Politics

A few hundreds participated on the parade in the Streets of Prague on the demonstration for support of legalization, or at least decriminalisation of marijuana in the Czech Republic.

The Favorite event, that grows bigger every year it takes place, was so upgraded to a ‘real’ demonstration. In the past years it was a matter of a music festival only. The demonstrants were carrying banners like ‘It smells nice’ or ‘legalize now’.

The parade went from Prague centre to Parukarka at Zizkov, following a sound-system van, growing in numbers. Groups like Apple Juice, Gang ala Basta, Unity and Prague Ska Conspiracy and many DJs than played for a few thousand people there.

This year was the 11th volume, within the world event Global Marijuana March, which took place in 239 cities of the world. The situation with marijuana in the liberal Czech Republic could be defined like that: ‘don’t sell to kids, don’t count your ganja in kilos, and you should be fine’. But it is still illegal, and the users are afraid of law abuse.

The Czech Prime minister went on the mission, so common for the American President George Bush; to show up unexpected at a military base somewhere at the middle east, and to express deep concerns with his troops.

Topolanek decided to set up for his trip because of events of the last week, when an improvised explosive device killed one Czech solider and left others wounded. The Prime minister’s first stop was at the field hospital and chemical unit ISAF, which works in 4th contingent of Czech and Slovak army at the airport in Kabul. Than he moved to Logar province on the American base Shank, the home of Provincial reconstruction team of the Czech Republic.

There are approx. 100 soldiers of the Czech Army in Kabul, about 200 are in Logar.

The coalition government of Mirek Topolanek have withstand third try of opposition of no-confidence vote. The opposition didn’t collect 101 votes necessary, it was narrow, though; for no-confidence voted 98 MPs.

The government is dangerous for the state and its citizens, Paroubek said. This becomes a kind of tradition, as this was the third shot Paroubek had to put the government down. Communist deputies also vote for the no confidence motion.

The starter was earlier this month, when the Constitutional Court ruled that the new sickness benefits law abolishing benefits for the first three days of sickness, which was a part of Julinek’s (ODS) health reform, is anti-constitutional.

In the partially adjusted design there is a slight change, Kaplicky announced the little piece of ground which was a problem for the City Hall won’t be used. “Our project team found a new solution, which will able the library realization on Prague Letna, on the place intended for it, and do so without change in the ground plan.” Said Jan Kaplicky in his declaration.

Meanwhile, the other declaration is still waited for – the politicians should simply say, there will be no Blob, because they just don’t like it. The Leader of Czech Anti-monopol Office Pecina repeatedly announced he won’t be the one who looks uncultured and he resist pressure to forbid Blob, when there is no reasonable problem with it.

Knizak, the leader of Czech National Gallery, who is presently asked by a petition signed by 50 000 to resign, came with a new solution – to get around the international contest, by not building a new library, but reconstructing another building. Taking the fact he is a Klaus’ good friend into consideration, this might be very well the end of Blob in Prague.

Members of the Greenpeace motion have occupied the hill, where the American radar should stand. About 20 activists build tents, some have settled in trees. The organization protests against the radar, they spread a huge cloth with a target. They plan to organize ‘cultural and social events’.

Signing of the radar treaty was planned on 5th May, however this will be probably moved, as the American Minister of Foreign Affairs Condoleezza Rice, who was supposed to come on invitation of Czech Minister of Foreign won’t be here. (Her colleague Sean McCormick supplied the information).

We are used to President Vaclav Klaus travelling the world, ready to start a speech about global warming, and that it is not caused by human activity. This time it won’t be him critisizing, but Matin Bursik of the Greens, contributing to global warming discussion. As we can expect, it will represent the official policy of the EU, one of the main protagonists on the world stage fighting the global warming.

Martin Bursik is an Environmentalist, not an Economist like Klaus. Which means we won’t be embarrassed as a country like the last time. And he was also invited for more important business in the area of nature protection; the American Governors invited him to a conference dedicated to climate changes as an important EU politician who sees into that matter, in search of some steps to solution.

From the officially invited representatives of the Czech Republic, no one is coming to see the Olympics in China. The President declared he has to undergo an operation at the time, the prime minister said he doesn’t go from ‘family reasons’ as his wife supports Tibet, the Education Minister Pavel Liska criticizes China politics against opposition openly.

