News

The renewal of diplomatic relations between Israel and the former Czechoslovakia 25 years ago was the easiest thing in the world, former Israeli Foreign Minister Moshe Arens has told the Czech News Agency. Mr Arens added that he hoped the current Czech government would not yield to European pressure and would not lose its understanding of the problems faced by Israel. According to ČTK, Arens rejected a balanced approach to the conflict between Israel and Palestine Prague has suggested. On the other hand, the first Israeli ambassador after the renewal of the relations, Yoel Sher, holds the view that such an approach is a means with which to deter Palestinians from unilateral steps that might only harm the peace process, the news agency noted. On February 9, 1990, protocol on the resumption of diplomatic contacts was signed by Arens and the first post-communist Foreign Minister Jiří Dienstbier in Prague.

Justice Minister Helena Válková met with the president on Monday to discuss the option of resignation as well as the future direction of the Justice Ministry. Minister Válková’s position in the cabinet has become increasingly shaky in recent days; earlier, President Zeman also met with the head of ANO, Deputy Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The justice minister is keeping quiet details of the meeting, including whether she intends to step down and - if so - when. The media has mentioned her deputy, Robert Pelikán, as a possible successor.

Hynek Kmoníček, former ambassador and current foreign affairs advisor to President Miloš Zeman, could replace Petr Gandalovič as ambassador to the United States, financial daily Hospodářské noviny writes. According to the daily, the appointment of a leftist candidate, unlike Mr Gandalovič of the opposition Civic Democrats, is likely given the current political constellation: a centre-left government and foreign minister as well as left-of-centre president. The daily suggests the move could already have gone through, but for two US visits lined up for President Zeman in 2015. The daily reports that a changing of the guard prior would be less than strategic. Past ambassadors to the US include close aides to the late president Václav Havel: Alexandr Vondra and Michael Žantovský. The latter is the current Czech ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Officers from the organized crime unit on Monday secured areas outside a police building which houses the offices of the city’s anti-corruption unit in Brno, the Czech News Agency reported. Four police cars, two vans and two unmarked cars blocked off the street in front of the building, while police, in full gear including balaclavas, formed a perimeter, surprising some passers-by. The spokesman for the anti-corruption police, Jaroslav Ibehej, later stressed that the raid had nothing to do with the police bureau on site, but was an investigation into a violent crime in the area. The spokesman declined to reveal additional details.