Czech press survey - January 7

Though Klaus´s amnesty can be rightfully criticised, its declaration is fully within the framework of his powers, Zverina recalls.

If the US abolished it, it would actually remove the institution of amnesty from the Czech constitutional order, he says.

Klaus´s amnesty applies to convicts with low suspended or prison sentences, elderly convicts and also suspects whose criminal proceedings have lasted for more than eight years. The prosecution is halted if the maximum prison sentence that can be imposed in such cases does not exceed ten years.

Zverina writes that Klaus behaved in an anti-social way by declaring this amnesty and he acted as a nihilist in terms of any notion of justice.

Either Klaus does not know what he has done and besides, he is surrounded be incompetent stupid aides or he thinks that the "big thieves" (whose prosecution will be halted within the amnesty) are not dangerous for society, Zverina writes.

The government is definitely accountable for the declaration of the president´s amnesty no matter what some of its ministers claim, Petr Uhl writes in Pravo today.

He says Finance Minister and TOP 09 deputy chairman Miroslav Kalousek is wrong saying the government was not accountable for the form of the amnesty but only for its implementation under the constitution.

The constitution clearly states that "the government is accountable for the president´s decisions that require the countersigning by the prime minister," Uhl recalls.

This is why the government as a whole should assess such cases and decide whether the PM should countersign the president´s decision, Uhl indicates.

He also notes that the most controversial part of Klaus´s amnesty is the decision to halt criminal proceedings if they lasted for more than eight years, including some closely watched financial crime cases.

In this respect, Klaus´s criminal liability on suspicion of abolition of public office might be discussed after his term in the presidential post expires on March 8, Uhl says.

There is no reason for being shocked by the fact that part of the audience watching the TV duel between former PMs Milos Zeman and Jan Fischer, favourites of the first Czech direct presidential election, in the studio were paid extras, Mirka Spacilova writes in Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) today.

She recalls that Fischer´s office spokeswoman Jana Viskova confirmed that some of the 200 volunteers that each of the candidates was to bring to the studio were hired people who were paid 800 crowns each.

These "political extras" were nicely applauding Fischer for this sum though they may earn more as extras in a Hollywood movie, Spacilova writes ironically.

It is a paradox that a politician must pay his enthusiastic audience why TV shows of popular entertainers attract crowds and are sold out.

"Either we have too gloomy candidates or the presidential show is still seeking its fans. However, professionally applauding extras can be always found," Spacilova concludes in MfD.

($1=19.490 crowns)

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz