Summary of newsmakers of the previous day – 19.10. 2006

Czech vine-growers will get from EU more than 80 million crowns

Czech vine-growers will get from the E uropean Union more than 80 million crowns for years 2006 and 2007. The money is intended above all for restructuring and transformation of vineyards. In the Czech Republic it concerns about 1200 hectares of agricultural land. The EU will allot in subsidies in total 450 million euros (almost 13 billion crowns). An overwhelming majority will be given to Spaniards, the French and Italians. Slovaks will get about two million euros, so almost 60 million Czech crowns. These subsidies refer again to a need of viticulture reform in the EU. The French, Italians and Spaniards who together collect more than 370 million euros (roughly ten billion crowns) have huge areas of vineyards many of which are of poor quality and redundant.

Brewers are afraid of EC’s effort to regulate drinking of alcohol

Representatives of Czech and Slovak breweries are afraid of European Commission’s proposals which try to put through a significant regulation of drinking of alcohol. In the end, the Commission will not deal with them at the end of October due to national unions ’ resentment. A counterproposal of decisive brewery countries, especially the Great Britain, Germany and the Czech Republic, should be included in the proposal enforcement of which still threats – according to brewers. ČTK was told it by the executive manager of Czech Beer and Malt Association (ČSPS) Jan Veselý, a member of the executive board Brewers of Europe associating 20 EU countries, who the same as almost 400 representatives of breweries participated in the today’s 33rd beer and malt workshop in Pilsen.

SVS warn: Other exotic animal disease on horizon

The Czech Republic still does not have a practical experience with infectious anemia of horses. Nevertheless, regarding the situation in some EU countries it is necessary to count of the risk. Josef Duben, the spokesman of State Veterinary Administration CR (SVS) reported that this in fact immedicable horse disease had been detected in Ireland and Germany; last year in France. ”And with growing international horse mobility also a possibility of importation of this disease in our country increases”, Duben warns.

American ecologists worked out a list of the most polluted places of the world

A Russian town where chemical weapons were once produced and a town in Zambia zone of copper mines belong among the ten most polluted places in the world. The list of them has been compiled by experts from New York non-profitable group Blacksmith Institute according to who the world pollution endangers health as many as one billion people. Conclusions of the American ecologists were cited today by the agency Reuters. According to a director of Blacksmith Institute, Richard Fuller, ecological problems causes as many as 20 percent of deaths in developing countries. The American group announced that toxins damaging environment in the most polluted towns represent for their inhabitants a risk of poisoning, cancer disease, lungs infections and birth of mentally disabled children.Source: Agris, 20.10.2006