Prague Monitor

Day nine: Banderas and a goodbye

by Hana Gomoláková | Prague Daily Monitor

The biggest star to walk the red carpet on Friday arrived in Karlovy Vary in good humour and gave smiles all around to the crowds that were waiting for him for more than two hours in the rain, all just to catch a glimpse of the famous actor: Antonio Banderas.

Canadian activist denies manipulation of Czech Roma exodus

ČTK

The Czech government is trying to lay the blame for Roma migration on alleged unscrupulous manipulators in the background, Paul St. Clair from the Toronto based Romany Community Center said in a press release.

At least four injured in Prague explosion

ČTK

A restaurant in Prague's Sokolovská street was rocked by an explosion Thursday night that caused at least four injuries, one of them serious, the server Týden.cz wrote. The victims have been hospitalised. The source of the blast was probably the suitcase of one of the guests, police spokeswoman Jolana Číhová said. Police have examined the scene of the accident. No new information is expected in the nearest hours.

Day eight: More Malkovich

by Hana Gomoláková | Prague Daily Monitor

The beauty of KVIFF: Where else could you meet John Malkovich, Antonio Banderas and Jaromír Nohavica within the space of a few days?

Motorways will cut through Czech mountains

by Jiří Michal | E15

A new government plan proposes the construction of a road passing through central Šumava, another one through Jeseníky and a new dual carriageway to the foothills in northern Bohemia.

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Nearly one third of large firms change energy supplier in 2008

ČTK

Almost one third of large customers used the opportunity to change their electricity supplier last year, while in 2007 less than one fifth of large companies did so, according to an annual report of the Czech Energy Regulatory Office (ČRÚ).

Analysts: Jobless rate up, but period of mass dismissals is over

ČTK

Unemployment has risen due to the economic crisis but the greatest shock in the form of mass dismissals has apparently been overcome, analysts polled by ČTK said Thursday.

FinMin, some politicians support Klaus's veto of car-scrapping scheme

ČTK

The Finance Ministry as well as some politicians from the former government coalition have welcomed the decision of President Václav Klaus to veto the bill enabling the introduction of the car-scrapping bonus in the Czech Republic.

Saint-Gobain Vertex with 2008 profit down a half

ČTK

Glass-fibre fabrics maker Saint-Gobain Vertex had a CZK 332 million profit last year, down from 2007's CZK 716 million, according to the company's annual report.

Vetropack 2008 sales drop 4.6% to CZK 2.14bn

ČTK

Vetropack Moravia Glass, a producer of glass containers for the food industry, saw its sales drop by 4.6% to CZK 2.14 billion in 2008, board of directors chairman Marcello Montisci said Wednesday.

Orly Airport still withholding SkyEurope plane

ČTK

Paris Airport Orly is still withholding a plane of Slovak low-cost air carrier SkyEurope as it has not yet received in writing the final decision ordering the release of the aircraft made by a French court on Tuesday, Orly Airport spokeswoman Claire Gozlan said.

Seven new board members approved at Orco general meeting

ČTK

Shareholders in real estate company Orco Property Group at a general meeting Wednesday approved seven new members to the board of directors and renewed the mandate of the current management, Orco spokeswoman Petra Zdeňková said.

Workforce in agriculture down 3% in 2008

ČTK

Workforce in Czech agriculture fell by over 3% to 126,400 people last year and the long-term trend of employees leaving the sector thus continued, according to a report on the situation of Czech agriculture for 2008 to be discussed at the government's meeting on Monday.

State debt grows to CZK 1,140bn in June

ČTK

Czech state debt increased to almost CZK 1,140 billion at the end of June, up by nearly CZK 138 billion since the beginning of the year, the Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

Czech Republic wins CZK 2bn arbitration dispute over TV3

ČTK

The Czech Republic has won an arbitration dispute against Luxembourg's European Media Ventures (EMV) which demanded some CZK 2 billion for lost investment in now no longer functioning regional TV station TV3, Finance Ministry spokesman Ondřej Jakob said.

Interpreter: Czech Romanies abuse Canada's tolerance

ČTK

Canada is so tolerant with an administrative system based on mutual trust to such a high extent that it harms the country and Czech Romanies seeking asylum there often abuse it, Czech interpreter Jan Rotbauer, living in Canada, told Thursday's issue of Mladá fronta Dnes (MfD).

Poll: New TOP 09 party has chance to enter parliament

ČTK

The new conservative party TOP 09 has a high chance to enter the Chamber of Deputies, in the October early elections, according to a poll conducted by the Median agency for daily Mladá fronta Dnes.

Schwarzenberg to be TOP 09 election leader in Prague

ČTK

TOP 09 party Thursday signed a cooperation agreement with the Mayors and Independents movement and announced that Karel Schwarzenberg would lead its candidates in Prague in the October early general election, Miroslav Kalousek, one of the TOP 09 founders, said.

Former deputy minister acquitted of charges

ČTK

Former Deputy Minister Yvona Legierská was acquitted of charges in connection with the administration of a palace in Prague centre by a district court Thursday.

Roma movement denies organising exodus to Canada

ČTK

The Roma Resistance Movement, an informal alliance of several Roma associations that in May called on Romanies to leave the Czech Republic, does not stand behind their current mass immigration to Canada, movement spokesman Václav Miko told ČTK Thursday.

Poll: ODS leads in preferences ahead of ČSSD

ČTK

The right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS) would win general election now ahead of the Social Democrats (ČSSD), according to a poll conducted by the Median agency on June 2-July 1 and released to ČTK Thursday.

KDU-ČSL wants new election system for media councils

ČTK

The Christian Democrats want to change the powers of public media directors and the election system for media councils in order to prevent political parties from controlling these councils, KDU-ČSL leader Cyril Svoboda told journalists Thursday.

Reflex: Rath's fall may result in ČSSD head's end

ČTK

The fall of David Rath, a Social Democrat deputy and Central Bohemian governor, would have destructive impact on the position of party chairman Jiří Paroubek, Bohumil Pečinka writes in weekly Reflex out Thursday.

Pravčice gate advances in new seven world wonders contest

ČTK

The Pravčice Gate, a unique sandstone rock formation in north Bohemia, is among the 77 monuments that have advanced to the semifinal of the world's new seven natural wonders contest, the list of which has been presented by the organisers on www.new7wonders.com.

After ICC ratification Czechs urge other states to follow suit

ČTK

The signing of the Czech Republic's accession to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by President Váaccedclav Klaus on Wednesday will be an impetus for other countries to consider taking the same step and acceding to the ICC as well, the Czech Foreign Ministry said.

Czech soldiers teach Afghans to pilot helicopters, communicate in Russian

ČTK

Czech soldiers currently train 11 Afghanis to pilot Mi-24 helicopters that the Czech Republic has donated to Afghanistan, instructors' team commander Petr Juračka told ČTK Thursday.

Experts: Czech-Roma relations will not worsen over visas

ČTK

Relations between Roma and the rest of the Czech population are so bad in the long run that they probably could not further worsen if Canada introduced visas for Czechs, but extremists could try to benefit from the step, experts say.

ČR becomes last EU member to recognise ICC

ČTK

Czech President Václav Klaus signed on Wednesday an agreement on the Czech Republic's accession to the International Criminal Court, Martin Erva from the press department of the Presidential Office said. The country is the last EU member state to ratify the agreement, though its representatives signed it as early as April 1999. The parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe criticised the Czech Republic for its failure to ratify the implementation of the ICC in January.

Czech hockey forward Hudler leaves Detroit for Dynamo Moscow

ČTK

Czech ice hockey forward Jiří Hudler, 25, is leaving NHL's Detroit as he signed a contract for next two seasons with Dynamo Moscow on Wednesday.

Expert: Money behind Czech Roma exodus

ČTK

The migration of Czech Roma to Canada is part of a client system in which some former citizens of the Czech Republic and Slovakia have a "professional and financial interest," says sociologist Roman Krištof, former director of the Government Council for Romany Affairs.

Govt agency has no idea what it did for Roma integration

ČTK

Not even the management of the Czech government agency for social inclusion in Roma localities knows the exact results the agency has reached during its 16-month work in 12 towns and regions participating in the pilot project.

