Insight Central Europe News
Polish PM paves way for early elections
The Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka has said he will step down in May to force early elections. He has rejected pressure from the opposition to resign straight away amid a deepening crisis in his party, the scandal-tainted Democratic Left Alliance, which Mr Belka has threatened to leave. An early election in June came a step closer when President Alexander Kwasniewski said he also thought is was the best option.
Czech coalition parties step back from the brink
The parties in the Czech ruling coalition have stepped back from the brink in a crisis that has threatened to bring down the government. The Christian Democrats have said that they will stop calling for the prime minister, Social Decmocrat Stanislav Gross to resign, because of questions over his personal finances. Mr Gross said that he would no longer demand the resignation of the Christian Democrats' three ministers. The search for a longer term solution to the crisis has been postponed till after Easter, when the Social Democrats will be holding a party congress.
Austrian lawmakers to vote in May on the EU constitution
The Austrian parliament is to vote in May on whether to ratify the European Union constitution. A law has been adopted setting the month, but not the precise date for the vote. The treaty will require a two-thirds majority in both houses, and observers have said that they expect law makers to give it their backing. Austria is among about half the EU countries that will not be holding a referendum on the constitution.
Slovakia to have its first Roma Holocaust memorial
The Slovak Culture Ministry, along with Roma representatives and the US Embassy in Slovakia, has decided to create the country's first ever memorial to Roma Holocaust victims. It will be at the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in the central city of Banska Bystrica. The memorial forms part of a project that will also commemorate other sites associated with the mass murder of Roma during World War Two.
Hungarian town offers honorary citizenship to five million
The town of Hodmezovasarhely in Hungary has offered honorary citizenship to all five million ethnic Hungarians living abroad. The deputy mayor, Peter Koszo, said the town had decided to make the gesture after a referendum in December failed to grant citizenship to Hungarians outside the country. Hungary lost one third of its citizens when borders were redrawn after World War One. The right wing opposition Fidesz party has been backing a campaign for Hungarians abroad to be given citizenship, a move which has brought strong protests among Hungary's neighbours.
Bemusement in Austria over Michael Jackson medal
There was surprise in Austria, when Michael Jackson appeared at his trial in California wearing a Golden Medal of Honour for Services to Vienna on the left breast of his jacket. A Vienna city spokeswoman said that they had received hundreds of calls asking whether Vienna really had awarded the honour to the American singer. She said that this was not the case, adding that you had to be over 50 to be given the medal - which is in the form of an eight-pointed star.
