• President Klaus slams government
    02/29/2004

    In an interview for Czech Radio, President Vaclav Klaus criticized the Czech government for failing to adequately inform Czech citizens about the impact of EU accession on their everyday lives. The President who enjoys strong public support a year after taking office, said it was often the media not the governing coalition which informed Czechs about fundamental changes that EU membership would bring. Mr. Klaus also criticized the government on a number of other counts and said that only new elections could bring about a radical change since the current distribution of forces in the ruling coalition did not offer any overly-optimistic perspectives. Commenting on the choice of Pavel Telicka for the country's first European Commissioner, the President said he was "a typical civil servant, proficient in the EU environment" but that disturbingly, his views were unknown. Although he is not unknown, as a person he is a blank card and that is not good, Mr. Klaus said.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Price of Pilsner beer to go up
    02/29/2004

    The leading Czech beer brewer Pilsner Urquell has announced an increase in the price of Pilsner beer. This should send the price of bottled beer and beer on tap up by one crown per half a litre as of Monday. Pilsner Urquell controls 50 percent of the market and its decision is expected to set off a wave of price increases by other beer producers in the country.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Paul McCartney concert in Prague
    02/29/2004

    The world famous singer and songwriter Sir Paul McCartney, will be giving a concert in Prague within the framework of his O4 Summer Tour, during which he will be performing in 13 cities. The one time Beatles idol has not performed live in the Czech capital before. His Prague concert has been scheduled for June 6th. His summer tour also includes Lisbon, Madrid, Zurich, Leipzig, several concerts in Scandinavia and one in Russia's St. Petersburg.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Forwarding firms end strike, threatening more protests
    02/28/2004

    Czech forwarding firms and customs agents ended their one day strike on Friday night, slamming the government's unwillingness to negotiate their demands and saying that a future blockade of the border could come without warning. The strike affected eight of the country's busiest border crossings with Germany and Slovakia, resulting in confusion and long pile ups. However due to early warnings of the strike many truck drivers opted to pass through other check points. The association of forwarding firms and customs agents wants the government to compensate forwarding companies that will have to sack up to 1,500 employees after Czech accession to the EU. The government has refused to do so, saying that it is only prepared to finance re-qualification courses for laid off employees.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

  • Klaus angered by Sudeten German statements about Benes
    02/27/2004

    The Czech president, Vaclav Klaus, has written a letter to his Austrian counterpart, Tomas Klestil, protesting at statements made by an Austrian Sudeten German organisation. The Austrian Sudeten German Landsmannschaft said it was "surprised" by the recent passing of a Czech law honouring President Edvard Benes, under whom Czechoslovakia's German minority were expelled after World War II. The Sudeten Germans said Mr Benes had brought servitude and 40 years of communism to the Czech nation. In his letter to Mr Klestil, President Klaus said he could not believe the Sudetens' comments.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Train drivers call off strike after Czech Rail gives in to pay demands
    02/27/2004

    A 48-hour strike of the Czech Republic's train drivers due to begin on March 1 has been called off, after unions reached an agreement with Czech Rail on Friday. The national rail carrier gave in to union demands to change the pay conditions of some drivers from the beginning of next month, a union spokesman told reporters, adding that many other issues remained to be discussed with Czech Rail's management.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Lower House approves Czech soldiers to be sent to Afghanistan
    02/25/2004

    The Chamber of Deputies has approved sending over 100 troops from Czech special forces to take part in the U.S.-led operation "Enduring Freedom", aimed at countering remnant Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorist forces in Afghanistan. The decision, approved by the Senate last month, marks the first time Czech troops will take part in combat operations since the end of the Second World War. In total 127 out of 186 deputies on Wednesday voted in favour, while 46 voted against. On Tuesday the head of the Czech military general staff, Pavel Stefka, said the first group of soldiers could leave for Afghanistan as early as seven days after deployment approval. Around 108 reconnaissance specialists are set to join Operation Enduring Freedom, while another 30 soldiers will participate in NATO's ISAF operation in Kabul.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Government approves Telicka as European Commissioner candidate
    02/25/2004

    The Czech government has confirmed Pavel Telicka as the country's candidate for European commissioner. Mr Telicka, the current Czech ambassador to the EU, was chosen after the original nominee, Milos Kuzvart, withdrew his bid last week, citing a lack of support in particular from the country's Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda. On Wednesday Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla informed European Commission President Romano Prodi of Mr Telicka's nomination.
    Author: Jan Velinger

  • Government to meet to approve Telicka nomination
    02/24/2004

    The government is to meet in a special session on Wednesday morning to approve the nomination of Pavel Telicka as the country's first EU commissioner. European Commission President Romano Prodi has given the Czech Republic until Wednesday morning to confirm the nomination. The meeting follows an embarrassing few days for the government in Prague, after the man originally nominated for the post - former Environment Minister Milos Kuzvart - told the cabinet he had changed his mind. The Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla collapsed after Mr Kuzvart's announcement and had to be taken to hospital.
    Author: Rob Cameron

  • Search for European Commissioner continues
    02/23/2004

    Intensive negotiations are taking place within the ruling coalition in order to find a suitable candidate for the post of European Commissioner following Social Democrat MP Milos Kuzvarts' unexpected rejection of the post on Friday. Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla has been meeting with advisers and his party's leadership before discussing the matter with coalition partners in government. Milos Kuzvart's unexpected decision shocked the entire political scene and has placed the Prime Minister in an embarrassing position since it was he who primarily backed Kuzvart, in the face of heated opposition from his coalition partners.
    Author: Daniela Lazarová

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