Prague airport checks might solve problems with Canada

ČTK

The introduction of preliminary airport checks in Prague is spoken about in diplomatic circles as a possible solution to halt the influx of Czech asylum claimants in Canada, according to ČTK's information from the Czech government.

President pardons 15 people, including four foreigners

ČTK

President Václav Klaus on Wednesday pardoned 15 people, including four foreigners, Martin Erva from the Presidential Office press department said.

School instead of work. Foreigners finding ways to stay in ČR

by Jaroslava Synáčová | Týden.cz

Hundreds of foreigners, who – mainly because of the crisis and lay-offs – lost their Czech resident permits, are trying to find ways to remain in the country by passing themselves off as students.

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New farming rules to protect against floods

by Pavel Baroch | aktuálně.cz

The Agriculture Ministry wants to transform agriculture, so that farmland is able to retain water better and help prevent future floods.

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Barroso to discuss Canadian visas for Czechs

ČTK

The talks on the continuing visa-free relations with Canada will be joined by the European Commission, as Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout told radio station Impuls Wednesday that the issue will be discussed by Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, on the fringe of the G8 summit in Aquila.

Last week's events - 3 - 9 July

by Petra Pokorná | Prague Daily Monitor

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Prague squatters and the threat of reintroducing visas to Canada for Czechs.

Karlovy Vary film fest scores again

Prague Daily Monitor

This year's Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, continuing until this Saturday, has already been deemed a success by organisers and visitors alike. See the Prague Monitor's slide show and read daily reports here.

Milada and Ludmila

by Marek Švehla | Respekt.cz

The police action against the Milada squat has to be perceived as an act against the last nonconformists in an otherwise sugar-coated city, Respekt's Marek Švehla writes.

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Riding the river

by Radka Balážová | Prague Daily Monitor

Float trips – canoeing down the river – is becoming increasingly popular, and the conditions are becoming more convenient even for people who are not experienced canoers.

Day seven: Malkovich mania

by Hana Gomoláková | Prague Daily Monitor

The arrival of one of the greatest personalities in the film world to Prague on Tuesday was just as classy as the actor, director, and producer himself.

John Malkovich arrives in Vary

ČTK

John Malkovich is to receive the Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema at the festival closing ceremony on Saturday.

LN: City Hall to help squatters' neighbours

ČTK

The Prague City Hall has offered provisional housing for the residents of a private house where 15 squatters received flats recently at the initiative of Human Rights and Minorities Minister Michael Kocáb, which many find controversial, Lidové noviny wrote on Wednesday.

MfD: People from flood-hit Jeseník to move uphill

ČTK

People from Jeseník, north Moravia, who were hit by the recent floods, will probably move to live on a nearby hill, but otherwise Czechs reconstruct their houses near the streams and rivers although they may be damaged by flooding in future again, the daily Mladá fronta Dnes wrote on Wednesday.

Minister: ČR faces threat of prison system collapse

ČTK

The Czech Republic is threatened with the prison system's collapse, Justice Minister Daniela Kovářová told journalists Wednesday, referring to the rising number of inmates in the country's overcrowded prisons.

South Bohemian mayors want to focus on flood prevention

ČTK

The mayors of the south Bohemian municipalities submerged by torrential rains and swollen rivers in the past two weeks want to focus more on flood prevention, they said at their meeting with government representatives Wednesday.

Echoes of Karlovy Vary film festival, Colours of Ostrava and Bohemia Jazz Fest

by Kateřina Heilmann | Prague Daily Monitor

Echoes of Karlovy Vary film festival, Colours of Ostrava, Mickey Rourke as an ageing wrestler, Bohemian Jazz Fest and French food fair.

First anthology of modern Czech drama after 1989 published in USA

ČTK

The first anthology of contemporary Czech theatre plays written after the collapse of the communist regime in 1989 has been published in the United States under the title "Czech Plays: Seven New Works" these days.

A movie about Havel, the spoiler of beer

by Tomáš Seidl | Hospodářské noviny

A new film about Václav Havel, inspired by Audience play, is entering Czech cinemas.

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Going underground in Moravia

Prague Daily Monitor

Twenty-five kilometres north of the tall grey apartment complexes and graffiti-stained streets of Brno is the Moravian Karst, which offers 100 sq km of caves and underground trails.