News of Radio Prague
Czech Helsinki Committee criticises government over Roma rights
The Czech Helsinki Committee has released a new survey on human rights, which criticises government efforts to help improve living conditions for the Czech Republic's Roma minority. The Committee also said the number of successful requests for asylum had dropped, and corruption within the Czech police force remained a problem. Domestic violence involving mainly women and the aged has also not received enough attention, the report said. A representative of the Committee said Czech officials were poorly qualified, and claimed many turned a blind eye to human rights violations.
FM meets Libyan entrepreneurs to boost business relations
The Czech Foreign Minister, Jan Kavan, met a delegation of Libyan entrepreneurs on Monday to boost Czech-Libyan trade relations. The meeting is expected to continue on Tuesday, with discussion mainly focusing on development projects, co-operation in the health sector and educational programmes - there are currently close to one hundred Libyan students at Czech universities. Libya owes several hundred million dollars to the Czech Republic, mostly for Czech tanks and other military equipment supplied to the country in the past. Czech exports to Libya have decreased significantly in the last few years, with tires, iron and steel mostly affected.
Slovak Justice Minister calls on Czech counterpart to use agents in fight against corruption
The Slovak Justice Minister, Jan Carnogursky, has praised the use of undercover agents in the fight against corruption and advised his Czech counterpart, Jaroslav Bures, to use the same tactics in the Czech Republic. Speaking during a visit to Prague on Monday, Mr Carnogursky told journalists that Slovakia had positive experience with using agents to uncover corruption. The Czech government recently approved the use of undercover agents to fight corruption and organised crime.
Senate expected to hold public hearing on EU
The Senate's Commission for European Integration plans to hold a public hearing on the future of the European Union on Thursday. The Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and Freedom Union Senator Josef Zieleniec, both members of the new EU Convent, are expected to give their opinions on the Czech Republic's role in the union. As well as political parties, Daniel Herman from the Czech Bishops' Conference and Vladimir Vopalka of Charles University's Faculty of Law will also attend the hearing.
Poll: Most Czechs dissatisfied with political situation
According to a public opinion poll conducted by the Centre for Public Opinion Research in April, about 60% of Czechs are unhappy with the current political situation, a figure that has not changed much in the last year.
Man pulls out gun after losing patience in post office queue
Police say customers at a post office in the Moravian capital of Brno had experienced a terrifying few minutes when a 50 year-old man pulled out a gun to threaten another man who had caused a long queue. The armed man attempted to force the man to leave the post office but was overpowered by security guards.
Weather
And finally a quick look at the weather forecast. Monday night is expected to be cloudy with occasional rain and temperatures between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius. Tuesday will be mostly overcast with some bright patches and occasional rain and thunder storms. Temperatures will peak at 22 degrees Celsius.
