MISERY OF CZECH POLITICS ON PARADE - As the European parliament elections approach, it becomes increasingly clearer low-turn expectations are based on realistic estimates, the crisis not being much helpful in this respect.
Some even predict that voters' apathy could boost ultra-right parties that have become more active in the hope of getting more voters for their ballots. The result is an arrest of 42 extremists The Workers' Party supporters on Sunday.
***
The Czech parties have recently kicked off an election campaign to lure as many as they can get.
Aktuálně.cz analyzed all of the election spots, broadcast on Czech public service TV, having come to the conclusion there is not much difference between an ad for a swimming pool filtration device and pre-election campaign clip of EP candidates.
Actually, some of them come out even worse.
First of all, the clips don't make clear what group they target, which proves the fact they have no idea who their voters are.
Ironically, it is the racist National Party that sends the clearest message. But luckily for all (of us), their anti-Roma clip was suspended from TV broadcast. Czech TV filed a complaint with the criminal court against the Party, which accuses Czech Tv of violating their right to have the election clip broadcast on public service TV.
***
HAVEL GOES GREEN. Post-communist president Václav Havel who has never joined any political party in his political career openly supported the Green Party in their EP election race.
It is also former Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg who unequivocally stated his support for the Greens.
"I agree with the policies of the the Greens. In my lifetime, I have not found a party that could fully meet my expectations," said the minister of aristocrat background.
"Nevertheless, my profession as a forester, that is the fact, that I feel close to nature, makes Green issues important for me, and I feel the need to support them," Schwarzenberg addend jokingly.
***
CASTRATION IN BRITISH PAPERS. The Czech Republic is back in the limelight. This time due to the controversial topic of castrating sexual deviants.
Shortly after the Czech Republic was criticised by the Council of Europe for implementing the castration of sexual deviants, a reporter from The Sun, Britain's most-read daily, visited the country.
While the Council of Europe is calling for abolishing castrations, the tabloid calls for the opposite. In its Tuesday edition there is an article called British Paedos Should Be Castrated.
The Sun's article resembles a leaflet propagating castrations. The reporter Oliver Harvey met four prisoners who have been castrated and said it has helped them.
During his two-day stay in the country he did not meet a single expert that criticizes the castration practice.
***
FUEL RESERVOIR IN THE COUNTRY. The biggest diesel oil reservoirs in the Czech Republic are being built at the foot of Hostýnské hory mountains. Once completed, the four reservoirs will have a capacity of 140,000 cubic meters of fuel.
The project is part of a plan to raise the 90-day strategic fuel reserves in the Czech Republic by a quarter. The reservoirs are being built by the company Čepro in a fifty-year-old premises of its fuel storage area next to Loukov near Bystřice pod Hostýnem.
But the village is not happy about it.
The locals fear security issues, possible accidents, trucks driving through the area for the entire day etc. The authorities argue the country needs extra fuel reserves, as the past winter with the Russian oil pipe lines shut for weeks, there is never enough of oil in stock.
***
IMMORAL MANAGERS. Not only American bankers are immoral. The Czechs managers act immorally as well, says Brano Group CEO and owner Pavel Juříček thinks.
Brano manufactures car components, so the current economic recession has hit the company hard. Juříček's response, so far unique in the Czech Republic, was to start paying himself the minimum wage as of late January.
At first, he did not know how long he would pay himself that vage but later he has decided to apply this policy until the crisis is over.
There is a shortage of a certain degree of culture also in our society, and of an experience with overcoming crises. That is why managers do not react spontaneously and rather wait for what would be the public opinion, says Juříček.
***
THEATRE ADVENTURE IN PRAGUE. The days are getting longer and you may want to crave for a bit of adventure, then try this one - a guerilla troupe has prepared a feel-good drama fun for you. Lots of running and hunting and meeting people and history of the city of Prague.
