Current Affairs | All stories

Amidst the drawn out government crisis in the Czech Republic, tax reform has suddenly become the battlefield on which the ailing ruling Social Democrats and the opposition Civic Democrats are fighting for supporters and potential voters. Indeed, the embattled Prime Minister Stanislav Gross wants to link a confidence vote in his Cabinet to a proposed bill on lower taxes. It's an attempt to show the Social Democrats as the party of fiscal reform, and put pressure on the party's partners in the rapidly unravelling coalition to rally again behind

This year the Czech equivalent of 'Pop idol', 'Cesko hleda superstar' celebrates its second birthday. With a third of the adult Czech population following the show - appearing in, let alone winning the competition, guarantees contestants enough exposure to become a star. The media is currently ablaze with talk of the final twelve competitors, and with the fact that a third of them come from Czech minority groups - although they make up just a tiny fraction of the total population. Rosie Johnston has more...

As you are probably well aware by now, a number of events are being held here this year to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. But while many of these commemorations focus on the liberation of Czechoslovakia by foreign armies, some events are also acknowledging the contribution of homegrown anti-Nazi resistance movements. One such event was a commemorative evening held in Prague on Tuesday to acknowledge the contribution of the Czech "partisans" in helping defeat Nazi Germany.

Unlike many Communist parties in the former Eastern Bloc, the Czech Communists did not "rebrand" themselves as a modern left-wing party after they fell from power. Subsequently they were ignored by all the other parties in parliament for many years. But in recent times the Communists have acquired some legitimacy and - by propping up a weak Social Democrat government - a hitherto unseen degree of influence. But how hard-line is the Communist Party? And what do they want from the Social Democrats?

The famous Czech composer Bedrich Smetana was born in the East-Bohemian town of Litomysl. To commemorate the composers' great heritage, every year the city organizes an opera festival that over 47 years has gained great popularity in the Czech Republic. This year the festival takes place between June 17th and July 4th. And of course, visitors from abroad are widely welcome.

The crisis in the Czech government is showing no sign of abating. Prime Minister Stanislav Gross announced on Sunday evening that his minority government will seek a vote of confidence in parliament. The decision came under huge pressure from President Vaclav Klaus. So, what does Mr Gross' latest announcement mean?

Church bells tolled across the Czech Republic on Sunday to commemorate the passing of the first Slav in history to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Thousands of worshippers in the Czech Republic are praying for the late Pope John Paul II and requiem masses are being held in churches and cathedrals.

The invasion of Czechoslovakia by the troops of five Warsaw Pact countries on August 21st, 1968 put a brutal end to the democratisation process in Czechoslovakia that became known as the Prague Spring. An exhibition currently on display in Prague looks back at the events 37 years ago

The Czech Prime Minister, Stanislav Gross, survived a no-confidence vote on Friday thanks to the tacit support of Communist deputies, who abstained from voting. The Social Democrats will now lead a minority government, as the Christian Democrats, a junior party in the governing coalition, left the government in protest earlier this week.

Prague's reputation as one of Europe's most beautiful cities has been growing over the last decade or so ever since the city opened up to the world after the fall of communism. Every year more and more tourists are coming to the Czech Republic to sample the wonders of the "city of a hundred spires" But there are those who claim building developments in the city aimed at catering for the growing numbers of tourists are destroying the city's character. Some people are so concerned about the situation that they held a public debate attended by the