• Most Prague citizens like Blob
    10/21/2007

    The majority of people living in Prague like the design of a planned new National Library building, suggests a poll carried out by the STEM agency. Sixty percent of the Prague citizens surveyed last week said they liked the green-and-violet octopus-like design by the world-renowned Czech architect Jan Kaplicky. However, the building - nicknamed the Blob - will probably not be built at the original site selected on Prague's Letna Plain, as city councillors say the modernistic building would be too near the historical centre of the city. There have been suggestions it could go up elsewhere in Prague, though there is a good chance Mr Kaplicky's plan will never be realised.

    Meanwhile, National Library director Vlastimil Jezek said on Sunday that if the Blob is built it could cost around CZK three billion, rather than the two billion originally envisaged.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Schwarzenberg to present report on UN vote failure to cabinet
    10/21/2007

    Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is on Monday going to present a report to the cabinet on the Czech Republic's recent failure to win a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. The Czech Republic withdrew from the vote after the country's rival for the post Croatia gathered more support. It will occupy the post for two years, starting in 2009. Mr Schwarzenberg said there were several reasons Prague had lost the vote; however, he said, the fact the Czech Republic is to assume the presidency of the European Union in the first half of 2009 was not among them.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Sixteen-year-old dies when parachute fails to open
    10/21/2007

    A sixteen-year-old girl died when her parachute failed to open during a jump at Erpuzice, west Bohemia on Saturday. A police spokesperson said the teenager had fallen from a height of 600 metres. An investigation is being conducted into her death. Under Czech regulations young people can do parachute jumps from the age of 15, but those under 18 must have the consent of their parents.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Cech among candidates for European footballer of the year
    10/21/2007

    The Czech football goalkeeper Petr Cech is among 50 players nominated for European Player of the Year. Cech, who is 25 and plays for the English club Chelsea, finished 14th two years ago in the poll organised by the magazine France Football. Two Czechs have won the Ballon d'Or in the past: Josef Masopust in 1962 and Pavel Nedved in 2003.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Topolanek has open mind on method of ratification of EU treaty
    10/20/2007

    The Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, says he has an open mind regarding whether the Czech Republic should hold a referendum on the ratification of a new treaty to reform European Union institutions. Mr Topolanek had earlier indicated he was in favour of a parliamentary vote on the matter. Meanwhile, his party the Civic Democrats passed a motion at a conference in Plzen calling on the Czech Constitutional Court to rule on whether the new EU treaty is in line with the Czech constitution.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • People in Need allowed to return to Russian Federation after two-year ban
    10/20/2007

    The Czech non-governmental organisation People in Need has received permission to operate in the Russian Federation after a two-year ban. In 2005 the Russian authorities accused the NGO, whose work in the region focused on Chechnya and Ingusetia, of providing financial support for terrorist groups. People in Need's director Simon Panek said it would now carry out projects aimed at rebuilding and development.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • New Czech army planes to be named after two WWII heroes
    10/20/2007

    Two Airbus planes bought by the Czech army are to be named after World War II heroes, the Defence Ministry has announced. The aircraft will be named after Josef Ocelka, who flew in Britain's RAF, and Karel Janousek, who fought in the resistance in the two world wars and set up a Czechoslovak unit in the RAF during the second. President Vaclav Klaus is set to take part in the official launch of the Airbus A 319 CJ planes at Prague's Kbely military airport next Friday.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Neo-Nazi challenging ban on march through Prague's Jewish quarter
    10/20/2007

    A known neo-Nazi is taking Prague Town Hall to court after it banned a far-right group from marching through the city's Jewish quarter. The demonstration was to have taken place on the anniversary of the notorious Kristallnacht Nazi pogrom. Erik Sedlacek, who first got permission for the march and is now appealing the Town Hall's ban, is known to be associated with the group Narodni odpor (National Resistance).
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Bursik: Luzny must prove he is not "Kuchtova in trousers"
    10/20/2007

    The Green Party's Dusan Luzny has promised to make personnel changes at the Education Ministry if he replaces his party colleague Dana Kuchtova as minister. Greens' leader Martin Bursik said after a meeting with Mr Luzny on Friday that the latter would need to persuade Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek that he was not "Kuchtova in trousers". Dana Kuchtova stepped down after coming under pressure for failing to apply correctly for European Union funds. Mr Bursik was criticised by some sections of his party for not standing by her.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Mayors of London and Hiroshima express support for anti-radar campaigners
    10/20/2007

    The mayors of London and Hiroshima have expressed their support for organisations fighting US plans to build a radar base in the Czech Republic. Ken Livingstone sent a letter and Takeshi Araki a video message to an anti-radar conference in Breznice, central Bohemia. Delegates came from 16 European countries for the meeting on Saturday, which was also attended by 86 mayors from around the Czech Republic. The Czech parliament is set to vote on whether to host the base next year.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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