"Social Democrats gain majority in Czech Senate" by Karel Janicek, Associated Press | October 24, 2010
PRAGUE — The Czech Republic’s opposition Social Democrats won control of the Senate for the first time yesterday, giving them the power to stop sending more Czech troops to Afghanistan and to delay unpopular spending cuts.
BRAVO, Czechs!
The results, announced by the Czech Statistical Office, suggest voters punished the center-right government for its proposed austerity measures....
The government is trying to reduce the Czech Republic’s budget deficit from 5.3 percent of gross domestic product this year to 4.6 percent next year, a plan that has pleased rating agencies but not opposition lawmakers or labor groups....
Why is it that when bankers are happy the rest of us are not?
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That's why the Czechs get this:
"Czechs’ handling of Gypsies criticized" by Associated Press / November 11, 2010
PRAGUE — Human rights groups said yesterday that they filed a complaint with the European Union accusing the Czech government of failing to comply with a court order that it stop placing thousands of healthy Roma children in schools for the mentally disabled.
The government has come under increased fire in recent days as the three-year anniversary of the Nov. 13, 2007, ruling by the European Court of Human Rights approaches. The Council of Europe, a human rights watchdog, is set to review the country’s progress on Nov 30.
The Czech Republic has failed Roma children, the human rights groups said in a statement....
Roma are one of Europe’s largest, poorest, and fastest-growing minorities.
An estimated 7 million to 9 million live in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and other countries.
Interesting how Italy and France were left out.
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Related: Jiri Krizan, 68; screenwriter was Czech political figure
Clue-seekers plumb astronomer’s grave
Also see: Slow Saturday Special: US Using Czechs as Chess Piece Against Russia
