CZECH TELEGRAPH

Czechs are Champions in Illegal Methamphetamine Laboratories

10. 3. 2010 / Fabiano Golgo

340 illegal methamphetamine laboratories were uncovered in the Czech Republic last year, the highest number in any EU country. Crystal meth has become a serious problem in the United States and some studies show that the drug made its way to America from gay tourists in the 1990s, who in turn got to what is called Pervitin in Czech Republic from local male prostitutes, a group among which the drug is widespread. Pervitin, or piko, as it is nicknamed, was widely used by the Axis forces during the Second World War to keep soldiers awake. The drug was later forbidden, but stayed alive in the underground in Czechoslovakia. It is the most widely consumed illegal drug in the country (considering that cannabis use is regulated, but legal). Its production is made easy by the over-the-counter sale of medicine containing pseudo-ephedrine, a crucial substance for the production of metamphetamine, found in common headache pills like Paralen.

No Tibetan Flags in Czech Parliament Today

The Czech Parliament decided to not participate in the international initiative "A Flag for Tibet" , which is happening all over the world in government buildings this Wednesday, on the anniversary of the 1959 uprising against the Chinese occupation of the Dalai Lama land. Nonetheless, some members of parliament will bring their own flags or will get one from the activists, which will be giving them away in an act of protest in front of the building. Over 300 other institutions in the Czech Republic will be displaying the flag.

Czech Republic's Infrastructure Falls Behind the European Average

Ranking 19th in its general level of infrastructure, Czech Republic falls to 79th place when it comes to motorways and urban roads, which are poorly built and badly maintained. There are fewer Czechs online using broadband connections than in the average EU country. A lack of high-speed train lines also leaves the Czech Republic unable to offer more efficient transportation for part of its population. An underdeveloped energy infrastructure also highlighted by an analysis made by the Ministry of Industry and Trade as factors in slowing down economic development in the Czech Republic.

Jan Fischer is the most liked Czech Prime Minister

Almost 90 percent of Czechs consider premier Jan Fischer favorably, according to a new poll. About 50 percent of the interviewed declared to trust the government, the highest rate since 2002, when Vladimír Špidla's cabinet got a 55 percent approval rate. Jan Fischer took over as a caretaker prime minister since May 2009, after the government of the center right Civic Democrats (ODS) did not survive a vote of no confidence. A lifelong statistician, he was previously the president of the Czech Statistical Office. General elections are scheduled for May.

88-year old Communist-era Prosecutor Not to Be Released from Prison Yet

Ludmila Brožová-Polednová, who is serving a six-year jail term her part in the Stalinist show trials of the early 1950s that sent to death, among others, the beloved concentration camp survivor and member of the Czechoslovak parliament Dr. Milada Horáková, has to remain in prison until the Supreme Court delivers a final ruling. An appeal for her release was rejected by a lower court Tuesday.

Transport Union Apologizes for Homophobic Remarks

In an open letter to Czech Minister of Transports, Gustav Slámečka, the umbrella organization of transport unions apologized for the homophobic remarks made by Jaromir Dušek, who is one of its official leaders. Dušek had publicly declared that the transport sector was run by a clique of homosexuals (""Homosexual Žaluda is with homosexual Slámečka, homosexual Slámečka has ties to homosexual Novák. And at the Ministry of Transport there's about 20 of these homosexuals and in the management of the railways there's about 30, and these people totally control Czech Railways"). Many politicians and personalities are asking for his resignation, to not stain the union with his homophobia. But Dušek claimed in an interview that he would have pointed to a clique of heterosexuals as well, if they happened to be picking big-breasted blondes (as in choosing people for sexually related reasons) for key positions.

Czech Military Airport On Sale...

For 140 million Czech crowns the Czech Ministry of Defense intends to sell the military airport of Všechov, which has a 2 kilometer landing strip and 407,000 square meters of land, with a large military training ground and army barracks.

But Prague's Airport is Not...

Czech parliament overrode a presidential veto and, by doing so, banned the sale of Prague's airport, going against a decision approved by the previous, center-right government of the Civic Democrats (ODS). The Ruzyně airport was valued at almost 4 billion euros.

Czech Industrial Output Rises

Czech Republic's industrial production increased 5.3% year-on-year in January, while economists were expecting 4.4%. When counting only working days, industrial output was up 8%. Manufacturing output increased 6.6% on an annual basis in January, while mining and quarrying output was down 10.8%.

CZECH TELEGRAPH
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Obsah vydání | Úterý 16.3. 2010