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September 8th, 2008
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February 20th, 2008 | Current Issue

Inside story
Detained American brothers face deportation

President Klaus' reign to continue
Politicians seek return to normalcy in wake of election hype

Murder investigation continues
Off-duty policeman suspected in stabbing of American

Officials to streamline dual citizenship laws
While eligibility rules toughen, two passports are more commonplace

High-schoolers look to new tests
Reforms aim to motivate students, but universities skeptical of standard exams

New U.S. visa requirements divide EU
Czechs preliminarily agree to conditions despite debate

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BRIEFS


KOSOVO The Serbian province declared independence Sunday, Feb. 17, sparking a wave of violence in Belgrade. Within the European Union, member nations are arguing over whether to recognize the new country, the BBC reported. France, for example, is backing Kosovo’s independence while Spain is coming out against it.

GREECE Winter storms left at least 150 villages cut off and dozens of flights to and from Athens canceled, when up to 15 centimeters (6 inches) of snow blanketed the area, according to a Feb. 18 BBC report. Many affected villages faced power outages and water supply concerns.  
DENMARK More than 20 people were arrested in Denmark following eight consecutive nights of youth rioting and vandalism across the country, the BBC reported Feb. 18. The violence started shortly after stricter police controls were introduced. The detained rioters are suspected of setting fire to buildings, schools, cars and trash cans.
UK An early version of a British record of prewar intelligence on Iraq did not include a key claim about weapons of mass destruction, the Associated Press reported Feb. 18. While saying that former dictator Saddam Hussein’s regime possessed nuclear and chemical weapons, the 2002 document does not contain a claim that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destruction within 45 minutes — an allegation crucial to former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s push to back the 2004 U.S.-led invasion.
SPAIN Four Cuban political dissidents were flown to Spain Feb. 17 after negotiations between the two countries resulted in their release from a five-year imprisonment, the BBC reported. Their release is being seen by Western diplomatic sources in Cuba as a positive move by acting President Raul Castro, whose brother Fidel Castro underwent emergency surgery 18 months ago.

AGENT A Social Democratic Party deputy who angered party leadership by voting for incumbent President Václav Klaus in the Feb. 15 presidential election knowingly cooperated with the communist military counterintelligence (VKR) in the 1970s, Právo reported Feb. 19. The deputy, Evžen Snítilý, claims this is impossible, since he has a state-issued certificate proving he never collaborated with the communist regime.

CORRUPTION Supreme Court Chief Justice Iva Brožová filed a disciplinary complaint Feb. 19 against the court’s deputy chief justice, Pavel Kučera, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported. Brožová suspects Kučera of pressuring judges to halt criminal proceedings against former Deputy Prime Minister Jiří Čunek, who was investigated for corruption charges last year.
SHOT Former Deputy Education Minister Jiří Koskuba is in critical condition after accidentally shooting himself Feb. 17 while cleaning a firearm, according to ČTK. Doctors say the serious injury may prevent the veteran Social Democrat from running for office in the Senate elections this fall.
TRASH Within two years Prague could have problems with trash disposal similar to the ones that Naples experienced in January. Preventing such a collapse in the rubbish removal system will mean investing in recycling plants and raising fees for citizens, Právo reported Feb. 19.
ARCHITECT Czech-born British architect Jan Kaplicky, whose design of a new National Library building in Prague prompted a stormy debate last year, might become an external architecture adviser for the city of Brno. He struck a preliminary agreement to that effect with Brno Mayor Roman Onderka, ČTK reported Feb. 18.
AID The Czech Republic has allotted more than 300 million Kč ($17.2 million) in humanitarian aid to other countries in the past three years, the Foreign Affairs Ministry told ČTK Feb. 19. The ministry expects to earmark 75 million Kč for humanitarian aid throughout 2008.
ČSOB Economist Jan Švejnar will resume his work on the supervisory board of the Bank ČSOB in March. He gave up the post in November at the beginning of his presidential bid, which he lost in the second election to Klaus, ČTK reported Feb. 19.

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