Gross will dismiss Pribyl only if proof emerges he beat up protesters

Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has said he will dismiss Pavel Pribyl, his controversial choice as head of the Office of the Government, if it is proven that Mr Pribyl beat up demonstrators while a member of a communist police unit in January 1989. Mr Gross made the pledge to film director Bretislav Rychlik, one of a group of artists and former dissidents who called for Mr Pribyl's sacking outside the Office of the Government on Tuesday morning. Speaking in the daily Mlada fronta Dnes Pavel Pribyl admitted leading the riot unit, but said he himself had not been on the front lines.