Jiří Pernez becomes head of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes

Jiří Pernes has become head of the Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes. His first day in office was marked by continuing controversy over his appointment, with three members of the council refusing to acknowledge him in the post. The head of the council Naděžda Kavalírová refused to sign the papers confirming his appointment and two other members - the former dissident and writer Jiří Gruša and military historian Eduard Stehlík - resigned their seats on the council in protest. Jiří Pernes lost their support after it emerged that he had taken evening classes at the communist academy of Marxism and Leninism.