1.
Prime Minister of the Czech Republic
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The Chairman of the Government of the Czech Republic, normally referred to in English as the Prime Minister, is the head of the Government of the Czech Republic. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies, the current Prime Minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party, was appointed by the President on 17 January 2014, and serves as 11th person in this position. Prime Minister is appointed by the President and its first priority is to create a Government and appoint other Ministers. To the whole government must be given confidence by the Chamber of Deputies, the Constitution of the Czech Republic states that Prime Minister organizes activities of the Government and chairs their meetings. Since the Czech Republic is a republic, the Prime Minister. The Czech constitution provides that upon the accession to the office each Prime Minister must gain, as soon as the Prime Minister loses the confidence he or she is forced to resign and the President is obliged to choose a new Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the most powerful office in state, since he commands, President appoints the Prime Minister who appoints other Ministers of Cabinet of the Czech Republic. The official residence of the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic is Kramářs Villa, the residence is located at Gogolova 212/1, Hradčany, Czech Republic. The building was built from 1911 to 1914 and it was designed by the Viennese architect Friedrich Ohmann
2.
Czech Social Democratic Party
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The Czech Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Czech Republic. It holds 50 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, making it the largest party, ČSSD leads the governing Cabinet of the Czech Republic since 2013. The Social Democratic Czechoslavonic party in Austria was founded on 7 April 1878 in Austria-Hungary representing the Kingdom of Bohemia in the Austrian parliament and its role in the political life of the empire was one of the factors that lead to the creation of independent Czechoslovak Republic. After the collapse of Austria-Hungary, the party one of the leading parties of the first Czechoslovak Republic. After the re-establishment of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1945, the party returned to its pre-existing structure, in 1948, after the Communist Party assumed the parliamentary majority, the Czech Social Democratic Party was incorporated into Communist Party. Under the reformist environment in 1968, there were talks about allowing the recreation of a Social Democratic party and it was only after the Velvet Revolution in 1989, when the party was recreated. After the 1998 parliamentary election, the party won the most seats, as a result, the party formed a minority government under party leader Miloš Zeman. With only 74 seats out of 200, the government had the confidence and supply from the Civic Democratic Party, the party won the elections of 2002 with 70 of 200 representatives in the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. The chairman of the party in years 2006-2010 was Jiří Paroubek and his predecessor was Stanislav Gross from 26 June 2004 to 26 April 2005. Gross resigned after a scandal which arose due to his inability to explain the source of resources used to pay for his home. Grosss predecessor Vladimír Špidla was forced to resign in 2004 after the ČSSD lost in the 2004 European Parliamentary elections, in the June 2 and 3,2006 elections, the party won 32. 3% of the vote and 74 out of 200 seats. The election at first caused a stalemate since the centre-right parties, hence the ČSSD went into opposition. Following the 2010 legislative elections, the ČSSD gained 22, the Chairman of ČSSD Bohuslav Sobotka has become the new Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. In economic matters, the party platform is typical of Western European social democratic parties. It supports a mixed economy, a welfare state. The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International between 1923 and 1938, after the splitup of Austria-Hungary, the Czechoslovak Social Democratic Workers Party in the Republic of Austria split from the main party. Official website Party basic data in English
3.
Stanislav Gross
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He previously served as Minister of the Interior in cabinets of Miloš Zeman and Vladimír Špidla from 2000 to 2004. Gross was a Member of Parliament for Central Bohemian Region from 1992 to 2004, Gross died on 16 April 2015 at the age of 45 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Born in Prague, Gross briefly worked for Czechoslovak State Railways as an engine-driver trainee, after the Velvet Revolution in 1989, he became a member of the Social Democratic party and in 1992 member of the parliament. After studies in law from 1993 to 1999 he obtained an academic title and his thesis had a mere 33 pages. On 5 April 2000 he was named minister in the government of Miloš Zeman. After elections in 2002, Gross continued as minister and became deputy prime minister in the government of Vladimír Špidla. During his service, several scandals in the police had leaked out, corruption among the highest officials, irregularities in business tenders, Gross claimed that this was due to a better ability to discover such behaviour within the police force. Gross was also criticized for installing his friends and allies as executives in state-owned companies, in spite of these problems, Gross was able to maintain higher popularity than other politicians. His youthful, photogenic appearance, skills in dealing with media, in the 2004 European election, ČSSD lost badly and the popularity of the party was low, this led to the resignation of Špidla on 26 July. Gross was appointed minister on 4 August 2004 and his government was approved on 24 August. Gross was seen by his party as the last way to regain popularity and this was proved wrong, in elections for regional assemblies and Senate elections, the Social Democrats failed again. His popularity started to decline, and his involvement in further allegations of nepotism, police corruption, in early 2005, Gross faced a scandal related to unclear origins of the loan to buy his flat. It was found that his wife was an associate of a brothel owner who was later sentenced for insurance fraud to five years in prison. Criticism from the media and record public dissatisfaction grew into a government crisis, for three months, Gross tried to keep himself in power until he was forced to resign on 25 April 2005. His popularity sank to a low, and trust in politicians among Czech people was shattered. In September 2005 Gross stepped down from his position of party leader. The reason was growing suspicion about corruption during the privatization of the chemical conglomerate Unipetrol to the Polish concern of PKN Orlen, Gross denied all accusations as an absurd conspiracy against him. After leaving the world of top level politics Gross started to work for the Law Office of Eduard Bruna, between April 2006 and January 2007 he served as the chairman of Security Commission of the Social Democrats
4.
Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic
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The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic or just Chamber of Deputies, is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of the Czech Republic. The seat of the Chamber of Deputies is Thun Palace in Malá Strana, the members of the 200-seat house serve for four-year terms and are elected using the party-list proportional representation system. Since 2002, there are 14 constituencies matching the Czech regions, the Government is primarily responsible to the Chamber of Deputies and the Prime Minister stays in office only as long as he or she retains the support of a majority of its members. Every citizen of the Czech Republic aged at least 21 who has the right to vote is eligible to be elected, the Deputy may not hold the office of the Senator, the President of the Czech Republic or judge, which also applies to certain positions specified by law. The Parliament of the Czech Republic - the Chamber of Deputies, Prague, Published for the Office of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic by Ivan Král,2009. ISBN 978-80-87324-01-1 List of Speakers of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Official website Official website
5.
Telnice (Brno-Country District)
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Telnice is a village and municipality in Brno-Country District in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. The municipality covers an area of 6.1 square kilometres, Telnice lies approximately 13 kilometres south-east of Brno and 199 km south-east of Prague. The village was the focus of fighting during the Battle of Austerlitz on 2 December 1805. After the battle went against the allies farther north, they evacuated Telnice and retreated, suffering losses in men. Czech Statistical Office, Municipalities of Brno-Country District
6.
Czechoslovakia
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From 1939 to 1945, following its forced division and partial incorporation into Nazi Germany, the state did not de facto exist but its government-in-exile continued to operate. From 1948 to 1990, Czechoslovakia was part of the Soviet bloc with a command economy and its economic status was formalized in membership of Comecon from 1949, and its defense status in the Warsaw Pact of May 1955. A period of liberalization in 1968, known as the Prague Spring, was forcibly ended when the Soviet Union, assisted by several other Warsaw Pact countries. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into the two states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Form of state 1918–1938, A democratic republic, 1938–1939, After annexation of Sudetenland by Nazi Germany in 1938, the region gradually turned into a state with loosened connections among the Czech, Slovak, and Ruthenian parts. A large strip of southern Slovakia and Carpatho-Ukraine was annexed by Hungary, 1939–1945, The region was split into the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and the Slovak Republic. A government-in-exile continued to exist in London, supported by the United Kingdom, United States and its Allies, after the German invasion of Russia, Czechoslovakia adhered to the Declaration by United Nations and was a founding member of the United Nations. 1946–1948, The country was governed by a government with communist ministers, including the prime minister. Carpathian Ruthenia was ceded to the Soviet Union, 1948–1989, The country became a socialist state under Soviet domination with a centrally planned economy. In 1960, the country became a socialist republic, the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. It was a state of the Soviet Union. 1989–1990, The federal republic consisted of the Czech Socialist Republic, 1990–1992, Following the Velvet Revolution, the state was renamed the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic, consisting of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. Neighbours Austria 1918–1938, 1945–1992 Germany Hungary Poland Romania 1918–1938 Soviet Union 1945–1991 Ukraine 1991–1992 Topography The country was of irregular terrain. The western area was part of the north-central European uplands, the eastern region was composed of the northern reaches of the Carpathian Mountains and lands of the Danube River basin. Climate The weather is mild winters and mild summers, influenced by the Atlantic Ocean from the west, Baltic Sea from the north, and Mediterranean Sea from the south. The area was long a part of the Austro Hungarian Empire until the Empire collapsed at the end of World War I, the new state was founded by Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, who served as its first president from 14 November 1918 to 14 December 1935. He was succeeded by his ally, Edvard Beneš. The roots of Czech nationalism go back to the 19th century, nationalism became a mass movement in the last half of the 19th century
7.
Czech Republic
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The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, is a nation state in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west, Austria to the south, Slovakia to the east and Poland to the northeast. The Czech Republic covers an area of 78,866 square kilometres with mostly temperate continental climate and it is a unitary parliamentary republic, has 10.5 million inhabitants and the capital and largest city is Prague, with over 1.2 million residents. The Czech Republic includes the territories of Bohemia, Moravia. The Czech state was formed in the late 9th century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire, after the fall of the Empire in 907, the centre of power transferred from Moravia to Bohemia under the Přemyslid dynasty. In 1002, the duchy was formally recognized as part of the Holy Roman Empire, becoming the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198 and reaching its greatest territorial extent in the 14th century. Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, the whole Crown of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy alongside the Archduchy of Austria, the Protestant Bohemian Revolt against the Catholic Habsburgs led to the Thirty Years War. After the Battle of the White Mountain, the Habsburgs consolidated their rule, reimposed Roman Catholicism, the Czech part of Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany in World War II, and was liberated in 1945 by the armies of the Soviet Union and the United States. The Czech country lost the majority of its German-speaking inhabitants after they were expelled following the war, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia won the 1946 elections. Following the 1948 coup détat, Czechoslovakia became a one-party communist state under Soviet influence, in 1968, increasing dissatisfaction with the regime culminated in a reform movement known as the Prague Spring, which ended in a Soviet-led invasion. Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the 1989 Velvet Revolution, when the communist regime collapsed, on 6 March 1990, the Czech Socialistic Republic was renamed to the Czech Republic. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved, with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004, it is a member of the United Nations, the OECD, the OSCE, and it is a developed country with an advanced, high income economy and high living standards. The UNDP ranks the country 14th in inequality-adjusted human development, the Czech Republic also ranks as the 6th most peaceful country, while achieving strong performance in democratic governance. It has the lowest unemployment rate in the European Union, the traditional English name Bohemia derives from Latin Boiohaemum, which means home of the Boii. The current name comes from the endonym Čech, spelled Cžech until the reform in 1842. The name comes from the Slavic tribe and, according to legend, their leader Čech, the etymology of the word Čech can be traced back to the Proto-Slavic root *čel-, meaning member of the people, kinsman, thus making it cognate to the Czech word člověk. The country has traditionally divided into three lands, namely Bohemia in the west, Moravia in the southeast, and Czech Silesia in the northeast. Following the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the Czech part of the former nation found itself without a common single-word geographical name in English, the name Czechia /ˈtʃɛkiə/ was recommended by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs
8.
