News
PM agrees with possible tightening of controls of tourists from the USA, Canada, Australia
Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has expressed support for a possible tightening of controls of the citizens of the USA, Canada and Australia entering the Czech Republic as tourists. He was responding to a statement by the Czech foreign minister, Cyril Svoboda, who said his ministry suspected citizens of the USA, Canada and Australia were seriously violating rules regarding how long they can legally stay in the Czech Republic and called for a tightening of controls of their citizens entering the Czech Republic as tourists. The USA, Canada and Australia require Czechs to have visas to enter their countries. Speaking on a TV debate programme, Mr Svoboda said if they did not lift such restrictions Prague would attempt to pressure them to do so through the European Union.
Days after losing one case Czech state begins second arbitration hearing against bank
Days after losing an international arbitration case taken by the Japanese bank Nomura, the Czech Republic on Monday began a second arbitration hearing against the bank in Paris: it is demanding over 4.5 billion dollars in compensation for costs incurred during the forced administration of the Czech bank IPB. Nomura owned almost 50 percent of IPB, which was sold to another Czech bank soon after its collapse in the year 2000.
On Friday an arbitration court in London ruled the Czech state had failed to protect Nomura's investment in IPB, and it is now seeking over one and a half billion US dollars in compensation. The actual amount Nomura will receive has not yet been decided.
Three men receive jail sentences for killing homeless person
The regional court in Ostrava has sentenced two men to 13 years in prison and one man to 12 years in prison for brutally attacking two homeless men at the railway station in the town of Opava last year. One of the homeless men did not survive the attack, the other was seriously injured.
Eurostat: Czechs have longest working hours in EU
A survey by the European Union's statistics office, Eurostat, suggests that Czechs spend more time at work than any other EU citizens. While the average EU citizen works for 37.9 hours a week, Czechs spend almost 43 hours at the workplace every week. According to Eurostat, the Dutch have the shortest working hours, with 31.4 hours a week.
Police: mortal remains of Wehrmacht soldiers stored in North Bohemian factory
Police in North Bohemia have confirmed that boxes found on the premises of a former factory in the town of Usti nad Labem contain the mortal remains of German soldiers who died during WWII in Bohemia. Police are now investigating how the boxes got there and whether or not the law was broken. The paper Mlada Fronta Dnes first wrote about the case last Friday.
Campaign to warn clients of prostitutes they could be supporting crime
The Interior Ministry and the International Organisation for Migration are to launch a joint campaign in May warning the clients of prostitutes that they could be supporting crime, Mlada fronta Dnes reported. Clients will also be encouraged to tip off the authorities if they believe a woman has been forced into prostitution.
Culture Minister Jandak tops popularity poll
A survey by the STEM agency shows that Culture Minister Vitezslav Jandak is the most popular Czech politician, with 69 percent of public support. He is followed by Finance Minister and acting chairman of the Social Democrats Bohuslav Sobotka with 54 percent and Education Minister Petra Buzkova with 52 percent.
Weather
It should be partly cloudy over the next couple of days, with a chance of rain in the east of the country. Temperatures are expected to reach up to 10 degrees Celsius.
