News
Supreme state Attorney facing dismissal
The Supreme State Attorney, Marie Benesova, told Czech Radio on Tuesday that the government will be holding a vote on whether to remove her from office. According to Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek an ongoing bitter dispute between Mrs Benesova and Interior Minister Pavel Nemec is paralysing his administration. The interior minister called onto government to remove Mrs Benesova from office earlier this year, after she initiated a police investigation against his ministry.
Mrs Benesova heavily criticised a decision by Pavel Nemec to allow a member of the Qatari royal family, charged with the sexual abuse of underage girls, to be tried back home. The government is expected to discuss Mrs Benesova's dismissal this Thursday. She told Czech Radio that she has already been offered the post of deputy interior minister but has not accepted it.
Main opposition party not to call for no-confidence vote
The opposition right-of-centre Civic Democrats have decided not to call a vote of no-confidence in parliament against the coalition government. Instead, they plan to push for a parliamentary investigation into the privatisation of Unipetrol, which was finalised earlier this year. The government's 63 percent stake in the gas company was acquired by Poland's PKN Orlen but evidence has surfaced, suggesting a number of high ranking politicians from the ruling Social Democrats were bribed in the privatisation deal.
A Polish Parliamentary commission, which has been looking into the case, released a report on Monday, stating that PKN Orlen paid some 180 million euros less for Unipetrol than an equally credible company was willing to pay. The Civic Democrats hope a Czech parliamentary commission will uncover why the less profitable offer was accepted.
Hyundai car plant to be built in Czech Republic
South Korea's Hyundai is reportedly planning to build a car plant in the Czech Republic - an estimated investment of 1.9 billion US dollars. According to the internet server Patria, some 300,000 cars are to be manufactured at the plant annually. One of the cities Hyundai is considering is Moravia's Ostrava. Construction of the plant is to begin in May 2006.
Man who shot Nigerian consul sentenced to five years
The Prague High Court of Appeals has found the 74 year old man, who shot dead a Nigerian consul in Prague two years ago, guilty of attempted murder but lowered his sentence from eight to five years in prison. The pensioner lost his life savings in a Nigerian oil investment scam. Blaming the Nigerian authorities, he stormed into the embassy in Prague and shot the consul and injured a receptionist. He was given a lower sentence on account of his ill health.
Ambrozek on Lufthansa plane that had to make emergency landing
Czech Environment Minister Libor Ambrozek was on board a plane that had to make an emergency landing this weekend. The Boeing plane was operated by Germany's Lufthansa airline. Mr Ambrozek, who was returning from an official visit to China, said on Tuesday, the plane was heading for Frankfurt but - an hour after take-off from Hong Kong - landed in Bangkok as the pilot detected a problem with one of the engines.
Weather
The next few days will have overcast skies and scattered showers. Day-time temperatures are expected to fall gradually to reach a maximum of 14 degrees this weekend.