Alma mater
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Alma mater is an allegorical Latin phrase for a university or college. In modern usage, it is a school or university which an individual has attended, the phrase is variously translated as nourishing mother, nursing mother, or fostering mother, suggesting that a school provides intellectual nourishment to its students. Before its modern usage, Alma mater was a title in Latin for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele. The source of its current use is the motto, Alma Mater Studiorum, of the oldest university in continuous operation in the Western world and it is related to the term alumnus, denoting a university graduate, which literally means a nursling or one who is nourished. The phrase can also denote a song or hymn associated with a school, although alma was a common epithet for Ceres, Cybele, Venus, and other mother goddesses, it was not frequently used in conjunction with mater in classical Latin. Alma Redemptoris Mater is a well-known 11th century antiphon devoted to Mary, the earliest documented English use of the term to refer to a university is in 1600, when University of Cambridge printer John Legate began using an emblem for the universitys press. In English etymological reference works, the first university-related usage is often cited in 1710, many historic European universities have adopted Alma Mater as part of the Latin translation of their official name. The University of Bologna Latin name, Alma Mater Studiorum, refers to its status as the oldest continuously operating university in the world. At least one, the Alma Mater Europaea in Salzburg, Austria, the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, has been called the Alma Mater of the Nation because of its ties to the founding of the United States. At Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, and the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, the ancient Roman world had many statues of the Alma Mater, some still extant. Modern sculptures are found in prominent locations on several American university campuses, outside the United States, there is an Alma Mater sculpture on the steps of the monumental entrance to the Universidad de La Habana, in Havana, Cuba. Media related to Alma mater at Wikimedia Commons The dictionary definition of alma mater at Wiktionary Alma Mater Europaea website
9.
Masaryk University
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Masaryk University is the second largest university in the Czech Republic, a member of the Compostela Group and the Utrecht Network. Founded in 1919 in Brno as the second Czech university, it now consists of nine faculties and 35,115 students and it is named after Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of an independent Czechoslovakia as well as the leader of the movement for a second Czech university. In 1960 the university was renamed Jan Evangelista Purkyně University after Jan Evangelista Purkyně, in 1990, following the Velvet Revolution it regained its original name. Since 1922, over 171,000 students graduated from the university, Masaryk University was founded on 28 January 1919 with four faculties, Law, Medicine, Science, and Arts. Brno was at time a bilingual city. One notable demonstration in favour of establishing a university in Brno happened in 1905, from the beginning, the university suffered from a lack of money for development. The fragile state of finances in 1923–1925 and 1933–1934 led to proposals of abolishing both the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science. Both faculties eventually survived until 17 November 1939 when the university was closed following the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. A number of professors of Masaryk University were executed or tortured, for example, many of the executions took place in the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1942. The renewal of university life after the end of World War II was interrupted by the Communist takeover, the percentage of students expelled in various faculties ranged from 5 percent at the Faculty of Education to 46 percent at the Faculty of Law, which was completely closed in 1950. In 1953, the Faculty of Education was separated from the university, in August 1960, a government decree abolished the Pharmaceutical Faculty and the University was renamed Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Brno. Relaxation occurred in 1964 with the reintegration of the Faculty of Education into the university, but conditions changed again rapidly with the Normalization of the 1970s after the 1968 invasion of Warsaw Pact troops into Czechoslovakia. The University was renamed Masaryk University in Brno in 1990, then regaining its name by dropping the in Brno from the title in 2006. A new University campus has been under construction in Brno-Bohunice since 2002, the last stage of development should be completed in 2015. In 2013, university signed a long lease with the city of Brno. The place has various functions, hosting official university ceremonies as well as lectures and conferences. Cinemas programming is managed by Aeropolis, which shares the costs with the university, the Office of International Studies helps facilitate incoming and outgoing student mobility. In the 2012/13 academic year the university hosted over 1,000 international students, students with special needs are assisted by the Teiresiás centre
10.
Slavkov u Brna
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Slavkov u Brna is a country town east of Brno in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. The town gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz which took place several kilometres to the west of the town, at the beginning of the 13th century, the Teutonic Order built a monastery stronghold whose remains can still be seen today in the vaults of the Austerlitz Palace. The first written testimony about the date from 1237. The Czech name Slavkov is first documented in 1361, the German name Austerlitz in 1633, at the end of World War II, the ethnic German majority of residents were forcibly expelled. Baroque Slavkov Castle has 115 rooms and a garden in the French style. The Palace was designed by Italian architect Domenico Martinelli, in its historic salon, an armistice was signed between Austria and France after the battle of Austerlitz on 2 December,1805. There is a historic museum and a multimedia presentation about the battle. On the main square is a late Renaissance town hall and mansion, parts of the old town wall can also be seen. Church of the Resurrection of the Lord, the classicist building with three pulpits was designed from 1786-1789 by the Viennese architect Johann Ferdinand Hetzendorf von Hohenberg. Church of St. John the Baptist, beneath the church is a vault which contains the tombs of the Kaunitz family. The chapel of 1712 was badly damaged during the battle of Austerlitz and had to be rebuilt during 1858-1861, only the synagogue remains from the Jewish ghetto. There is also a Jewish cemetery a little bit outside the town, the battle of Austerlitz actually took place several kilometers to the west of Austerlitz. Public transport to the site is limited, and the landscape has preserved its bucolic aspects, agriculture still dominates the hilly terrain which has not changed much. The Old Post in Kovalovice is a period building dating from 1785. On 28 November 1805 the French cavalry general Murat set up his headquarters here, on the day of battle, the Russian general Bagration had his headquarters here. After the battle, Napoleon slept in this house and held negotiations about an armistice. A small museum is dedicated to commemorate these events, on Santon hill to east of Tvarožná village is a small white chapel. The hill was a mainstay of the French position and allowed the French artillery to dominate the portion of the battlefield
11.