The leader of Czech Senate Premysl Sobotka stated he doesn’t “like to travel and the way to Tibet (!) is long”. The last to announce his decision was the Speaker the House of Parliament, Miloslav Vlcek. His ‘excuse’ is that he doesn’t believe what media say, because they told him something different in Chinese Embassy, but he doesn’t go “because of ‘conformism‘”

The leader and chairman of the Czech Communist Party (KSCM) Vojtech Filip would probably go to China for the Opening Ceremony, but nobody has invited him yet.

We recently posted an article, dealing with the change in US base negotiations – we wrote it became something tit for tat. But the team of negotiators and deputies of Foreign and Defense Ministry Tomas Pojar and Martin Bartak words came with a new statement: Negotiations about possible army modernization has nothing to with agreement of the US Radar base.

Even when Marin Bartak said recently : “We asked the USA for cooperation in acquisition of middle-size transport tactical aircrafts within negotiations of the anti-missile defense.”

He now added: “It is not that we would say, that if we don’t get airplanes, the radar matter is over. It has never been like about conditioning. It has never been in the contract.” We are going to inform you, how the situation develops.

Lawmakers decide about the president in the Czech Republic. The last vote was so picture of the whole political situation in the Czech Republic – completely discreditable. The presidential candidate of the Greens, Jan Svejnar, said for an interview on Frekvence 1 may head the campaign for a direct presidential vote.

The leader of the Greens, Martin Bursik promised the next presidential vote will be by people, and Svejnar said “I share the same view, I am for direct vote – there is no potentiality for corruption.” and added “I haven’t discussed the matter with Mr. Bursik yet. But I would head the campaign, why not.” When asked if he will candidate in the next elections, he says he will decide according to what the situation will be.

The Czech Republic wants to help with army modernization, especially needs help in the matter of gaining new military airplanes. We so join the neighbour Poland that undermine radar construction by military help. Czechs were, until now, interested in science and industry support only.

“We asked the USA for cooperation in acquisition of middle-size transport tactical aircrafts within negotiations of the anti-missile defense.” the deputy minister of minister of defense Martin Bartak acknowledged.

The Czech army would like to gain e.g. two transport Herculeses, which would replace small and old Antonov, which Czech soldiers use to get to missions abroad. Within anti-air defense they are probably interested in the Patriot system.

As the international attention is now focused on human right violations in China, Chinese government is getting angry. Such can be the explanation of Cai Liho, Chinese minister of education decision to chancel planned agreement on student exchange program. Reason? Because the Green Party hung a Tibetan Flag from their club window. As the Czech education minister is a member of the Greens who support Tibet openly, the official meeting was cancelled.

“To display the so called Tibetan flag means direct support of Tibetan independence, we cannot accept that.” the Chinese embassy in Prague interpreted. The Chinese Embassy spokesman Zhou Qian explains: “Tibet is an integral part of the People’s Republic of China, and the act as such has outraged the people of China. Right now it wouldn’t be appropriate to meet with the Czech delegation.”

Liska commented for the Aktualne.cz server: “Reaction of China to me and my resort displays our critique of the state of the human rights didn’t come unnoticed. Activity to obstruct or complicate closer cooperation on the field of education demonstrates the true nature of Chinese politics.”

“The Olympic Games fell into crisis” Said the leader of The International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge. He was than taken short by the Chinese, not to ‘put together sport and politics’.

Lidove Noviny informed of their research among ministers (the Czech Republic government has 18 members) They asked 14 of them, 11 would not recommend Mirek Topolanek’s trip to the opening ceremony, 3 would let the decision on him. Topolanek previously stated, he will leave the decision on his government.

Clear attitude has the Green Party – they are against abomination of human rights in Tibet, and officially support Dali Lama. Similar opinion has the KDU-CSL, who are simply not going. Members of the leading ODS are united in their opinions: “we strongly recommend he should not go there.”

Karel Schwarzenberg, the Foreign Secretary of the Czech Republic appeals to politics to boycott the Olympic Games. After yesterday meeting with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner, Schwarzenberg invited politicians to boycott initiating of the summer Olympics in Peking.

“I would be happy, if European politicians didn’t go to the Olympics in Peking.” Schwarzenberg stated. He however admitted, it is not the official stance of Czech government: “It is my personal opinion and I am not going to blame my colleagues, if they decide to go to the Olympic Games.” The leader of Czech Government Mirek Topolanek admitted the boycott “is possible”.

Student Agency managed to bring havoc into the field of inter- city transportation by setting up a competitive environment.

Czech legislators are guaranteed free transport by the state. As the law was passed at the time when all transport companies were state- owned, it doesn’t say what should a private transport company do if a legislator decides to use its services for free.

