• Telecom plans expansion abroad
    02/17/2005

    The country's dominant telecommunications company, Cesky Telecom, plans to expand to foreign markets, which would include capital entries in other companies, company CEO Gabriel Berdar said on Thursday. According to Mr Berdar, Cesky Telecom generated record-high consolidated revenue last year and can afford to ponder investment and possibly dividends owing to its low debt. In 2004, the company's consolidated revenue totalled 62.1 billion Czech crowns (2.5 billion US dollars), a year-on-year growth of 21 percent.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Czech military researchers to join Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan
    02/17/2005

    A forty-member military research unit is to be deployed to Afghanistan in March to join a German-run Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the northern region of Badakshan. The Czech Republic currently has only 15 soldiers in Afghanistan in the ISAF mission in Kabul. The NATO Provincial Reconstruction Team is a combination of international military and civilian personnel based in provincial areas of Afghanistan with the aim of extending the authority of the Afghan central government and helping to facilitate development and reconstruction.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Foreign Ministry plans to open embassy in Moldova
    02/17/2005

    The Czech Foreign Ministry plans to open an embassy in Moldova. The nearest embassy is currently in Romania and the Czech Republic hopes diplomatic representation in Moldova itself could help bring the country, which is currently led by a Communist government, closer to EU states. Moldova is one of eight countries in which the Czech Republic intends to open an embassy in the near future, despite being forced to close down others due to a lack of finances.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Oberstdorf World Championships: Neumannova takes first gold
    02/17/2005

    Czech cross-country skier, Katerina Neumannova, took the first gold medal of the Nordic Ski world championships in Oberstdorf on Thursday in the women's 10km freestyle. Neumannova, who turned 32 on Tuesday, beat Russia's Julia Tchepalova by a mere 1.2 seconds and won her first ever world title.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Coalition in crisis after Christian Democrats call for replacement of prime minister
    02/16/2005

    The three-party governing coalition is in crisis, after the Christian Democrats called on the Social Democrats to replace Stanislav Gross as prime minister. Christian Democrat leader Miroslav Kalousek said at a special news conference on Wednesday such a move would allow the coalition to continue.

    Earlier Mr Gross said the government - which has a majority of just one - could continue without the Christian Democrats. However, it is hard to see where a minority government could find support.

    Stanislav Gross is due to hold individual talks with Mr Kalousek and Freedom Union leader Pavel Nemec on Thursday.

    Mr Gross has been under fire for weeks over allegations his luxury Prague flat cost more than he had officially earned. His wife's financial dealings have also been criticised; on Wednesday the prime minister said she would cease her business activities while he was in office.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Vote on anti-smoking law postponed by lower house
    02/16/2005

    The lower house has postponed a vote on a new anti-smoking law. After two years of debate on the issue, the bill was returned again to the second reading on Wednesday. Under the legislation smoking in restaurants would be restricted to "separate rooms", a measure owners say is unfeasible.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Bill on adoptions, fostering passed by lower house
    02/16/2005

    A bill aimed at ensuring that fewer children spend their childhood in institutional care has been approved by the lower house. It envisages the speeding up of the Czech Republic's adoption process and tax free benefits for certain foster parents.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Cesky Telecom reverses loss
    02/16/2005

    Cesky Telecom made a net profit of 5.6 billion crowns last year (almost 250 million US dollars). That followed losses of 1.8 billion crowns in 2003. Last year's results make Telecom - which has yet to be privatised -one of the most profitable companies in the Czech Republic.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Tsunami victim Nemcova may quit modelling
    02/16/2005

    Czech model Petra Nemcova, who was seriously injured in the Asian tsunami disaster in December, says she may quit modelling. The 25-year-old broke her pelvis and suffered internal injuries before surviving the disaster by clinging to a palm tree for eight hours. Her boyfriend, a British photographer, is still listed as missing. Ms Nemcova told the Czech daily Blesk she would like to return to Asia to do aid work.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Kalousek: Scandal over PM's finances threatens government
    02/15/2005

    The leader of the coalition Christian Democrats, Miroslav Kalousek said on Tuesday that the scandal over Prime Minister Stanislav Gross's private finances was threatening the government's operability and has developed into a serious political crisis. Mr Kalousek, however refused to say what the Prime Minister should do under the circumstances. The Christian Democrats plan to initiate a meeting of all heads of parliamentary parties, with the exception of the Communists, to discuss the matter.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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