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An exhibition of nearly 400 nativity scenes opened in the south Moravian town of Hodonín on Sunday. Nativity scenes are a traditional part of Czech Christmas; they are usually made of wood, ceramics, corn or ginger bread. The largest scene on display is six metres tall; the exhibition also features a Romany nativity scene on loan from the Museum of Romany Culture in Brno.

Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg has said that President Václav Klaus is not fully familiar with the reality of the European Union. In an interview published by the Austrian daily Der Standard on Saturday, Mr Schwarzenberg said that like every critic, President Klaus was right in many issues, but the EU reality escaped him. Czech President Václav Klaus, known for his euro-scepticism, met with a leading opponent of the Lisbon treaty, Declan Ganley during his recent visit to Ireland. The meeting provoked a strong reaction from the Irish government. In the interview for the Austrian daily, Mr Schwarzenberg also rejected doubts about the adoption of the Lisbon treaty in the Czech Republic, and said that the Czech government was stable and in no danger of falling during the country’s upcoming EU presidency.

Hundreds of police and customs officers and other officials raided the largest Vietnamese marketplace in Prague on Saturday. The authorities suspect that various kinds of criminal activities take place at the marketplace in Prague-Libuš, known as Little Hanoi. Officials were looking for counterfeits, illegal aliens and wanted persons. Foreigners’ police have detained more than 40 people since the start of the raid. Czech authorities claim that criminality within the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic is on the rise; the Czech foreign ministry recently suspended the issuing of long-term visas for Vietnamese citizens as a result.

Members of the Romany minority from northern Moravia have warned that mass Romany emigration might occur if the government does not deal with right-wing extremism in the country. In a letter addressed to PM Minister Mirek Topolánek on Friday, they said the many Romany families were already seriously considering leaving the country. Last week, a march of some 500 right-wing extremists took place in the northern Bohemian town of Litvínov, with a large Romany community. 16 people were injured in clashes with the police. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Jiří Čunek told the local authorities in Litvínov on Friday that the government was going to address the problem at its next session.