News

Another high-ranking police officer caught breaking traffic rules

The head of the Traffic Inspectorate from the north Moravian town of Frydek-Mistek, Michael Cas, caused a traffic accident on Saturday night in the city of Ostrava and a breathalyser test proved he had been drinking alcohol. The incident occurred only a few days after the Czech police president was caught breaking the speed limit on a motorway, some three weeks after a new and tougher transport law came into effect. Mr Cas had been quoted in the Czech media making positive comments about the new law in recent weeks.

According to a poll conducted by the Median agency and published in Saturday's Mlada fronta Dnes, 67 percent of Czechs approve of the new transport law which introduced tougher punishments for driving offences. The poll suggests most Czechs believe that drivers will be more cautious and there will be fewer accidents.

Blaze in national park destroys 20 hectares of forest

Fire fighters have been trying to put out a fire in the National Park of Ceske Svycarsko in the northwest of the country since Saturday afternoon. According to estimates some 20 hectares of forest has been destroyed and some 24 units including one from neighbouring Germany, are working to contain the blaze using thirty trucks, two helicopters and a plane. Experts say the risk of forest fires is extremely high in the current hot and dry weather.

Foreign Ministry urges Czechs in Lebanon to contact embassy

The Czech Foreign Ministry has called on all Czech citizens who have decided to leave Lebanon amid the continuing Israeli military operations to contact the Czech embassy in Beirut by phone or electronic mail. A ministry spokesman said that out of some 150 Czechs who were staying in Lebanon prior to the attack only some 20 to 30 have stayed. He urged them to stay in touch with the embassy.

Czech mountaineer killed by lightning at Mont Blanc

A Czech mountaineer died in the Mont Blanc massive on Saturday after being struck by lightning when camping in the mountains, the French police said. The man was camping with his wife and daughter at the altitude of 3,800 metres. He went out of his tent and was struck by a bolt of lightning. The wife and daughter sustained no injury, the police said.

Social Democrat executive body approves Paroubek's steps

The Central Executive Committee of the Social Democrats on Saturday unanimously approved the steps taken so far by party leader and outgoing prime minister Jiri Paroubek in post-election negotiations. The party body also authorised the Social Democrat leadership to hold talks next week with the emerging centre-right coalition of the Civic Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Greens about policy priorities and programme concessions.

Talks on the formation of a new government have been going on for some six weeks, since a national election resulted in a perfect split in the lower house of the Czech Parliament.

Weather

The hot and sunny weather should stay in the coming days with daytime highs of up to 34 degrees Celsius. The tropical heat wave in the Czech Republic is expected to continue until the end of July.