Daily news summary
Smoking ban supported by 71 percent of Czechs
A tough smoking ban in pubs and restaurants, which went into force a year ago, is supported by 71 percent of Czechs, according to the results of a poll carried out by the Ipsos polling agency in cooperation with Charles University. Twelve percent of respondents were vehemently against the ban. Over 1,000 people were surveyed.
Surveys suggest that around a quarter of Czechs still smoke. The Constitutional Court recently rejected a complaint against the smoking ban on the grounds that it restricted the rights of individuals and entrepreneurs. A recent move to soften the ban in Parliament also failed.
Brno theatre fest to get lower subsidy over controversial plays
The South-Moravian region has indicated it will cut the planned subsidy to the Festival Theatre World Brno because of two controversial plays performed within this particular cultural event.
Spokeswoman Monika Brindzáková told the ctk news agency on Monday that governor Bohumil Šimek would propose exempting the two controversial theatre plays from the subsidy package.
They are the Croat play Our violence, Your Volence, which caused protests in Brno on Sunday and the play Damnation, both directed by Oliver Frljich.
The head of the National Theatre Brno, Martin Glaser, who slammed the show of intolerance during a performance of the play Our violence, Your violence on Sunday night, said this would not present a problem since the plays would be covered by a subsidy from the Czech Ministry of Culture.
Czech Radio: Home football club of president’s chancellor received overly generous subsidy
The Czech Football Association, which is embroiled in a subsidy scandal, is believed to have allotted over 100 million crowns without clear rules.
Czech Radio’s flagship news station Radiožurnal says it has now obtained documents showing where the money went and one of the biggest benefactors was the village football club Osvětimany which is the home club of President Zeman’s Chancellor Vratislav Mynář.Mr. Mynář rejected any involvement.
Other overly generous contributions were made to clubs in the Liberec region, where the former head of the Football Association Miroslav Pelta comes from.
Central bank governor: Price of flats overinflated by 15 percent
The price of flats in the Czech Republic is overinflated by around 15 percent, Czech National Bank governor Jiří Rusnok told the news site idnes.cz.
The governor said the central bank was keeping a close eye on prices on the housing market since mortgages make up around 60 percent of all loans granted to households.
Mr. Rusnok said he would address the issue in greater detail at a press briefing on June 12th.
Court refuses to waive lobbyist’s sentence
The Prague Municipal Court has rejected a plea from lobbyist Roman Janoušek for the remainder of his sentence to be waived for health reasons.
Mr. Janoušek was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for a hit-and-run, while drink-driving. He served roughly 15 months of his sentence before asking for it to be postponed for health reasons after undergoing brain surgery. He then asked for it to be waived on health grounds.
The judge ruled that there was still a possibility that his health could improve and saw no reason to waive the sentence prematurely. The verdict is not binding.
Toyen’s painting sells for 19.4 million crowns
Czech painter Toyen’s oil on canvas Et maintenant que passe le temps sold for 19.4 million crowns at an auction in Kodl Gallery in Prague on Sunday.
Josef Čapek’s Bathing in Orava sold for 9.7 million. A bronze statue by Salvador Dali, Minotaurus, was auctioned off for 8.4 million crowns.
Altogether the gallery sold works of art to the tune of 200 million crowns.
Weather forecast
Tuesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week with day temperatures reaching 31 degrees Celsius. Meteorologists have issued a heat storm warning for the afternoon hours.
