Section Archive Talking Point
Czech foreign policy review searches for new directions
The Czech Foreign Minister has announced a wide ranging review of foreign
policy to take account both of changes in the Czech Republic and those in
the wider world. The review comes with the jury still out on whether a more
streamlined EU foreign policy can deliver, the outcome of Afghanistan still
unclear and questions still up in the air about relations with Russia. We
look at what might be questioned in the review and what changes might
follow. More
Jiří Pehe pens first political biography of post-89 heavyweight Václav Klaus
President Václav Klaus has been a dominant figure on the Czech political
scene ever since the early 1990s. The founder of the Civic Democrats was
finance minister and later prime minister, before becoming head of state
seven years ago. It is perhaps surprising then that the first political
biography of Mr Klaus has only now been published. “Klaus: A Portrait of
a Politician in Twenty Images” by the political analyst Jiří Pehe has
provoked heated debate between the president’s supporters and opponents. More
National Gallery’s Milan Knížák warns budget cuts will force gallery to opt for drastic solution: to close doors in winter months
Prague’s National Gallery, one of the country’s most respected cultural
institutions which includes a number of venues including Veletržní
palace, has, along with other state-funded organisations, been told by the
austerity government to save 15 percent of its budget next year. The cuts,
following the earlier financial crisis, are expected to hit the gallery
hard. While some steps have already been taken – a reduction in the
number of exhibitions, a cutting back on acquisitions, a lowering of the
number of staff – it is not likely to be enough. As a result, this week
gallery head Milan Knížák warned of a more drastic solution if
additional funds aren’t found. More
Can citizen power change the face of Czech town halls?
One of the most startling features of recent elections in big cities, towns
and local councils across the Czech Republic was the success of independent
citizens’ groups in winning seats. Many campaigned on a simple ticket of
throwing the incumbent big parties or coalitions, often tarnished with
mismanagement or corruption, out of power. So do those elections mark a
radical change or just a blip and is there any reason to hope that the
blight of local government corruption can be conquered? In this week’s
Talking Point we look at the phenomenon and chances of a Czech
anti-corruption drive.
More
Czech-produced video game Mafia II proves international hit
The long-awaited video game Mafia II, produced by the Brno-based 2K Czech
studio, came out last month and has since become a huge success with gamers
around the world, acclaimed for its mature and realistic story line and
top-notch graphics. In this week’s Talking Point, we explore the world of
Vitto Scaletta and his adventures in the American underworld of the 1950s.
More
Controversy reigns around camp for hard core homeless
A storm of outrage erupted in mid August when Prague city council gave the
green light for a camp to be created for the capital’s homeless. Human
rights groups said it was a throwback to a darker era, non-profit groups
argued the step would simply not work. This week’s Talking Point looks at
the arguments stirred up about the homeless camp.
More
Czech study: Brown-eyed men percieved as more dominant
Czech scientists have come up with an interesting theory about the relation
between a man's character and the colour of his eyes. According to the
study which appeared in this month's issue of the journal Personality and
Individual Differences, brown-eyed men are perceived as more dominant than
blue-eyed ones. The main author of the study is Karel Kleisner from the
Science Faculty of Prague's Charles University.
More
Czech Republic plays for high stakes in Temelín nuclear power plant tender
The contract to build two new nuclear reactors at the current south
Bohemian site of Temelín with the option for another three elsewhere has
been described as the tender of the century. The deal will be worth
hundreds of billions of crowns, but there is more than the money at stake.
The decision offers a stark choice between US, French and Russian companies
and technology with the Czech Republic looking to get key strategic
know-how and spin off contracts from the winner.
More
Are cuts the answer to growing Czech public debt and an expanding deficit?
One phrase, fiscal responsibility, and one word, cuts, dominate
Czech economic and political life following elections to the lower house at
the end of May. The right-wing coalition government in the making has
pledged the former, with public spending on the block in all post-election
rhetoric. We look at the rationale behind the obsession with cutting public
spending, and whether the likely next Czech government is choosing the
right path.
More
Proposal seeks to include right to adopt in registered partnership legislation
The Green Party has recently brought forward a proposal to change
legislation so that gay and lesbian individuals in the Czech Republic who
live in a registered partnership would be able to adopt children. The
proposal is based on an analysis by the Committee for Sexual Minorities.
Within Europe, individual adoption for gays and lesbians in registered
partnerships is legal in a number of countries, including Germany, Norway
and the UK.
More
+1
+10
