Related articles
Current AffairsJiri Rusnok vacates parliament post
Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla has fought plenty of battles to preserve his
party's unity in recent months. Now he can breathe a sigh of relief. The
former industry and trade minister Jiri Rusnok, whom he clearly considered
the biggest trouble maker within the Social Democratic Party has vacated
his parliament post - and the political arena.
More
Current AffairsParliament votes to dissolve TV and Radio Council
After a stormy five hour debate in Parliament on Wednesday, the governing
coalition voted to dissolve the TV and Radio Council, holding it
responsible for the Czech Republic's lost arbitration with the Bermuda
based media company CME on the grounds that the state had failed to
protect its investment in private TV NOVA. The lost arbitration will cost
the Czech Republic over 10 billion crowns and in recent weeks there has
been many a heated debate on who is responsible and who should foot the
bill.
More
Press ReviewPress Review
Iraq continues to dominate the front pages of today's papers, which look
into the latest developments in the war, including the sacking of a US
reporter who told Iraqi television that the United States' military plan
had failed. On the domestic front, it is the Czech government's decision
to terminate its contract with the Israeli firm Housing & Construction
to build a new motorway that's making the headlines. The leading political
story in several papers speculates on the future of Prime Minister and
Social Democrat leader Vladimir Spidla.
More
Current AffairsCzech Republic left with 350 million dollar bill in wake of TV Nova ruling
The dispute over one of Europe's most successful commercial TV stations
appears to be entering its final stages. The Czech government has begun
talks with the Bermuda-based Central European Media Enterprises or CME, on
how to pay more than 350 million dollars in damages for failing to protect
the company's investment in TV Nova. A court of arbitration ruled on
Friday that the Czech state had failed CME and its chief investor Ronald
Lauder when the country's Broadcasting Council allowed Nova's director
Vladimir Zelezny - formerly Mr Lauder's business partner - to wrench the
station away from CME in 1999. But not everyone thinks the Czech tax-payer
should pick up the bill: among them is commentator Vaclav Pinkava.
More
Current AffairsHas Prime Minister Spidla mishandled presidential elections?
Some commentators have been suggesting lately that Social Democrat Prime
Minister Vladimir Spidla has mishandled the presidential elections. In an
attempt to stamp his authority on the party and prevent his
larger-than-life predecessor Milos Zeman becoming president, Mr Spidla
came up with a public poll to choose the Social Democrats' candidate. It
did not go as he had wished. With the prime minister's choice to succeed
Vaclav Havel - ombudsman Otakar Motejl - coming third, Vladimir Spidla is
now having to back second place Jaroslav Bures, who several Social
Democrat MPs and senators have said they will not be voting for. The
poll's winner, Mr Zeman, is biding his time with an eye to making his move
in a possible second vote. I asked commentator Vaclav Zak how the prime
minister had gotten himself into this situation, and why he had not simply
said six months ago that he wanted Otakar Motejl to succeed Vaclav Havel.
More
+1
