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Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has described comments made about Romanies by Deputy Prime Minister Jiri Cunek as xenophobic. Speaking at a meeting of the leadership of his Civic Democrats, Mr Topolanek said the party distanced themselves from Mr Cunek's words. Asked by a newpaper whether other people should receive state subsidies like Romanies, Mr Cunek said non-Roma would need to get a suntan - an allusion to the colour of Romanies' skin - cause chaos with their families and light fires on town squares before politicians would regard them as badly off.

Jiri Cunek rose to national prominence last year after expelling Romany rent-defaulters from the centre of the town of Vsetin, where he was then mayor.

Mr Cunek, who is leader of the Christian Democrats and regional development minister, is currently under police investigation for alleged bribe-taking when he was mayor of Vsetin. He has resisted calls to resign from the government.

The estranged wife of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek says his behaviour and vulgar language are harming the Czech Republic. Pavla Topolankova told the daily Blesk that her husband should represent the country but in fact does the opposite. Mr Topolanek has come in for some criticism this week for using a phrase associated with Sudeten German Nazi sympathisers.

In the past he has raised his middle finger to opposition deputies in the lower house and described the European Union constitution as "shit" (using the English word). Mr Topolanek left his wife for his Civic Democrat party colleague MP Lucie Talmanova, with whom he is expecting a baby.

Tomas Hruda has been sacked as head of CzechInvest. Industry and Trade Minister Martin Riman said he had dismissed Mr Hruda after an inspection uncovered evidence of shortcomings at the state investment and business development agency. An Industry Ministry spokesperson said that CzechInvest had acted at variance with the law several times during the awarding of public tenders. Mr Hruda said the minister was free to appoint whom he liked, but said the reasons given for his sacking were untrue, and cast aspersions on all the agency's staff. He will be replaced by Roman Cermak.

The town hall in Cesky Tesin, north Moravia is to give some social welfare recipients coupons for food and other goods instead of money. The move is part of a new Social Affairs Ministry pilot project to help families in which the parents spend their social welfare on alcohol or gambling machines. The authorities in Cesky Tesin are planning to begin giving the food stamps to around 50 families from the beginning of May. The government is planning to announce a package of social welfare and tax reforms next week.