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Copyright (c) 2010 Radio Prague (Cesky Rozhlas 7 - Radio Praha)
News Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
By: Sarah Borufka
* The Czech prime minister has given in to the demands of transport
union leaders in an effort to avert a nation-wide transport strike.
* Civic Democrat leader Mirek Topolanek is demanding an apology from
the German authorities for harassing Czech drivers with excessive
road-checks.
* The Czech Republic may take part in a project to modernize Bulgarian
and Hungarian helicopters.
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Prime Minister cancels higher taxation of employee benefits to avert
transport strike
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The Czech prime minister, Jan Fischer, on Tuesday afternoon cancelled
the higher taxation of employee benefits, giving in to the demands of
transport union leaders that had threatened to go on a nation-wide
strike to take place on Thursday. Earlier on Tuesday, Parliament
deputies and union leaders discussed a possible amendment to the act on
value added tax that would cancel higher taxation of employee benefits.
The talks broke up after Civic Democrat deputies, who have a majority
in the Senate, confirmed their opposition to the proposed change and
said they would block any proposals which would increase the country's
already steep budget deficit. But the prime minister decided to push
through a cancellation of the higher taxation, stating he wanted to
make sure the country would not be in upheaval before the upcoming
general elections in May. It is still possible, however, that the
amendment will not pass before the Senate and the union leaders have
not yet cancelled Thursday's nationwide transport strike.
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Czech Civic Democrat leader criticizes German authorities
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On an official visit to Brussels, Czech Civic Democrat leader Mirek
Topolanek harshly criticized the German authorities for harassing Czech
drivers with excessive road checks. Increased controls of Czech cars
happen most often in neighboring Bavaria, where traffic police are said
to specifically pick on Czech drivers and make them undergo lengthy and
thorough check-ups. The Czech Interior Ministry recently received eight
complaints from Czech drivers, adding to a total of over 100 complaints
since 2008. Mr. Topolanek labeled the behavior of the German police as
harassment and added that it was in violation of Schengen law to pick
on drivers of a certain nationality. The Czech politician demanded an
apology from both the Bavarian and German governments and said the
controls should immediately cease.
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Czech Republic may modernize Bulgarian and Hungarian helicopters
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The Czech Republic may participate in a project to modernize Russian
Mi-17 helicopters for the Bulgarian and Hungarian armies. Deputy
Minister of Defense Jan Fulik told the Czech news agency CTK about the
project at a conference on upgrading military technology that started
in Prague on Tuesday. The aim of the conference is to demonstrate that
the Czech Republic is not only able to modernize the Russian-made
helicopters for other NATO members, but that the country could in the
future provide maintenance, repairs and upgrades for all NATO member
states. Three Czechs helicopters that were recently sent to Afghanistan
feature a unique new protection system. The Czech Republic is willing
to offer this technology to other NATO members. The country is also the
site of the only company licensed to provide general repair of Mi-17
helicopters.
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President Klaus opens exhibition honoring first Czechoslovak president
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On Tuesday President Vaclav Klaus opened an exhibition dedicated to one
of the co-founders of Czechoslovakia and the country's first president,
Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. The exhibition, which marks the 160th
anniversary of Masaryk's birth aims to portray him not just as a great
statesman and philosopher, but also to touch upon the human side of the
country's most respected politician ever. On exhibit are photographs,
art works and furniture from Masaryk's home. Prague Castle's Masaryk
library which is usually closed to the public will be open on the
weekend.
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Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes still seeking new
director
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The executive council of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian
Regimes is to meet on Tuesday afternoon to discuss controversy
surrounding the election of its new director. The council had chosen
historian Jiri Pernes to take up the post in mid-February after the
former director Pavel Zacek had been voted out of office for poor
management. After his election, it emerged that Mr. Pernes took evening
classes at a Marxist-Leninist institute of higher learning and that the
StB, the Czech communist-era secret police, had considered him a
potential candidate for collaboration. The news evoked a storm of
controversy and the Social Democrats have accused the former director
Pavel Zacek of using the institute to glean information that could
damage his successor.
