News

The Czech national ice hockey team thrashed Slovakia 7:0 on Tuesday night, in a game commemorating 100 years of the Czech Ice Hockey Association. Goals were scored by Jaromír Jágr and Roman Červenka among others in the course of the friendly, which took place in Prague’s O2 Arena. Shortly before the match, some 41 Czech ice hockey legends were inducted into the country’s Hall of Fame, which is also housed in the Prague stadium. The Czech team’s victory sets them in good stead for this week’s Karjala tournament in Helsinki, where they are set to play Russia, Sweden, and home nation Finland.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has raised doubts as to whether the Czech Parliament would approve the Lisbon treaty ahead of the country’s EU presidency in the first half of next year. At a press briefing in Prague on Tuesday, Mr. Topolánek said that a vote on the treaty would most likely be delayed due to the fact that the Constitutional court had postponed by two weeks its ruling on whether the treaty was in line with the Czech constitutional order. The prime minister said the delay was unfortunate in view of the country’s upcoming EU presidency, but he said he was confident the treaty would get approved in the first quarter of next year.

An inspection team of the Czech Culture Ministry has said the ongoing reconstruction of Charles Bridge has wrought irreparable damage to Prague’s most famous historical landmark. The inspectors say that the newly placed stone blocks in the walls of the bridge do not correspond to the walls’ original appearance, that they were made of unsuitable sandstone and stone cutters had failed to meet the hand-craft quality of the original 14th century blocks. In a report published on the ministry’s web page the inspection concludes that the aesthetic and artistic value of the bridge has been irreparably damaged. The Prague City Hall which has received the outcome of the expertise has five days in which to file an official complaint.

Olga Zubová, head of the Green Party’s National Council, has announced her decision to resign in connection with the party’s humiliating defeat in October’s regional and Senate elections. The party suffered a whitewash in both elections, which party leader Martin Bursík attributed to the fact they became a contest between the country’s two largest parties. Olga Zubová who is perceived as a party rebel and is a strong critic of Mr. Bursík, said she wanted to set a good example and hoped that other leaders of the coalition government would accept their share of the blame.