News

Nearly 50 percent of Czechs believe that Czech parliament and the president should not approve the treaty on the deployment of a US radar base on Czech soil signed on Tuesday by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg, according to a poll conducted by the STEM agency in July. Around 50 percent of respondents think that the parliament should vote only after the US presidential elections in November.

Russia still perceives the plan to build part of the US anti-missile shield in central Europe as a threat to its own security, but it will not intimidate anyone, Russian general Yevgeni Buzhinski said on Tuesday during his speech at the headquarters of the Social Democratic Party in Prague. Mr Buzhinski, who is in charge of negotiations on the issue, said Russia had doubts about the alleged danger cited as the main reason behind the project.

Russia strongly opposes the base, arguing that it would pose a threat to the country’s security. Russian news agency Interfax on Tuesday quoted a senior source at the Russian Foreign Ministry, who said the US deal with the Czech Republic “cancelled out” an agreement between Moscow and Washington to consult on the issue. The source was also quoted as saying that the deal has complicated problems of security in Europe.

University graduates from the Czech Republic and other countries that entered the EU in 2004 might have free access to the German labour market as of 2009, the daily Saechsische Zeitung reported, referring to the government’s labour immigration plan. The German government reportedly plans to soften conditions for foreigners applying for long-term residence permits. However, it still plans to postpone the complete opening of the labour market to workforce from EU newcomer states until 2011.

A law that severely restricts drinking in public places has come into effect in the city of Prague. The law, passed by the city’s municipal authorities gives the police some leeway to deal with public drinking. An immediate on the spot fine of up to 1000 crowns can be levied, while the fine can go as high as 30,000 crowns if the matter goes to court. The ban is not absolute, and gauges the seriousness of the offence against various factors. Drinking near schools, metro stations and hospitals will be considered most serious, while drinking near food vendors and pubs will be permitted. The move is primarily intended to cut down on the number of derelicts who frequently drink around the streets of Prague.