News Czech Republic 09.12.2012 - 03.12.2012

CR: Sub-zero temperatures lead to four deaths over weekend

Four deaths have been registered in connection with the weekend’s sub-zero temperatures. Two men and one woman died from suspected hypothermia in different parts of the country on Friday night, when record low temperatures were seen in several places. Another person died on Saturday night. Three of the deceased were believed to have been from the homeless community, the most at risk section of society in such weather. Shelters in various parts of the country reported being filled to capacity. One, in the form of a boat on the River Vltava in Prague, housed over 160 people on Saturday night.

Prague to improve services for homeless with numbers projected to triple within seven years

In related news, Prague is set to increase the capacity of shelters and drop-in centres for the homeless by the year 2020, the Czech News Agency reported. The city authorities will also put more effort into resocialising the homeless, invest in social and starter flats and expand field programmes, under a new plan due to be discussed by the city council in the coming weeks. Around 4,000 people currently live on the streets of the Czech capital, though that number is projected to increase to as many as 13,000 within seven years, according to the authors of the plan. Tapestry tribute to Václav Havel unveiled at airport

A large tapestry dedicated to the late former president Václav Havel was unveiled at Prague’s recently renamed Václav Havel Airport on Sunday. The French-made tapestry is based on a painting created by the award-winning Czech-born artist Petr Sís and originally published in the newspaper Hospodářské noviny on the day of Mr. Havel’s funeral last December. The work was the idea of the organisation Art for Amnesty and has been funded by a group of admirer’s of Czechoslovakia’s first post-Communist president, including rock stars such as Sting and members of U2.

Survey: Average Czech family to spend around USD 200 on Christmas dinner and decorations

The average Czech family are planning to spend around CZK 4,000 (around USD 200) on their Christmas dinner and tree, according to survey conducted by the STEM/MARK agency for the company Home Credit. Three quarters of respondents said they were planning to have a traditional Czech Christmas, spending the festive season with their families and eating carp on the evening of December 24. Over 80 percent of those polled said they planned to buy presents in traditional shops, though an analyst for Home Credit said a surprising number of the over 60s were making purchases online this year.

Suicide trio met on internet

Three people who committed suicide together at Roblín near Prague at the end of November met on the internet. Police were baffled when two men, of 39 and 27, and a woman of 37 from different corners of the Czech Republic were found dead in a car in the town. A police spokesperson said on Saturday that it had been ascertained that the three had met on an internet chat site; they had all been depressed for some time and agreed that while they did not want to go on living they could not face committing suicide on their own.

Festival of open cellars held in Brno

The first ever two-day “festival of open cellars” was held in Brno at the weekend. Underground spaces at around 30 spots in the Czech Republic’s second city have been opened to the public for the weekend, including the casemate at the Špilberk Castle, cellars beneath medieval arches, basement wine bars and restaurants and a number of spots not normally accessible to the public.

Czech FA chief requests UEFA help over “pressure” from Plzeň

The chairman of the Czech Football Association, Miroslav Pelta, has asked for help from European soccer’s governing body UEFA in connection with a case of alleged corruption. Mr. Pelta said on a television debate programme on Sunday that he had requested the intervention of UEFA because of the behaviour of Tomáš Paclík, the owner of Viktoria Plzeň, who have been accused of corrupt practices by the owner of Sparta Prague Daniel Křetínský and a former referee, who said he had been paid to influence a game in Plzeň’s favour. The Czech FA chief said Mr. Paclík’s method of communication had exceeded the boundaries of good ethics and that he felt under great pressure. Plzeň, who led the Czech league going into the winter break, strenuously deny any wrongdoing.

Weather

It should be quite sunny over the next couple of days, with temperatures set to reach a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius.

 

Press: Wiretaps in Rath case are admissible, Constitutional Court rules

Police wiretaps of MP David Rath and others implicating them in corruption are admissible as evidence in court, Mladá fronta Dnes reported on Saturday. Mr. Rath, who was also governor of the Central Bohemia Region at the time of his arrest in May, and his co-accused contested the validity of the recordings at the Constitutional Court, which rejected their appeal, the newspaper wrote. The former health minister and two associates have been charged with corruption involving millions of crowns and are expected to appear in court in the New Year.

