PRAGUE, Dec 9 (CTK) - The following is a review of major

events in the Czech Republic in 2002 from April to June: APRIL 2. - President Vaclav Havel protests against statements by opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) leader and ex-premier Vaclav Klaus questioning charity activities of First Lady Dagmar Havlova published in the daily Pravo. Havel also reacts to statements of politicians, mainly from the ODS, who say that he seeks to carry out the so-called non-political policy through his faithful and that Prague Castle is becoming a power centre. 3. - The Czech mission at the EU submits to the European Parliament the Czech Republic's legal analysis of the Benes decrees. - The Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) launches Caucasian broadcast in Chechen, Avari and Cherkessi as well as in Russian. 8. - British Prime Minister Tony Blair talks in Prague on security and economic cooperation, on the Czech Republic's planned purchase of fighters and the Benes decrees. According to Blair, the decrees present no obstacle to the Czech Republic's entry to the EU. - Josef Svoboda, the founder and arts chief of Prague's unique Laterna magica theatre, originally combining ballet and pantomime with film art, dies aged 82. 9. - The Chamber of Deputies passes a law on war veterans. It takes effect on April 30. - The Chamber of Deputies passes a bill on compensation to people deported to internment camps in the former Soviet Union (USSR) in the 1940s and 1950s people. It takes effect on May 9. 10. - 12. - EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen says in a joint statement with Czech Premier Milos Zeman during his visit to Prague that the post-war Benes decrees have no legal effects at present. He confirms again that they will not influence the Czech Republic's admission to the EU. 14. - 17. - Premier Milos Zeman signs agreements on solving the remaining part of the Russian debt during his official visit to Russia. They concern supplies of military equipment, nuclear fuel to the Dukovany, south Moravia, power plant and supplies of ships. 15. - The Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Commission condemns Israel for the mass killing of Palestinians and calls for halt to military actions on the western bank of Jordan. The Czech Republic, along with Britain and Germany, is among five countries which reject the resolution. 19. - 20. - Milan Stech is elected new head of Bohemian- Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, replacing Richard Falbr who headed the unions for eight years. 19. - The Czech Republic supports resolution of the U.N. Human Rights Commission on human rights observance in Cuba. 23. - President Vaclav Havel and Vaclav Klaus as Chamber of Deputies leader meet for the first time in ten months. In spite of their differing opinions they agree that they are able to talk on joint interests of the Czech Republic. 24. - The Chamber of Deputies passes a resolution on the Benes decrees under which legal and property relations ensuing from the post-war laws and presidential decrees are unchallengeable, inviolable and unchangeable. The resolution submitted by the chairpersons of the five parties in parliament is supported by all 169 deputies present. - The first staff members of the 6th field hospital leave for Afghanistan to prepare conditions at the ISAF base for the arrival of about 150 Czech doctors and other staff members. The main part of the hospital leaves on May 3. 27. - 28. - The foreign and defence ministers, Jan Kavan and Jaroslav Tvrdik, respectively, visit Czech soldiers deployed in anti-terrorist operation Enduring Freedom in Kuwait. MAY 2. - The Chamber of Deputies passes a new transplantation law. It takes effect on September 1. A part of the law requiring autopsy of a potential donor of an organ, which actually hampers transplanting, is removed by a government decree in September. - The Chamber of Deputies passes a bill on the establishment of a financial prosecutor's office. It takes effect on July 1. 3. - The Senate passes an amended law on foreigners which prepares the country for the period after joining the EU Schengen system. It takes effect on January 1, 2003. 9. - Zeman says at the close of a debate in the Chamber of Deputies on how the CSSD government has fulfilled its policy statement that the CSSD is the only parliamentary party so far not to have led the country to bankruptcy. The Chamber takes no stance on the fulfilment of the government policy statement. 10. - A military freight train loaded with U.S. combat equipment crashes into a freight train near Vojkovice, west Bohemia. The engine driver of the Czech train does not survive the accident and 14 U.S. soldiers are injured. Later, four traffic accidents occur during exercises of U.S. troops in the Czech Republic. In one of them a 29-year-old soldier dies. 15. - The government approves a programme for 2003-2007 which plans to create a favourable social climate for aging and puts big emphasis on the role of family. 