News Monday, APRIL 05th, 1999

Radio Prague E-news date: April 5th, 1999

Prayers have been said across the country for an end to the fighting in Kosovo

Prayers for Kosovo during Easter

Prayers have been said across the country for an end to the fighting in Kosovo. As elsewhere, Easter celebrations in the Czech Republic have been overshadowed by the conflict and church dignitaries leading Easter mass prayers asked for " an end to fratricidal wars, peace in the physical sense and peace in our souls". At noon Czech television carried the Pope's traditional Easter message to the world, which also was largely devoted to Kosovo, and in which the Pontiff appealed for a "humanitarian corridor" for Kosovo refugees.

Former communist secret service officer to be charged

The Office for Investigation of Communist Crimes intends to initiate criminal proceedings against a former member of the communist secret service /stb/ for having cooperated in the abduction of a Czechoslovak citizen to Siberia in the hardline 50s. Bohumir Borecky, who was one of many Czechs accused of allegedly conspiring against the Soviet Union, carted off to Siberia and never seen again, allegedly died 25 years later in a gulag.

Kavan visits Mauritius

Czech foreign minister Jan Kavan has been meeting with officials of Mauritius, where he is currently on a two day official visit. The visit is intended to strengthen bilateral relations and boost trade. The Czech Republic exports predominantly cut glass to the island, while importing textiles. The two sides are expected to sign an agreement on mutual protection of investments.

Purer heroin blamed for deaths

Czech police have warned that a high incidence in drug-related deaths these past few months is most likely linked to a new purer brand of heroin on the market. Police spokeswoman Ivana Moosova said there had been 10 overdoses resulting in death in the Czech capital alone since the beginning of this year which was an unusually high rate of drug related deaths. This purer brand of heroin allegedly also comes fairly cheap which has led police to believe it is from a new source which is in the process of establishing its dealer network in this country. The Prague Drop in Centre has also issued a warning to addicts.

Give us space!

Meanwhile with the coming of spring environmental activists are planning a bike tour around Prague in an attempt to bring to the authorities' attention the woefully inadequate conditions for cycling in the Czech capital. Jindrich Petrlik of Children of the Earth notes that with a little encouragement cycling could become a popular form of transport in Prague which is suffering from an increased number of traffic jams and car exhaust fumes. Environmentalists claim that the magistrate is ignoring cyclists' needs, pointing out that not a haler has been earmarked or used in this direction by the Prague magistrate over the past two years. The planned bike tour is to take place on April 10th, starting from the metro station Opatov at 10 am .

Finally a look at the weather: Monday should bring partly cloudy to overcast skies and scattered showers, especially in the western part of the country. Day temps have been forecast at between 12 and 16 degs C. Nighttime lows between 7 and 3 degs. More rain is expected on Tuesday and day temps should drop to between 11 and 15 degs C.