Czech astronaut to run for seat in European Parliament

The first and only Czech astronaut, Vladimir Remek, has confirmed that he was interested in running in the country's first election to the European Parliament on the Communist Party's candidate list. Mr. Remek's confirmation followed several insider reports this week in the Pravo newspaper about his alleged negotiations with leaders of the Communist Party. Remek, who is 55, currently works in the commercial section at the Czech Republic's embassy in Moscow. Mr. Remek flew with a Russian partner on the Soyuz 28 mission in 1978, becoming the first person in space who was neither American nor Russian. Czech voters will choose 24 of the European parliament's 732 seats after European Union enlargement in May.