Klaus questions appointment of “girl” Peake as defence minister

The Czech president, Václav Klaus, has questioned the wisdom of the mooted appointment of Karolina Peake to the post of defence minister. Mr. Klaus said on Friday that he did not believe that burly soldiers would not accept such a “little girl” (“dívenka”) as head of the army, or that the leader of the coalition’s smallest party LIDEM could become an expert on the army overnight. Mrs. Peake said she would try to persuade the president that she wasn’t a fragile little girl, adding that ministries were usually headed by politicians, not always experts in the given field. Prime Minister Petr Nečas has said he will announce the names of new defence and transport ministers next week.

Parties already rueing approval of direct presidential elections, says Klaus

Mr. Klaus, who steps down as president after two terms in March, also slammed the introduction of a direct presidential vote as populist nonsense that would come back to haunt its backers. It was a mistake to think the public would choose his successor, he said, it was actually the media who would select the president and the public would merely ratify their choice in two rounds of voting set to take place on the second and third weekends of January. The president said the big parties were already aware that they had scored an own goal by supporting a direct vote, a change which had been discussed for many years before being approved by Parliament in the summer.

Communists recommend supporters vote for Dienstbier or Zeman for president

The Communist Party will recommend that their supporters vote for one of two left-wing politicians standing for the post of president. Both Social Democrat MP Jiří Dienstbier and Miloš Zeman, a former Social Democrat prime minister, asked the Communists to give them their backing. But after a meeting on Saturday the Communists, who are not fielding a candidate of their own, said they hoped their voters would support one or other of the two. Party leader Vojtěch Filip said that while Mr. Zeman was more experienced and a better speaker, Mr. Dienstbier was stronger in the field of foreign policy.

Suicide trio met on internet

Three people who committed suicide together at Roblín near Prague at the end of November met on the internet. Police were baffled when two men, of 39 and 27, and a woman of 37 from different corners of the Czech Republic were found dead in a car in the town. A police spokesperson said on Saturday that it had been ascertained that the three had met on an internet chat site; they had all been depressed for some time and agreed that while they did not want to go on living they could not face committing suicide on their own.

Ragtime opens retrospective of Forman films in Prague

A retrospective of films by the two-time Oscar-winning Czech director Miloš Forman got underway at Prague’s Municipal Library on Friday night. The opening film was Ragtime (1981), which has never received cinema distribution in Czechoslovakia or the Czech Republic. Among those present was the cinematographer Miroslav Ondříček, who has worked closely with Forman over the years. The director, who turned 80 this year, will in February receive the Directors Guild of America's lifetime achievement award for distinguished achievement in motion picture direction.

Record cold temperatures registered on Friday

Record cold temperatures were recorded in some parts of the country on Friday night. Meteorologists said record lows for December 8 were registered at 16 percent of Czech weather stations that had been in existence for at least 30 years. It was -15.1 Celsius in Teplice, the lowest temperature experienced in the north Bohemian town on that date since 1925, while the coldest spot in the Czech Republic was Jizerka in the Liberec Region, where thermometers fell to -27 Celsius.

Nečas makes concessions over S-Cards

 

Prime Minister Petr Nečas has announced significant concessions to the government’s S-card system streamlining social and welfare benefit payments that is to come into effect in January next year. In line with a fresh agreement reached with Ceska Sporitelna and the Czech Postal Service S-Cards will not be mandatory for payments and will only serve for identification purposes. Under the proposed amendment, people will be free to decide whether they want their benefits sent to the S-card account, a different account or by post.The only exemption concerns those suspected of exploiting the welfare benefits system.

No resolution reached on defense and transportation posts

Friday morning’s meeting between the leaders of the coalition parties brought no answers to the new appointments of defense and transportation ministers. Prime Minister Petr Nečas said that he hopes to pick the candidates for the ministerial positions next week. He has previously indicated that if the Civic Democrats and the LIDEM party exchange the two posts, it is possible that LIDEM chairwoman Karolína Peake would become the Defense Minister. President Václav Klaus expressed doubts on Friday over Ms Peake’s suitability for this appointment.

