Daily news summary
Russian foreign ministry slams Nikulin’s extradition to US
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has slammed the Czech Republic’s decision to extradite its national, alleged hacker Yevgeny Nikulin, to the US.
The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement on Monday calling it a “politically motivated” decision made to demonstrate allegiance, rather than a decision on the basis of legal grounds.
It said the decision would inevitably undermine Czech-Russian relations.
Nikulin’s Czech lawyer seeking compensation for his client
The Czech lawyer of alleged Russian hacker Yevgeny Nikulin, whom the Czech Republic recently extradited to the United States wants to challenge the decision at the Czech Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights.
Lawyer Martin Sadílek said he considers the justice minister’s decision to extradite Nikulin to the US legally shaky since the minister had not given Nikulin a chance to appeal the verdict of the Constitutional Court which rejected his complaint against extradition as „groundless“. The lawyer says that this could open the door to compensation for Nikulin.
Russian diplomats have until midnight to leave Czech Republic
The three Russian diplomats expelled from the Czech Republic over the poisoning of a Russian double agent in Britain have until midnight to leave the country.
Moscow took reciprocal action late last week pronouncing three Czech diplomats in Russia personae non gratae. They have been given until April 5 to leave the country.
Police president says force not under political pressure
Police President Tomáš Tuhý has rejected speculation regarding political pressure on the force from the ANO government led by Andrej Babiš, who is charged with EU subsidy fraud.
In recent weeks the outgoing government, which failed to win a vote of confidence in the lower house, has effected numerous personal changes at ministerial posts and in state-owned agencies, for which it has been severely criticized by the opposition.
The police president said he had not registered any attempt to pressurize the force and said he firmly believed this would not change.
Livia Klausová asks to be released from ambassadorial post
Livia Klausová has asked to be released from her post as Czech ambassador to Slovakia. The news was confirmed by Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Michaela Lagronová who said Ms Klausova would serve in her post until the end of April.
The wife of the former Czech president Vaclav Klaus, said she was leaving due to her age and for family reasons. The embassy will be headed by her current deputy Pavel Sladký, until a new ambassador has been appointed.
Exhibition marking centenary of Czechoslovakia reopens in Senate
An outdoor photo exhibition marking the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovakia on the premises of the Senate has reopened to the public after its winter break.
The exhibition in the Valdštejnska gardens shows over 163 large photos documenting various milestones in the country’s development, from Tomas G. Masaryk’s arrival from exile in 1918, through the Nazi occupation, the communist years and the 1989 Velvet Revolution right up to Ester Ledecka’s triumph at the Winter Olympics in 2018.
The exhibition will remain on show in the Senate gardens until May 18 after which it will travel around the country.
Weather forecast
Tuesday should bring clear to partly cloudy skies and day temperatures between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius.
