• 09/08/2005

    Unemployment went up by one decimal point in August, according to Labour Ministry figures published on Thursday. The number of people looking for work rose to just over half a million, or 8.9% of the workforce. The chief economist of Raiffeisenbank in Prague, Pavel Mertlik, said that despite the increase, the figure was encouraging. With those leaving school entering the job market, August is traditionally the worst month of the year.

    Inflation figures have also been published, showing that the year-on-year rate for August remained unchanged at 1.7%. According to the Czech Statistics Bureau rises in fuel prices were matched by a fall in the price of some foodstuffs. Consumer prices remained at July levels.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/08/2005

    Czech archaeologists have made what is being called a unique discovery near Prague: a statuette of a Persian fertility goddess known as Anahita. The item is believed to date back to the 4th century or earlier, and is likely to have originally reached Bohemia either through an ancient trade route or through military contacts along the northern border of the Roman Empire. The find was made by archaeologist David Danicek who unearthed an ancient burial ground dating back to the so-called Migration of Nations period (in the 5th and 6th centuries). One expert has compared the find in importance to the discovery of the famous Venus of Dolni Vestonice, in south Moravia.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/08/2005

    The American version of Czech pop singer Janek Ledecky's musical 'Hamlet' has been praised by the Czech theatre biweekly Divadelni noviny, which called it the success of the summer. The paper wrote in its first September issue that the musical was fully-justified in its "Broadway ambitions". The English-language version is directed by American Robert Johanson and features a number of Broadway performers. It was presented in Prague several times in mid-August.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    The Czech government has approved sending 25 million crowns in humanitarian aid to parts of the U.S. stricken by Hurricane Katrina. Along with the funds - the equivalent of more than one million U.S. dollars - the Czech Republic has offered the U.S. the use of a field hospital, an anti-chemical crew, and water treatment facilities. The Chief of Staff Pavel Stefka has said that the mobile hospital could be of most use now.

    On Monday the Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek met with the American ambassador to Prague to promise help: a decision on the final form of additional aid will be made this week.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    In related news the Foreign Ministry has reported that two Czechs remain unaccounted for in coastal areas hit by Hurricane Katrina a week ago. One of the missing has lived in the U.S. for some time and has not been in contact. His family has been in touch with the Czech embassy in Washington which is now seeking information.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    If a new proposal by the cabinet receives Parliamentary backing, the Czech Republic may soon end sanctions against Libya. On Wednesday the cabinet passed a proposal put forward by the Foreign Ministry to nullify legislation from eight years ago, regulating relations with that country. In the 1980s sanctions and an economic embargo were first introduced by the U.S. - followed by the EU - against Libya for connections with international terrorism. The embargo was then backed by the UN Security Council in 1992 and by the Czech Republic a year later. It was written into Czech law in 1997.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    In the future surviving relatives of murder victims in the Czech Republic may be entitled to receiving higher compensation under a newly-proposed government bill. Until now surviving relatives could receive only 150, 000 crowns (about 6,000 U.S. dollars), and were only eligible if they had been financially dependent on the deceased. The new legislation proposes raising the amount to up to 450, 000 crowns. It also proposes widening the range of those eligible. In the case of a murdered child, for example, both parents would receive funds.

    Last year the Justice Ministry processed 83 applications for compensation funds, paying out 2.5 million crowns in 43 cases that were approved.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    The Finance Ministry has asked the Polish concern PKN Orlen for permission to publicly release details from a contract between the Czech state and PKN Orlen in the sale of the Czech Unipetrol oil and petrochemicals company earlier this year. PKN Orlen bought the Czech state's share in Unipetrol in May for more than 13 billion crowns, or 553 million U.S. dollars. The Finance Ministry's move follows a recent bribery scandal - so far unproven - that cast doubt on the transparency of the sale. The finance minister has maintained from the start that the sale of Unipetrol was above board.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    On Wednesday the Czech government unanimously approved the state budget for 2006 allowing for a 74.4 billion crown deficit. The first version of the budget - discussed in July - proposed revenues and expenditures of some 38 billion crowns less. Some in the banking sector have questioned whether the government will be able to collect as much in taxes next year, saying that further growth in tax revenues - up by 17 percent year-on-year in January to August in 2005 - may be unrealistic in 2006.

    The budget deficit should not exceed 4.6 percent of the GDP if the Czech Republic is to meet conditions under the EU convergence programme paving the way for the country to eventually adopt the euro, the monetary unit of the European Union.

    The budget must still be approved by Parliament.

    Author: Jan Velinger
  • 09/07/2005

    The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Franz Ullrich Kinsky, of the aristocratic Kinsky family, to review a legal case he lost laying claim to Prague's Kinsky Palace, now owned by the state. Judge Martina Skodova said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court found Kinsky's appeal was unsubstantiated, allowing the verdict to stand.

    Mr Kinsky has lodged a total of 157 lawsuits against the Czech Republic to try and regain property seized by the state following World War II. His family was accused of collaboration with the Nazis. The value of the property Mr Kinsky has been suing for has been estimated by some at 40 billion crowns, the equivalent of a little less than 2 billion U.S. dollars.

    Author: Jan Velinger

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