After the Monday summit it is clear, the main country of European interest on the East is, thanks to pressure of Poland, Sweden and also the CR the desolated Georgia, devastated by the Russian invasion. The EU wants to help it to businessly and politically arise from the ground.
The countries have agreed that there will be a treaty about free business zone, easing of visa regime and endeavor in coordinating of donating conference, to establish sources for the country restorement.
The summit was criticized for the fact EU didn’t really stood up against Russian demands, they solely want Russia to keep a peace treaty, so basically the EU let the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia to gain sovereignty, and to join Russia in future.
Russia can celebrate their diplomatic victory over the EU – the European Union didn’t accept any hard restrictions against Russia, Moscow was satisfied and promised, they won’t stop the flow of oil and gas.
The Russian foreign ministry published a report from the summit, stating: “Some of the states of the EU appealed for sanctions on Russia … the main point is, most of the EU states shown responsible attitude and also shown support for the line aiming to cooperation with Russia, because they well realize the importance of mutual cooperation.”
At the same time Russia clearly disagrees with one of the thesis of the summits, the one stating the use of Russian force against Georgia was inadequate. “The actions of Tbilisi, and those who supply weapons to Georgia, weren’t evaluated enough” Moscow closes.
In Toronto, Canada, Tomas Bata died at the age of 94. The world-known shoe businessman passed away at 13:40. His spokesman Lacko said that “He left in the middle of work, calmly and in peace, surrounded by his closest ones.”
The news of his dead stoke the whole region of Zlin, where Bata shoe empire started from. The principal of Zlin University of Tomas Bata Ignac Hoza said for Denik he is shaken, as this is a huge loss; “Until the last day he was full of life, I would never imagine he could pass already. I telephoned with him a week ago”
Tomas Bata’s funeral is going to be on 5th September in Toronto. In his life work he always advanced the basis of business ethics. He carried many high evaluations, e.g. the T.G. Masaryk Medal and Slovak Double Cross. He became a honorable doctor of many world universities. They brought up one son and three daughters with his wife Sonya.
The former president of the CR Vaclav Havel commented in the Sunday Tv debate Otazky Vaclava Moravce on the EU summit in France, which should discuss the Russian-Georgian conflict. He said: “When a bear attacks a dwarf, it should at least be known and said.”
Havel is a moral authority, which is not afraid to call things by their real names: “It seems that oil is more important than human rights and a state’s sovereignty.” in reaction on the question, if Europe is going to pass resolutions against Russia. According to Havel, Europe needs Russian energy supplies, and so they are not going to make any significant step for Georgia borders preservation.
The foreman of the Vietnamese society in the Czech Republic Marcel Winter said for Pravo, the temple may be build much sooner than media expect; “It may be there as soon as in one year”. They have the parcel in Prague 4 Písnice bought, just 100 m from the planed final stop of metro.
According to Radio Praha, in the Czech Republic officially live about 22 000 citizens of Vietnamese origin. Their community is most significant as tradesmen, it differs from other foreign communities mostly by not expecting any special care, proving high self sufficiency. Again, the Buddhist temple is to be sponsored by the community, by individuals and businesses as well.
Beside the Vietnamese and the other Asian communities in the Czech Republic, other 7000 people indose Buddhism, many unofficial oratories spring in Prague and other places in the Czech Republic.
Court proceedings with two Czech etymologists accused of collecting protected beetles in India continue. Now their lawyers plead especially for proving Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera have never signed confession, they entered protected area with the intention of collecting endangered species for commercial reasons.
They claim that during the time they were arrested they were given about twenty blank papers which they were told to sign. They believed the papers are going to be filled with the list of their possessions. However, the blank lists were filled with their confessions, their advocates state.
Czech ambassador in India Hynek Kmonicek infirms especially the keepers of Singalia park. He for example stated for local newspaper to collect beetles in the Czech Republic is prohibited, which is of course a nonsense, but he backs it he was told it by the Czech Embassy, but Hynek Kmonicek stated they never contacted them.
Moscow announced the North Atlantic Treaty Organization they stop military cooperation. The information came from the speaker of the alliance Carmen Romero. The reason is obvious; present Russian-Georgia conflict.
“Russia informed us through military channels that the Russian Federation Defense Ministry decided to stop the military cooperation international events scheduled between Russia and the NATO states, until further instructions”, said Carmen Romero
The decision came after NATO found out this week that maintaining normal relations with Russia is no longer possible until their troops withdraw from Georgia. The reaction of Russia was predicable, as they never willingly leave once occupied territory.
The Pink tank appeared again at Prague Smichov. It was made in 90’s by the sculpturer David Cerny, by painting the Russian occupation tank pink. This time, only a torso of the tank appeared. It is pink, and it also have the white occupation stripe. By the stripe, Cerny expresses his attitude to the present Russian behavior.
“With regard to what Russia does today, I saw this as a possibility, how to alert people about it.”
After peripheries with the original tank, which is now listed as a cultural heritage and protected, Cerny wanted to get permission for at least placing a torso of some other Russian pink tank, but that was rejected by the politicians as well. So he decided to make a little remake of what they did 17 years ago, found a sponsor for it, and placed the torso there illegally using rented hydraulic level-jack.
