After the Concours dÉlegance Het Loo 2010 the German classic car magazine Motor Klassik contacted me as they wanted to do an article on the T77a. They have a monthly article on classic car restorations and “ if I could tell them details on the restoration of my T77a?” Yes I could. “And do you have restoration photos?” Yes, of course.
Last october they visited the Netherlands where we talked hours and hours. The photographer took an endless number of photos at standstill in the garage, in front of the garage and me driving the T 77a on secondary roads, the photographer in a car on a parrallel road.
Last december I looked through the author’s text and also mailed hinm that the T77a on the NEC’s TRUK stand had been chosen Car of the Show. The Germans used this for the heading of the T77a article.
Today I got a copy of the latest Motor Klassik and the result is very satisfying. Six pages, 6 restoration photos, 12 other photos. A real tribute to Ledwinka’s masterpiece.
Cannot complain about automotive press attention these days. Where Motor Klassik did a restoration story, the Dutch magazine Klassiek en Techniek will have – in a series of men and their classic car passion – a story on Tatra and your editor. It will be published in the next issue, nr 155.
Prague – Another two people besides former Czech defence minister Martin Bartak are suspected in connection with the allegedly manipulated order for Tatra lorries for the military, it ensues from a statement of state attorney Dusan Taborsky who supervises the case.
He said the police have further suspects.
According to CTK´s information, the two persons are Petr Ptacek, from Praga company, and Michal Smrz, a businessman ensuring armament orders. More….
CTK | 11 January 2011
Prerov, North Moravia, Jan 10 (CTK) – The Czech military has probably lost 5 million crowns due to fictitious lorry repairs of which a former soldier and two company representatives have been accused, police spokeswoman Miluse Zajicova told CTK Monday.
The frauds involved the repairs of the Tatra 815 lorries used by a military unit in the Prerov area. More….
Prague, Jan 10 (CTK) – Czech Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra (Civic Democrats, ODS) has released intelligence ex-chief Miroslav Krejcik, who alerted to some suspicious aspects of the Tatra deal four years ago, from the obligation to maintain confidentiality, daily Pravo writes today.
Detectives from the anti-corruption unit shelved the case then, however.
Now, the anti-corruption police are looking into the tender for the purchase of the Tatra lorries for the military on suspicion of bribery.
The police suspect former defence minister Martin Bartak of having asked a provision for settling a trade dispute between the Tatra company and Praga firm that threatened the order for several billion crowns. More……
KOTA KINABALU: The Fifth Infantry Brigade in Lokawi yesterday received two units of seven-tonne Tatra trucks and four sets of prefabricated Compact 200 Bailey bridges to boost its disaster operations logistics.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz, who also chairs the National Natural Disaster Relief Committee, said they for use in the event of floods, among others.
EINDHOVEN – DAF-Trucks in Eindhoven voert vergevorderde gesprekken met Tatra over de levering van motoren en truckcabines aan de vrachtwagenfabriek in Tsjechië. De eerste motoren zijn al verstuurd van Eindhoven naar Koprivnice. Ze worden in Tatra’s beproefd.
Prague, Dec 7 (CTK) – Former Czech deputy defence minister Martin Bartak, suspected of asking the U.S. owner of the Tatra lorry maker for a bribe, probably did so on someone’s behalf and the police should ask who could have fulfilled what Bartak promised in exchange for the bribe, weekly Respekt has written. Continue….
Prague, Dec 3 (CTK) – Czech Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra has as of December 4 dismissed Jiri Stanek as head of the ministry’s section for military equipment acquisitions, the ministry’s press department told CTK Friday.
The change has been a part of the general replacement of the ministry’s top management. It also ensues from the ongoing changes in the system of military purchases, the ministry said.
Petr Szoenyi, Vondra’s adviser for acquisitions, will temporarily take over the post vacated by Stanek.
Purchases of equipment for the Czech military have recently come under criticism as opaque and overpriced.
After becoming minister this July, Vondra (Civic Democrats, ODS) said he was determined to do away with corruption at the ministry and to carry out the government’s policy of austerity measures.
The ODS did not hold the post of defence minister in the past decade, with the exception of the interim cabinet in 2009-2010 when the post was held by Martin Bartak, the ODS’s nominee but not party member. A few weeks ago, suspicion emerged that Bartak asked for a bribe in connection with the military acquisition of the Tatra lorries, in his position as deputy defence minister in early 2008.
“In connection with the general replacement of the Defence Ministry management and with the ongoing changes in the acquisition procedure, Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra has decided to make personnel changes at the top of the ministry’s armament section,” the press department said in a press release.
After becoming minister this July, Vondra (Civic Democrats, ODS) made more personnel changes in the ministry’s management.
In early November he dismissed Jan Fulik as deputy defence minister and replaced him with Jiri Sedivy, former NATO assistant secretary general for defence policy and planning.
According to available information, Fulik was behind the contract with the EADS concern on the exchange of Czech subsonic fighters L-159 for a transport plane CASA.
Previously, Vondra dismissed another of his deputies, Frantisek Padelek, and replaced him with Michael Hrbata, former ODS MP.
In summer, Vondra appointed Frantisek Nadymacek a new director of the institute supervising acquisitions. Nadymacek replaced Roman Hosta, who was sacked over suspicious orders placed by the Military Housing Authority.
Vondra also chose Pavel Bulant as the new head of the minister’s cabinet.
Last october they visited the Netherlands where we talked hours and hours. The photographer took an endless number of photos at standstill in the garage, in front of the garage and me driving the T 77a on secondary roads, the photographer in a car on a parrallel road.
Cannot complain about automotive press attention these days. Where Motor Klassik did a restoration story, the Dutch magazine Klassiek en Techniek will have – in a series of men and their classic car passion – a story on Tatra and your editor. It will be published in the next issue, nr 155.