News of Radio Prague
Government facing vote of confidence Tuesday
The Chamber of Deputies is preparing for a vote of confidence in Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla's coalition government on Tuesday afternoon. The prime minister called the vote in the wake of the recent presidential election, which was seen as a failure for the government, though commentators say it is unlikely that the cabinet will be voted out of office. The coalition of Mr Spidla's Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union was formed after elections last June, and has a majority of one in the lower house.
Most of those injured in tragic coach crash stable as investigation continues
Most of those injured in Saturday's tragic coach crash in south Bohemia are now in a stable condition, a hospital spokesman said on Monday. The condition of one of the two coach drivers has worsened however. Investigations are continuing into the causes of the crash, which left 19 dead. It was the worst road accident in this country for thirty years.
Unemployment remains at 10.2 percent
Unemployment in the Czech Republic remained at a record high of 10.2 percent in February, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs announced on Monday. The 10 percent barrier was broken for the first time in January, meaning over half a million Czechs are now out of work. The worst hit areas are Most in northwest Bohemia and Karvina in north Moravia, where the jobless rate exceeds 20 percent. Prague remains the area with the lowest unemployment, with around three percent out of work.
Consumer price figures were also released on Monday and - as in January - showed a year-on-year decrease of 0.4 percent.
Czech crown reaches four-year high against dollar
The Czech crown reached its strongest value against the US dollar since October 1998 on Tuesday, when it reached 28.65 to the dollar. The crown stands at 31.69 to the euro. Analysts say the currency is unlikely to be influenced by Tuesday's vote of confidence in the government
Irish police search for Czech Romany family
Police in the Republic of Ireland are searching for a Czech Romany family who failed to turn up to a court deportation hearing on Friday, Irish newspapers have reported. David Lobe and his family had previously been refused asylum in Great Britain before applying in Ireland, where they had another child, something which until recently would have guaranteed them the right to stay in the country.
Man gets 14 years for shooting one dead, injuring two
Usti nad Labem Regional Court has sentenced a man to 14 years in prison for shooting dead another man and injuring two others in the town of Jirikov in north Bohemia in January last year. The court heard how the shooting had begun following an argument over the purchasing of rum. There was high security in the court on Monday after an incident at a previous hearing last week in which relatives of the murdered man attacked defendant Dusan Pintye.
Weather
Tuesday should be another bright day in the Czech Republic. Nighttime temperatures will be between minus two and plus two degrees Celsius and the maximum daytime high fourteen degrees.
