked out in the quarterfinals.
    Author: Jan Richter

  • Justice minister: supreme state attorney should not be dismissed
    06/06/2008

    Justice Minister Jiří Pospíšil has said he will not recommend to the government that Supreme State Attorney Renata Vesecká be dismissed from her post. He made the statement after a Prague court ruling on Thursday cast doubts over steps she and others took in a high profile investigation of Deputy Prime Minister Jiří Čunek. He was investigated on allegations of corruption but was cleared of all charges. The court on Thursday ruled that shadow justice minister Marie Benešová did not have to apologise to Mrs Vesecká for suggesting she was corrupt. The decision can still be appealed. Justice Minister Jiří Pospíšil made clear on Friday repercussions could be discussed once the court decision was final. The prime minister, meanwhile, has firmly backed Mrs Vesecká in her post.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Chamber of deputies to see special session on judiciary
    06/06/2008

    In related news, the Social Democrats have pushed for the Chamber of Deputies to hold a special session on the judiciary next week. Representatives of the opposition party have expressed concerns over unauthorised interference by the supreme state attorney in Jiří Čunek’s corruption case, and they - as well as some in the government coalition such as the Green Party’s Kateřina Jacques – say Supreme State Attorney Vesecká should be dismissed. The Social Democrats failed to push the issue onto the agenda in the lower house on Friday. It is expected the ruling coalition will try to block the special session set for the end of next week.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Bill blocking transformation of hospitals voted down
    06/06/2008

    The Chamber of Deputies has voted down a bill aimed at blocking the transformation of teaching hospitals into joint-stock companies. The proposal was put forward by shadow health minister David Rath. It was voted down by a narrow majority, although two government MPs – Věra Jakubková and Olga Zubová, both from the Green Party, voted in favour. Prior to the move, Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek promised that neither the health ministry nor the government would transform the hospitals into joint-stock firms. But the opposition Social Democrats and the Communists insisted that the vote go ahead.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Ministry turns down uranium mining request
    06/06/2008

    The environment ministry has denied a request by Urania Mining to conduct preliminary tests on possible uranium mining in the region of Liberec, north Bohemia. The decision was expected by local activists. The area of Podještědí near Liberec is recognised for its valuable uranium deposits; local representatives have opposed to the idea on the grounds that mining would heavily impact the local ecology.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Senate approves bill to facilitate foreigners' marriages
    06/06/2008

    The Senate has approved an amendment on the registered partnership law that will considerably soften the conditions for foreigners wanting to marry or enter into registered partnership in the Czech Republic. The amendment was approved by 25 out of 46 senators present. The original government draft embedded stricter conditions in order to come down on fictitious marriages. Now, the legislation could allow foreigners even at risk of being expelled to enter into marriage in the Czech Republic. The bill will still need to be signed by the president before coming into law.
    Author: Jan Velinger

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