• President wants unbiased investigation
    05/30/2006

    President Vaclav Klaus has said he is seriously concerned about the information submitted by the head of the elite organized crime unit and expects an immediate and unbiased investigation. The President's spokesman said that Mr. Klaus did not want to interfere in such a sensitive case so close to the elections but that immediately after them he would ask to be informed about progress on the case.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Another MP physically attacked outside his home
    05/30/2006

    Miroslav Vana an MP for the ruling Social Democrats was assaulted by an unknown attacker outside his home in Pardubice on Monday night. Vana suffered a head injury and was bruised and shaken by the incident. He says he did not see the attacker, only heard footsteps behind him and felt a blow to the head before falling down unconscious. This is the second physical attack against an MP in recent weeks. The first was against communist party MP Jiri Dolejs who was beaten up by unknown attackers at the end of April. He sustained head and eye injuries and said he was convinced it was a politically motivated attack.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Education Ministry refuses to withdraw controversial textbook
    05/30/2006

    The Education Ministry has refused to withdraw a textbook for eighth graders which has been severely criticized by the Church. Cardinal Miloslav Vlk called for its withdrawal earlier this week saying that excerpts from Francois Cavanna's work The Holy Scripture ridiculed the Bible. The ministry said that it saw no reason to withdraw the textbook and pointed out that the Czech Bishops Conference had seen and approved it before its publication. The publishing house Fraus which issued the book said the excerpts are used to illustrate travesty as a literary style.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Students protest against sale of St. Michael's Church
    05/30/2006

    A group of students gathered in the Old Town at noon on Tuesday to protest against the sale of St. Michael's Church. The art history students and some of their professors marched from the cultural monument in the city's Old Town district to the ministry of culture and the government headquarters. St. Michael's Church came into private ownership last year but the sale has not been without controversy. Some experts in the cultural sector say the church should have been sold at a higher price; others say the sales contract is not binding and that the church is still the property of the state.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Anti-drug squad bust ecstasy gang
    05/30/2006

    Detectives from the national anti-drug squad have busted a gang that is suspected of organizing the sale of ecstasy at discos in the centre of Prague. Three Israeli nationals have been taken into custody and charged with illegal production and sale of drugs. The police confiscated thousands of ecstasy tables as well as cocaine, marihuana and LSD.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • President Klaus orders Fiala's release from custody
    05/30/2006

    President Vaclav Klaus has ordered the release from custody of Jiri Fiala, a candidate for the Party of Common Sense in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Fiala has been charged with attacking a public figure and questioning the independence of the court over a case involving his paternity rights. Fiala has filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that he has been denied access to his children. President Klaus said all candidates in the elections should have an equal chance to address voters and asked the authorities to conduct the investigation without keeping Fiala in custody.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Organised crime groups allegedly influencing state administration
    05/29/2006

    A high ranking police officer has reported that organised crime groups are influencing the state administration. Speaking before Parliament's Defence and Security Committee, the head of the Czech Police's elite organised crime unit, Jan Kubice, said on Monday that investigations of three serious cases have shown that some politicians are tied to organised crime groups. Mr Kubice says the evidence he has to back his claim is confidential. He presented it to the parliamentary committee during its closed session on Monday afternoon.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Czech government sends 5 million crowns in aid to Indonesia
    05/29/2006

    The Czech Republic will send neither rescue teams nor humanitarian aid to earthquake hit Indonesia. The government has released five million crowns (around 225,000 US dollars) in financial aid instead, the foreign ministry announced on Monday. Saturday's 7.6 magnitude earthquake on the island of Java has claimed more than 5,000 lives. An estimated 20,000 people are injured and hundreds of thousands are displaced.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Flooded road leaves Prague district cut off from rest of world; more rain forecast
    05/29/2006

    Residents of Prague's Dolni Cernosice district have been cut off from the rest of the world after continuous rain flooded the only road that connects them to the city. Levels of the nearby Berounka River have begun to recede but meteorologists say more heavy rain is expected in the next few days. The situation in most parts of the country that were also flooded this weekend has also calmed. The heavy rain has resulted in dozens of millions of crowns in damages so far.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Sustainable Development Week 2006
    05/29/2006

    The fourth annual Sustainable Development Week was launched in Prague on Monday. Until June 2, conferences, workshops, presentations and discussions will be held at various venues around Prague focusing on sustainable production and consumption. The project is organised by the Czech Environment Ministry in co-operation with the French, British, and the Swiss embassies.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

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