Brussels to approve first Czech operation programmes in few days

The Czech Republic will have first operational programmes, through which money will flow to the country from European funds, approved within a few days or weeks, Czech Local Development Minister Jiri Cunek told journalists here today.

He added the European Commission would approve three of the total of 24 programmes. The three programmes, which should bring EUR3.8bn, or Kc104bn, to the Czech Republic, include Education for Competitiveness, Human Resources and Employment, and Prague – Adaptability.

The programme Education for Competitiveness was drafted by the Education Ministry whose head Dana Kuchtova has stepped down under pressure owing to poor preparation of some operational programmes.

However, many say that the approval of first programmes is nothing that Czechs could be proud of, as the neighbouring Slovakia has four approved programmes and some countries even all programmes.

Many problematic Czech programmes will probably not be approved by the end of this year, among them Research and Development for Innovation which should bring almost Kc60bn for Czech science and which is behind the fall of the education minister.