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November 22nd, 2008
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September 24th, 2008 | Current Issue

Chasing ghosts
Lessons from Munich loom large 70 years later

Slain diplomat comes home
Deadly Islamabad blast doesn't shake Czech policy in region

Roma plan gets mixed reviews
Čunek proposes segregating minority based on income

Škoda unveils new tram design
ForCity Tramcars to eventually phase out iconic T3 vehicles

Communists help pay for Horáková statue
Party's contribution to political prisoner monument raises ire

Truth is greater than fiction
Rabbi tied to Golem legend is namesake for new institute

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BRIEFS


SPAIN Three car bombs in 24 hours hit northern Spain, killing an army officer and injuring several others, reported BBC Sept. 22. Basque separatists group ETA gave a telephone warning shortly before all of the blasts. Experts say the attacks come at a time of increased turbulence in Basque politics. Spain’s Supreme Court recently declared two Basque nationalist parties illegal because of alleged links to ETA.

FRANCE The French government has backed away from instituting a tax on common household products — from plastic forks to disposable diapers — that aren’t environmentally friendly, the Associated Press reported Sept. 19. President Nicolas Sarkozy says he is opposed to taxing such products now because many citizens are worried about their declining purchasing power. A similar tax plan is already being used to encourage people to drive greener cars.
ITALY Italian airline Alitalia will lose its operating license this week unless it presents a cost-cutting rescue plan, the BBC reported Sept. 22. Alitalia is estimated to be losing more than 2 million euros every day. Last week, the airline canceled a number of flights amid rumors it could no longer afford to buy aviation fuel. Unions have blocked all attempts at takeovers so far due to fear of massive job cuts.
AUSTRIA Authorities say a small earthquake Sept. 19 set off a large World War II-era bomb in the garden of a Vienna home, the Associated Press reported. No one was injured in the explosion. Investigators speculate the bomb weighed up to half a ton. Officials say the homeowner heard a dull bang Friday evening. Experts were still on the scene Saturday to examine the crater left by the blast.
EU The European Commission wants to regulate the price of SMS messages, reported ČTK Sept. 22. The maximum cost should be 11 euro cents (2.66 Kč). The Czech Republic will play a key role in the process as it will hold the EU presidency during the negotiations and will have to help find compromises between service providers. If everything goes well, the changes are slated to go into effect next summer.
SLOVENIA Slovenia’s opposition is holding a razor-thin lead over the ruling party of PM Janez Jansa, reported BBC Sept. 22. With 99 percent of the votes counted, the Social Democrats had 30.5 percent of the vote against 29.3 percent for the center-right Slovenian Democrats, officials said. But a strong performance by the Social Democrats’ allies gives the center-left 43 seats in the 90-strong Parliament while Jansa’s allies fared badly in the polls, with some failing to reach the percent threshold.

STRIFE Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek accused Prague Mayor Pavel Bém of working with rebel MP Vlastimil Tlustý against Topolánek’s government, the Czech News Agency (ČTK) reported Sept. 21. Topolánek challenged Bém to a leadership duel at the party congress in November. Bém responded that he has no wish to run for party chairman yet, but that the situation within the party needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

HEPATITIS Doctors have managed to stem the spread of hepatitis A among drug users and the homeless, ČTK reported Sept. 22. However, the disease has spread in general, and doctors lack the vaccines to control the disease completely. They expect the number of patients will continue to rise, and advise people to take extra care of personal hygiene.
MOTORCYCLIST World- renowned motorbike stuntman Pavel Hanzlík was killed during an exhibition ride at the Budvar brewery in České Budějovice, Sept. 20, police spokesman Jiří Matzner told ČTK. Hanzlík, 39, fell of his bike, hit a building and died instantly. He had regularly performed at the largest meetings of stunt riders in Europe.
AWARD Former President Václav Havel will be awarded the 2008 Jaroslav Seifert Prize in honor of his literary contributions, ČTK reported Sept. 22. Havel, 71, will be honored for the eighth published volume of his writings containing speeches and other texts from 1999–2006. He will receive the 300,000 Kč ($17,595) award at a ceremony in the St. Ann Church in the second week of October.
AIRPORT The government may consider halting the privatization of Prague Ruzyně Airport if the sale would fetch less than 80 billion Kč, Reuters reported Sept. 22. The airport sale is expected by the second half of 2009. Finance Minster Miroslav Kalousek had said he would not recommend selling the airport for less than 100 billion Kč.

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