Communists pledge support for referendum on EU constitution

Prime Minister Paroubek has secured the support of the Communist Party for his plans to hold a referendum on the European Union constitution next June. He needs their support to push a bill on the referendum through parliament. In meeting the party's leader Miroslav Grebenicek the prime minister confirmed his policy of talking to all opposition parties, including the Communists.

The prime minister has just set off on a week-long trip to Japan and China.