Medical marijuana bill approved by lower house

The Chamber of Deputies has approved a bill on Friday that legalizes the use of marijuana to alleviate some medical conditions. Patients will be able to purchase marijuana only with an electronic prescription from a doctor. The bill still needs to be approved by the Senate and signed by the president to come into effect.

Klaus refuses to sign rescue fund addendum

President Václav Klaus has refused to sign an addendum to the Lisbon Treaty on the creation of a European Stability Mechanism. The president said on Friday that he considers the European Stabilization Mechanism to be ill-conceived and absurd. The addendum to the treaty which was agreed on at an EU summit last December has been ratified by both chambers of Czech Parliament, but the president’s refusal to sign it makes the Czech Republic the only EU member state not to have completed the ratification process. The Senate called on the president on Thursday to sign the addendum without further delay, noting that failure to comply with Parliament’s decision in this matter would be in violation of the constitution.

Charles University senate protests proposed changes

The academic senate of Prague’s Charles University has issued a statement saying that it disagrees with the current proposal for higher education reforms. According to the senate’s spokesperson the Education Ministry’s current proposal does not resolve even the basic problem of separating universities into scientific and professional ones. They also claim that the ministry has not allowed for enough time to negotiate possible changes. The academic community has rejected a number of proposals for reform s in the past few years. Thousands of students and academics protested against the reforms proposed by the former Education Minister Josef Dobeš this February.

Czech Republic remains in recession

The Czech GDP fell by 0.3 percent in the third quarter of this year, and by 1.3 percent year-on-year, the Czech Statistical Office confirmed on Friday. This means the Czech economy has been in recession since the end of last year, which some analysts say equates them to the most indebted south European countries like Greece and Spain.

Ombudsman to bring DONEZ to court

The Czech ombudsman Pavel Varvařovský is planning to lodge a legal complaint against the system of checks for the unemployed called DONEZ, which will come into effect starting January. DONEZ requires people registered as unemployed to appear at public administration centers a few times a week. The measure is meant to prevent people who receive unemployment benefits from working illegally. Mr Varvařovský believes this constitutes an excessive encroachment on human dignity.

Meteorologists warn of freezing temperatures over the weekend

The Czech Meteorological Institute has issued low temperature warnings for nine regions, mostly in the east of the country, for the whole of the upcoming weekend. In some mountainous areas, temperatures are expected to dip as low as -17 degrees Celsius during the nights. Day temperatures may be around -10 degrees in some parts of the country. Extreme temperatures should become more moderate by Monday morning.

Prague Zoo gets ready for complicated gorilla birth

A gorilla named Kamba, who resides at the Prague zoo, is due to give birth in January, but already a month before sixty people are ready to step in at any moment, to help the mother who most likely is also suffering from a heart condition. Because of her condition, the birth may be tricky and dangerous, so the zoo’s veterinarian has a list of in-house and external specialists who are on call and would be able to help with the delivery. Another gorilla in the zoo named Kyjiva will also give birth around the same time, but the staff do not expect complications in this case.

Plzeň beat champions Atletico Madrid to top Europa League group

Viktoria Plzeň finished top of their group in the Europa League after beating defending champions Atletico Madrid 1:0 at home on Thursday night, thanks to a goal from Václav Procházka. Plzeň had already qualified for the knockout stage of Europe’s second-tier competition prior to their final group stage game. The same applied to Sparta Prague, who drew 0:0 away with Athletic Bilbao. The pair’s success means it will be the first time two Czech clubs have still been in European competition in the New Year since 2004.

