Daily news summary
Former boss of Russia‘s federal state budget facing extradition
The former boss of the Russian federal state budget Alexandr Alexandrovich Nikolayev is to be extradited to his homeland where he will face charges of conspiracy and fraud, the ctk news agency reported. The extradition order was signed by Justice Minister Robert Pelikan.
The Russian authorities claim Alexandr Alexandrovich Nikolayev embezzled millions of roubles from state coffers. He had sought asylum in the Czech Republic saying he was the victim of a new wave of repressions.
Social Democrat election leader slams party colleague for hate speech
Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek, the Social Democratic Party’s election leader, has slammed party colleague and the mayor of Brno Bohunice, Milan Hrdlička, for making highly insulting remarks about migrants in the city council’s news bulletin.
The mayor warned about the threat of an influx of „slugs“ from Spain, Italy and other states who would devastate the country and stop at nothing.
A person who degrades people to slugs and incites racial hatred has no place in the Social Democratic Party, Mr. Zaorálek tweeted.
Coalition parties clash over lithium mining deal
The ruling Social Democrats and ANO have clashed over the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the Czech Ministry of Industry and Australia's European Metals Holdings on a deal that would give the Australian company the right to mine lithium in Europe’s biggest known deposit in the north-western part of the Czech Republic.
ANO leader Andrej Babis decribed the agreement as „daylight robbery“ saying the privilage of mining the country’s natural resources should go to a Czech state-owned company.
ANO wants to call a special session of the lower house over the matter, a proposition supported by the Communist Party.
Voting in general elections abroad to start a day early
Elections to the lower house of Parliament will start a day early in some polling stations abroad in order to make up for the time difference, the ctk news agency reported.
The first voters will be able to cast their ballot on Thursday, October 19, in Brazil, Argentina, Cuba, the US and Canada. People will be able to vote at 108 polling stations abroad, mostly at embassies, cultural institutions or military army bases where Czech soldiers are serving in foreign missions.
Polling stations around the Czech Republic will close at 2pm on Saturday and the preliminary results should be announced a few hours later.
Physicist and scientist Armin Delong dies at 92
Czech physicist and scientist Armin Delong has died at the age of 92, the ctk news agency reported citing family sources. Professor Delong was the founder of electron microscopy in Czechoslovakia. In 1990, he served briefly in the Czechoslovak government of prime minister Marián Čalfa. Delong created the prototype of the table microscope for which he received the gold medal award at the World EXPO58 in Brussels.
Wolves escape from national park near Czech-German border
Six wolves have escaped from the Bavarian national park near Ludwigsthal. The park is located near the Czech German border and the authorities say the animals could appear in the Šumava Mountains.
In the event of sighting them people have been asked not to approach them, try to feed them or take pictures.
The head of the national park Franz Leibl said an all out effort was being made to recapture the wolves. Since they were bred in an enclosure their chances of survival in the wild are extremely slim, he said.
Weather forecast
Sunday should bring overcast skies with rain around the country and day temperatures between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius.
