• Czech government gives money to region around planned U.S. base
    02/04/2008

    The government on Monday earmarked development funds for towns and villages located in the vicinity of a planned US radar base. The municipalities in the Brdy region are set to receive a total of 1.25 billion crowns (approximately 70 million US dollars), which is three times less than they had asked for. The money is mainly to be invested into the development of local infrastructure, and the funds will be made available even if plans to build a US radar in the region fall through.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Case of Milada Horáková’s prosecutor to be re-opened
    02/04/2008

    The case of Ludmila Brožová-Polednová, a former prosecutor who took part in the 1950s communist show trial of Milada Horáková, will probably return to the Prague City Court. Mrs Brožová, now aged 86, was sentenced last year to eight years in prison for judicial murder. The High Court on Monday discussed her appeal against the verdict which means the case will probably be retuned to a lower-level court for further deliberation. Milada Horáková, a lawyer and politician, is the only woman to have been executed during Czechoslovakia's 1950s show trials.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Draft law to allow dismissal of court chairs and deputy chairs
    02/04/2008

    The government approved on Monday a draft amendment that would allow the dismissal of chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of courts. Justice Minister Jiří Pospíšil is hoping to change the current practice that makes the dismissal of court officials more or less impossible. Under the draft amendment their dismissal should be decided by the Supreme Court’s disciplinary proceedings. The draft law also includes measures which would make the disciplinary proceedings more impartial.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Study: Romany children lag behind others at school
    02/04/2008

    Czech Romany children living in ghettos are usually much less successful at school than other children, according to a recent study commissioned by the Foundation for Development of Civic Society (NROS). The survey conducted among 500 children in schools in the close vicinity of Roma ghettoes shows that one third of Romany children end up in special classes, compared to one in ten children in other areas. Social exclusion is said to be one of the major factors affecting children’s performance at school.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Prisoner escapes police escort
    02/04/2008

    An armed and masked man attacked a police escort in the north Bohemian town of Sokolov on Monday morning and freed the prisoner. The incident occurred in a local hospital, where the prisoner was being escorted for a medical check up. The assailant disarmed the police officer and is now on the run with the prisoner.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Czechs beat Slovakia in Fed Cup tie
    02/04/2008

    The Czech Republic beat Slovakia in the Fed Cup tie at the weekend. Czechs secured a spot in the World Group Play-offs with Nicole Vaidišová and Květa Peschke defeating Dominika Cibulková and Janette Husárová 6:1 2:6 6:4 in the deciding doubles.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Prime Minister questions Švejnar’s presidential campaign
    02/03/2008

    Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has cast doubt upon the funding of Jan Švejnar’s presidential campaign. Speaking in a televised debate on Sunday, Mr Topolánek suggested there was a link between ČSOB bank and the financing of Mr Švejnar’s campaign. The opposition Social Democrats and the Greens have strongly rejected Mr Topolánek’s accusations. Since 2003 Jan Švejnar has been a member of the supervisory board at ČSOB bank, which has been involved in a CZK 30-billion arbitration case with the Czech state. He said he was prepared to leave the post in case he won the presidential election.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Havel released from hospital
    02/03/2008

    Former Czech president Václav Havel was released from Prague’s Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine on Saturday, where he was hospitalised on January 19 with chronic bronchitis and a heart problem. Due to his hospitalization, he missed the premiere of Citizen Havel - a documentary film made in his honour.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Social democrats for debate on public presidential election
    02/03/2008

    Chairman of the Social Democratic Party Jiří Paroubek said on Sunday, less than a week ahead of the presidential election, that his party wants to continue negotiating about the head of state being elected by acclamation. The election is to start at a joint session of the two houses of parliament on Friday, February 8. Two candidates will run in the election, the incumbent Václav Klaus and Czech born, US based economist Jan Švejnar.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Greens agree to discuss church property settlement with opposition
    02/03/2008

    The head of the Green Party Martin Bursík said on Sunday he was ready to discuss the bill on property settlement between the state and churches with the Social Democratic Party, which threatened not to support it. Under the deal, a third of church property confiscated by the communist regime will be returned to its original owners and compensation will be paid for the rest. The compensation was set at some 83 billion Czech crowns (approximately 4.7 billion US dollars). It is to be paid out over the next 60 years at a rate of interest set a 4.8 percent, with the overall figure expected to reach some 270 billion crowns. The social Democrats and the Communist criticised the government coalition for not discussing the issue with them.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

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