 

European Affairs Commission against female quota on company boards

Parliament’s Commission for European Affairs has asked the government to vote against a proposal by Brussels to impose a 40 per cent female quota on listed company boards across the EU. Opposition to the proposal was spearheaded by Public Affairs. The commission concluded that introducing quotas for companies should be a last-ditch measure that should be decided by individual member states. MP Viktor Paggio from Public Affairs described the proposal as an ill-conceived attempt at social engineering that would inevitably backfire. The EC defended the proposal on the grounds that all its previous attempts to address a severe gender imbalance across the 27-country bloc by attempting to reach voluntary agreements with companies had failed.

Senate urges president to sign addendum to Lisbon Treaty

The Senate has called on President Vaclav Klaus to sign the addendum to the Lisbon Treaty relating to the creation of a European Stability Mechanism. The addendum to the treaty which was agreed on at an EU summit last December has been ratified by both chambers of Parliament but still lacks the president’s signature making the Czech Republic the last EU member state which has yet to complete the ratification process. The Senate has called on the president to sign the addendum without further delay, noting that failure to comply with Parliament’s decision in this matter would be in violation of the constitution. The country’s Eurosceptic president postponed putting his signature to the Lisbon Treaty for as long as possible, signing it only after the EU nodded to his demand for a Czech opt-out from the treaty’s Chapter of Fundamental Rights.

Senators criticize S-card system

The Senate on Thursday also extensively criticized the newly-introduced electronic S-cards via which the state wants to pay out welfare benefits as unethical and unconstitutional. The Senate’s Committee for Social Affairs is to debate a proposal for their abolition tabled by the Social Democratic Party. The new S-card system has evoked enormous controversy, with critics pointing out that pensioners living in small villages may have problems getting to a money machine and would inevitably lose money on the transaction from their already meagre pensions. Senators moreover point out that people will be forced to have an account at Česká Sporitelna, selected by the government to run the operation, even if they already have an account elsewhere.

Social Democrats face fresh bribery scandal

The anti-corruption police have proposed filing charges against 17 members of the Prague branch of the Social Democratic Party. The suspects are believed to have paid people to enter the party and vote according to their directions. This was done to influence voting in compiling the list of candidates in the 2010 general elections and elections to the Prague City Council. Two men are suspected of offering bribes, 15 of taking them.

Thousands used as virtual slaves in 1950s army unit could get compensation

Thousands of people who were forced to work as virtual slaves in a Czechoslovak army unit in the 1950s could receive compensation, the news website iDnes reported. Men sent to the Auxiliary Technical Battalions would get a one-off payment of CZK 1,800 for every month of what was practically imprisonment, under an Interior Ministry proposal to place them in the same category as “class enemies” jailed by the Communist regime. The latter have already received similar compensation and the move comes in response to a court case in September in which a former “member” of the Auxiliary Technical Battalions won compensation. The proposal is set to go before the government.

Health ministry concerned about increased methanol threat over Christmas

The Czech health ministry has warned of the danger of more methanol poisonings over the Christmas holidays. According to police estimates there could still be up to 5,000 litres of uncertified, potentially dangerous alcohol in small stores and households. In the course of the past three months 38 people have died of methanol poisonings from bootleg liquor and three are currently in hospital in serious condition. Spirits have been banned from Christmas markets around the country.

Government agency for social inclusion to expand its activities

The government agency for social inclusion will expand its activities to 17 more towns and cities around the Czech Republic in 2013, according to the head of the agency Pavel Šimíček. The agency, set up in 2008, has been active in 33 problem localities to date, working closely with local authorities to resolve housing problems and creating a liaison between people living in social exclusion and labour offices, schools and the police. According to available data there are around 300 slums around the Czech Republic, inhabited predominantly by members of the Romany minority.

Czech army to get new uniforms

The Czech Defence Ministry is to equip the armed forces with new uniforms. According to the ministry’s spokesman Jan Pejšek the purchase for summer and winter uniforms to the tune of 93 million crowns is to be made via the NATO support agency, after the ministry’s tender for new uniforms was cancelled by the Czech anti-monopoly office. The ministry has had problems placing a tender for new uniforms for the past two years.

