• Number of prisoners decreases
    06/01/2003

    The number of prisoners in the Czech Republic has decreased over the past three years. While in the year 2000, the Czech Republic had 24000 prisoners, this year it is 7000 less. The change is due to an amendment to the penal code in 2002 which introduced various alternative punishments. Czech prisons have been suffering from overcrowding for years. While the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture recommends 6 square metres of floor space for every prisoner, in the Czech Republic, it was just over half the area before 2002.
    Author: Vladimír Tax

  • Czech Catholic Church joins Central European Catholic Days
    06/01/2003

    The Catholic Church in Czech Republic has joined eight other nations in what is called the Central European Catholic Days. This will be a series of events running until May 2004, when the participating countries are expected to join the EU. The Church believes that the message of Gospel can help improve the common Europe, to make the economy benefit all and help political decision-making be wise and responsible.
    Author: Vladimír Tax

  • Klaus planning to official visit Russia, China
    05/31/2003

    Czech president Vaclav Klaus is attending a landmark Russian-EU summit in St. Petersburg, expected to overcome differences between European nations that emerged due to the war in Iraq. Czech president Vaclav Klaus said he would like to officially visit the Russian Federation in the future to become the first Czech president to do so after 1993. He has also accepted invitation to visit China. Mr. Klaus is representing his country at the Russian-EU summit, attended by leaders of the 15 EU nations, candidate countries and Russia. The summit is taking place in St. Petersburg as part of celebrations marking the 300th anniversary of the city.
    Author: Vladimír Tax

  • Spidla looking for new defence minister
    05/31/2003

    Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla has been looking for a new defence minister. Although he has a few suitable candidates, he declined to reveal them. Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik resigned on Friday over spending cuts that he said jeopardised efforts to bring the Czech forces up to standards set by NATO. President Klaus is expected to decide whether he will accept the resignation later on Sunday.
    Author: Vladimír Tax

  • Health care workers go on strike alert
    05/31/2003

    Trade unions in the health care sector have announced they were going on a strike alert because of the planned reform of state finances. Health care workers joined other trade union organisations which are ready to go on strike should the planned reforms seriously affect their members. Besides other things, the reforms envisage a slower wage growth in the public sector, a tax hike and major changes in the health insurance and pension systems.
    Author: Vladimír Tax

  • Renewed Bedrich Smeatana memorial opens in Jabkenice
    05/31/2003

    A museum dedicated to famous Czech composer Bedrich Smetana opened on Saturday in the town of Jabkenice, Central Bohemia. The memorial and museum was closed for 16 years. It is located in a house where Smetana spent the last years of his life and composed some of his greatest works there, including operas the Kiss and the Devil's Wall, as well as the Bohemian Dances and famous My Country.
    Author: Vladimír Tax

  • Czechs abroad show little interest in upcoming EU referendum
    05/30/2003

    Czechs living abroad have little interest in casting their votes in the upcoming referendum on EU membership, according to the results of a public opinion poll conducted by reporters for the CTK news agency. The results of the study also suggest that interest in the referendum among Czechs abroad is significantly lower than in last year's parliamentary elections. Those who want to participate in the referendum have to do so in the Czech Republic, a condition that many Czechs abroad object to. CTK points out, though, that these terms have little influence as out of the 239 eligible voters on record at the Czech Embassy in Bratislava, just hours away from the Czech-Slovak border, only twelve had shown a sincere interest in the referendum by Friday.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Four Romanies to be compensated for racial discrimination
    05/30/2003

    A restaurant owner in the eastern town of Nachod is to compensate and apologise to four Roma, who were not served because of their skin colour. A court in nearby Hradec Kralove ruled on Friday that Karel Svoboda was to pay each Roma 20,000 Czech crowns and send them a letter apologising for the discrimination. Mr Svoboda can still appeal the verdict in the High Court in Prague.
    Author: Dita Asiedu

  • Politicians, soldiers express surprise at Tvrdik resignation
    05/29/2003

    Politicians and soldiers have expressed their surprise and disappointment at the resignation of Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik. President Vaclav Klaus told reporters the decision was a serious matter, and that he would wait until he had spoken to Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla before deciding whether to accept Mr Tvrdik's resignation. Mr Spidla has said he wants more time to consider the resignation, and will wait until next week before he speaks to the president.
    Author: Rob Cameron

  • Tvrdik: cannot reform armed forces with cuts in defence spending
    05/29/2003

    Mr Tvrdik submitted his resignation on Thursday morning in protest at planned cuts in defence spending as part of the government's finance reforms. The minister, well respected both within the cabinet and among regular soldiers, had masterminded widespread reform of the armed forces to help create a professional army by 2006. Many of his reforms were based on the government spending some 2.2 percent of GDP on the military, as promised to NATO. But under the recently unveiled package of reforms, defence spending is to be cut to two percent.
    Author: Rob Cameron

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