Press Review
Today's papers are all dominated by domestic stories ranging from Dominik Hasek's aggressive fit during a hockey game to the government's unsuccessful clean hands campaign. NATO's plan to have the Czech Republic establish a new multi-national battalion to protect the alliance against weapons of mass destruction is one of few international stories making the front pages.
Today's papers are all dominated by domestic stories ranging from Dominik Hasek's aggressive fit during a hockey game to the government's unsuccessful clean hands campaign. NATO's plan to have the Czech Republic establish a new multi-national battalion to protect the alliance against weapons of mass destruction is one of few international stories making the front pages.
Government to cut spending in ministries writes HOSPODARSKE NOVINY. Measures including tax increases as well as a decrease in state spending that ruling coalition representatives decided to launch at a meeting on Sunday will not suffice to reduce the state budget deficit to reach 83 billion Czech crowns, the paper writes. The Army, as well as the fields of science and research will therefore be mostly affected by the government's new plan. Finance Ministry documents read that the Defence Ministry will suffer the biggest budget cuts, losing some 5 billion Czech crowns. Some 3.8 billion crowns which were to be pumped into science and research will also be withdrawn, while the state will have 2.2 billion crowns less for its reconstruction of the areas affected by last year's devastating floods. The ministry also proposes to use up the 1.7 billion crowns in reserve that were meant for salaries for state officials, the paper reports.
The state's fight against corruption has been far from successful write LIDOVE NOVINY and MLADA FRONTA DNES. The papers refer to a report put forward by Interior Minister Stanislav Gross, which calls for the introduction of more drastic measures against corruption, especially bribery. With a large number of police officers known to take bribes, one such measure is to change the system under which drivers are fined. Instead of them paying the police on the spot, they should only be given a ticket. A special department would then be responsible for claiming the money. A number of new initiatives under the new "Clean Hands" campaign include the introduction of fines to ministers who give false information in their property declarations and the restriction of parliamentary immunity.
Freedom Union MP and former party leader Hana Marvanova is expecting a baby. PRAVO writes that the forty- year old single mother of two sons announced her pregnancy on Monday, adding she was due in September. While the paper notes that future absences from Ms Marvanova could threaten the ruling coalition's power in parliament - having a mere 101 seats in the 200 seat lower house, it appears that most of Ms Marvanova's colleague's have welcomed her pregnancy. The possible lack of a coalition MP during important decision-making, especially when it comes to next year's state budget, has not alarmed Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, the opposition has already agreed to ensure that one of its own MPs is absent in order to uphold the current share of seats in parliament, the paper reports.
What lies ahead for TV Nova's news coverage asks MLADA FRONTA DNES. The country's coalition members have been criticising TV Nova's news programmes, claiming they lack objectivity blaming the station's general director Vladimir Zelezny. But now that Mr Zelezny has been sacked, will Nova's news, which is viewed by some three million people every evening, be more balanced? The paper believes that it will, adding it was confirmed by two sources, one a government minister, that the station's new owner and the state had come to an agreement to no longer attack each other - a step that benefits both parties. Nova could keep its license and the government will be left in peace.
PRAVO reports that the public will have the unique opportunity to view the country's Crown Jewels for free from July 3 to 13 at Prague Castle. On July 2, the seven holders of the keys to the Crown Chamber - the President of the Czech Republic, the Prime Minister, Prague's Archbishop, the Chairmen of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, the Provost at the Metropolitan Chapter, and the mayor of Prague - will meet at Prague Castle to open the vault in which the jewels are kept. The Coronation Jewels, which include the crown, a sceptre and an orb, will then be transported to the Old Royal Palace where they will be displayed in a glass case, which was made just for such an occasion in 1929, by architect Josef Gocar.