Magister degree
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A magister degree is an academic degree used in various systems of higher education. In Argentina, the Master of Science or Magister is a degree of two to four years of duration by depending on each universitys statutes. In Egypt, Magister degree is a degree which is awarded after three to 6 years duration. It is equivalent to MSc degree and it is a prerequisite to have an MSc before applying to a Ph. D. or Doctorate degrees. Magisters tend to be awarded in the humanities and the sciences, while Diplomas dominate in the natural sciences. In Austria, major universities began to partition the Mag. Phil, coursework into a four-year bachelors and two-year masters program. Phil. In Poland magister is awarded after 5 years of University level education and it is an equivalent to Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Laws, before +/-1999 and the implementation of the Bologna Process the first academic degree awarded in Poland was magister. After implementation of the Bologna Process the person who obtained Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science can continue education to the magister level, with the implementation of the Bologna Process, curricula leading to Magister degrees have been phased out in many countries. In the United States, the Department of Education calls the Magister an equivalent to the masters degree, evaluations by U. S. high research activity universities vary. For example, the Oregon State University consider holders of a German or Austrian Magister for admission to graduate studies, also the University of California, Los Angeles requires the Magister and considers the Vordiplom, the Diplom or a German bachelors degree as not sufficient. In Canada the German or Austrian Magister is at most universities the prerequisite to enter a graduate study program, there is no consensus between Canadian Universities whether a Mag. Phil. Degree should be regarded as equivalent to a Masters or Bachelors with Honours degree, since 2007 in Sweden, the Magister is a one-year graduate degree which requires at least three years of undergraduate studies. It is officially translated into either Master of Arts, Master of Social Science or Master of Science depending on the subject, in Sweden, magister historically was the highest degree at the faculties of philosophy and was equivalent to the doctorate used in theology, law and medicine. The degree was abolished in 1863, and replaced with the Doctor of Philosophy, the magister degrees used in Denmark and Norway most closely resemble this degree. Magister has since referred to several degrees in Sweden which are unrelated to the magister degree. Some universities conferred a degree called magister between 1908 and 1969, which was comparable to a masters degree. This masters degree taken as a first degree before the Bologna Process. The degree usually lasted about 5–6 years and is structured into Basic, Intermediate, a new undergraduate magister degree, requiring at least 4 years of studies, was introduced in 1993
12.
Velvet Revolution
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The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from November 17 to December 29,1989. Popular demonstrations against the one-party government of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia combined students, the result was the end of 41 years of one-party rule in Czechoslovakia, and the subsequent dismantling of the planned economy and conversion to a parliamentary republic. On November 17,1989, riot police suppressed a student demonstration in Prague and that event sparked a series of demonstrations from November 19 to late December. By November 20, the number of protesters assembled in Prague grew from 200,000 the previous day to an estimated 500,000, a two-hour general strike involving all citizens of Czechoslovakia was held on November 27. On November 24, the top leadership of the Communist Party, including General Secretary Miloš Jakeš. Two days later, the legislature deleted the sections of the Constitution giving the Communists a monopoly of power. Barbed wire and other obstructions were removed from the border with West Germany, on December 10, President Gustáv Husák appointed the first largely non-communist government in Czechoslovakia since 1948, and resigned. Alexander Dubček was elected speaker of the parliament on December 28. In June 1990, Czechoslovakia held its first democratic elections since 1946, the term Velvet Revolution was coined by Rita Klímová, the dissidents English translator who later became the ambassador to the United States. The term was used internationally to describe the revolution, although the Czechs also used the term internally, after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Slovakia used the term Gentle Revolution, the term that Slovaks used for the revolution from the beginning. The Czech Republic continues to refer to the event as the Velvet Revolution, the Communist Party seized power on February 25,1948. No official opposition parties operated thereafter, dissidents published home-made periodicals, but they faced persecution by the secret police. Thus, the public did not openly support the dissidents for fear of dismissal from work or school. A writer or filmmaker could have his/her books or films banned for an attitude towards the socialist regime. These rules were easy to enforce, as all schools, media and they were under direct supervision and often were used as accusatory weapons against rivals. The nature of blacklisting changed gradually after the introduction of Mikhail Gorbachevs policies of Glasnost, the Czechoslovak Communist leadership verbally supported Perestroika, but made few changes. Speaking about the Prague Spring of 1968 was taboo, the first anti-government demonstrations occurred in 1988 and 1989, but these were dispersed and participants were repressed by the police. By the late 1980s, discontent with living standards and economic inadequacy gave way to support for economic reform
13.
Czech legislative election, 2006
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Parliamentary elections were held in the Czech Republic on 2 and 3 June 2006. The pre-election campaign was fierce and mostly negative, the two largest parties — the Civic Democratic Party and the ČSSD profited from the divisive campaign and obtained the highest percentage of votes ever. Turnout of otherwise apathetic Czech voters increased, compared to the previous election in 2002. The elections produced an evenly balanced result, one potential coalition – the ODS, Christian Democrats and Greens – won exactly half of the 200 seats, whilsy. The ČSSD and Communists held the other half, making the possibility of a minority Social Democratic government supported by the Communists equally problematic. Ultimately the Civic Democrats, Christian Democrats and Greens formed a government when a confidence vote was passed on 19 January 2007. He was summoned before parliament commission few days before the election where he presented a document and it also contained information about minor officials, some of whom had already been imprisoned on suspicions of bribery. Paroubek and the others denied these claims and accused the opposition of trying to manufacture a scandal to avoid electoral failure, after the elections, Paroubek said that the allegations cost his party victory and that democracy was in as much danger as in 1948. Initially, he planned to challenge the election result, the Chamber of Deputies consists of 200 members elected for a four-year term. Seats were allocated by proportional representation amongst those lists that gained at least 5% of the total of valid votes cast. Party lists were presented in 14 regions, with votes cast for a list, the Czech Republic has a parliamentary system of government, with ministers being responsible to the Chamber of Deputies. The Chamber is the most powerful organ of the state power to override vetoes by the President. On 26 June, ODS, KDU-ČSL and SZ announced, that they had agreed on a coalition. Official election web site, English http, //www. volby. cz – Official site with detailed results of all elections since 1994 in Czech and English Adam Carrs Election Archive Parties and elections
14.
