News of Radio Prague

Spidla visits Brussels for last minute promotion of Czech interests

The Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla visited Brussels on Monday to lobby for Czech interests. Mr Spidla first met his Belgian counterpart Guy Verhofstadt, then held talks with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen, followed by a discussion with EU Commission President, Romano Prodi. With the EU commencing the debate on the precise financial conditions for admitting new countries, Mr Spidla's visit was the last chance to influence EU decisions on financing expansion at the highest political level. Speaking to journalists after his meeting with Mr Spidla, Mr Prodi said he was confident that the EU and the candidate countries would reach the necessary compromises before the EU summit in Copenhagen in December.

Distributors stop supplying hospitals with medication

Several hospitals around the country are not being supplied with medication after failing to pay their distributors. On Tuesday, the Association of Medication Wholesalers stopped distributing drugs to two more hospitals and has said it will continue resorting to such drastic measures until it was paid. The sudden halt in distribution took the directors of both hospitals by surprise. However, they assured their patients that there was enough medication in storage to last several days. The association only supplies those drugs that are being paid for in cash. Last week, the Czech government released some 60 million Czech crowns to help the affected hospitals. Since this sum only covers a fraction of the hospitals' overall debts, each individual hospital is now in talks with its distributors to draw up a payment plan.

Cabinet launches another attempt at privatising Unipetrol

During its session on Monday, the Czech cabinet launched a new programme to privatise Unipetrol, one of the Czech Republics largest chemical companies. Unipetrol consists of six leading Czech chemical and refining firms, including the Spolana Neratovice firm that was responsible for a number of chlorine leaks during the floods in August. The programme calls for hiring a tender advisor and selling the company as a single entity. The privatisation process was halted after the leading Czech firm in the agricultural and chemical industry that won last year's tender, Agrofert, failed to pay some 11 billion Czech crowns for a 63-percent stake in the holding. The state's majority stake in the company is currently under the control of the National Property Fund.

Cabinet approves agreements with Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina

During its session on Monday, the cabinet also approved a proposal to enter into a mutual agreement with Croatia to send all illegal immigrants from the two countries back home. Croatia will be the first former Yugoslav country to enter into such an agreement with the Czech Republic, which already has a similar agreement with all its neighbours as well as Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Canada. The cabinet also approved an agreement with Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is to support and protect the interests of investors in the two countries.

Schizophrenic patients to suffer from new health ministry plan

Up to 10,000 Czechs diagnosed with schizophrenia are expected to be left without modern medication as of next year. The President of the Czech Psychiatric Association, Martin Jarolimek, told journalists on Monday that a plan by the Czech Health Ministry would reduce health insurance coverage for psychiatric medication and certain anti-psychotic drugs. Patients with schizophrenia would therefore have to pay some 400 Czech crowns or 12 US dollars a month for their medication. Since most of them live from disability pensions many will not be able to afford such drugs and according to Mr Jarolimek, those affected would have to go back to taking the more classic medication which has more side effects.

Czech-Slovak co-production receives Emmy Award

The Czech-Slovak co-production "Nicholas Winton - the Power of Good" received the International Emmy Award for best documentary in New York City on Monday night. The film, directed and written by Matej Minac, tells the story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who in 1939, as a 29-year-old stockbroker was responsible for saving hundreds of Czech Jewish children from the Nazi death camps by sending them to families in Britain, after Nazi Germany occupied Bohemia and Moravia.

Weather

Tuesday is expected to have overcast skies with occasional showers throughout the country. Temperatures will range between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius.