• 03/22/2007

    In related news, lawyer Zdenek Altner says the Social Democrats have violated a court ruling by putting a down payment on a party conference that is scheduled for this weekend. Mr Altner, who is suing the party for over 19 billion crowns in unpaid fees, claims that a court in January prohibited the Social Democratic Party from doing anything that would reduce its assets. Mr Altner is in the process of trying to force the party to file for bankruptcy.

    Author: Dita Asiedu
  • 03/22/2007

    Members of the Prague City Hall assembly have voted in favour of bidding to hold the 2016 Olympics in the Czech capital. On Thursday, 50 members supported the proposal, 10 members opposed it and 7 abstained from the vote. In the two-hour heated discussion that preceded the vote Prague Mayor Pavel Bem stressed that a bid will not be placed if further studies find that the Games would leave the city heavily indebted. He added that the assembly's decision is only the second of ten steps that will be taken before the city makes its final decision.

    Prague has until September to make its bid and will compete against cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, Dilly, Tokio, and Rio de Janeiro.

    Author: Dita Asiedu
  • 03/22/2007

    Former Czech president and human rights activist Vaclav Havel will take part in a one-day hunger strike in solidarity with a Kurdish businessman who is trying to clear his name in a Czech court. In 1994, Dr. Yekta Uzunoglu was accused of torturing, kidnapping, robbing and attempting to murder two Turkish nationals living in the Czech Republic. He spent two and a half years on remand in police custody until he was suddenly released with no explanation. Several renowned Czech figures including Mr Havel and actor Zdenek Sverak have pledged solidarity with Mr Uzunoglu who has been trying to clear his name since 1995.

    Author: Dita Asiedu
  • 03/22/2007

    A group of opponents to the Temelin nuclear power plant in South Bohemia have announced that they will file a lawsuit against the power giant CEZ on Friday. The group, which has formed an association, says CEZ is violating the law on atomic energy by operating a plant with a technical system that fails to make nuclear safety a priority. The lawsuit will call for Temelin's immediate closure.

    Author: Dita Asiedu
  • 03/22/2007

    Last year saw the biggest population increase since 1993, according to figures released by the Czech Statistical Office. For the first time in thirteen years, the number of births exceeded the number of deaths. At the end of 2006 the population had risen by 36,000 to reach 10,287,189. Figures also suggest that the average length of survival in the Czech Republic will be six months longer than in 2005. The life expectancy at birth is currently 73.4 years for males and 79.7 years for females.

    Author: Dita Asiedu
  • 03/22/2007

    The legendary Rolling Stones will stage their concert in the Moravian capital of Brno on July 22. The British rock band were scheduled to play in Brno last year but had to cancel following an injury suffered by guitarist Keith Richards. Tickets go on sale in the Czech Republic this Friday.

    Author: Dita Asiedu
  • 03/21/2007

    Former chairman Milos Zeman has announced he is quitting the Social Democratic Party. The Czech Press Agency reported that Mr Zeman made the decision after learning that current leader Jiri Paroubek had initiated criminal proceedings against him over a case in which a lawyer is suing the party over unpaid fees. For his part, Mr Paroubek said Mr Zeman's resignation was a desperate attempt to influence a party conference next weekend.

    Mr Zeman lead the Social Democrats for eight years and helped make the party one of the strongest forces in Czech politics. He was prime minister from 1998 to 2002.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 03/21/2007

    Environment Minister Martin Bursik says he will demand the resignation of Jiri Cunek if he does not answer corruption charges by Friday. Mr Bursik said an investigation into alleged bribe-taking by the deputy prime minister and minister for regional development was having a negative impact on the government. But Minister Bursik said the two posts should remain open and be returned to Mr Cunek if he clears his name.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 03/21/2007

    The Chamber of Deputies has approved the dissolution of the Ministry of Information Technology. Its tasks will be taken over by the Interior, Industry and Regional Development Ministries, if the move is approved by the Senate and the president. Interior Minister Ivan Langer said the Information Technology Ministry should cease to exist in the middle of this year. It was created by the last government in 2003.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 03/21/2007

    The Czech president, Vaclav Klaus, sent a letter containing his views on climate change to the US House of Representatives, ahead of a committee level debate on the issue. In a reply to questions put to him by members of the House, Mr Klaus said "ambitious environmentalism" has replaced communism as the biggest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy and prosperity.

    Author: Ian Willoughby

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