Archive: Domestic affairs | Politics Politics
Senate torpedoes church restitution bill
After hours of debate the opposition-controlled Senate on Wednesday
rejected a controversial bill on the restitution of church property. Under
the legislation the state would secure the transfer of part of the land and
property seized by the communist regime in the 1950s and pay tens of
billions of crowns in compensation for the rest. The bill’s opponents
have questioned the scope of the restitution –amounting to 135 billion
crowns -saying it is inflated and arguing that the country can ill afford
such generosity at a time of tax hikes and cost cuts. More
Catholics call Social Democrat campaign against church property restitution Third Reich propaganda
A controversial campaign by the opposition Social Democrats directed
against the church property restitution bill has turned into a major brawl
with Czech Catholics and other churches. After church officials compared it
to anti-Semitic and anti-clerical propaganda of the Third Reich, Social
Democrats leaders fought back and called into question the Catholics’ own
record from WWII. More
Police raid CzechInvest agency on suspicion of corruption
Anti-corruption police raided the offices of the CzechInvest state agency
in Prague on Wednesday, confiscating documents, laptops and computers.
Although the police have placed an information embargo on the case it has
emerged that CzechInvest, set up by the Trade and Industry Ministry to
promote Czech business interests, is suspected of manipulating a tender for
prospecting industrial zones for foreign investors. More
Candidates prepare for regional and Senate elections
Tuesday marked the final day that candidates could register for regional
and Senate elections this autumn. Candidates will contest 27 seats in the
Senate, while others will vie for posts in 13 regional assemblies. More
Bradáčová appointed high state attorney
It took weeks for the new Justice Minister Pavel Blažek to decide but in
the end, on Monday, he appointed reputable state attorney Lenka
Bradáčová high state attorney at the state prosecutor’s office in
Prague. Her candidacy – and fearless reputation as a prosecutor –
sparked controversy within the government and namely within the ruling
Civic Democratic Party, suspected by some of trying to stall or derail her
appointment. More
David Rath corruption scandal takes fresh turn
The corruption scandal surrounding David Rath took another set of twists
and turns this week as police accused the former Social Democrat health
minister and Central Bohemian governor of taking an additional nine million
crowns in bribes. Mr Rath is already remanded in custody as police
investigate his involvement in a prior affair. More
Klaus backs embattled police president
Differences between police president Petr Lessy, Prime Minister Petr Nečas
and the country’s finance minister, Miroslav Kalousek, reached boiling
point this week, leading the country’s head-of-state, Vaclav Klaus, to
weigh in. On Wednesday Mr Klaus met the police president at Prague Castle,
expressed full support for him and clearly stated that attacks against the
police official had to stop. More
Lower house approves restitution of church property
The lower house of the Czech Parliament has passed a controversial bill on
the restitution of church property. Under the draft legislation, 17 Czech
churches and religious groups would get tens of billions of crowns worth of
physical property confiscated by the communist regime, plus financial
compensation. The bill will now be put to vote in the opposition-controlled
Senate which is likely to turn it down, and send it back to the lower house
for final approval. More
Were Kalousek calls an attempt to intimidate the police president?
Police president Petr Lessy dropped a political bombshell on Thursday,
revealing that over a week ago he was repeatedly called by the finance
minister over an ongoing police investigation into the CASA military plane
purchase. Speaking before the Security Committee on Thursday, Mr Lessy made
clear he considered the calls at best highly inappropriate, if not a direct
attempt at intimidation. The minister himself has denied any wrongdoing,
while the opposition has already called for his head. More
Parliamentary immunity comes under renewed scrutiny
Parliament on Wednesday voted to revoke the immunity of its deputy
chairwoman, Vlasta Parkanová, who police suspect of having made a highly
disadvantageous military purchase when she was defence minister in 2009.
While the case has been a matter of huge debate in recent weeks, the fact
that the current lower house has now given up more of its members than any
other has lead to a broader discussion on whether parliamentary immunity
serves any useful purpose. More
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