Daily news summary
Head of military intelligence denies speculations about his agents surveilling Interior Minister’s house
The head of military intelligence, Jan Beroun, has strongly denied speculations about his agents surveilling the house of Interior Minister Milan Chovanec. He told the Czech television that he was ready to prove it in front of the Chamber of Deputies’ Permanent Control Committee on Military Intelligence. The news website SeznamZpravy.cz reported on Wednesday that a military intelligence officer was arrested while taking photographs in the vicinity of a villa belonging to the Ministry of the Interior in Prague last week, The building in the Dejvice district is used by the Social Democrat Interior Minister Milan Chovanec. The minister of the defence, Martin Stropnický of ANO, described speculation as absurd.
Government approves draft bill on social housing
The government on Wednesday approved long-awaited draft legislation on social housing, which aims to make emergency, social, and cheap housing available to those with below average incomes, the government’s spokesman Martin Ayrer said. The bill will have to be approved by Parliament and signed by the president before parliamentary elections in October. If it comes into effect, the first applicants could submit their applications for social housing as of mid-2018.
Foreign Minister: Czech Republic fails to ensure equality of men and women
The Czech Republic doesn’t belong among progressive and cultivated EU states when it comes to ensuring equality of men and women, Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek said on Wednesday at a conference “22 % towards Equality”. As regards equal salaries, the Czech Republic is low down the EU ladder, Mr Zaorálek said, adding that he was ashamed of the situation. According to Social Affairs Minister Michaela Marksová, women make on average 22 percent less than men, which is around 6,700 crown less in monthly salaries.
Government approves new telecom rules
The government has approved an amendment to the law on electronic communications that should benefit ordinary mobile phone users and boost the powers of the national regulator, the Czech Telecommunications Office, government spokesman Martin Ayrer announced on his Twitter account on Wednesday. Political parties on Friday agreed to put the proposed rules on a legislative fast track, cutting the time taken for the changes to be discussed in parliamentary committees to 20 days from the usual 60. They also agreed that the proposed law would be the first issue on the agenda for April’s meeting of the lower house of Parliament. The proposed changes should get through all procedural stages ahead of elections to the lower house due in October.
British producer Duncan Kenworthy among guests of this year’s Febiofest
British film and television producer Duncan Kenworthy, best known for producing the comedy Love Actually will be among the guests of this year’s Febiofest international film festival, the organisers announced on Wednesday. Other guests include Danish actor Ulrich Thomsen and Serbian actor Lazar Ristovski, who starred in the lead role in Emil Kusturica’s Underground. Czech US-based actor Jan Tříska will receive the Kristián Award for Contribution to Cinema. The 24th edition of Febiofest will take place between March 23 and 31.
Weather forecast
Thursday should be cloudy to overcast with rain and day temperatures between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius. Frequent rain showers are predicted throughout the whole week.