Ukrainian porn star demonstrates topless outside Czech Parliament

A Ukrainian porn-star who was refused asylum in the Czech Republic demonstrated outside the Czech Parliament building topless on Thursday to draw attention to her case. Anastazia Hagen, who is a mother of three, says she fears returning to her homeland where she could be persecuted for acting in porn-movies. She fled the country 18 months ago and settled in the Czech Republic with her husband and three sons.

Hungarian nationals detained over drug possession

Two Hungarian women have been detained after customs officers found 7 kg of marihuana in their luggage. The women, aged 19 and 31, were transiting the Czech Republic by train and the drug was found during a routine check at the Olomouc railway station. Its street price has been estimated at 700,000 crowns.

 

Netanyahu thanks Czechs for vote against Palestinian status upgrade at UN

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu made a brief stop-over in Prague on Wednesday to personally thank his Czech counterpart, Petr Nečas, for the Czech Republic’s vote at the UN General Assembly last week against the upgrading of the Palestinians’ status at the United Nations. The Czech Republic was one of only nine countries to vote against the Palestinians becoming an observer state – and the only European Union country to do so. At a press briefing in Prague the Israeli prime minister said the Czech Republic had taken a brave, if not popular, stance. He reiterated that he remained committed to a two-state solution with the Palestinians, but stressed that Israel would not reverse its course in the construction of new settlements nor would it sacrifice its vital interests for the sake of obtaining the world's applause.

Analysts note that Mr. Netanyahu’s second visit to Prague this year reflects the two countries' above-standard relations. From Prague the Israeli prime minister will travel to Berlin for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Peake ready to take over defence ministry in planned cabinet reshuffle

Deputy Prime Minister Karolina Peake has confirmed that she is prepared to take over the defence ministry in a planned cabinet reshuffle. At a press briefing in Prague on Wednesday the deputy prime minister said that her party LIDEM was ready to swap ministerial posts with the Civic Democrats. The arrangement being debated is a merger of the transport ministry with that of industry and trade which would be header by the current trade minister Martin Kuba. In return for the loss of the transport ministry the smallest party in government would get the top post at the defence ministry which is about to be vacated by Civic Democrat Alexander Vondra.

Deputy to the state attorney dismissed for loss of trust

The deputy to the supreme state attorney, Stanislav Mečl, has been dismissed from his post. He was removed from office by Justice Minister Pavel Blažek at the request of the Supreme State Attorney Pavel Zeman. Mr. Zeman’s spokesperson Helena Markusová said that due to several incidents in the recent past the supreme state attorney no longer trusted his deputy. No details were provided and neither Mr. Mečl nor Mr. Zeman have been available for comment.

Korean Air and Qatar Airlines express interest in Czech Airlines

Korean Air and Qatar Airlines have expressed interest in purchasing shares in the Czech national carrier Czech Airlines, or ČSA, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek said at a press briefing in Prague on Wednesday. The government is offering to sell a 96 percent stake to a European buyer; other airlines could only purchase a less than 50 percent stake in order to ensure that ČSA remains a national carrier. Although it approached 50 airlines with the offer only Korean Air and Qatar Airlines have responded. The Czech government is expected to decide on the sale in March of next year. A previous attempt to sell off ČSA in 2009 was not successful.

Social security administration head resigns over dubious tender

Petr Poncar, the head of social security administration, has resigned in connection with a dubious tender. The news was confirmed on Wednesday by the new labour and social affairs minister, Ludmila Mullerová, who said the suspect tender concerned a planned purchase of printers worth 200 million crowns. The daily Lidové noviny notes that Petr Poncar, a former pension fund director at Allianz, had been handpicked for the post by the former deputy labour minister Vladimir Šiška who is now charged with corruption.

Czech Republic inches up TI’s corruption perception index

According to Transparency International’s 2012 corruption perception index the Czech Republic’s corruption rating has improved slightly moving it from 57th to 54th place on the ladder, alongside Latvia, Malaysia and Turkey. The Czech branch of TI says that despite the government’s proclaimed anti-corruption drive significant progress will not be made unless more people and more money are involved and the respective anti-corruption laws are in place. TI has repeatedly criticized the absence of a law on civil service, the financing of political parties and the fact that politicians are appointed to the boards of state-run companies.

