Tuesday News Briefing

General news

CASA The mandate and community committee of the Czech Chamber of Deputies recommended July 10 that former Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanová (TOP 09) be released by deputies for prosecution, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported. Parkanová is suspected of a breach of trust and abuse of public office for approving the purchase of CASA planes for the Army, reportedly overpriced by 658 million Kč. The police have asked the Chamber of Deputies to release Parkanová for prosecution, saying she did not commission expert opinions while working out the price for the planes. The Chamber of Deputies should probably decide on Parkanová's release for prosecution July 11 or 13, according to Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, ČSSD), head of the Mandate and Immunity Committee. 

DEATH A judge in the Ostrava region who tried racist arsonists has been found dead with a slit throat, ČTK reported July 9. The 64-year-old regional court judge, Miloslav Studnička, sentenced four supporters of the extreme right to 20-22 years in prison in 2010, after they seriously injured a baby girl and two adults of a Roma family by throwing firebombs into their house. It is unclear whether the death is linked to the case, with Police President Petr Lessy saying it is too early to tell if the judge committed suicide or was murdered.

POLL A majority of Czechs are dissatisfied with the state of corruption and economic crime in the country, according to a CVVM public opinion poll released yesterday. Ninety-two percent of respondents stated they are very much or quite dissatisfied with the state of corruption, while 81 percent were unhappy with the level of economic crime and 77 percent with the level of unemployment. In a positive view of the country, however, 75 percent replied they are very or quite satisfied with the offer of services. Dissatisfaction with the level of corruption is up compared with a similar poll from January.

CANDIDATE Přemysl Sobotka has been chosen as the presidential candidate for the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), party chairman and Prime Minister Petr Nečas confirmed yesterday. Sobotka has stated he intends to use traditional advertisements and billboards in his campaign, as well as using social networking sites and holding debates with citizens. Nevertheless, the opinion polls are so far against Sobotka, with former Prime Minister Jan Fischer currently holding the lead. A total of 15 million Kč will be set aside by ODS for Sobotka's campaign.  

Business

UNEMPLOYMENT Analysts have predicted figures for unemployment will have remained the same at 8.2 percent in June, ČTK reported. They say employment in June should normally rise and the unchanged amount will spell an increase in unemployment in the coming months. "Weak economy is behind the worse development this year. Unemployment will apparently climb to 8.5 percent during the summer months," said Pavel Sobíšek, an analyst at UniCredit Bank.

MERGER Martin Kuba of the ODS, the current industry and trade minister, wants to created a state-owned oil giant by merging Mero and Čepro, Lidové noviny reported yesterday. The merging of two state-run companies, with Mero operating oil pipelines and Čepro distributing fuel, has been discussed in the past, but so far without any results. Kuba also plans for the state to acquire a stake in oil refinery Česká rafinérská and oil pipeline TAL leading from Trieste to Ingolstadt in Bavaria.  

BONDS Permission has been given to J&T Banka to issue bonds from the Czech National Bank (ČNB) worth up to 25 billion Kč, the daily E15 reported yesterday. The bank will offer bonds directly to its own clients and not to other banks. The first issue of the bonds will be in the autumn, and the bank is considering issuing bonds worth up to 1 billion Kč for this year. J&T Banka raised its net profit last year to 466 million Kč, and its total assets increased 61 percent to 72.6 billion Kč.  

WEATHER 

Prague, Chance of Storm; High 25 C; Low 16              

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