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Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has called on opposition deputies demanding the resignation of Jiri Cunek to give the regional development minister a chance to clear his name. On Wednesday the Senate voted to lift Mr Cunek's immunity, to allow proceedings to begin against him for alleged bribe-taking. The opposition Social Democrats criticised Mr Topolanek for not having sacked Mr Cunek. But the prime minister said the case against Mr Cunek was "strange".

Unemployment in the Czech Republic rose to 7.9 percent in January, up from 7.7 percent the previous month. Seasonal factors have been blamed for the increase. The number of Czechs out of work last month was almost 435,000.

Elsewhere, Mr Langer said he was not planning to dismiss Police President Husak. In an interview with Pravo, the minister said, however, that Mr Husak would have to quit the post if he does not pass a security clearance test. Mr Langer recently ordered almost 1,000 senior police to undergo fresh vetting, after it emerged that the head of the Czech branch of Interpol obtained a negative screening certificate using a false name.

The police say they will not conclude an investigation into the killing of several patients at a hospital in east Bohemia until September or October. Former orderly Petr Zelenka has admitted to using a blood-thinning drug to kill eight patients at the hospital in Havlickuv Brod. But the Health Ministry has said the real figure could be as high as 13. Police said they were waiting for the results of a ministry inquiry, as well as expert analyses.