Press Review

Parliament's passing of next year's state budget including its record 115 billion crown deficit, as well as a street protest by students angry over the under-financing of Czech universities - both make the front pages of today's dailies. One of the headlines in Pravo reads "Relief for the government - the budget has passed", while showing a photo of a visibly pleased Prime Minister Vladmir Spidla.

Vladmir Spidla and Bohuslav Sobotka, photo: CTK

How much of a surprise was it that the budget passed? Pravo writes that in the end 98 votes by the ruling coalition were enough to counter the opposition, which had 95 votes against. Upon verification of the results Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla declared that the passing of the budget represented a period of political and economic stability for the Czech Republic, at a time when the government desperately needs to launch its second phase of finance reforms. Finance minister Bohuslav Sobotka, meanwhile, indicated that with the reform-minded budget the government could now get down to the business at hand.

At a time when university students are protesting the evident lack of funds for Czech universities Lidove Noviny writes that the Education Minister Petra Buzkova has won a small battle over 150 million crowns cut from university budgets two weeks ago. The paper writes that Mrs Buzkova was able to find a replacement 150 million by proposing cuts to certain education programmes in next year's state budget, worth 70 million crowns.

Students protest against under-financing of Czech universities , photo: CTK

A further 30 million in teaching aids was also cut, and 50 million will be saved through the reorganisation of pedagogical centres, including reductions in staff. Can university students take any comfort in Mrs Buzkova's victory? An editorial in Lidove Noviny rings sarcastic. Milos Cermak writes that it is welcome news - about as welcome as when someone steals your car and the police ring to tell you all they've retrieved is the car radio.

Money seems to be a problem just about everywhere these days and the Czech film business is no exception. Mlada Fronta Dnes writes that Czech Television, one of the country's most important producers that regularly co-finances Czech film projects has been forced to roll-back some proposals - at least for now. The daily writes that a decision on 21 projects was supposed to come down in November. Those decisions have now been postponed till next year because of budget constraints.

Can the Czech film business survive without Czech TV? Independent producer Pavel Strnad tells Mlada Fronta Dnes he thinks it can, since, by his estimates, Czech TV now only contributes about a tenth of the funds being spent in Czech productions. But, one person who is unhappy about the latest cuts is well-known director Filip Renc, who tells the daily his project, a documentary about controversial war-time actress Lida Baarova was cut, killing two year's work in preparations. He tells Mlada Fronta Dnes he's now at the point he will consider investing in his own digital equipment and producing his films himself.

And finally, Lidove Noviny writes that Czech bookstores are eagerly welcoming pre-Christmas sales, the most important time of the year for any bookseller. One shop manager is quoted as saying that most books are sold between the 10th and 24th of December, while another says that pre-Christmas shopping amounts to up to 30 percent of the whole year's sales.

Meanwhile, what are some of the books that Czechs are looking forward to reading? The Czech edition of former US secretary of State Madeleine Albright's autobiography has been selling well, as well as usual top finishers like Michal Viewegh. The daily Lidove Noviny also recommends several publications like a new monograph featuring the work of Czech artist Jan Zrzavy.