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Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek, whose Social Democratic Party has been gaining ground on the right wing Civic Democrats ahead of next year's general elections, has ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition government with the Communist Party. The Prime Minister recently bowed to the will of his coalition partners and withdrew support for a proposal to abolish the screening law which now prevents former communist agents from acquiring high posts in public service. Pressed by journalists to say who the Social Democrats would link forces with if they did well in the elections, Mr. Paroubek said he was keeping all options open, including that of a grand coalition with the Civic Democrats. Indirect support from the Communists in the event of a minority government has not been ruled out.

The re-enactment of the battle of Three Emperors, on the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's great victory at Austerlitz - or Slavkov, as it is known in Czech - has left several people injured. Doctors said a number of "soldiers" were taken to hospital with bone fractures, eye injuries and even hypothermia. Four thousand history buffs and enthusiasts from 33 countries took part in the biggest ever reconstruction of a Napoleonic battle - performing for a crowd of 30, 000 spectators. The event was screened live by Czech television.

Following talks on the EU budget in Budapest, Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek said Britain's proposal to slash spending should affect all member states equally, not just the newcomers. He said that Britain now expected the newcomers to bear the greater part of the burden, an estimated 73 percent of the proposed cuts would be made at their expense. The leaders of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia indicated during Friday's talks that they would be prepared to accept a small cut in the aid they receive from EU coffers in return for easier access to funding. However, the concessions they are prepared to make fall short of the cuts proposed by Britain. Money for regional development is considered essential for the newcomers to catch up with the old EU members.

Thousands of people have converged on Slavkov, in the southeast of the Czech Republic, for a re-enactment of the battle of the Three Emperors, Napoleon's great victory at Austerlitz. On December 2th 1805, Napoleon's army of around 75,000 crushed a superior force of Russians and Austrians in a battle that historians describe as a masterpiece of military strategy. The re-enactment of the Battle of Three Emperors, on its bicentenary, is said to be the biggest re-enactment of a Napoleonic battle in Europe. Participants from around the world are taking part -Napoleon himself is played by an American - and the event has attracted government officials, military buffs and historians from across Europe. Hotels in the area have been booked for up to two years in advance. Czech television is screening the event live.