• Krejcir commissioned false bill of exchange
    01/22/2006

    The fugitive Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir is said to have commissioned a false bill of exchange in order to discredit the ruling Social Democrats. Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan told the commercial TV station Nova that he had information that Krejcir commissioned several of his accomplices in the Czech Republic with the task of producing a false bill of exchange, which was to serve as proof that the billionaire had lent the ruling Social Democrats 60 million crowns for their election campaign. The mentioned accomplices were reportedly arrested before they could comply with the demand. Krejcir, who fled to the Seychelles last summer, has not so far been able to provide any evidence to support his claim.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Freezing weather claims another victim
    01/22/2006

    The freezing cold weather has claimed another victim in the Czech Republic. A fifty year old homeless man was found dead under one of Prague's bridges, where he reportedly fell into a fire he made in an attempt to keep warm during the night. Police say the man most likely consumed some alcohol and fell into a deep sleep in front of the fire. The cold weather this winter has already claimed ten lives.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Incident at Lety
    01/21/2006

    A gathering of the ultra right National Party at Lety, the site of a wartime camp for Romanies, sparked an incident with Roma rights activists. Witnesses say there was a brief skirmish and two Roma rights activists, who shouted "away with neo-Nazis" were detained by the police. One of them was Markus Pape, a well known Roma rights lawyer. The police say that Mr. Pape committed a misdemeanour when he interrupted the gathering of the National Party. Mr. Pape says that he was physically attacked by three members of the party and will press charges.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Finland and Spain may open their labour markets to EU newcomers
    01/21/2006

    Finland and Spain have indicated they may open their labour markets to the new EU members before the end of this year. The Czech Labour and Social Affairs Minister Zdenek Skromach, who attended a meeting with his EU counterparts in the Austrian town of Villach on Friday said that although no decision had been reached the diplomatic signals from Madrid and Helsinki were encouraging. Germany and Austria, on the other hand, have made it clear that they will extend the labour market restrictions by another three years.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Czech military says its Antonov 26 planes will remain in operation
    01/21/2006

    The Czech military says it is not planning to take its Russian made transport planes out of operation in the wake of Thursday's plane crash which killed 42 Slovak soldiers returning from a KFOR mission in Kosovo. It is not yet clear what caused the Slovak military's Russian-made Antonov 24 veer off course and crash in a mountain area close to the border. A Czech military spokesman said that the Czech air force discarded its last Antonov 24 last year, and the remaining Antonov 26 planes were reliable and well-maintained.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Vaidisova only Czech tennis player to reach second week at Australian Open
    01/21/2006

    The Czech women's tennis number one Nicole Vaidisova has advanced to the fourth round of the Australian Open, after beating Flavia Pennetta of Italy. Meanwhile, Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic was knocked out of the competition by Slovak-born Martina Hingis. Benesova had previously overcome fifth-seed Mary Pierce of France.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Slovak Army air disaster terrible tragedy, says Czech defence minister
    01/20/2006

    The Czech minister of defence, Karel Kuhnl, has described as a terrible tragedy Thursday's air crash in which 42 Slovak soldiers died. Mr Kuhnl said the crash was all the sadder for the Czech Republic because the Slovaks had served side by side with Czech soldiers in the United Nations KFOR mission in Kosovo. He also expressed his deepest sympathy to Slovakia's defence minister, Juraj Liska.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Controversial "memorial" at Romany concentration camp removed
    01/20/2006

    A controversial "memorial" erected by the far-right National Party at the site of a World War II concentration camp for Romanies in Lety, south Bohemia has been removed, following a vote by local councillors. The obscure party had planned to unveil the stone memorial on Saturday; they said it was in honour of those who died during the war. However, the idea was strongly criticised by Czech politicians and Roma rights groups. Over 300 Romanies died at Lety during World War II.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Czech crown again sets new record high against euro
    01/20/2006

    The Czech crown has once again set a new record high against the euro, reaching 28.65 against the common European currency on Friday morning. Analysts said it was partly due to expectations that carmaker Hyundai will announce next week that it plans to build a huge factory in Moravia.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • CEZ to buy power stations in Bosnia: press
    01/20/2006

    Czech company CEZ is planning to buy two electric power stations in Bosnia, Hospodarske noviny reported. The paper said the move was in line with CEZ's aim of becoming one of the biggest players in the central and eastern European energy market.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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