Czech Position - Information for free people

Rise and fall of David Rath

Petr Nováček — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:32:53 +0000

As recently as the morning of May 14, people at the headquarters of the Social Democrats (ČSSD) could be forgiven for thinking that the doors were opening to the Straka Academy, the seat of the Czech parliament, based on the party’s strong showing in opinion polls (30 percent) at the expense of the center-right coalition.

Tomáš Rosický arrives at Czech camp following injury scare

Chris Johnstone — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:38:37 +0000

Czech football captain and Arsenal midfielder Tomáš Rosický has joined the national squad at their training camp in Austria following an injury scare.

Czech doctor to be tried for rape, sexual abuse

Brian Kenety — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:03:17 +0000

Czech state prosecutors have accused a prominent Prague doctor of rape and other crimes stemming from his having allegedly abused a dozen women, mainly female personal assistants, the news server iDnes.cz reported Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to 12 years in prison.

Czech general strike delayed as unions seek signs of concessions

Chris Johnstone — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:25:29 +0000

The biggest grouping of Czech trades unions has said it would not call a general strike in the first half of the year in order to allow for further talks with the center-right government of Prime Minister Petr Nečas (Civic Democrats, ODS) over unionists’ demands it drop a series of austerity and other measures.

Corruption-charged Czech politician appears before peers over immunity

Chris Johnstone — Tue, 22 May 2012 10:49:35 +0000

A top Czech politician accused of being caught red handed in a corruption scandal has appeared before a lower house parliamentary committee, sitting extraordinarily away from parliament in an Interior Ministry building.

Czech spy service faces budget cut – or liquidation?

Martin Shabu — Tue, 22 May 2012 08:41:47 +0000

The draft budget proposed by the Ministry of Finance envisions reducing allocations to the state intelligence service (BIS) by Kč 250 million over the next two years — a drastic reduction that former interior minister MP František Bublan (Social Democrats, ČSSD) says could lead to the spy service’s liquidation.

Greenfingers and gardening community sprout in center of urban Prague

Jan Brabec — Tue, 22 May 2012 07:38:32 +0000

Baptized “Prazeleni,” combining the Czech word for Prague and vegetables or “greens,” the first attempt at “mobile urban gardening” has been created in the capital’s Holešovíce district.

‘Virgin’ gorilla voted Czech zoos’ biggest star

Brian Kenety — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:49:41 +0000

Bikira, a 17-year-old female Western lowland gorilla whose name means “virgin” in Swahili, has been voted the biggest personality of all the creatures now roaming about in zoos across the Czech Republic.

Czech state organs may begin publishing contracts online this fall

Brian Kenety — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:27:15 +0000

A number of Czech ministries and state entities such as the scandal-ridden Roads and Motorways Directorate (ŘSD) may begin publishing all contracts with third parties on the internet as of September, public broadcaster ČT reported Monday.

Czech explosives collector dies in blast

Chris Johnstone — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:22:42 +0000

A collector of grenades, artillery shells and other munitions collectibles living on the outskirts of the West Bohemian city of Plzeň became a fatal victim of his bizarre passion.