Section Archive Current Affairs
Rise in unemployment especially problematic for graduates and unemployed persons over 50
More than 500,000 Czechs are currently out of work, with the rate of
unemployment growing from 8 percent in November of last year to 8.6 percent
in December. While a jump in unemployment figures is not unusual for this
season, experts warn that the growing number of persons aged 50 and over
who find themselves out of a job and with little chance of getting hired
poses a serious long-term problem for the economy. Former finance minister
and Raiffeisenbank’s chief economist Pavel Mertlík speaks about expected
labor market developments for 2012. More
Czech Republic to grant asylum to Yulia Tymoshenko’s husband
The Czech Republic will grant political asylum to Oleksandr Tymoshenko, the
husband of the jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Mr
Tymoshenko reportedly filed his petition at the end of last year with the
Czech Interior Ministry which is resolved to comply with the request,
according to the foreign minister. More
New legislation to enhance protection of animals against abuse
The Czech government has approved new legislation that will enhance the
protection of animals against cruelty. The draft bill, which introduces a
series of EU-wide measures fighting animal abuse, brings new rules for
animal slaughter and for laboratory tests. It will also allow the police to
fight animal abuse more efficiently. More
Growing fears over faulty French breast implants
Czech health institutions say they are getting dozens of concerned calls
from women with silicone breast implants who fear they may be at health
risk in connection with the scandal surrounding faulty French implants
exported to 65 countries worldwide. It has been confirmed that around 2,000
of the risky industrial-grade silicone implants were delivered to Czech
clinics between 2007 and 2010 when the scandal surfaced. Some clients are
already demanding repeat surgery whether or not their doctors advise it. More
Parents of “wolf children” on trial at Prague city court for child neglect
The mother and father of two boys, dubbed “wolf children” by the Czech
media, are currently on trial at a Prague city court. In a shocking and
unusual case of child abuse, the parents never let their sons out of the
apartment, did not dress them and fed them only liquid food. They deny
charges of abuse and say they simply wanted to raise their children in an
alternative way. More
Renowned author, publisher Josef Škvorecký dies at 87
Czech emigré author and co-founder of '68 Publishers Josef Škvorecký
died at the age of 87 on Tuesday, succumbing to cancer in Toronto, Canada.
Mr Škvorecký was one the last great Czech 20th century authors and
literati. His first novels published in Czechoslovakia in the 1950s –
were quickly banned by the Communist regime. Later, following the
Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, Škvorecký and his wife Zdena
Salivarová moved to Canada, where they founded ’68 Publishers. The
imprint was a crucial avenue for Czech and Slovak dissidents like Milan
Kundera and Václav Havel to publish in Czech and English in the West. More
Czechs held in Zambia return home
Three Czechs who were detained and charged with espionage in Zambia have
returned home. They showed up unexpectedly at their doorsteps at the end of
the year and have refused to disclose any information regarding the nature
of their escape. The Czech Foreign Ministry which made an all out effort to
secure their release through regular diplomatic channels has put an
information embargo on the case. More
Hundreds gather to drop Václav Havel’s funeral flowers into Elbe River in silent tribute to late ex-president
The many flowers and wreaths that people placed around the coffin of former
Czech president Václav Havel took center stage at a silent farewell to the
national hero. After travelling downriver for three days, the flowers were
greeted by hundreds of people gathered at the Elbe River’s bank in
Děčín and dropped into the river. The unusual tribute was organized by
former human rights minister Michael Kocáb, a friend of the late
president. More
President calls on Czechs to keep calm and support austerity measures in face of European debt crisis
President Václav Klaus’s traditional New Year’s address reflected key
political events of the year, among them the death of his predecessor,
Václav Havel. Moreover, Mr. Klaus warned of both false optimism and fear
mongering in face of a possible recession in the eurozone. The Czech
president said it was crucial to support additional cuts in government
spending and emphasized that this was a time for the nation to tighten its
belt. More
Czechs wax sentimental over Václav Havel’s legacy
As the shock of Václav Havel’s death slowly wears off, Czechs are
considering the best possible ways to honour his memory and uphold his
legacy for future generations. Proposals range from the sentimental – a
heart of wax melted from the thousands of candles people lit for their hero
–to the stately - a law stating his contribution to freedom and
democracy. More
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