Section Archive Current Affairs
Change of guard at High State Attorney’s Office in Prague in drawn-out battle for control of decisive post
The change of guard at the High State Attorney’s Office in Prague has
sent reverberations across the political spectrum and has raised concerns
regarding the independence of the Czech judiciary. Vlastimil Rampula,
Prague Chief Prosecutor who was sacked last July on suspicion that he had
been holding up key corruption investigations returned in triumph on
Wednesday to reclaim his post after the Prague Municipal Court ruled that
his dismissal was not sufficiently justified. More
Scattered oversight: the gaping loopholes in Czech public servant conflict of interest laws
A recent study by the pro-civic engagement charity Oživení found that of
five hundred disclosure declarations lodged by Czech politicians – MPs,
Senators and local officials - roughly a quarter had errors or issues
worthy of further investigation. Critics suggest that the current system
simply is not working and with an array of authorities across the Czech
Republic tasked with examining conflict of interest declarations – some
admit that they do not even have the resources to fully check what public
servants have declared. In addition, there are numerous loopholes that
appear to make the system highly ineffective. Dominik Jůn spoke with
Vladan Brož, of Transparency International and began by asking whether he
thought the current system was working. More
Pundit: battle over control of High State Attorney’s Office in Prague decisive for country’s democratic development
The battle over who should head the High State Attorney’s Office in
Prague and the implications of the return of the office’s old-new head
Vlastimil Rampula are very much at the centre of media attention. Radio
Prague asked commentator Jiří Pehe for his interpretation of the affair. More
Czech MEP intervenes on Tymoshenko’s behalf
Czech MEP Zuzana Roithová has confirmed that jailed former Ukrainian prime
minister Yulia Tymoshenko has failed to receive adequate medical attention
and is in serious condition. The MEP travelled to Kiev last Friday and was
allowed to inspect medical records, which reportedly showed a decision
should have been taken on surgery regarding the politician’s lumbar
spine. More
Ambitious exhibition project “Other Air” brings surrealist art to Prague
Something is in the air in Prague’s Old Town Hall: An exhibition titled
“Other Air” gives the public a chance to see both a retrospective of
Czech and Slovak surrealist art from the last two decades, as well as
surrealist works from renowned international artists. In addition, the
exhibition features a rich accompanying program with surrealist films and
readings and a bilingual catalogue with surrealists texts. The ambitious
project kicked off in February and will be running in the Czech capital
until April. We spoke to artist and member of the Czech surrealists,
Kateřina Piňosová, about the exciting and unusual project. More
Radioactive Waste Depository Authority launches multi-million-crown incentive to win over municipalities for possible nuclear waste sites
While the Czech Republic relies on nuclear power for some 30 percent of its
total energy supply, the Radioactive Waste Depository Authority is facing
difficulties in finding new locations for depositing nuclear waste. As an
incentive for municipalities to agree to geological research on their
territory, the state-run authority is now offering mayors millions of
crowns. Sarah Borufka has the details. More
Survey shows drinking among 16-year-olds on rise
The European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) has
found that the number of 16-year-olds in the Czech Republic who drink beer
or hard liquor on a regular basis has gone up. Back in 1995, 14 percent of
the country’s sixteen-year-olds drank at least three times a month, but
last year the percentage moved up to 20. By contrast, marijuana use
dropped, if only slightly. More
Prague and London launch initiative to deepen common European market
The Czech Republic and Britain, who both decided to stay out of the EU’s
fiscal discipline pact, are preparing to launch an initiative of their own:
one aimed at deepening the common market. Prague says that this is the real
key to economic growth at a time when the alliance needs to boost its
flagging economy. More
Director Miloš Forman turns 80
Director Miloš Forman celebrates his 80th birthday on Saturday, and
newspapers in his native country are full of tributes. In the small
category of Czech artists who have conquered the world, Forman has a seat
among the likes of Antonín Dvořák and Milan Kundera and Czechs are
dulely proud of him for his success. But his approach to filmmaking and
style of direction also permanently altered the course of cinematography in
the Czech Republic and elsewhere, a fact we discussed earlier with Karel
Och, the artistic director of the Karlovy Vary International Film
Festival. More
Corruption joins Czech landmarks in satirical tourist campaign
Critics may say that the Czech government is doing practically nothing to
address the country’s high levels of corruption – the Czech Republic
rates 57th out of 182 in Transparency International’s 2011 Corruption
Perceptions Index, four places lower than 2010’s 53rd place – but that
hasn’t stopped other entrepreneurial figures from stepping in to fill the
vacuum. Interested in seeing the top spots for “tunneling”, murky,
hidden centres of power or finding some of the buildings that have resulted
from alleged shady deals? Then Corrupt Tour may be what you’re after!
They are promising to show “The Best of the Worst” as their motto puts
it, their website adding that they are striving to open up an entirely new
field of tourism. Or is it just all a new way to shame the country’s
politicians?
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