News

The police have arrested three men on suspicion of having attempted to bribe a key witness in the case of Regional Development Minister Jiri Cunek who is accused of corruption. The key witness is the minister's former secretary Marcela Urbanova, who claims she saw him take a half a million crown bribe while he was still mayor of Vsetin. She told the police that the men in question allegedly approached her with an offer of money if she agreed to change her testimony in favour of her former boss. Jiri Cunek is the first government minister to be prosecuted in office. He refuses to resign despite repeated calls for him to do so.

The Czech Catholic Church has agreed to hand over the administration of St. Vitus Cathedral to Prague Castle. The Catholic Church is thus adhering to the ruling of the Supreme Court according to which the cathedral belongs to the state. This is yet another twist in a thirteen year long legal battle between the Church and state over ownership rights. The Church won the Cathedral back only last June under a ruling by the Prague City Court but has now had to relinquish its right to it. Cardinal Miloslav Vlk said the Church would consider taking the legal battle to a European court.

President Klaus is to travel to the United States on Sunday for a three week visit which is expected to cover a number of outstanding issues in bilateral relations. His talks with US top officials will focus primarily on the US plan to build a US missile defense shield in the Czech Republic and Poland and the lifting of visa requirements for Czechs traveling to the United States. The Czech Republic has promised to give Washington an official response within a month on whether the country would be prepared to host a US radar base on its territory.

Although the final decision will be made by Parliament, the governing coalition is divided over the matter. The Civic Democrats and Christian Democrats support it, but the Green Party objects to the fact that the defense project does not involve the country's NATO allies.

All applicants for jobs in the Czech Armed Forces will in future have to undergo compulsory screening for drug abuse, Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova told journalists on Friday. The decision comes shortly after it emerged that nine professional soldiers at the prestigious Caslav military air base - home to the country's Gripen fighter jets - use drugs. Tests were ordered at the base after the police arrested two soldiers on suspicion of drug-dealing. Minister Parkanova said that in future all soldiers would be subjected to random tests.