Czech legislative election, 2013
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Early legislative elections were held in the Czech Republic on 25 and 26 October 2013, seven months before the constitutional expiry of the elected parliaments four year legislative term. The government elected in May 2010 led by Prime Minister Petr Nečas was forced to resign on 17 June 2013, after a corruption and bribery scandal. A caretaker government led by Prime Minister Jiří Rusnok was then appointed by the President, the Chamber of Deputies then passed a motion dissolving itself on 20 August, with a call for new elections within 60 days after presidential assent. The President gave his assent on 28 August, scheduling the elections for 25 and 26 October 2013, the two parties gaining the most seats were the Czech Social Democratic Party and the new party ANO2011. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia came third, with a 3. 6% swing in its favour, two other parties gained seats, the new Dawn of Direct Democracy party and the Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak Peoples Party. The previous election in May 2010, resulted in formation of the three party centre-right government ODS‑TOP09‑VV, representing 118 seats, and being led by Prime Minister Petr Nečas, on 17 June 2013, Prime Minister Petr Nečas resigned after a spying and corruption scandal. As per 25 June 2013, the government alliance however only represented 98 seats. Former Prime Minister Jan Fischer was named as finance minister, on 7 August 2013, the caretaker government of Jiří Rusnok lost the constitutionally required vote of confidence in parliament by 93 to 100 votes, with 7 opting not to vote. The ČSSD and Communist Party did likewise support an early election, though the constitution of the Czech Republic allows the president two chances to offer someone an opportunity to form a new government, there is no time limit. Never-the-less, the government decided voluntarily to resign immediately on 13 August 2013. A vote was to place at 14,00 on 20 August on dissolution of the parliament. The spokeswoman of the president stated that in case of parliament being dissolved, the president gave his approving assent for the dissolution of the parliament on 28 August, and scheduled the elections for 25‑26 October 2013. The police investigation into the Petr Nečas cabinet spying scandal, is set to be concluded ahead of the election in October. The box below shows the distribution of seats in the incumbent Chamber of Deputies on 20 August 2013, * Three of these eight members were however not members of the LIDEM party itself, but just collaborated with the LIDEM parliamentary group as independents. ČSSD confirmed Bohuslav Sobotka as the candidate for Prime Minister in the elections. The Communist Party were not envisaged to be part of a new government either, if the party wins more than 33% of the votes, Sobotka said he can envision the creation of a ČSSD single-party minority government. TOP09 leader Karel Schwarzenberg said the issue for his party during the campaign would be to campaign against Zeman. He added, At first, we wanted to launch a European election campaign, in fact, the republic is the issue
15.
ANO 2011
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ANO2011 is a centrist and populist political party in the Czech Republic founded by Andrej Babiš, second wealthiest man in the Czech Republic, owner of Agrofert and media publishing company MAFRA. It is based on the former movement Action of Dissatisfied Citizens, the idea of founding a new political party came after leader and founder Andrej Babiš started talking about systemic corruption. His statements were supported by thousands of Czechs, ANO2011 started as association in November 2011, and on 11 May 2012 ANO became an official political party in the Czech Republic. In the legislative election held on 25–26 October 2013, ANO gained 18. 7% of the vote and 47 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, attaining second place behind the Czech Social Democratic Party. On 29 January 2014, the Cabinet of Social Democrat Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka was sworn in, with ANO and the Christian Democratic Union participating as junior coalition partners to the ČSSD. On 24–25 May 2014, ANO came first nationally in the 2014 European election gaining 16. 13% of votes and 4 seats, joining the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group in European Parliament. On 10 September 2014, ANO member Věra Jourová was designated European Commissioner of Justice, Consumers, in the 2014 senate and municipal elections held on 10–11 October 2014, ANO won 4 seats in the Senate. ANO was also the largest party in 8 of the 10 biggest cities in the Czech Republic including its capital and it currently holds mayoral offices in three largest cities in the Czech republic. Adriana Krnáčová is the first female mayor of Prague and this success was later undermined when a large number of municipal coalitions broke up because of partys disunity. On 21 November 2014, ANO was given membership of the Alliance of Liberals. In 2016, two parties split from ANO2011 – Change for People and PRO2016, the latter was joined by numerous local councillors and Mayors from ANO2011. New parties warranted the split by lack of democracy and discussion in ANO2011, radka Paulová, leader of PRO2016, defended herself that if she had really wanted a better position on Candidate list, she would have done better to have stayed in ANO2011. Another member of PRO2016 admitted that conflict about Candidature for Regional Councils also played a role and she said that the main criterion for Candidates to regional councils was not professionality but loyalty. ANO2011 lost one MP in July 2016 when Kristýna Zelienková left the party, ANO won 2016 regional elections and 1st round of 2016 senate election. The party came 1st in 9 regions and 2nd in remaining 4 regions, surprising was the victory in South Bohemia. ANO ended up with 5 governors, karlovy Vary Governor Jana Vildumetzová became Chairman of regional association. The second round of the election was a disappointment to the party. Andrej babiš started a project Babišs Cafe in June 2016 and it is partys Television program that consists of interviews with partys leader Andrej Babiš
16.
Tax evasion
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Tax evasion is the illegal evasion of taxes by individuals, corporations, and trusts. Tax evasion is an activity associated with the informal economy. In contrast, tax avoidance is the use of tax laws to reduce ones tax burden. In 1968, Nobel laureate economist Gary Becker first theorized the economics of crime, allingham and A. Sandmo produced, in 1972, an economic model of tax evasion. This model deals with the evasion of tax, the main source of tax revenue in developed countries. According to the authors, the level of evasion of income tax depends on the detection probability, the literatures theoretical models are elegant in their effort to identify the variables likely to affect non-compliance. Alternative specifications, however, yield conflicting results concerning both the signs and magnitudes of variables believed to affect tax evasion, empirical work is required to resolve the theoretical ambiguities. Income tax evasion appears to be influenced by the tax rate, the unemployment rate. The U. S. Tax Reform Act of 1986 appears to have reduced tax evasion in the United States, customs duties are an important source of revenue in developing countries. Importers purport to evade customs duty by under-invoicing and misdeclaration of quantity, when there is ad valorem import duty, the tax base can be reduced through underinvoicing. Misdeclaration of quantity is more relevant for products with specific duty, production description is changed to match a H. S. Code commensurate with a lower rate of duty. Smuggling is importation or exportation of products by illegal means. Smuggling is resorted to for total evasion of customs duties, as well as for the importation of contraband, during the second half of the 20th century, value-added tax emerged as a modern form of consumption tax throughout the world, with the notable exception of the United States. Producers who collect VAT from consumers may evade tax by under-reporting the amount of sales, the US has no broad-based consumption tax at the federal level, and no state currently collects VAT, the overwhelming majority of states instead collect sales taxes. Canada uses both a VAT at the level and sales taxes at the provincial level, some provinces have a single tax combining both forms. In addition, most jurisdictions which levy a VAT or sales tax also legally require their residents to report and this is especially prevalent in federal countries like Nigeria, US and Canada where sub-national jurisdictions charge varying rates of VAT or sales tax. In Nigeria, for example, some federated states enforce VAT on each item of goods sold by traders, the price must be clearly stated and the VAT shown separately from the basic price. If the trader does not comply this is punishable as an attempt to siphon the VAT, therefore, it is not generally cost-effective to enforce tax collection on low-value goods carried in private vehicles from one jurisdiction to another with a different tax rate
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Police of the Czech Republic
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Police of the Czech Republic is the national police service which operates within Czech Republic. Their mission is protect citizens, property and public order, Police of the Czech Republic has now about 40,500 officers. The Police of the Czech Republic took over land management after the communist SNB in the Czech Republic with the exception of police who are part of the army. A similar procedure was undertaken in the then-Slovak Republic. Some police officers were employed by a federal police force. The Police of the Czech Republic has general jurisdiction in the investigation of misdemeanors and its proceedings are overseen by an independent prosecutor, who can bring charges in criminal matters. It does not have jurisdiction in fields falling within the competence of other specialized bodies, such as the Customs service, military police, PČR is the main investigative body of the Ministry of the Interior. Some crimes are being solved in co-operation with intelligence agencies such as BIS or ÚZSI, squad cars usually manned by two officers, apart from pistols usually with at least one select-fire rifle stored in safe of cars trunk. Public Order Units - perform specific tasks in the area of protecting people and property, special equipment and training, squad minivans usually with seven heavily armed policemen. Intervention Units - regional SWAT teams, apart from cars equipped also with transport helicopters. Rapid Response Units - these units reinforce the public order units on patrolling duty in selected areas of the country, squad cars usually with three heavily armed policemen. Of these, about 3,500 are traffic-police officers,61 CZ Scorpion Evo 3 Heckler & Koch MP7A1 Heckler & Koch MP5 Sa vz
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Czech legislative election, 2017
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The next Czech legislative elections are due to be held on 20 and 21 October 2017. All 200 members of the Chamber of Deputies will be elected, the date of the election was chosen, as required by the Article 63 of the Constitution, by the President. The Constitution states that four years an election to the Chamber of Deputies. The Government is responsible to the Chamber of Deputies and stays in power only if has the confidence of the majority of members of parliament. Article 19 of the Constitution provides that any citizen of the Czech Republic who has right to vote and is twenty-one years old is eligible to serve as an MP. The ČSSD was represented by eight ministers in the Government, with its leader, Bohuslav Sobotka, the smallest party in the coalition, the Christian Democrats, were represented by three ministers, and their leader Pavel Bělobrádek held the position of Deputy Prime Minister. The biggest opposition party in the Chamber of Deputies was the Communist Party, the centre-right opposition to the government was represented by the TOP09 and by the Civic Democratic Party. In 2014, voters elected 27 out of 81 Senators and approximately 62,300 members of local councils, the ČSSD won the Senate election but lost many bigger cities, including the capital Prague to its coalition partner, ANO2011. In October 2016, voters elected 675 members of regional assemblies in 13 regions of the nation which then elected their regional leadership. ANO2011 won the election with 21. 05%, while ČSSD only managed to win two regions — South Bohemia and Vysočina - and 15. 25% nationwide, the Communists suffered the biggest loss, winning 10. 54% and losing 96 seats in the assemblies. The centre-right Civic Democrats won 9. 47% nationwide and 76 seats in regional assemblies, alongside the regional elections, about 2.7 million voters were asked to choose 27 out of 81 senators. The KDU-ČSL won these elections with nine new senators, while both ANO and ČSSD suffered heavy loses, even though ANO had 14 candidates in the second round, only three managed to win election. The Social Democrats lost 10 seats, including that of their Vice President of the Senate Zdeněk Škromach, the centre-right ODS had six candidates in the second round, with four of them being elected. Parties known to be contesting the election include, For the first time in Czech elections, campaign spending is limited. Parties must hand in their lists of candidates by 15 August 2017, the polls are from October 2013 up to the current date with each line and dots corresponding to a political party
19.
South Moravian Region
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The South Moravian Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the south-western part of its historical region of Moravia. Its capital is Brno, the 2nd largest city in the Czech Republic, the region has 1,169,000 inhabitants and the total area of 7,196.5 km². It is bordered by the South Bohemian Region, Vysočina Region, Pardubice Region, Olomouc Region, Zlín Region, there are 21 municipalities with extended powers and 34 municipalities with a delegated municipal office. The region is famous for its wine production, the area around the towns of Mikulov, Znojmo, Velké Pavlovice along with the Slovácko region provide 94% of the Czech Republics vineyards. The total population of the region as of 30 June 2012 was 1,168,975 inhabitants, the number of inhabitants has been growing since 2002. The net migration has been positive in all years since 2003, since 2007 the region has also experienced natural population growth. In 2012 there were 37 thousand foreigners living in the region, the average age of citizens in the region was 41.5 years in 2012. The average age has grown by 5 years over the last two decades, the life expectancy at birth in 2012 was 75.2 years for men and 81.7 years for women. Life expectancy has been growing over recent years, the divorce-marriage ratio in the region was 60.3 in 2012. One third of the population lives in the capital Brno. The share of inhabitants living in towns and cities on the population of the region has been steadily decreasing due to suburbanization. The table below displays 12 municipalities with the highest number of inhabitants in the region, with an area of 7,196.5 km² the South Moravian Region is the fourth largest region of the Czech Republic. The highest point of the region is located in the part on Durda mountain. The point with the lowest elevation is situated in Břeclav District at the meeting of the rivers Morava, the northern and north-western part of the region is covered by the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Moravian Karst. There is a cave complex in the Moravian Karst with a 138.5 m depth in the Macocha Gorge in the Punkva Caves. In the eastern part, the region reaches to the Carpathian Mountains, the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands and the Carpathian Mountains are separated by the Lower-Moravian Valley. The southern part of the region is flat and dominated by fields, meadows. The largest river of the region is the Morava river, other significant rivers are the Dyje, Svratka, which are all tributaries of the Morava river
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Gymnasium (school)
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In its current meaning, it usually refers to secondary schools focused on preparing students to enter a university for advanced academic study. In the US, the German Gymnasium curriculum was used at a number of universities such as the University of Michigan as a model for their undergraduate college programs. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men, in the Polish educational system the gimnazjum is a middle school for pupils aged 13 to 16. The same applies in the Greek educational system, with the option of Εσπερινό Γυμνάσιο for adults. The gymnasium is a school which prepares the student for higher education at a university. They are thus meant for the more academically minded students, who are sifted out at about the age of 10–13, in addition to the usual curriculum, students of a gymnasium often study Latin and Ancient Greek. Some gymnasiums provide general education, others have a specific focus, today, a number of other areas of specialization exist, such as gymnasiums specializing in economics, technology or domestic sciences. In some countries, there is a notion of progymnasium, which is equivalent to beginning classes of the full gymnasium, here, the prefix pro indicates that this curriculum precedes normal gymnasium studies. The term was derived from the classical Greek word gymnasion, which was applied to an exercising ground in ancient Athens. Here teachers gathered and gave instruction between the hours devoted to exercises and sports, and thus the term became associated with. This use of the term did not prevail among the Romans, but was revived during the Renaissance in Italy, in 1538, Johannes Sturm founded at Strasbourg the school which became the model of the modern German gymnasium. In 1812, a Prussian regulation ordered that all schools which had the right to send their students to the university should bear the name of gymnasia, by the 20th century, this practice was followed in almost the entire Austrian-Hungarian, German, and Russian Empires. In the modern era, many countries which have gymnasiums were once part of three empires. In Albania a gymnasium education takes three years following a compulsory nine-year elementary education and ending with an aptitude test called Matura Shtetërore. The final test is standardized at the level and serves as an entrance qualification for universities. There are both public and private schools in these countries. Therefore, gymnasiums often base their admittance criteria on an entrance exam, in Austria the Gymnasium has two stages, from the age of 11 to 14, and from 15 to 18, concluding with Matura. The Humanistisches Gymnasium focuses on Ancient Greek and Latin, the Neusprachliches Gymnasium puts its focus on actively spoken languages
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Master's degree
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A masters degree normally requires previous study at the bachelors level, either as a separate degree or as part of an integrated course. The original meaning of the degree was thus that someone who had been admitted to the rank of master in one university should be admitted to the same rank in other universities. This gradually became formalised as the licentia docendi, initially, the Bachelor of Arts was awarded for the study of the trivium and the Master of Arts for the study of the quadrivium. The nineteenth century saw an expansion in the variety of masters degrees offered. By 1861 this had been adopted throughout Scotland as well as by Cambridge and Durham in England, when the Philadelphia College of Surgeons was established in 1870, it too conferred the Master of Surgery, the same as that in Europe. In the United States, the first masters degrees were awarded at Harvard University soon after its foundation, at Harvard the 1700 regulations required that candidates for the masters degree had to pass a public examination, but by 1835 this was awarded Oxbridge-style 3 years after the BA. In Scotland, Edinburgh maintained separate BA and MA degrees until the mid nineteenth century, in Scotland all the statutes of the Universities which enforced conditions on the grant of degrees were a dead letter. Probably the most important masters degree introduced in the 19th century was the Master of Science, at the University of Michigan this was introduced in two forms in 1858, in course, first awarded in 1859, and on examination, first awarded in 1862. The in course MS was last awarded in 1876, in Britain, however, the degree took a while longer to arrive. The same two degrees, again omitting the masters, were awarded at Edinburgh, despite the MA being the undergraduate degree for Arts in Scotland. In 1862, a Royal Commission suggested that Durham should award masters degrees in theology and science and this scheme would appear to have then been quietly dropped, with Oxford going on to award BAs and MAs in science. The Master of Science degree was introduced in Britain in 1878 at Durham. At the Victoria University both the MA and MSc followed the lead of Durhams MA in requiring an examination for those with an ordinary bachelors degree. The Bologna declaration in 1999 started the Bologna Process, leading to the creation of the European Higher Education Area, as the process continued, descriptors were introduced for all three levels in 2004, and ECTS credit guidelines were developed. This led to questions as to the status of the masters degrees. In 1903, the London Daily News criticised the practice of Oxford and Cambridge, calling their MAs the most stupendous of academic frauds, in 1900, Dartmouth College introduced the Master of Commercial Science, first awarded in 1902. This was the first masters degree in business, the forerunner of the modern MBA, the idea quickly crossed the Atlantic, with Manchester establishing a Faculty of Commerce, awarding Bachelor and Master of Commerce degrees, in 1903. Over the first half of the century the masters degrees for honours graduates vanished as honours degrees became the standard undergraduate qualification in the UK
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Czech legislative election, 2010
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A legislative election in the Czech Republic took place on 28–29 May 2010. The election had been expected to place some time before the end of 2009 to elect the members of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic. Before the election, the country had been governed by a caretaker administration, the election saw a loss of support for the Social Democratic Party, although they still received the highest number of votes. The conservative Civic Democratic Party and TOP09 followed in second and third, in June, centre-right coalition of Civic Democratic Party, TOP09, and Public Affairs was formed, with Petr Nečas becoming the prime minister. Incumbent PM Mirek Topolánek had lost a vote on 24 March 2009. After four failed attempts, the opposition Social Democrats succeeded in leading the lower house of the Czech parliament to a no confidence vote in Topoláneks government. The measure passed with 101 votes to 96, largely due to members of Topoláneks own party voting with the opposition. On 28 March 2009, Jiří Paroubek and Topolánek agreed to hold early polls in October 2009, the newly founded party Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09, which split off from the KDU–ČSL, also contested the election. In some polls, it was already in place, closely behind the KSČM. The election date was officially set on 1 July 2009. Due to a complaint filed by independent ex-Social Democrat MP Miloš Melčák, a hearing was set for 10 September 2009, if the court had ruled at that date against the complaint, elections would have been held as planned. As the Court ruled the election invalid, the laws were passed on 11 September as planned. President Klaus signed the laws on 12 September, and parliament planned to dissolve itself on 15 September, Melčák stated, however, that he would likely file another complaint if this plan had gone ahead. The Social Democrats had 71 seats and needed ten more MPs supporting their position to delay the election, the Christian and Democratic Union also withdrew their support for early elections, meaning the election will be held in May 2010. Following controversial comments about the Catholic Church, Jews and gays and he was replaced by Petr Nečas. The centre-left Social Democrats won the most votes, with 22. 1%, the conservative Civic Democratic Party and TOP09 followed with 20. 2% and 16. 7% respectively. The Communist Party came fourth with 11. 3%, slightly ahead of the centre-right Public Affairs which received 10. 9% and it was the first time that the Communists had failed to finish third in a Czech election. For TOP09 and Public Affairs, it was the first election in which they had won seats in Parliament, the Christian Democrats, the Party of Civic Rights and the Green Party, along with Sovereignty, failed to gain the 5% necessary to enter parliament
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President of the Czech Republic
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The President of the Czech Republic is the elected head of state of the Czech Republic and the commander-in-chief of the Military of the Czech Republic. Unlike counterparts in other Central European countries such as Austria and Hungary, who are generally considered figureheads, however, the stature of the first president, Václav Havel, was such that the office acquired greater influence than the framers intended. The President of the Czech Republic has the authority to act independently in a number of substantive areas, one of the offices strongest powers is that of veto, which returns a bill to parliament. Although the veto may be overridden by parliament, the ability to refuse to sign legislation acts as a check on the power of the legislature, the only kind of bills a president can neither veto nor approve are acts that would change the constitution. There are some reserved to the president, but can be exercised only under limited circumstances. Chief among these is the dissolution of the Chamber of Deputies, while the president can dissolve the Chamber on his own authority, forcing a new election of that body within 60 days, this can be done only under conditions prescribed by the constitution. Many of the powers can only be exercised with the assent of the Government. These include all matters having to do with foreign relations and the use of the military, the appointment of judges to lower courts,54 and 65 of the constitution, the president may not be held liable for any alleged criminal acts while executing the duties of office. Such prosecution may not occur either while the president is in office or at any time thereafter, furthermore, Art 65 prevents trial or detention for prosecution of a criminal offense or tort while in office. Many of the duties of the Czech president can be said to be ceremonial to one degree or another, a good example of this is the status as commander in chief of the military. No part of these duties can take place but through the assent of the Prime Minister, in matters of war, he is in every sense merely a figurehead, since the constitution gives all substantive constitutional authority over the use of the armed forces to the parliament. Many of the ceremonial duties fall under provisions of the constitution that allow the exercise of powers not explicitly defined in the constitution. In other words, parliament has the power to allow the president whatever responsibilities they deem proper, such a law was passed in 1994 with respect to the awarding of state decorations. Hence, this duty is effectively shared between the parliament and the president. The act even allows the president to choose someone to perform the presentation ceremony. Until 2012, the office of president was filled following an election by the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The term of office of the president is 5 years, a newly elected president will begin the five-year term on the day of taking the official oath. Candidates standing for office must be 40 years of age, since the only term limit is that no person can be elected more than twice consecutively, a person may theoretically achieve the presidency more than twice
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