News

Foreign minister receives death threats

The Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda is said to have received anonymous death threats because of his hard-line policy on Cuba. A police spokesman confirmed the news on Wednesday saying that the threats had been directed against the foreign minister and his immediate family. One of the anonymous phone calls in which the caller threatened to shoot Mr. Svoboda was recorded by the police. Mr. Svoboda and his family are getting round the clock protection. The Czech Republic has led a drive for the EU to re-impose sanctions against Cuba and the Czech Foreign Ministry is vocal in its criticism of human rights violations on the island.

Injured peacekeeper stable

Doctors report that the Czech peacekeeper who was wounded in Kosovo on Tuesday is now in stable condition. The peacekeeper was wounded in a cross-fire between NATO-led troops and illegal loggers who ignored the patrol's warning shots and demands that they stop their activity. Following the incident, the local police force arrested seven ethnic Albanians, one of whom was also wounded in the shoot-out. The Czech soldier received first aid on the spot and was air-lifted to a local hospital.

Escaped convicts

Police are still hunting for two convicted murderers who escaped from a high security prison house in Plzen on Tuesday. The convicts escaped with the aid of a guard by hiding in a service truck. The head of the Plzen-Bory prison in western Bohemia has been sacked and Justice Minister Pavel Nemec has ordered a full investigation. Escaped convict Roman Cabrada is a drug dealer who was serving time for the murder of a German mayor two years ago. The other inmate, Rostislav Roztocil, had killed an Egyptian student. An e-mail from his sister in Germany suggests he may already have escaped from the Czech Republic.

Vesecka appointed Supreme State Attorney

Renata Vesecka has been appointed Supreme State Attorney. She replaces Marie Benesova, who was dismissed in late September following numerous disputes with Justice Minister Pavel Nemec. Mrs. Vesecka was asked to run the Supreme State Attorney's Office on a temporary basis and the government said it was convinced she was the right candidate for a permanent position. The Justice Minister proposed her appointment saying she had handled the job with skill and responsibility.

Weather:

Thursday is expected to be overcast and rainy with day temperatures between 6 and 10 degrees Celsius.