Supreme Court upholds 16-year-sentence for murder

The Supreme Court has upheld a 16-year-prison sentence for an American citizen who was found guilty of murdering a man on a night tram in Prague last February. The two men reportedly had an argument in a bar after which the victim departed. The American followed him onto a Prague tram shooting him in cold blood after it had emptied out. The 43-year-old man was later found dead by the tram driver.

Supreme Court upholds punishment for road pirate

The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a two-year suspended sentence and a seven year ban on driving for the notorious road pirate Ales Trpišovský. Trpišovský was accused of presenting a threat to public safety by his reckless and aggressive driving on the country’s D1 highway. According to eyewitnesses he repeatedly hit the brakes in front of slower vehicles as punishment for slowing him down. In one case the car behind him crashed as a result. Trpišovský’s case has become notorious in the Czech Republic, where aggressive driving is a serious problem.

Christmas ice-skating rink open

A Christmas outdoor ice-skating rink opened on Prague’s Ovocný trh, in the city centre on Wednesday. The rink is open from 10 am till 10 pm daily for free and people can rent skates on the spot. The ice-rink has an eleven-year-tradition and is used by around 20,000 people every Christmas. It will remain open until January 6th.

Czech Republic face tough tie at World Floorball Championship after loss to Latvia

The Czech Republic were beaten 5:4 by Latvia in their final group game at the World Floorball Championship in Switzerland on Tuesday night. At one stage the Czechs were leading 4:2, but their opponents made a spirited comeback to win the game and top their group. That result is potentially damaging to the Czech Republic’s chances of progress, as it means they will face current champions Finland in the quarterfinals.

 

Kalousek: Czech Republic wants guarantee on sovereignty if EU bank supervisor created

Speaking in Brussels, the Czech minister of finance, Miroslav Kalousek, said on Tuesday that the Czech Republic would only agree to the creation of a European Union banking supervisory body if the bloc granted extra powers to national regulators. Mr. Kalousek said Prague wanted a commitment that the Czech National Bank would have the final authority in the case that a daughter company of an international bank was transformed into a branch, as branches do not come under national regulators. He pointed out that over 90 of the Czech banking sector was owned by the daughter companies of banks based in the eurozone.

Salaries up slightly but not keeping pace with inflation

According to official figures released on Tuesday, the average salary in the Czech Republic rose to CZK 24,514 in the third quarter of this year, representing an increase of 1.4 percent year-on-year. However, given that consumer prices grew by 3.3 percent in the third quarter, wage-earners were worse off than in the same period in 2011. Analysts said they had not expected such a marked fall in real incomes.

House votes to lift immunity of MP Roman Pekárek

The Chamber of Deputies voted on Tuesday to lift the parliamentary immunity of the Civic Democrats’ Roman Pekárek. Mr. Pekárek had been in the process of appealing a six-year jail term for corruption when he gained a seat in the Chamber of Deputies due to the resignation of a party colleague. Some 158 of 161 deputies present in the lower house voted to strip him of his immunity, meaning that his appeal proceeding can now go ahead. Mr. Pekárek says he is innocent and has rejected calls for him to quit the lower house.

Young Czechs’ consumption of marijuana down slightly last year

The consumption of marijuana among young Czechs fell last year, according to a new report by the National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Some 16.1 percent of those in the 16 to 34 age category told researchers they had consumed the country’s most commonly used illicit drug in 2011, down from 20 percent the year before. At the same time, the number of what are referred to as problem drug users grew slightly, the report found.

Czech and Hungarian presidents defend expansion of states’ nuclear programmes

The Czech president Václav Klaus and his Hungarian counterpart János Áder said after a meeting in Budapest on Tuesday that their countries had a shared interest in expanding their nuclear power plants. Mr. Klaus said the two states would defend their nuclear policies in a Europe that was behaving irrationally. Austria has criticised both the Czech Republic and Hungary’s use of nuclear energy, and the Czech president said he was disquieted by any Austrian protests against plans to expand the Temelín plant in south Bohemia. He was in Hungary on the first day of a two-day state visit.

