Airport attendees note absence of President Klaus

The absence of President Václav Klaus from Friday’s airport ceremony was remarked upon and even criticised by a number of the VIP guests in attendance. Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra and Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda both said they would have expected the president to attend. The author of the plan to rename the airport, producer Fero Fenič, said he was disappointed by the president’s absence, as he had hoped Mr Klaus would be consistent in the admiration he had shown for his predecessor at Mr Havel’s funeral last December. Mr Klaus did not give a reason for not attending and his schedule for the day was unknown. Presidents Klaus and Havel were generally considered to be heated political rivals and distant from one another personally and professionally.