Barack Obama made the video about Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic respectively, as a reaction to recent Russian actions in Georgia. “ Forty years ago, Soviet tanks invaded Czechoslovakia to crush a brief experiment in liberty.” Things that happened in 1968 Obama labelled as “Dark days of 20th century”. Similar situations must be stopped..: “Because what happened to Czechs and Slovaks must not repeat”
Obama pointed out the USA didn’t help the occupied Czechoslovakia. But forty years later, they helped the Easter European countries “…to build the principles of democracy, to stand on their feet and find security within NATO”
It was officially proclaimed yesterday, the Czech Government stands at the side of Georgia, which is still being occupied by Russian militia. They also agreed to give there 150 millions czk for renewing destroyed infrastructure. The Prime Minister Topolanek cited the declaration: “The Czech republic supports independendence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia including Southern Ossetia and Abchazia. The continuing Russian invasion to Georgia is unacceptable.”
The ongoing argument among the government and Vaclav Klaus, who declared Georgia is officially guilty from the conflict. Mirek Topolanek continues: “The official position of the Czech State is the the position of the Czech Government. It is true the president represents the country outside, but in this matter he doesn’t have support of the parliament.” Klaus still stands on the side of Russia and commented: “If the government would stay one-sided in this conflict, it would be sad and piteous.”
Klaus is not liable for the matter, we decide our foreign policy and we know Russia is guilty for the conflict, and that is the official stance. Such can be the explanation of Mirek Topolanek’s reaction on the words of Vaclav Klaus about South Ossetia and Abchasia.
Vaclav Klaus clearly stands at the Russian side of the conflict, since he wrote to MF Dnes: “responsibility for provoking the conflict lies on Georgia president, parliament and government is unexceptionable and fatal” That is where ‘his’ ODS headed by Topolanek disagree: “My opinion is, Saakasvili let himself be provoked by Russians by a prepared action.”
The Czech government is unified we need to help Georgia. The foreign minister Karel Schwarzenberg plans to propose we should set 150 millions czk apart for Georgia, e.g. for renewal of destroyed infrastructure. It is possible the Czech Republic will send some peace forces there.
Anyone, who would walk the Jungmanova ulice street nowadays, would see the Tibetan flag, hanging from Skodova palac. It was hung there by the Prague Town Council, to express their support of Tibet occupied by China. The reason, why the flag appeared in this time, is naturally the Olympic Games in Peking.
MF Dnes asked the Prague Mayor Bem, who answered by his favorite means; the sms message: “It is no boycott of the Olympics, it is only confirmation of the long-term attitude of the Capital of the Czech Republic to the situation in Tibet and its genocide.”
Katerina Emmons have won another medal! The shooter who won gold in 10 metre air rifle competition have gained another trophy; in the women’s 50m rifle 3×20 shoots, which is her additional discipline.
The final ten shoots Emmons initiated by a great hit of 10,7 points, meanwhile the leading Chinese Tu Li spoiled her initiation; than, the home representative woke up and staid in lead.
The final round was quite thrilling – the American shooter didn’t make it and from second position fell down to fifth when hit only 8,7 points, third Cuban hitting only 9,5 points, which Emmons immediately disciplined and gained 10,2, winning the silver.
Czechs – a nation of sharpshooters. Such can be the impression that Czech sportsmen have left after first two days at the Peking Olympics. On Saturday, the gold went to Katerina Emmons, for air-gun shooting, yesterday it was David Kostelecky in trap shooting.
The gold story of Katerina Emmons, the ex-model whose American husband is a shooter himself, became an internationally-known story. She also won the first medal of the whole OG. Immediately after, she started to cry, and stayed very moved through whole evening, when she got the gold.
Sport shooting is traditionally a successful sport for Czech sportsmen, but gets highlighted only once in four years at the Olympics. Anyway, the Olympics have just started, and Czechs already have more golden medals that the country gained during the last OG in Athens.
Mirek Topolanek, the Czech PM is going to fly to China on Wednesday. He has’t commented on it yet, as he is on vacation, but he probably will – Amnesty International Organization have appealed to him to talk about human rights conditions and freedom of speech in China. The AI has also delivered him the petition, signed by more than 9000, demanding freedom of speech in China.
Topolanek is supposed to fly to Peking on next Wednesday, as he doesn’t want to participate on the ceremonial opening. He is going to stay for about three days. That he changed his mind and goes to the Olympics was announced in the half of July, he decided to go after all on behalf of the Czech Olympic committee, he refused the China invitation.
China embassy already hates him, because he had a little Tibetan flag on his suit when announcing his visit to Peking. The AI deputy Dasa van der Horst commented: “We have watched Topolanek criticizing May China intervention in Tibet with delight. But in order his words would matter, they must be pronounced in China, out loud.”
Every summer, the capital of Scotland Edinburgh becomes an epicentre of cultural events, hosting one of the biggest and most famous theatre events of this kind, the theatre parade Fringe.
