Topic Archive Foreign policy
Constitutional Court defies EU with ruling on Czech-Slovak pensions
The Constitutional Court on Tuesday made a landmark ruling regarding the
difference in pensions between the Czech and Slovak Republic. Cases exist
where Czechs who worked in the other half of Czechoslovakia now receive the
lower pension rate of the Slovak Republic. According to the new decision of
the court, such citizens never worked in a foreign country and thus are
entitled to compensatory payments to raise their pensions to Czech
standards. Among the chaos this creates for the Social Affairs Ministry now
is that fact that the ruling directly contradicts the European Court of
Justice. More
Czech soldier in Afghanistan decorated for bravery
A Czech soldier serving in Afghanistan’s southern province Logar has been
awarded the United States Armed Forces Bronze Star Medal. Staff Sgt. Michal
Novotný who is squad leader of the Prostějov reconnaissance unit was
decorated for helping to save the life of an American soldier. More
PM tells European-bound Czech exporters to look further afield
The Czech government on Monday unveiled a new export strategy that is to
help Czech exporters find new, fast-developing markets. The move aims to
boost the country’s economic stability amidst concerns over the deepening
debt crisis in the euro zone. More
Defence minister wants Czech troops to stay in Afghanistan until 2014
Czech troops may stay in Afghanistan until the end of 2014. Defence
Minister Alexandr Vondra, who is in the United States on a working visit,
said he would ask the Czech Parliament to extend their mandate by another
24 months, as their current mandate will expire by the end of the year.
However, the opposition has criticized Mr Vondra for announcing his plans
without a prior debate in the lower house. More
Shared destinies: Kissinger and Dienstbier meet in 1964
The early 1960s saw dramatic developments in the Cold War, with the
building of the Berlin Wall and then the brinkmanship of the Cuban Missile
Crisis. But there were also signs of a greater pragmatism in East-West
relations. One channel for dialogue was a series of international
gatherings, where scholars and public figures discussed how to reduce the
risk of armed conflict. These were known as the Pugwash Conferences, named
after the town in Canada where the idea was first launched back in 1957. In
September 1964, one such conference was held in the Czech spa town of
Karlovy Vary. More
Czech Republic to grant asylum to Yulia Tymoshenko’s husband
The Czech Republic will grant political asylum to Oleksandr Tymoshenko, the
husband of the jailed former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. Mr
Tymoshenko reportedly filed his petition at the end of last year with the
Czech Interior Ministry which is resolved to comply with the request,
according to the foreign minister. More
Czechs held in Zambia return home
Three Czechs who were detained and charged with espionage in Zambia have
returned home. They showed up unexpectedly at their doorsteps at the end of
the year and have refused to disclose any information regarding the nature
of their escape. The Czech Foreign Ministry which made an all out effort to
secure their release through regular diplomatic channels has put an
information embargo on the case. More
Bureaucratic goof could cost country billions of crowns
What appears to be gross bureaucratic incompetence may cost the Czech
Republic billions of crowns. The country’s belated bid to become a party
in the ongoing criminal case against the former managers of the Czech
mining firm Mostecká uhelná, involving billions of crowns now frozen in
Swiss bank accounts - has been thrown out by a Swiss court, leaving the
Czechs out in the cold. More
Police to probe Czech communist party leader’s condolences to North Korea
The Czech police will investigate whether the Czech communist party leader
broke the law when he sent condolences on the death of the North Korean
leader Kim Jong-Il. In his letter, Czech communist party chair Vojtěch
Filip said, among other things, that the late North Korean dictator
sacrificed himself for the well-being of his people. More
Injured Libyans to receive treatment in Prague hospitals
A Czech military plane brought five injured Libyans to Prague for treatment
on Monday night. All are in need of surgery which overcrowded hospitals in
their homeland are unable to provide. An appeal from Libya for European
countries to help treat their wounded has led to the Czech government
extending its Medevac aid programme for children to adults with serious
medical problems. More
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