19. - 20. - The Czech and Slovak premiers, Milos Zeman and Mikulas Dzurinda, respectively, assess the results of the almost four-year cooperation of their governments and discuss a joint strategy towards the EU. 23. - 24. Premier Milos Zeman talks about the Czech Republic's progress during the completion of EU accession talks during his visit to Brussels and assesses his work in the government. 24. - Foreign Minister Jan Kavan causes an uproar during his visit to Israel and Palestinian autonomous territories by cancelling a planned meeting with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, though he meets Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon. Kavan indicates that Premier Milos Zeman did not wish him to meet with Arafat because he did not meet him either. Zeman dismisses this. 27. - Premier Milos Zeman and deputy premiers evaluate the four-year work of the CSSD cabinet mostly positively. According to Zeman, the government has led the economy from a crisis, during which GDP and living standard were falling. By its economic growth the Czech Republic is ranked fifth among OECD countries. Real wages are growing, too. 28. - President Vaclav Havel attends a summit of 19 NATO countries' heads of state and government at the military base Patica di Mare near Rome. They and Russian President Vladimir Putin sign a declaration on creating a NATO-Russia Council. - Prague Mayor Jan Kasl resigns and leaves the ODS. He however dismisses any connection with the forthcoming elections, as the ODS claims. 29. - The government postpones a contract on the purchase of 24 Gripen fighters. 30. The Senate passes a government-sponsored amendment to the law on pension insurance under which pensions will be raised regularly every January. The law takes effect on July 1. May 31 - June 1 - President Vaclav Havel attends a meeting of top officials from 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe in Bled, Slovenia. 31. - The Temelin nuclear power plant in south Bohemia launches fission reaction in the second unit reactor. JUNE 5. - President Vaclav Havel and German President Johannes Rau meet in Prague and say they believe that bilateral relations, which have cooled down due to discussions over the Benes decrees and the post-war deportation of Sudeten Germans, will calm down. 9. - CSSD chairman Vladimir Spidla refuses a post-election government coalition of the CSSD and the ODS in television debate with Klaus due to too different programmes of both parties. 11. - The Coalition of the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the Freedom Union-DEU sets five conditions for its participation in the future government: the cabinet should be clearly pro- European orientated, should lower taxes of individual and firms, fight against corruption, open universities to all and support the family and civic responsibility. 13. - At its latest session before the elections the Chamber of Deputies fails by one vote to outvote the Senate and does not pass, for a second time, a proposal under which privatisation revenues would be used to cover the loans for the purchase of 24 Jas-39 Gripen fighters. - At the Senate's recommendation the Chamber of Deputies raises the number of "authorised municipalities" from 194 to 205. These municipalities are to take over powers from district offices which cease to exist. The law takes effect on January 1, 2003. 14. - 15. - The CSSD wins the parliamentary elections, gaining 30.2 percent of votes (70 seats in the Chamber of Deputies). The ODS gains 24.47 percent of votes (58 seats), the Communists (KSCM) 18.51 percent of votes (41 seats). The Coalition suffers the biggest loss, gaining only 14.28 percent of votes (31 seats). 17. - President Vaclav Havel entrusts CSSD chairman Vladimir Spidla with holding talks on forming a new cabinet. Spidla starts talks with the Coalition of the KDU- CSL and the Freedom Union- DEU. 20. - ODS chairman Vaclav Klaus convokes an extraordinary party conference for December at which the current ODS leadership is to resign. 22. - The heads of state and government of 15 EU countries meet their counterparts from 13 candidate countries in Seville. Zeman supports the controversial proposal to build joint units to guard the EU outer border. 25. - Culture Minister Pavel Dostal returns to France the painting "Man in a fur cap" which has been in ownership of the National Gallery in Prague since 1945, having been seized by the Nazis in France during WWII. 26. - The public Czech Television reports that bugging devices and hidden cameras were discovered at its four recording studios. CT General Director Jiri Balvin says that he ordered the use of the equipment due to a suspicion that work for private purposes is being performed at the studios. The police shelve the complaint lodged by CT unions as ungrounded in July. 29. - The Tibetan Dalai Lama pays a six-day visit to Prague. He holds a meditation with Havel and attends a conference of representatives of world religions organised by the Forum 2000 foundation at Prague Castle.

	Czech Republic in 2002: January - March
	Czech Republic in 2002: April - June
	Czech Republic in 2002: July - September
	Czech Republic in 2002: October - December

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