Every at least a little usable space changes into a theatre stage – from cafés through blow-up tents to churches. Fringe offers up to two thousand performances, that usually attracts about a million and a half visitors every year.
Czechs were able to successfully get to the line-ups of the festival, some even got prizes, like Teatr Novogo Fronta and Farma v Jeskyni.
This year should bring about eight Czech groups, so lets see if they win something. Success on Fringe Festival is decided by numerous factors, including those non-artistic, like to clean up the stage as fast as possible, because the groups have sometimes less than 20 minutes to exchange.
Two Czech entomologists Petr Svacha and Emil Kuchera, who were on Friday placed on probation from the jail in Dargeling, India, object to charges of India court. It was the court, that pressed charges against them for illegal collection of beetles in the National Park Singalia, the scientists claim they never done such a thing.
According to a statement of Svacha, they never even entered the park, they moved with other tourists on the marked road. The luggage they were carrying with them even didn’t contain any endangered beatles, what they collected were only casual species for science purposes.
The scholars, who can get up to seven years in prison, are on probation in Dargeling, they have to report to the police twice times a week and they can’t leave the city.
When, ten years ago, hundreds of Czech Gypsies emigrated to Canada, the country tried to resist by establishing visa necessity. However, visa requirement was cancelled last year in November. And the number of Gypsy people heading towards the socially-focused state have increased rapidly again, Denik informed.
That wouldn’t be a problem, if they automatically didn’t ask for asylum. This threatens the no-visa state – in the contract is, the number of asylum seekers mustn’t be higher than 2% of the total number. Because since May, there was 449 requests from Roma families, and 2% maximum means 570 per year, it is possible Canada will re-establish visa requirement again.
Dianne Finley, the Canada minister for emigration have already send a warning – no one should ask for an asylum, when it is clear he/she doesn’t need it. By this, he/she only takes the very needed support form people who are real refugees.
During a press availability, Sen. John McCain said that he’s been concerned by “a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the last several day,” including “reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia.”
Russia of course can’t “reduce energy supplies to Czechoslovakia.” Czechoslovakia, of course, doesn’t exist. It split into two countries more than 15 years ago. McCain has actually been to the Czech Republic and Slovakia since they became independent countries, and he has also met with their leaders (!).
This isn’t the first time McCain has made this mistake. At a debate in Oct. 2007, McCain said that America needs to “have a missile defense system in place in Czechoslovakia and Poland.”
What is the striking part of the news, John McCain’s entire presidential campaign is the notion that he’s an expert on foreign policy, thanks to his decades of experience as a Washington insider. When the foreign policy expert keeps referencing a non-existent country, it’s not unreasonable to mention that maybe his expertise isn’t quite as impressive as his campaign and the political media establishment would like us to believe.
Doing some research, I found that the official European Union numbers regarding whether a person speaks English or not:
18 and under ~ 80%
19 to 35 ~ 50%
55 and older ~ 5%
But this is slanted. People in Prague tend to speak more English than the rest of the Czech Republic and they make up 10% of the population. In Prague it is easy to find someone who speaks English on the Street. In Brno, 1/2 the population of Prague it drops off substantially on the street. If you are doing professional business, working with the Universities, Government, etc you will find English speaking in Bohemia everywhere. But not on the street.
However I found also something else during the research – how does the rest struggle with the total basis of English. So I decided to include also something else – a video done by LSG Models, including some hot Czech girls struggle with pre-school English level. Enjoy!
Russia can celebrate their diplomatic victory over the EU – the European Union didn’t accept any hard restrictions against Russia, Moscow was satisfied and promised, they won’t stop the flow of oil and gas. 
In Toronto, Canada, Tomas Bata died at the age of 94. The world-known shoe businessman passed away at 13:40. His spokesman Lacko said that “He left in the middle of work, calmly and in peace, surrounded by his closest ones.” 
The foreman of the Vietnamese society in the Czech Republic Marcel Winter said for Pravo, the temple may be build much sooner than media expect; “It may be there as soon as in one year”. They have the parcel in Prague 4 Písnice bought, just 100 m from the planed final stop of metro. 
Moscow announced the North Atlantic Treaty Organization they stop military cooperation. The information came from the speaker of the alliance Carmen Romero. The reason is obvious; 
Anyone, who would walk the Jungmanova ulice street nowadays, would see the Tibetan flag, hanging from Skodova palac. It was hung there by the Prague Town Council, to express their support of Tibet occupied by China. The reason, why the flag appeared in this time, is naturally the 
Every summer, the capital of Scotland Edinburgh becomes an epicentre of cultural events, hosting one of the biggest and most famous theatre events of this kind, the theatre parade Fringe. 
Czechs were able to successfully get to the line-ups of the festival, some even got prizes, like Teatr Novogo Fronta and Farma v Jeskyni.
Two Czech entomologists Petr Svacha and Emil Kuchera, who were on Friday placed on probation from the jail in Dargeling, India, object to charges of India court. It was 
During a press availability, Sen. John McCain said that he’s been concerned by “a couple of steps that the Russian government took in the last several day,” including “reducing the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia.”