News

There has been a sharp increase in the number of counterfeit brand-name goods seized in the Czech Republic. In the first half of this year the Czech Business Inspectorate confiscated over 600,000 counterfeit items, around the same figure for the whole of 2005, the Pravo newspaper reported on Monday. The most common fake goods are clothing, footwear, cigarettes, alcohol, CDs and DVDs. Experts say that while in the past most counterfeit goods were imported from East Asia, production in illegal factories in the Czech Republic is now on the increase.

Pharmacists in the Czech Republic are busy re-labelling drugs as a new health ministry directive that changes the pricing system comes into effect on August 1. The new regulation affects some 10,000 products; of which 6,700 are partly covered by insurers. Under the directive, health insurers will have to cover a much smaller share of medicine prices. Health Minister David Rath hopes pharmaceutical companies will be forced to lower their prices. But, according to the Czech Chamber of Pharmacists, patients will be at a disadvantage as they will have to pay up to forty percent more for their medicine.

The leaders of the two biggest Czech parties have held their first television debate since inconclusive elections two months ago. During Sunday's debate Mirek Topolanek of the Civic Democrats (who came first in June's elections) called on Jiri Paroubek of the Social Democrats (who came second) to step down as prime minister. Mr Paroubek refused, saying President Vaclav Klaus had already rejected one offer of resignation.

The Social Democrats chief said Mr Topolanek was anxious because the period the president had given him to try to form a government was almost up. He said only negotiations between himself, the president and Mr Topolanek could resolve the crisis.

The Civic Democrats chairman has tried to form an alliance with the Christian Democrats and the Greens, but this coalition is one vote short of a majority in the Chamber of Deputies.

Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan has praised the organisation of the CzechTek free techno music festival, which this year is being held on land rented from the Czech Army in north Bohemia. It is being attended by around 40,000 people from the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe.

Last year Mr Bublan ordered around 1,000 riot police to break up the festival, following complaints from landowners. Critics described the intervention as heavy-handed though the minister said he had no choice but to uphold the law.