Czech press survey - September 14

On Thursday, they could be again in the limelight when they insisted on rejecting the government-sponsored VAT rise during the vote in the Chamber of Deputies, Komarek adds.

No matter if they eventually give in or not, they apparently do not care for what they are allegedly fighting, and negotiations with them therefore cannot be constructive. It is like talking to a stubborn kid, Komarek says.

If Tluchor and his companions had been genuine rebels, they would have presented their uncompromising stance many times before as both Prime Minister Petr Necas (ODS chairman) and Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek (TOP 09) were notifying of the tax package long time ago,

But the "rebels" did not do it. They were waiting for an instruction from the Prague Castle, the presidential office, Komarek points out.

"This is called racketeering," he concludes.

President Vaclav Klaus uses misleading arguments for his veto of the foster care legislation, Martin Zverina writes in Lidove noviny (LN) today.

The bill on children's social care is to reduce the number of children in institutional care and enhance foster care. The Czech Republic has been repeatedly criticised for a too high number of children in institutions.

Klaus said the legislation had been passed under the pressure of international institutions, such as UNICEF and the European Commission, Zverina recalls.

However, he adds, the Czech state continues in the unfortunate practice of the communist era, placing children in institutional care unnecessarily, for instance, over the family´s social problems.

Moreover, Klaus mentioned his fears of closing infant homes though he admitted that the legislation did not contain this step.

Klaus also expressed fears that some foster parents would take children in care for money. Nevertheless, professional employees in children homes do not work for free either, Zverina notes.

"Both legislators and the president care for the destiny of parentless children. This is why it will do no harm if the bill is debated in the lower house again. Nevertheless, the arguments should be constructive and well-founded and not stirred up by a phobia about the possibility of changing something for the better," Zverina writes in conclusion.

President Vaclav Klaus has criticised the system of European subsidies but he should rather raise objections to the domestic dubious handling and abusing of them, Jiri Leschtina writes in Hospodarske noviny (HN) today.

He recalls that Czechs have sent to Brussels overpriced or manipulated projects for 25 billion crowns, according to EC auditors, and Brussels will probably not pay this sum over the shortcomings.

Both the Social Democrats (CSSD), controlling most regional authorities, and the centre-right government coalition are involved in the corrupt allocation of EU subsidies, Leschtina notes.

"Strange money for strange things," Klaus said, commenting on the EU funding.

"We should add: Strange people who were manipulating the projects or covering up for that all. And strange times when they could feel untouchable," Leschtina writes in HN.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz