Summary of newsmakers from the previous day - 16.2.2006

Minister Jan Mládek called back general director of Forest CR

With effect from Tuesday, February 21st, 2006 the Minister of Agriculture called back Vladimír Blahuta from the position of General director of the state enterprise Forests of the Czech Republic today. The spokesman of the Ministry Tomáš Loskot informed about it and added that the company management will be taken over contemporary by the present assistant for trade, marketing and strategy František Koníček. A new general director of FCR will be chosen on base of a selection procedure.

State enterprises Povodí decrease level in reservoirs

Regarding the fact that measured values of snow are in comparison with historic values above average and comparable with the maximal values recorded during last winter, the state enterprises Povodí continues decreasing the levels in reservoirs and thereby releasing water volumes in water reservoirs in their management. The spokesman of the Ministry of Agriculture CR (MZe) Tomáš Loskot informed about it today. At the same time also possibilities of reducing of flood flow rates in free spaces of dam reservoirs, which had been created by manipulation of the state enterprise Povodí, are monitored continuously. For example free accumulation spaces in reservoirs of Vltava cascade represent a volume of 461,9 mil. m3.

Virus is here, Germany gives to know

The occurrence of virus H5N1 in Germany was confirmed today the Minister of Agriculture Horst Seehofer. In the Federal Congress he announced that tests of the Veterinary Institute of Friedrich Löffler had confirmed the dangerous form of bird flu. The suspicion of bird flu appeared in two dead swans found on the island Rujana. “The Institute of Friedrich Löffler has now a final confirmation that in two swans a highly pathogenic virus had been proved and it is dealt with a subtype of that virus which had been registered for the first time last year in wild birds in China”, Seehofer announced to representatives. He takes into account that other cases of this poultry disease transmissible also to people, will appear in Germany.

Custom officers increased checks at airports due to bird flu

Custom officers increased checks at the international airports, especially at Prague airport Ruzyně, due to the occurrence of bird flu in European countries, reported the spokesman of the general head office of customs Jiří Barták. The checks of goods and foods imported by travellers and trade firms have been provided for several weeks in a special regime. However, today custom officers set dogs at the airport service which are specially trained for searching animals and animal products or foods of animal origin.

Source: Agris, 17.2.2006