Kalousek to reveal airlines interested in purchasing ČSA

The minister of finance, Miroslav Kalousek, will on Wednesday present the cabinet with information on which international airlines have expressed interest in taking over Czech Airlines, or ČSA. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday that the information would only concern possible interest in taking part in the privatisation of the Czech national carrier; price and other aspects would be addressed in a future phase of the process. A previous attempt to sell off ČSA in 2009 was not successful.

Vondra: Latest offer on Swedish fighter planes 10 percent cheaper

The Czech defence minister, Alexandr Vondra, says Sweden has offered the Czech Republic a new deal to lease 14 Gripen fighter planes that is 10 percent cheaper than an offer made in the summer. The Czech prime minister, Petr Nečas, had previously said that his government might launch a new tender process for fighter jets if the two sides could not agree a deal. Mr. Vondra is stepping down at the end of the week.

No injuries in Czech National Library fire

Fire officers were called out on Tuesday morning to put out a fire at the Czech National Library at Prague’s Clementinum. The small fire – which broke out in a kitchen in the administrative section of the library – did not cause any injuries. The damages are being assessed. A spokesperson for the Prague fire service said that the cause appeared to be an electrical fault. The National Library is currently undergoing renovations.

Rare medieval artefacts found beside future Václav Havel Library

Archaeologists have found rare medieval artefacts in the courtyard of a building on Loretánská St. in the Prague Castle complex that should in future house the Václav Havel Library. The excavations have uncovered human bones, ceramics and coins from the era of Vratislaus II of Bohemia. The protected building was purchased for the Havel Library by the wealthy businessman Zdeněk Bakala. Some conservationists have objected to the project, which has yet to receive a construction permit.

Lamb of God singer Blythe charged in Prague over death of fan

The heavy metal musician Randy Blythe has been charged in Prague with causing bodily harm with lethal consequences. The frontman of the group Lamb of God is accused of pushing a fan from the stage during a concert in the city in 2010, resulting in his death. Blythe, who is currently in the US, spent five weeks on remand in Prague earlier this year before being released on bail. If found guilty, he could receive a five- to 10-year jail term.

Czechs beat USA 13:4 at World Floorball Championships

The Czech Republic beat the USA 13:4 at the World Floorball Championships in Switzerland on Monday night. The Czechs, who were favourites, got off to a slower start than in their first game – in which they routed Japan 21:1 – and did not score until the sixth minute. The result puts them into the knock-out stage, and they will face Latvia on Tuesday night in a game to decide who wins their group.

 

Clinton in Prague expresses support for Westinghouse bid for Temelín contract

The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, was in Prague for a short visit on Monday to support a bid by the American and Japanese company Westinghouse to complete the Temelín nuclear power station in South Bohemia. Mrs. Clinton met with the Czech prime minister, Petr Necaš, her Czech counterpart, Karel Schwarzenberg, and leaders of the opposition. At a press conference in the Czech capital after meeting with the Czech foreign minister, Mrs. Clinton expressed support for Westinghouse, saying the company was offering the "best technology and security guarantees". The firm is competing for the Temelín deal with Russia's Atomstroyexport (bidding as part of a Russian-Czech consortium). On Monday, Mrs. Clinton also praised Czech-U.S. relations, calling the Czech Republic one of the closest partners of the U.S. in Europe.

U.S. secretary of state warns Assad regime over chemical weapons

In related news, the visiting U.S. secretary of state issued a warning in Prague to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad about the deployment of chemical weapons against inhabitants, although she would not say what steps the United States would take if the weapons were used. Mrs. Clinton said democratic governments throughout the world were closely watching developments in Syria. Her Czech counterpart Karel Schwarzenberg warned about the situation in the country being increasingly chaotic and said it was not clear what would happen if a rebellious group got hold of chemical weapons. The U.S. secretary of state said the Czech Republic had ample knowledge of processing chemical, biological and other arsenals, stressing that cooperation with Prague would be very important in the event that Mr Assad´s regime fell and international forces were deployed in Syria.

