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Schwarzenberg to attend Paris meeting on Israeli air assaults on Gaza

The Czech foreign minister, Karel Schwarzenberg, is to attend a specially convened European Union meeting in Paris on Tuesday evening to discuss Israel’s ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip. Mr Schwarzenberg is planning to listen to the views of other countries rather than advancing a Czech position, which – given that the Czech Republic assumes the presidency of the EU on Thursday – could be misconstrued as the official position of the EU, a Czech Foreign Ministry spokesperson said. Finding a common EU position on the Middle East conflict is one of the tasks facing the Czech presidency. Prague is planning to host an EU-Israel conference in the first half of 2009, while an EU-Palestine summit is also a possibility, the Czech News Agency reported.

At the weekend Minister Schwarzenberg defended Israel’s right to defend itself against rocket attacks from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. He also expressed regrets over the poor living conditions which led young people in Gaza to join radical organisations, and called for the resumption of a cease-fire.

Czech ambassador to EU criticises aspects of French presidency of bloc

The Czech ambassador to the EU has described the attitude of the French during their presidency as “sometimes excessively dominant”. Milena Vicenová told the Czech News Agency that French officials had occasionally used the tactic of submitting documents at the very last minute and only in French. However, she said she rated the French presidency generally positively, pointing out its success in bringing EU states to an agreement on a climate-energy package, and praising French officials’ “perfect use of time”. Ms Vicenova, who will be one of the major figures of the Czech presidency, said it could be difficult in some respects to follow an experienced player who has helmed the EU 12 times. Nevertheless, she said the Czech EU presidency could make a pleasant change.

Shares on Prague Stock Exchange fall by record 52.7 percent in 2008

Shares on the Prague Stock Exchange saw 52.7 percent of their value wiped out in 2008, the biggest fall since the bourse began trading 15 years ago. The previous record fall of 24 percent was recorded in the mid 1990s. Analysts blamed the decline in the value of shares on the Prague Stock Exchange on the panic selling which hit all world markets, the recession beginning to be felt in some countries, continuing problems in the financial sector, and a fall in the price of commodities which also impacted shares in power companies. Total trading on the Prague bourse was 15 percent down year-on-year.

Confidence in Czech economy falls sharply

Confidence in the Czech economy fell significantly in December, according to official government figures released on Tuesday. Business confidence fell by 8.9 percent, while consumer confidence was 8.7 percent lower than in November. Both indicators are at their lowest in nine years.

Poll: half Czech entrepreneurs expect effects of financial crisis to carry over into 2010

Meanwhile, half of the country’s entrepreneurs believe they will spend the whole of next year dealing with the effects of the global financial crisis – which they think will carry over into 2010. That is according to a poll carried out by the Economic Chamber of the Czech Republic before Christmas. Almost two-thirds of the firms surveyed said 2008 had been a successful year, although most said they were already feeling the impact of the credit crunch in the final quarter.

Match factory ceases production after 170 years

The only factory making matches in the Czech Republic is to halt production after 170 years on Wednesday. The Solo factory in Sušice is letting nearly 60 employees go due to the fact the price of matches is stagnant while costs are rising. Its machinery is being exported to India.

Košťál quits Czech FA position

Vlastimil Košťál has resigned as deputy chairman of the Czech football association, the website tyden.cz reported. Mr Košťál has a long association with Sparta Prague and was until last summer the business manager of the Czech national team. He is one is one of the most powerful – but also most unpopular – people in Czech football. In a letter of resignation Mr Košťál said he was quitting for personal reasons.

Weather

It should stay quite sunny over the next couple of days, with snow in some parts of the country. Temperatures will reach a maximum of 1 degree Celsius.