News
Social Democrat regional branches back Gross's leadership
The Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has strengthened his position as leader of his Social Democrats ahead of a party congress in March, raising his chances of remaining head of government into 2006. Two regional party chapters backed Mr Gross's leadership at the weekend and another delivered a no preference vote between Mr Gross and his leftist rival, Deputy Prime Minister Zdenek Skromach, who will challenge the incumbent at the congress. Mr Gross's victory would keep in place the Social Democrats' cabinet with two centre-right partners, the Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union, before the spring 2006 general election. Stanislav Gross took over from Vladimir Spidla as party chief and prime minister in June after the Social Democrats' poor showing in the European Parliament election, but has so far failed to revive the party's fortunes.
Czech mobile children's hospital leaves for Sri Lanka
A seventeen-member Czech medical team has left for Sri Lanka to set up a mobile children's hospital in the city of Galle in the south of the island. The team will join a group of Czech rescuers who have been working in the tsunami-hit island since last week. The hospital, called Hope from Bohemia, is expected to treat its first patients on Friday. By the end of January the personnel will be joined by gynaecologists and obstetricians. The mobile hospital is expected to work in Sri Lanka for six months.
Czech charities collect 10 million dollars in tsunami aid
Czech charities have collected around 250 million crowns (or ten million dollars) in individual donations for restoration projects in the tsunami affected regions of South Asia. One Czech national is confirmed to have died in the disaster, ten people are still missing in the area.
Former health minister accused of breach of trust
The former Health Minister Marie Souckova has been accused of breach of trust. Ms Souckova allegedly broke the law when she brokered a controversial contract during her tenure at the ministry, which she left in April 2004. Ms Souckova appointed the lawyer Zdenek Novacek to represent the state in a compensation case launched by the blood plasma company Diag Human. Mr Novacek was to be paid 10 million crowns for taking the case and he was to charge a further 170 million crowns if he won. Experts have found his services highly overpriced. If found guilty, ex-minister Souckova faces two to eight years in prison. Last week, Ms Souckova, a former vice-chairperson of the Social Democrats, left the party reportedly over public statements of fellow party members relating to the Diag Human case.
2004 saw lower number of asylum seekers in Czech Republic
Around 5,500 people applied for asylum in the Czech Republic in 2004, which is the lowest number since 1999. More than a half of the applicants in 2004 came from Ukraine and Russia. Compared to 2003, the number of asylum seekers dropped by 52 percent. The drop is believed to have been caused by the Czech Republic's accession to the European Union on May 1, 2004.
Weather
In the coming days we can expect some sunshine as well as rain turning into sleet with daytime temperatures between 2 and 7 degrees Celsius.
