Section Archive Talking Point
Czech Catholic Church enters debate on sex abuse scandals
The Czech Roman Catholic Church recently joined an on-going debate about
sexual abuse of minors by priests. Several church officials, including both
the outgoing and the newly appointed archbishops of Prague offered their
views on the scandal, and on what the church should do to prevent such
cases in the future. Although only a few cases of sex abuse have been
disclosed in the Czech Republic, the debate now centres on how to tighten
the rules of accepting candidates for priests.
More
Is Český Krumlov still the model for Czech-Roma relations?
The conditions in which the Czech Republic’s Roma minority lives have not
improved in the last decade, in fact many of the groups working with Roma
issues say their situation in Czech society, and relationship with Czechs,
is in a gradual downward spiral. Unemployment among the Roma is said to be
at more than 80%, high debt is rampant, and this has fostered social
exclusion and breeding grounds for crime and drug use. And in turn violent
crime against Roma communities has become, if not more prevalent, then more
extreme. In this week’s Talking Point we check up on the situation in the
South Bohemian town of Český Krumlov, often cited as the best example of
Czech-Roma coexistence in the country.
More
The legacy of communism and the need to reunite European history
Last month Prague hosted a major international conference on the crimes
committed by the communist regimes of Central and Eastern Europe.
Delegates
from both sides of the former Iron Curtain discussed their research into
atrocities that in many cases had been swept under the carpet for decades.
To give a couple of examples: how many Europeans today remember that up to
130,000 people were executed in the Yugoslav republic of Slovenia in the
aftermath World War II, or that in Romania hundreds of opponents to the
Stalinist regime were shot by the Securitate and buried in unmarked mass
graves between 1948 and 1952? Raluca Grosescu from Romania’s Institute
for the Investigation of Communist Crimes points out that her
institute’s
work has involved a great deal more than just sifting through archives: More
More services than ever on offer for families with young children
Not that long ago in the Czech Republic, parents with young children -
babies or toddlers - were often hard-pressed to find venues catering
specifically to their needs, but more and more that situation has changed.
Arguably, more services are now available than ever – from restaurants
offering children’s corners to centres organising all manner of
activities for toddlers. More
Amended labour law comes too late for former RFE/RL employees
Two former foreign employees of the Prague-based, US broadcaster RFE/RL are
fighting a legal battle against their former employer, accusing the radio
station of discrimination. The argument is related to their contracts with
the radio station, and the way the Croatian and Armenian nationals were
fired. They claim that they and hundreds of other RFE Prague-based
employees from non EU countries find themselves in a legal vacuum. But it
seems that they fell into a gap in the system – which in the meantime has
been fixed.
More
An uncertain future for Prague’s Anglican congregation
If you are looking for somewhere for Christian worship in Prague, there are
several places where you can attend regular Sunday services in English.
One
thriving English-speaking Christian community is the Anglican
congregation,
which meets every Sunday at St Clement’s Church in the Old Town.
Services
are well-attended, but in the twenty years since the fall of communism,
the Anglican chaplaincy has not always had a smooth ride, and for the
second time in just over a decade its future is uncertain. More
What can the Czech team hope to achieve at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver?
In 2006 the Czech Republic took four medals at the Winter Olympic Games in
Turin. This year the Czech team is the biggest, and perhaps the strongest,
in history. So what can the Czechs hope to achieve at the Winter Olympics
in Vancouver, which get underway on February 12?
More
Quo vadis, Praha? The heated debate over the future of the Czech capital
One of the most important documents concerning the future of Prague is the
rather unimaginatively named “Development Plan”. Since 1999, the plan
has been the key public document laying out the broad rules for what can be
built where in the city and its suburbs. For investors, developers,
property owners and Prague’s 57 local authorities, the plan outlines
development and environmental priorities: in terms of land-use, new
building and the transport infrastructure. Since the plan was first drawn
up in the early days after the fall of communism, Prague has changed
immensely, and sweeping amendments are currently under discussion. The form
the final document takes could define the character of one of Europe’s
most historic cities for several generations to come.
More
End of the road for shortwave?
In this week’s Talking Point we examine the future of shortwave
broadcasting. Shortwave has undoubtedly been on the retreat in developed
countries, forced to share its former primacy with upstart mediums such as
the internet and satellite radio. But are its days numbered even in the
developing world?
More
Czech health authorities struggle to keep HIV/AIDS under control
The number of HIV cases in the Czech Republic has been steadily rising, and
2009 could see the biggest jump in HIV infection in the country’s
history. The Czech health authorities say that the surge is fuelled by
ignorance and complacency within high-risk groups. But critics point out
that following a recent overhaul of the government’s HIV/AIDS prevention
programme, the situation has fast deteriorated.
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