News of Radio Prague
Austrian anti-nuclear activists against Temelin
Austrian anti-nuclear activists have given an ultimatum to the Czech Republic, saying that if the Czech side does not react to Austrian objections to the latest environmental study on the controversial Temelin nuclear power plant by 3 p.m. on Friday, they will blockade the Czech-Austrian border. The group which calls itself 'Stop Temelin' says it's acting in 'emergency defence' and as such their steps will be considered legal. A huge blockade is planned for Friday evening on the Wullowitz - Dolni Dvoriste check point.
Demonstration on German-Czech border check point called for Saturday
Another anti-Temelin demonstration will take place on the Philippsreut border check point in Germany on Saturday which will be organised to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster . The Bavarian anti-nuclear group expects over two thousand people to take part.
France says a compromise should be found in the free movement of labour
France has said it has no problem with the free movement of labour after the entry of new candidates into the European Union. French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine told his Czech counterpart Jan Kavan in Paris on Thursday that a reasonable compromise must be found. Vedrine also said that his country believed the Czech Republic's accession negotiations were positive and expressed the hope that the Czech Republic would be among the first to become a new member of the EU. Minister Kavan said he wanted to see EU candidates participating actively in a discussion about the future of Europe. Mr Kavan added that the EU's unwillingness to talk about the exact date of enlargement was being interpreted in the candidate countries as the Union not taking enlargement seriously.
Iraq expels a Czech diplomat
Iraq has expelled a Czech diplomat in retaliation for a similar move taken recently by the Czech Republic. Deputy foreign minister Hynek Kmonicek said the Iraqi embassy in Prague had been informed earlier this week that one of its employees was 'persona non grata' in the Czech Republic. Baghdad announced on Thursday that a 'reciprocal measure' would be imposed, and the Czech embassy's radio operator must now leave the country. The activities of the consul and second secretary of the Iraqi embassy in Prague, Ahmad Ibrahim Samir Ani, had been described by the Czech Foreign ministry as 'incompatible with diplomatic activity'. But on Thursday, the Czech Foreign ministry stressed its preparedness to accept a new Iraqi diplomat, so that the Iraqi embassy's activities were not interrupted. Foreign Minister Jan Kavan has confirmed the expulsion but said it was not because of the diplomat's activities against the Iraqi opposition.
The Prime Minister wants public interest defended by law
The Prime Minister Milos Zeman has suggested new legislation might be proposed that would place public interest over that of private individuals in buying up land for new industrial zones. The legislation would enable the state to buy disputed land at normal prices. The Prime Minister hinted at a case in the town of Hranice, where a private land owner is blocking the sale of a small plot of land to the Dutch electronic giant Philips, which is building a new factory in the town and is one of the biggest foreign investors in the Czech Republic. The dispute is to be decided by court.
Judges' mistake releases teacher convicted of drug dealing
The Supreme Court has ordered the release a Nachod teacher, Jarmila Vocaskova, who was convicted of distributing drugs to her students, due to a serious mistake by two judges in the East Bohemian city of Hradec Kralove. The Regional court in Hradec Kralove had sentenced Vocaskova to 18 months in prison, but the Supreme Court overruled the verdict, saying the same two judges were involved in a decision to place her in custody, something which the Czech criminal code excludes.
Czech football boss's property might be confiscated
Komercni Banka, the second largest bank in the Czech Republic, has applied a bill of exchange worth 15.5 million German marks - some 280 million Czech crowns - against the chairman of the Czech-Moravian Football Union, Frantisek Chvalovsky. The bank also plans to demand confiscation of Mr. Chvalovsky's property. The football boss is facing charges of fraud, over allegations that he illegally stripped Komercni Banka of 13 billion crowns which he received as a loan and never paid back. Mr. Chvalovsky has been taken into custody to prevent him from influencing witnesses,. Komercni Banka has already started legal proceedings against seven companies closely linked to Mr Chvalovsky's activities.
And finally the weather:
We expect a rather wet weekend with rain and thunderstorms in places, and with maximum daytime highs between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius.
