Insight Central Europe News
German President praises Poland's transformation
The German President Horst Koehler has said that Poland is seen around the world as an example of a country that has undergone a successful transformation. Speaking in Warsaw after a meeting with his Polish counterpart, Aleksander Kwasniewski, during his first official visit abroad, Mr Koehler said that most people outsider Poland cannot understand why the country is not more konfident in promoting its own success and building on it.
New Czech government could be up and running by mid-August
The acting head of the Czech Social Democrats, Stanislav Gross, has said that he should be able to put forward a new coalition government for a vote of confidence in parliament by mid-August. He said that he would like all deputies for the three coalition parties to sign a pledge of support for the new government, which would enjoy the slimmest of parliamentary majorities. The previous government of Vladimir Spidla collapsed last month after two years in power.
Turkish suspected mafia boss arrested
Austrian police say they have arrested a man suspected of being one of Turkey's mafia bosses. The man, whose name they gave just as Alaettin C., is said to be wanted in Turkey on numerous counts of robbery as well as murder and attempted murder. A police statement quotes Interpol as saying that he was a member of an organisation which shot 5 people in an Istanbul cafe in 1996.
Slovakia to send new ambassador to Budapest
After almost two years Slovakia will have an ambassador in Budapest. The cabinet has approved Juraj Migas in the post, and President Ivan Gasparovic has agreed to the apppointment. He recently rejected the proposal to appoint Slovak Democratic and Christian Union deputy Ferdinand Devinsky as ambassador, arguing that he was not a career diplomat.
EU to cut sugar subsidies
The European Commission is recommending major cuts in subsidies to sugar beet farmers. Agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler said there was a lack of competition and consumers were paying inflated prices. Sugar production in the EU receives 1.7 billion euros a year. Austrian agriculture minister Josef Pröll said he was "extremely critical" of the plan. He said it would bring massive problems for local farmers without giving developing countries what he called a "realistic perspective".
One man dies, five injured after earthquake in Slovenia
An Italian climber was killed and five people were injured on Monday after an earthquake shook Slovenia and parts of northern Italy. The dead man and most of the injured were struck by falling rocks close to the epicentre near the Slovenian mountain resort of Bovec. There have been earthquakes in the region in the past, including a tremor in 1976 that killed hundreds over the border in Italy.
Hungarian opposition party calls for land claims in Slovakia
The opposition Fidesz party in Hungary has said that many Hungarians expelled from Slovakia after World War Two have the right to claim their former property back. The party claims that a recently approved Slovak law allows foreigners as well as Slovak nationals to claim back land described as being of "unknown ownership" if they can prove they were the rightful owner. Most Hungarians lost their property in Slovakia under the decrees of the post-war Czechoslovak President Edvard Benes.
