News

A 60-year-old man from Beroun in central Bohemia has become the first person to die after being bitten by an infected tick in the Czech Republic this year. Though the man died in the middle of May, the cause of death has just been confirmed. Almost 120 people were infected by ticks between the start of the year and August 1, the daily Pravo reported on Wednesday.

President Vaclav Klaus has been meeting with designated cabinet ministers before he officially appoints the new coalition government of Stanislav Gross on Wednesday. On Tuesday afternoon Mr. Klaus met with Cyril Svoboda of the Christian Democratic Party who is to retain the post of foreign minister in the old-new cabinet, with Karel Kuhnl of the Freedom Union slated to become the next defence minister and with Frantisek Bublan, the designated head of the interior ministry. All parties later described the talks as friendly and informative. The swearing in ceremony is expected to take place at 11am on Wednesday. After its appointment the government has one month in which to ask Parliament for a vote of confidence. A likely date for the vote, already being discussed, is August 24th.

The new Cabinet, headed by Stanislav Gross, will have 18 ministers, including six newcomers. Twelve ministers of the outgoing government will remain in office. The three parties of the centre-left coalition government on Monday signed a coalition agreement outlining their priorities for the coming years. Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has expressed confidence in the new administration, predicting that in spite of its slim one-vote majority in Parliament the new Cabinet would remain in office until the next general elections in 2006.

The Czech police have broken up an illegal techno music festival near the village of Bonenov, some 130 kilometres west of Prague. The move came after the owner of the grounds pressed charges against unknown perpetrators - the festival's organizers -who had made use of private farmland without the owner's consent. The festival drew some 15, 000 visitors but many of them left when the police closed off the area and started dismantling sound equipment early on Monday. According to the CTK news agency there were clashes between some festival visitors and police, with bottles and branches being thrown, resulting in minor injuries. Police then allegedly used tear gas and water canons to prevent further clashes. The remaining visitors left in the course of Tuesday. Two young men had to be hospitalized after collapsing from an overdose of drink and drugs.

Three parties set to make up the Czech Republic's new centre-left government outlined its priorities on Monday by signing a coalition agreement that could bring to an end the government crisis that ensued following the resignation of Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla in June. Prime Minister Stanislav Gross led negotiations on the new government with original coalition partners the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union, arriving at Monday's agreement. Mr Gross has made clear the new cabinet's priorities will include supporting business, education, and young families, while fighting unemployment and lowering the public deficit.

However, the cabinet has yet to be officially named by President Vaclav Klaus who has reportedly already expressed dissatisfaction with several names put forward for ministerial posts.

Following the cabinet's naming the government will have 30 days to ask for a vote of confidence in the Lower House. A likely date for the vote, already being discussed, is August 24th.