Student Agency’s director, Radim Jancura, decided to bring the question to court and the court decided just the way he wanted: a private enterprise does not have to serve our MPs for free.

Now there’s a problem: there are those who say that Prague DPP (the Prague transport company) is a private enterprise so the MPs, when they do use the system, should pay for a ticket like anyone else.

But the Czech MPs obviously consider paying couple hundred crowns a month too large an investment, or they feel it would be degrading for a member of Parliament to have his transport ticket checked. They just don’t like the prospect.

Should They Pay? The whole article here

Can you buy a pit bull in the Czech Republic? Sure! Can you keep it? Sure! If you know what you are doing, a strong dog can be a really good companion and your security service.

In the Czech Republic, you can buy or get there breeds: Akita, American bulldog, bull-mastiff, Chow, pit bull, Rottweiler, Staffordshire terrier, or even a famous Czech wolf hybrid called the Czechoslovak Shepperd, which is a breed you have seen in the ‘Dancing with Wolves’ movie.

There are almost no regulations or restrictions for these breeds. Of course, there are common-sense laws such as a dog should be on a leash etc. This is what a parliamentarian Jaronym Tejc from CSSD want to change. He proposes something like gun licence for strong dogs. We will see how this will develop, maybe we will get to see less of these really sweet or really deadly breeds on the streets in the future.

The re-elected president of Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus have previously announced that he is not going to the Olympic games in China. But it is not a boycott against China atrocities, like in the case of other Czech politicians, like Ondrej Liska; MF Dnes informed he is going to a hip operation at the time of Olympics.

The other thing is, such long-term planned orthopedic operations can be postponed. What was the real reason? “I don’t intend to go Olympic Games in China” he wrote at his web. “As a sportsmen I am against politicization of sports and against competing in who is going to make the Olympics more monumental.”

“The Czech Republic is our friend. So we hope, it will not recognise Kosovo.” Bozidar Djelic told Czech vice-prime minister Alexandr Vondra, who came to Serbia on official visit. His Serbian counterpart also said: “I talked with Alexandr Vondra about the negative influence which would Kosovo recognition have.”

Serbia media have transmitted information of what are plans of Belegrad regarding its former province. The plan suggest splitting Kosovo according to ethnic borders among majority Albanians and minority Serbians. This way, Serbians could overtake political and administrative controlů over the Northern territory of Kosovo. Bozidar Djelic however disapproves this: “Serbia doesn’t want to split Kosovo. But we want to split Serbia neither.”

Source: LN

The KDU-CSL (Christian democratic union) came with the proposal: the Czech Republic should wait with Kosovo recognition. They doubt its legal status.

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg proposed the government recognised independent Kosovo next week, however The Prime minister Topolanek surprisingly announced his cabinet is going to further discuss the matter.

Pavel Severa, the head of the KDU-CSL have stated: “We are afraid of another unstable place on the map, because the independence proclamation in Kosovo wasn’t completely according to international law.

KDU-CSL taken Topolanek by surprise, however he agreed on further debates. Social Democrats (CSSD) are completely against the recognition, the Communist party (KSCM) as well. The other opposer is also Vaclav Klaus. Meanwhile 30 world countries have recognised Kosovo already, the Czech Republic still haven’t, as well as Russia and Slovakia.

We owe the US. That is the ex-president Vaclav Havel opinion in the matter of the US radar base in the Czech Republic. Havel have stated it is a chance to assist our ally. According to his words in a TV debate, without the assistance of the USA, independent Czechoslovakia would never arise and the Iron Curtain would still be here in the first place. “This is the first time Americans want something from us. We have always wanted something from them. They want a detail. And we start to be reluctant.”

Havel’s positive words have collided at the ex-Soviet president Michail Gorbachev. He said in the Czech Television the whole anti-radar system is aimed against Russia and China. This is a wide-spread opinion of Russian politics, even when Czech negotiators do a lot of gestures to demonstrate it is not.

17 February 2008 Kosovo Declaration of Independence was immediately recognised by the US, Czech Republic was to ‘wait, until the right time comes’ as Karel Schwarzenberg stated. It seems the time is now.

Karel Schwarzenberg, the Czech Foreign Minister proposed the government recognised independent Kosovo on April 2, which is during the NATO summit in Bucharest.

Vaclav Klaus have already expressed his disagreement with the Declaration and warns against the international independence. The Czech President would put the CR on the side of Kosovo’s independence opposers like Russia and Slovakia.

Czech Presidents don’t have much executive power, so Czech Republic is to probably join those 30 countries, that have already recognised Kosovo, on April 2th.