News

The government is debating a possible change of legislation which would allow for direct presidential elections. The three parties of the governing coalition are not yet in complete agreement on what such a change of legislation should entail and whether a president elected in a direct ballot should have more powers. The Christian Democrats are against changing the powers of the president, while the Civic Democrats would like to see them broadened. The Justice Ministry has been asked to draft a proposal. Opinion surveys suggest that 90 percent of Czechs would like to elect their head of state in a direct vote.

The police have busted a crime ring believed to be behind thirty robberies of banks, casinos and nightclubs in Prague. The police have been after this particular gang for the past ten years. Last year a member of the gang shot himself in the car park of a large shopping centre when surrounded by police. It is not yet clear how many people have been charged.

The oldest Czech, Marie Kráslová from the town of Hluboká, has died at the age of 109. During her 109th birthday celebration last November the old lady was in good health and even sang with her birthday guests. She spent her last years in an old age home visited by her many children and grand-children. There are over 500 centenarians living in the Czech Republic today.

Czech doctors and nurses say they are preparing further protest actions against Health Minister Tomáš Julínek’s reforms. The minister has come under fire from both health workers and the opposition ever since introducing radical reforms at the start of this year. In the wake of a warning strike on June 24th he agreed to postpone some of his plans for the second wave of reforms and put them up for further debate. Even so many of his steps remain highly controversial, including the introduction of medical fees for all citizens.