Topic Archive Society
President vetoes controversial banishment bill
Czech President Václav Klaus on Tuesday vetoed a controversial bill which
would give towns the power to banish repeat offenders without permanent
residence from their territory for up to three months. Authors of the
legislation say it will provide a much needed tool to fight petty crime and
misdemeanours. But the president sided with the bill’s critics and said
it might be in breach of the constitution. More
Imprisoned MP calls attention to sorry state of Czech prisons
Deteriorating conditions in Czech prisons have elicited plenty of criticism
in recent years and much has been said and written on the subject. However
no one has addressed the issue more vocally or found a broader platform for
his complaints than the former governor of central Bohemia, MP David Rath
–the country’s most famous prisoner who is in custody awaiting trial on
corruption charges. More
Roma request government representative
Representatives of a new Roma civic association had their first audience
with Prime Minister Petr Nečas on Monday. As the Roma community’s
problems seem to be worsening the group is seeking other support from that
government than investment, and have petitioned the prime minister for a
Roma cabinet position with real authority to effect change. More
Ombudsman says discrimination of Romany children in Czech education system persists
The Czech government has in the past few years repeatedly been criticized
by international bodies for discrimination of Romany children in the Czech
education system. Now the Ombudsman’s office has confirmed what the
European Commission and the European Court of Human Rights have said all
along – that the much criticized practice of sending Romany children to
schools for children with learning, mental or physical disabilities
persists on a broad scale. More
ADRA Czech Republic celebrates its 20th anniversary
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency ADRA is marking its 20th
birthday in the Czech Republic. The Czech branch, set up in 1992, now
provides aid both at home and abroad as well as organizing
awareness-raising programs among primary school children. Dagmar
Goldmannova, head of the Department for International Projects and
Development Education, visited Radio Prague’s studio this week to talk
about the agency’s achievements and plans for the future. More
Students in survey perceive Roma to be biggest ‘problem’
A study conducted by the non-governmental organisation People in Need,
together with Millward Brown, gauging how Czech secondary school students
view Czech society and the world around them, has produced some worrying
results. Along with the ‘usual’ dissatisfaction over issues such as
poor governance (highlighted in a previous study in 2009) the majority of
1,100 students queried now perceived the number one issue as problems with
the Roma minority – citing an alleged unwillingness on their part to
work, improve in their studies and so on. More
Selecting one’s surgeon is now possible for a set price
It’s a revolution in Czech health care: as of this month some Czech
hospitals are enabling patients to be treated by the surgeon or specialist
of their choice on condition that they are prepared to pay extra for his or
her services. While the change has only legalized a practice that’s been
around for years, critics say it smacks of discrimination. More
Mailbox
Today in Mailbox: Prague Writers' Festival, Czech and British journalism,
listeners' mothly quiz. Listeners quoted: Mohamed Elsayed Abd Elraheim,
Colin Law, Roger Tidy, Mary Lou Krenek, Jayanta Chakrabarty, Charles
Konecny, Zara Modu, Ian Morrison, Paul Peacock. More
Wellness specialist Monika Divišová: even small changes can make a big difference when it comes to improving health
The Czech Republic has repeatedly fared among the worst countries in Europe
when it comes to obesity – placing in the “top five” in past Eurostat
statistics. According to specialists, many adults in the country need to
pay a good deal more attention to what they eat to avoid serious health
problems. In this week’s Czech Life I spoke to nutritionist and wellness
professional Monika Divišová, who runs a wellness centre in Prague. The
first thing I asked her was why – when it comes to weight - many Czechs
are so poorly off. More
Prague Food Festival brings together exotic and regional cuisines
Over the past weekend, the Royal Gardens at Prague Castle remained closed
to ordinary visitors as they hosted the annual Prague Food Festival – a
celebration of good food and fine dining. In the course of three days
around three dozen of the country’s best restaurants showcased their
dishes, served at moderate prices to an appreciative public. More
+1
+10
+100
