Press Review
The Czech Republic can start celebrating, writes MLADA FRONTA DNES in its leading article, alluding to last weekend's meeting of European Union foreign ministers. Like the nine other acceding countries, the Czech Republic will most probably have its own representative on the European Union Commission. And there are many prospective applicants among Czech politicians, the paper writes.
According to MLADA FRONTA DNES, there are six hot candidates for the post of EU Commissioner: former prime minister Milos Zeman, former foreign minister Jan Kavan and former finance minister Pavel Mertlik, all members of the Social Democrats. The three others are Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda, Senator Zuzana Roithova, both Christian Democrats, and Freedom Union member Ivan Pilip, a former finance minister. The Czech government should put forward three names by March.
Both MLADA FRONTA DNES and LIDOVE NOVINY carry large photos of the coach of the Czech football representation Karel Brueckner. "It's a tough draw for the Czech Republic," LIDOVE NOVINY writes, referring to Sunday's draw in the Portuguese capital Lisbon of groups for the opening round of next summer's Euro 2004. "It couldn't have been worse," LIDOVE NOVINY quotes the Czech representation's captain Pavel Nedved as commenting on the fact that his team will face Latvia, the Netherlands and Germany in group D.
PRAVO reports on extensive archaeological works which are to take place in Moravia in the next seven to eight years. Archaeologists will examine the area between the town of Lipnik and the river Becva before construction works on the planned D47 motorway start. The motorway is to be built almost exactly where the Amber Route once used to lead. The paper explains that the Amber Route was one of Europe's most important trade routes, used from ancient times by caravans carrying amber, raiders moving north or whole nations travelling between the North and South of Europe.
The business daily HOSPODARSKE NOVINY looks at a dispute which might jeopardise live TV broadcasts of next year's World Ice Hockey Championships in Prague. A mere 200 days before the start of the championship, the organisers are facing another complication, the paper writes, and again the Sazka lottery company which is building the arena is involved in it. Only a few months ago it was not clear whether the arena would be finished in time and now the question is whether ice hockey fans will be able to watch the matches live on television.
HOSPODARSKE NOVINY writes that Sazka is charging Czech Television almost 100 million crowns (more than 3 million euros) for letting the broadcaster use the technical facilities in the arena. Czech Television says it cannot afford to pay so much and Sazka replies that as a private company it needs to please its shareholders. HOSPODARSKE NOVINY adds that there is more at stake than Czech viewers missing the matches. Czech Television holds the rights for international telecasts which cannot be transferred to any other broadcaster.
LIDOVE NOVINY reports that the Iron Curtain that used to divide Western Europe and the former socialist bloc is to be replaced by a green belt. The border which once carved Europe up into two parts will be erased for good and will be covered by a forest tens to hundreds of metres wide. The idea came from environmentalist organisations from Germany who were then joined by the colleagues from the Czech Republic and Austria. The first stretches of the green border are now being created in Germany. In future, the belt should stretch from the Arctic Ocean to the Black Sea.