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Prague City Hall announces bid for projects aiming to improve public
transport
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Prague City Hall has announced that 950 million Czech crowns from EU
funds are to go to projects that will improve and develop Prague public
transportation. Projects for the construction of new tram lines,
wheelchair accessibility in public transport or new bike lanes can be
submitted to the city's EU funds department. The Prague Transport
Authority is also eligible for funds. Tram lines especially are in bad
need of modernization and the EU funds will help facilitate Prague
public transport, Milan Richter, Prague deputy mayor, told journalists.
Decisions on which projects will receive funding will be announced this
fall.
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German company Lidl reaches record sales in Czech Republic
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The German discount grocery chain Lidl saw record sales of 906 million
Czech crowns in the fiscal year of 2008/2009, bringing the company's
market share up by 12 percent. Lidl had seen losses of 52.5 million
crowns the year before. The chain of grocery stores started operating
in the Czech Republic in 2003 and to date, there are 210 locations of
the store in the Czech Republic. Nine new outlets opened last year.
Lidl is part of the German retail group Schwarz that also owns the
hypermarket chain Kaufland.
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Czech music festival announces headliners
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The director of Colours of Ostrava, a music festival that takes place
in Moravia in July, announced the event's headliners on Tuesday.
Amongst them is the Irish group The Cranberries as well as rock icon
Iggy Pop, who will perform on the festival's closing night on Sunday.
After a hiatus, The Cranberries are currently on a successful reunion
tour. The opening act of the festival will be the Roma band The Gypsy
Queens and Kings, who will perform on June 15.
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Cases of bankruptcy reach record numbers
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According to data published by the Czech Credit Bureau, 929 Czech
companies and individuals filed bankruptcy in the first two months of
2010 alone, an increase of over 120 percent as compared to last year.
February saw the highest number of bankruptcies in a single month, with
nearly 500 companies and individuals filing bankruptcy. The increase is
especially pronounced as far as personal bankruptcies are concerned,
with a growth in numbers by 229 percent.
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Police arrests group of counterfeiters
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Police in the Moravian town of Zlin have detained a gang of teenagers
and men who forged Czech bank notes. Among them were two boys under the
age of fifteen who used their parents' home printer to produce the
forged notes. Despite the fact that the two minors committed a serious
crime, they will not be persecuted, due to their age. The two other
members of the group, aged 32 and 55, face prison sentences of up to
eight years.
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Weather
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Over the next few days, conditions are expected to be mild with
scattered showers and daytime temperatures of around six degrees
Celsius.
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Articles posted on www.radio.cz today
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Talking Point
More services than ever on offer for families with young children
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Not that long ago in the Czech Republic, parents with young children -
babies or toddlers - were often hard-pressed to find venues catering
specifically to their needs, but more and more that situation has
changed. Arguably, more services are now available than ever - from
restaurants offering children's corners to centres organising all
manner of activities for toddlers.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125559
Current Affairs
Czech Republic to obtain rare Czechoslovak-built tank from Peru
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The Czech Republic is to obtain an historic tank from Peru that was
built specifically for export to the South American country in the
1930s. Prague's Military History Institute, which falls under the
Defence Ministry, and the Peruvian town of Mollendo recently signed an
agreement by which Peru will make a gift of the tank to the Czech
Republic. In return, it will receive a donation of 50,000 US dollars
for the building of a new library.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125555
Current Affairs
Art historian Anna Farova dies at 81
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The acclaimed Czech champion of photography Anna Farova died in Prague
at the age of 81 over the weekend. Ms Farova catalogued and exhibited
the works of some great Czech photographers, including Josef Sudek and
Frantisek Drtikol. Despite persecution by the communist authorities
Anna Farova also launched the first ever line of books on photography
in Europe.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125554
Current Affairs
Government issues new handbook to combat homophobia in Czech schools
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The Czech government is distributing a new handbook to primary and
secondary school teachers called "Homophobia in Schools" - aimed at
raising awareness of homosexuality and the problem of bullying based on
sexual orientation. The government council behind the handbook says it
wants teachers to be better able to recognise homophobia - and to do
something about it.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125547
Current Affairs
Former communist prosecutor, jailed for judicial murder, may soon walk
free
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Ludmila Brozova-Polednova, a former communist prosecutor who is serving
a six year prison sentence for her role in helping to send democratic
politician Milada Horakova to the gallows in a notorious 1950s show
trial, may soon be released. It has now come to light that three
presidential amnesties apply to her case, each lowering her sentence by
two years.
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/125540
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