Compact archive June 9, 2006

Today starts FIFA World Cup in Germany and a wave of football interest is raised in Prague too.

During Cup celebrities will play a football at Wenceslas square in a playground with a fake turf. Many sport competitions will be for public for prizes in Prague. Old Town Square will have four large-screen displays. Cultural program will be focused on two nations playing that day.

Football was played even by elephants in Prague zoo yesterday.
Zoo attendants brought to elephants a ball and they really played with it. Elephant lady Shanti even scored some goals to a goal guarded by Horst Siegel, former football player. Then the normal ball was changed by three times bigger. Elephants enjoyed the play as well as visitors and attendants with the director of Prague zoo Petr Fejk.

Minister of Defence Karel Kühnl signed a large contract to in amount 24 milliards CZK. Czech Army as a member of NATO bought 199 armoured transporters by Austrian ammunition factory Steyr. This contract is bigger than hiring twelve Sweden interceptors Gripen.

Armoured vehicles Steyr Pandur was chosen in regular public competition. All tests and decisions was made months ago so signing was for than less only formal procedure.

Kuhnl will be Minister of Defence only few days, because the Government will be completely changed after Saturdays election. Even the election is done, all Ministries are still lead by former government until the new Government will be formed.

The vehicles are a big chance for Czech producers as well: Many vehicle parts such as electronics will be produced in Czech Republic by Czech companies. It will be about 10 milliards out of total 24 milliards CZK. This could also help to create an interest for Czech companies by Western sale.

All Pandurs should be in ownership of Czech Army in year 2012.

A special police car modified for drunk people can “celebrate” 1000th “customer”. Municipal police of Prague uses this car for transporting drunk and soused people to a sobering-up station.

1000th transported drunken was a 49 years old woman with 3,79 per thousand of an alcohol in blood. There was out of first 1000 people 155 women and 285 foreigners. A record holder is 52 years old man, who was transported twelve times. Average value is 2,5-3 per thousands of an alcohol. Some of drunk had over 5 per thousand.

Drunk car is used by Prague police since January. Until then drunk people was transported by an ambulance. The car is prepared for its customers 24 a day.

Prague weather forecast looks very positive. The temperature should constantly raising during next two weeks. It is expected that next weekend will have temperatures at 29 Celsius degrees. This will also bring the end of rain and clouds. Today weather is clear sky and temperature at about 23 degrees.

National Library Prague sold church of St.Michael to private company Michal Praha. And now the students and activists protesting against that.

It is because the company has no respect with 900 years of building. St. Michael is signed in world heritage list UNESCO. Now the building is rent to Michal Praha to year 2029.

Michal Praha uses the church for commercial events and even for unbelievable things like technomusic party and worst of all for striptease shows.