Government meeting to be interrupted for funeral of Mašín group member Paumer

A meeting of the Czech government planned for next Wednesday will be interrupted for three and a half hours because of the funeral of Milan Paumer, a member of a controversial group who shot their way across the Iron Curtain in the 1950s. It is not clear whether any cabinet members will attend the ceremony in Poděbrady, but both Prime Minister Petr Nečas and Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra have said they may do so. Mr Paumer was part of what became known as the Mašín group after the two brothers that led it. Some regard them as heroes for fighting the Communists, though others condemn them for killing a number of people.