Opposition party leader stresses importance of guarantees on price, safety

The head of the opposition Social Democrats Bohuslav Sobotka also met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Monday, in which he stressed that a guarantee regarding the final price of completion of the project as well as an upholding of the completion deadline as well as safety of Temelín as important. Besides the Czech Republic’s nuclear power plant Temelín, Mr Sobotka and Mrs Clinton discussed other matters including the EU, the situation in Syria and Afghanistan.

Transport minister steps down

The Czech minister of transport, Pavel Dobeš of the LIDEM party, officially stepped down on Monday. Mr Dobeš announced his resignation last month under pressure from his own party over problems with a new vehicle registry system; however, party infighting also played a role in the move, and the outgoing minister said he was considering quitting the LIDEM group. Coalition parties are yet to agree on who will succeed Pavel Dobeš at the Transport Ministry.

Supreme Audit Office finds shortcomings in Office of President administration

The Supreme Audit Office has uncovered shortcomings in management at the Office of the President and Lány Forestry Administration, an allowance organisation. The bureau uncovered mistakes in accounting and inventory as well as a number of public tenders, a spokeswoman revealed; there was no misuse of state budget funds and some of the problems uncovered have already been rectified. The main task of Lesní správa Lány, the Lány Forestry Administration, is to meet the requirements of the president and guests at the presidential chateau and grounds.

Topolánek likely to quit Civic Democrats

Former prime minister Mirek Topolánek has suggested he will leave the party he once headed, the right-of-centre Civic Democrats, telling the weekly Euro he would probably not renew membership in March of next year. He told the magazine that the chances of his paying the annual membership fee was “close to zero”; the party, which heads the current government coalition, has suffered a significant drop in voter preference recent opinion polls, coming third behind both opposition parties the Social Democrats and the Communists. Speaking at the party’s convention in November, Mr Topolánek pushed for changes in leadership which he says did not happen. Mr Topolánek first joined the Civic Democrats in 1994; he took over as leader in 2002 and led the party shortly up until the 2010 elections, when he was replaced by current leader Petr Nečas.

Dolejš suggests Communists more inclined to support Dienstbier

Deputy Communist Party leader Jiří Dolejš has suggested that support from within his party is likely higher for Social Democratic presidential hopeful Jiří Dienstbier than for fellow fellow candidate and former Social Democrat leader Miloš Zeman. Mr Dolejš was reacting to an appeal by current Social Democrat chairman Bohuslav Sobotka at the weekend for the Left to align behind a single candidate, to curb right-wing or conservative candidates' chances of being elected. Despite the appeal, Mr Dolejš made clear he did not know who his party leadership would recommend. The country faces its first direct presidential election in January; President Václav Klaus ends his final term in March.

Students complete applications for high school-leaving exams

Students in their last year at high school had their last chance on Monday to apply for high school-leaving exams next spring. The exams include a compulsory section in the Czech language and an option of choosing between either mathematics or a foreign language. After numerous mistakes in the last exams, changes in testing were introduced: namely all students will be tested at the same level (without, for example, an advanced option in maths).

Patient in serious condition after drinking poisoned alcohol

A patient in his early 60s was admitted to hospital in Benešov, Central Bohemia, in serious condition on Sunday evening for methyl alcohol poisoning. Police are investigating and the bottle of spirits that were consumed is being tested in a laboratory. A police spokesman revealed the bottle was from the patient’s long-term supplies. The Czech Republic was hit by an outbreak of methanol poisoning in mid-September that over the weeks and months since has claimed 37 lives. The laced alcohol was introduced onto the market illegally in September by bootleggers. Officials have repeatedly appealed to Czechs not to drink hard alcohol of unknown origin – a warning being repeated ahead of the holiday season.

Prague residents may pay more for sanitation services

According to Czech Radio’s Regina, Prague residents may have to pay more next year for garbage removal: City Hall has not yet addressed the issue publically, but several towns are planning hikes. Funds have not been enough in the long term – estimates suggest that roughly half billion crowns are needed.