Daily news summary

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Deputy PM seeks government motion over purge of education sector in Turkey

Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Bělobrádek has called for the Czech government to take a stand over the clean out of schools and universities being undertaken in Turkey following the failed coup last weekend. The leader of the Christian Democrats said he wanted the issue discussed at the next Cabinet meeting scheduled for Wednesday. According to reports out of Turkey around 22,000 teachers have been sacked from their jobs in the state sector and around the same had had their teaching permits withdrawn in the private sector. The Czech University Council on Friday expressed its solidarity with higher education institutions in Turkey and compared the clean out to events which took place under Communism in former Czechoslovakia.

Czech total of unpumped EU funds shrinks to 6.8 billion crowns

The Czech Republic failed to pump 6.8 billion crowns in European funds earmarked for the county according to figures from the Ministry of Finance. The latest figure is an improvement on the 10 billion crown shortfall estimated by the Ministry for Regional Development at the start of this year and the 36 billion crown figure given in the middle of 2015. The Czech Republic is looking to use up 620 billion crowns earmarked for it under the latest spending period between 2014 and 2020.

Czech politicians express hope US will remain solid NATO partner

Czech politicians have reacted to US Republican nominee Donald Trump’s words regarding conditional US support for NATO allies in time of need. Speaking at a press conference in Warsaw, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said NATO was the basis for European security and expressed the hope that the US would remain a solid NATO partner no matter who wins the presidential elections. I am glad that the UK has confirmed it wants to stay part of NATO although it is leaving the EU, Mr. Sobotka said. Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek, who is currently on a working visit to the US, said that questioning the principle of mutual military aid was dangerous.

Czech police arrest Calabrian mafia boss

Czech police have arrested one of the bosses of the Calabrian mafia, Francesco Bonavita, commercial TV Nova reported. According to the tv report Bonavita had lived in the Czech Republic for several months under a false name. In Italy he faces charges of criminal conspiracy for which he could receive 26 years in jail. The suspect was reportedly arrested a few days ago in Prague’s north-western Dejvice district and is now awaiting a decision on extradition.

Change of hands looms for Prague’s tallest office bloc

The REICO investment company, owned by one of the Czech Republic’s biggest banks Česká Spořitelna, is poised to buy the tallest office block in Prague, the City Tower. The pending purchase, with an estimated value of around 4.9 billion crowns, is being examined by the country’s competition office. The current owner is the PPF company of the country’s richest man, Petr Kellner. City Tower, at 109 metres, is the second tallest building in the country.

Dubai company launches arbitration over payments for Prague plots

Dubai-owned company Alcor Holdings has launched an international arbitration proceeding against the Czech Republic. The company is claiming 483 million crowns connected with its claimed failure to get compensation for the use of around 23,000 m2 of land dotted around Prague. Most of the land has been built on for key highways around the capital. The proceedings were announced by the Czech Ministry of Finance.

Poisoning cases mushroom in Czech Republic

Three times more Czechs have been poisoned this year from mushroom picking compared with last year. So far 52 instances of poisoning have been reported by hospitals, half of the cases concerned children. The sharp rise is explained by the drought conditions over the same period last year resulting in a mushroom scarcity and the fact that many varieties of poisonous mushrooms appeared to have prospered so far this year.

Woman charged over Prague shopping centre killing

Police say they have charged a 33-year-old woman in connection with the murder in a Prague shopping centre of another woman on Thursday. The woman was reportedly stabbed to death with a weapon found in the Tesco store in the Smichov district. Police said the murder suspect had been released earlier in the day from a Prague psychiatric hospital where she had been undergoing treatment. The Ministry of Health has demanded to be informed about the results of the investigation being carried out by the hospital. The woman is currently being held in police custody.

Martina Sábliková to await arbitration verdict on Olympic place in Rio

In athletics, Martina Sábliková has announced that she will fly out to Rio at the end of next week ahead of the Olympics. Sábliková, a three-time speed skating medal winner in the Winter Olympics, will await a decision in Brazil on whether she can take part in the road cycling competition. The Czech thought she had booked a place in the Olympics with a ninth place in a speed trial in the World Championships last year but was stunned to learn just a few months ago that that no places had been earmarked for the Czech Republic on the basis of those times. Her last hope is the verdict from an appeal to an international sporting arbitration.

Slavia Prague scrapes through to next qualifying round of Europa League

In football, Slavia Prague has progressed to the next qualifying round of the Europa League with a 2:0 win at home on Thursday night against Levadia Tallinn. The goals were scored by new Dutch signing Gino Van Kessel and Milan Škoda. The win meant Slavia proceeded on away goals after a 1:3 defeat in the first leg.