• Social Democrats push through ban on further transformation of hospitals
    11/05/2004

    The ruling Social Democrats have successfully pushed a bill through the Chamber of Deputies banning the further transformation of hospitals to businesses by regional authorities in the Czech Republic. Some regions had been considering transforming local hospitals to joint-stock companies to help with their financial management a move some critics had said threatened the availability of balanced health care. The fear was that the hospitals might focus only on more lucrative programmes.

    But, the Social Democrats' bill on Friday was opposed by the opposition Civic Democrats, who say the ban is 'unconstitutional' - intervening in regional governments' authority. Regional governors have already criticised the bill and say they will protest the move.

    The issue may also go to the Constitutional Court.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Chamber postpones decision on same-sex partnership bill
    11/05/2004

    On Friday the Chamber of Deputies postponed passing a bill allowing the legal registration of same-sex partnerships in the Czech Republic; as was widely expected the Chamber returned the bill for a second reading at the end of November. The second reading may allow for additional changes before deputies vote near the end of the year. The legal recognition of same sex-partnership remains a heated issue among parliamentary parties, with factions within each party for or against. Only the Christian Democrats unequivocally oppose the bill, which, if passed, could give same-sex partners the right to medical information or the right to inherit, while, for example, banning them from adopting children.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Svoboda greatly disappointed by anti-American sentiments in Europe
    11/05/2004

    The Czech foreign minister, Cyril Svoboda, has spoken out against anti-American feelings across Europe. Mr Svoboda said in Prague on Thursday that anti-Americanism was a great disappointment to him, adding that Anglo-Saxon society had never experienced totalitarianism. He said that the United States had helped Europe and the Czech Republic and the Euro-Atlantic link was the key to Europe's future.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Jagr expected to play last game in Czech hockey league Friday
    11/05/2004

    Jaromir Jagr, one of the most successful Czech hockey players of all time, is expected to play his last game in the Czech league on Friday evening. Jagr, like dozens of other Czech stars, has been playing in the Extraliga due to a lock-out in the NHL. But he is expected to leave the club where he began his career, Kladno, for an engagement at Russia's Omsk.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Czech military police unit in Iraq to stay two months longer than planned
    11/04/2004

    A Czech military police unit serving in Iraq is due to stay two months longer than originally planned, and will now remain in the country until the end of February. The move was approved by both houses of parliament on Thursday after a request from the Iraqi authorities to keep the 80-strong Czech unit in place until after planned elections in January, when tensions are expected to rise. The Czech officers, who are based near Basra in the south of Iraq, have been training local police, helping keep law and order and fighting insurgents.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Senate approves discontinuation of compulsory military service
    11/04/2004

    Meanwhile the Senate has approved the discontinuation of compulsory military service in the Czech Republic from the beginning of next year. Now only the president's signature is needed to make the bill law, bringing to an end 140 years of military duty in this part of the world. The last group of Czech conscripts are due to be complete their service just before Christmas.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Karasek appointed human rights commissioner
    11/04/2004

    Former dissident and Freedom Union MP Svatopluk Karasek has been appointed the government's human rights commissioner, after the recent resignation of Jan Jarab. Mr Karasek, who is a priest of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren and also a singer, says he has no plans to relinquish his seat in the Chamber of Deputies.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech, Polish ministers criticise EU restrictions on labour movement
    11/04/2004

    Most European Union states are over-protective of their labour markets and discriminate against service companies from central European countries, the Polish Finance Minister Jerzy Hausner and the Czech Labour Minister Zdenek Skromach said after talks in Prague on Thursday. Mr Hausner said there was no reason to maintain transition periods for workers from new EU countries.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Crown hits new high against US dollar
    11/04/2004

    The Czech crown hit a new high against the US dollar of 24.46 crowns on Thursday, following the US elections and downbeat data on the country's economy. Analysts said, however, that the dollar was likely to recover somewhat in the next couple of months.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • National Bank: public finance deficit should fall to 3.5% of GDP in 2005
    11/04/2004

    The Czech Republic's public finance deficit should fall to 3.5 percent of GDP in 2005, according to new estimates just released by the National Bank. That would mark a fall from this year's figure of 4.3 percent.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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