Foreign Affairs

Czech police seek to charge ex-Defense Minister over CASA deal

Brian Kenety — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:21:55 +0000

The Czech anti-corruption and financial crime police unit (ÚOKFK) has asked for Vlasta Parkanová (TOP 09), deputy speaker of the lower house of Parliament, to be stripped of immunity so that she may be prosecuted on abuse of office and other charges for her role in the 2009 purchase of CASA transport aircraft, when she was defense minister.

Some sorts of austerity are better than others

Guest Writer — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 07:40:47 +0000

By John Springford

Governments in the eurozone’s periphery are pursuing a scorched earth fiscal strategy. Distressed governments may not be able to afford a fiscal stimulus or even a delayed consolidation, partly because of the size of their deficits and partly because they do not fully control the currency in which that debt is issued.

What Putin’s return means for the former Soviet republics

Guest Writer — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 08:11:14 +0000

By Jana Kobzová and Tomáš Valášek

Vladimir Putin’s re-election as Russia’s president, and his absence from recent summits of the G8 and NATO, indicate a hardening of Russian attitudes towards the West. What does this imply for Russia’s relations with the former Soviet republics in Europe and Central Asia?

Czech billionaire’s PPF seen paving way for Chinese fourth mobile operator bid

David Kasl — Mon, 28 May 2012 08:47:13 +0000

The Czech Republic would stand alone in the European Union if a Chinese mobile phone operator were to win a license to operate in the country and the scenario is far from fiction.

EU funds in Northern Bohemia under godfathers’ control, ex-official charges

Martin Shabu — Fri, 25 May 2012 05:50:21 +0000

Not even three months into his post as head of the Northwest Regional Cohesion Council, Leo Steiner reached a clear conclusion: the distribution of EU funds in the Ústí nad Labem and Karlovy Vary regions was riddled with corruption.

Czech PM warns national public budget deficit could double on EU fund problems

Chris Johnstone — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:16:37 +0000

Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas has warned that the country’s state deficit could more than double to around 6.0 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year in the worst case scenario of the European Commission freezing payments to the country because of misgivings about how the cash has been used.

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.

Czech scientists, get to know this American!

Martin Rychlík — Mon, 21 May 2012 09:58:11 +0000

Czech scientists are increasingly on the American radar: domestic research institutions now have a right to apply for grants awarded by US defense agencies, a Czech-American agreement on scientific cooperation has been signed, and an Office of Naval Research Global (ONRG) has been established at the US embassy here.

NATO ponders austerity and US ‘pivot’

Guest Writer — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:27:35 +0000

When NATO heads of state meet in Chicago this Sunday and Monday, two key worries will be on their minds. In a departure from the past six decades, the US has come to style itself as a Pacific, rather than Atlantic, power.

How Hollande should handle Merkel

Guest Writer — Tue, 15 May 2012 06:00:40 +0000

The election of François Hollande as French president has excited some of those who blame Germany’s emphasis on fiscal austerity for many of the eurozone’s ills. Hollande has promised to refocus EU policies on growth and employment.

China shops in CEE but gives Czech Republic a wide berth

Kateřina Menzelová — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:21:25 +0000

What does a Chinese person say upon entering a shop? I’ll take everything! Enthusiastic customers from China are welcome around the world because their pockets are full of cash. The same goes for Chinese investors. The countries of Eastern and Western Europe are seeking to attract their favor — but thus far the Czech Republic is lagging well behind.

Energy efficiency: Made in Denmark, transportable to the rest of the EU?

Guest Writer — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:37:59 +0000

Denmark uses energy more efficiently than any other EU member state. Successive governments have implemented ambitious and consistent policies on energy efficiency since the oil shocks of the 1970s.

Export promotion or reality show? Minister Kuba directs

Martin Shabu — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:03:02 +0000

The Czech government has repeatedly declared the importance and policy priority of supporting Czech exports to countries outside the EU, voicing concern about the quality of services provided by the state to Czech exporters attempting to penetrate such markets.

The US-Russia reset is over

Guest Writer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:17:59 +0000

Can the “reset” between Washington and Moscow survive Vladimir Putin’s return to the Russian presidency in May? That is a question I posed to many people on a recent trip to Moscow. Opinions differed, but some of the best-informed analysts and officials expected the reset to fade away.

Czech Holocaust restitution claim filed with US court in expected landmark case

Chris Johnstone — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:26:32 +0000

A Czech descendent of a Jewish family who perished in the Holocaust during WWII has lodged a complaint in a US court against the Czech state for the return of an art collection that was confiscated by the Nazis — and some of which is now in the hands of the Czech National Gallery.