News of Radio Prague

Poll: Majority of Prague citizens fear demonstrations

An overwhelming majority of Prague citizens fear the protest demonstrations that are expected to take place during the NATO summit on November 21st and 22nd. Results of a public opinion poll released by the Prague School of International and Public Relations on Tuesday showed that some 80 percent of Prague citizens fear street rioting and 53 percent fear a possible terrorist attack. On the other hand, 58 percent also agreed to the summit being held in Prague. Opinion polls conducted over recent months have shown that fears of demonstrations and terrorist attacks in the Czech capital are on the rise as the NATO summit draws near.

First protest against NATO summit to take place in Brno

The first demonstration in the country against the NATO summit has been scheduled for this Saturday in the Moravian capital of Brno. Although only some 50 activists are expected to take part in the protest, Brno police have said that they are prepared to do what will be necessary to ensure order. The protest demonstration was called by the Organisation of Radical Anarchists with the aim to rally up support and lure protesters to Prague during the days of the summit next week.

EU: candidate countries to join union later than planned

The frontrunner candidates for EU membership, including the Czech Republic, will most probably join the European Union a few months later than expected. Instead of on January 1st 2004, the countries will most likely become EU members in the spring of 2004. Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that the exact date will depend on the time it will take to ratify the accession treaty. Since the treaty is expected to be several thousand pages long, current member states will not be pressured into speeding up their ratification. Mr Verheugen stressed, however, that the expansion process will have to be complete before the elections to the European Parliament in July 2004.

Czech and German police arrest drug smugglers

Czech and German police have arrested eight members of an international gang as part of an extensive anti-drugs operation called Alfa. Five of the men arrested are Germans, whilst three are Czech. Each of them were arrested by the police in their own countries. The gang is believed to be headed by a Czech national and was active in the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The arrest was made ahead of a transport of several hundred kilograms of marihuana that was to be put on the western European drug market. Police in Germany confiscated several cars used by the gang, specially made to smuggle drugs across borders in secret compartments. Those arrested in the Czech Republic have been charged with the illegal possession of narcotics and could face up to fifteen years in prison if found guilty.

Weather

Tuesday night is expected to have partially cloudy skies with occasional showers throughout the country. Temperatures will range between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius. Wednesday will be much the same with day-time temperatures reaching a maximum of 11 degrees Celsius.