Press Review
All Czech daily newspapers today report on the latest racially motivated murder of a Roma man by a neo-nazi skinhead. Other headlines include the continuing dispute over the Czech nuclear power station at Temelin and the approval of the Kyoto protocol on climate changes at a summit in Bonn.
In its front page editorial, LIDOVE NOVINY calls for severe punishment of all racially motivated murders. Czech politicians have recently adopted a new law stipulating that racially motivated crimes should carry longer sentences. This has brought Czech law in line with the majority of European nations. However, LIDOVE NOVINY says that although the political elite have adopted the new laws, they are not doing enough to implement them in everyday practice.
PRAVO comments on clashes between police and anti-globalisation activists that traditionally accompany sessions of international organisations worldwide. The question is, PRAVO writes, how can a country prevent a handful of rioters from going on the rampage and at the same time allow thousands of demonstrators the right to peaceful protest. The paper notes that it is impossible to arrest someone just because he or she is wearing a mask, it is necessary to realise though that no-one covers his or her face without reason.
On a similar note, ZEMSKE NOVINY compares the violent protest against the G8 summit in Genoa with the peaceful demonstration in Berlin calling for the adoption of the Kyoto protocol in full. The paper is convinced that the latter gatherings were peaceful because influential environmental organisations are aware of the fact that if the media report on flying Molotov cocktails, casualties and damage, they have no space to present reasonable arguments.
ZEMSKE NOVINY continues, that there are many politicians who prefer to carry out dealings with multinational corporations than with environmentalists and in the case of violent protests, it is easier for politicians to condemn all protests as an expression of emotion, and not something that has to be seriously reasoned.
The business daily HOSPODARSKE NOVINY writes that many companies in the meat processing industry may go out of business within two years. The reason is the adoption of new hygiene and veterinary regulations that will bring the Czech Republic into harmony with EU standards. The paper estimates that up to one-third of Czech meat processing firms will be unable to comply with these standards.
MLADA FRONTA DNES devotes two pages to the world of advertising and provides a deep insight into how advertising agencies work. The paper also points out that although Czech advertising agencies are very proud of their work, none have ever received an award at the most prestigious international advertising festival Cannes Lions. Another interesting fact is that according to MLADA FRONTA DNES, 60 or 70 percent of all advertisements in the Czech media originate from abroad.
