News of Radio Prague
Lower house approves 2003 draft budget
The lower house of parliament has approved the government's draft budget for 2003. The 2003 budget will have a deficit of 111 billion crowns, or around 3.7 billion dollars, the highest in the country's history. A total of 100 of the 199 deputies present in the 200-seat lower house voted in favour. Hana Marvanova, an MP for the coalition Freedom Union, abstained from the vote, saying she had reservations about the excessive deficit. The draft must now be signed by President Vaclav Havel.
Tvrdik: Czech soldiers to stay in Kuwait because of Saddam
Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik has said all 250 members of the army's elite anti-chemical unit will remain in Kuwait for the time being, due to the uncertain situation surrounding Iraq. Mr Tvrdik told reporters the unit would not be withdrawn in January as originally planned, because he said this would send the wrong signal to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Multiple lorry pile-up causes chaos on D1 motorway
A multiple pile-up involving seven lorries on the main D1 motorway between Prague and Brno caused serious traffic problems on Tuesday morning. Police were forced to close the motorway for five hours, and traffic was diverted. One person was injured in the crash.
Krizenecky becomes second official candidate for president
A former military prosecutor has become the second candidate to be officially nominated for the post of Czech president. Miroslav Krizenecky, nominated by the Communist Party, was backed by all 41 Communist MPs in the lower house. Mr Krizenecky follows Vaclav Klaus, former leader of the right-of-centre Civic Democrats, who was nominated by his party two weeks ago. A successor to President Vaclav Havel will be elected in a joint session of parliament on January 15th. The parties of the ruling coalition have yet to put forward their candidates.
Monarchists launch campaign for "King Havel"
A small group seeking to restore a monarchy in the Czech Republic have said they want President Havel to delay his retirement and serve in a king's capacity for at least two more years. The chairman of the country's royalist movement, Milan Schelinger, said Mr Havel was the only leader capable of guiding the Czechs into the European Union in 2004. Mr Schelinger stopped short of suggesting the 66-year-old president should actually be crowned king, but pointed out that like European monarchs, Mr Havel plays a figurehead role and already lives in a castle.
Weather forecast
Wednesday will be another cold and wet day, with rain and snow showers throughout the country. Temperatures on Wednesday will range between minus two and plus two degrees Celsius, falling at night to lows of minus four degrees.
