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The ruling Social Democratic Party is preparing for an important conference this weekend, with the party's future policy direction up for debate. Chairman Stanislav Gross and Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka are reportedly in favour of a more centrist approach. Meanwhile, Labour Minister Zdenek Skromach is calling on the Social Democrats to stick to their traditional socialist principles. The Social Democrats lost European Parliament, Senate and regional elections last year, and currently have around 14 percent voter support.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel has sharply criticised the European Union for deciding to no longer invite Cuban dissidents to receptions at EU states' embassies in Havana. The EU has reportedly adopted this position so as to facilitate increased dialogue with the Cuban authorities. However, in an article in France's Le Figaro newspaper Mr Havel described the EU's stance as "diplomatic apartheid". He said the Union could not have found a better way of tarnishing the ideals of freedom and respect for human rights.

Several Czech MPs are calling for an end to the anonymity enjoyed by people who use pay-as-you-go mobile telephones with pre-paid cards. They say such anonymity makes it harder for the police to monitor criminals, the daily Mlada fronta Dnes reported on Friday. However, around three-quarters of the Czech Republic's mobile phones use unregistered pre-paid cards, and some mobile operators say they do not believe politicians would take the radical step of banning them.

The Czech ice hockey legend Ivan Hlinka was breaking the speed limit when he was involved in a fatal accident last year, according to a report quoted in Friday's Mlada fronta Dnes. Mr Hlinka was going around 160 km an hour when the accident occurred. An earlier judgment in which the driver of the lorry he crashed into was deemed responsible may now be amended or quashed, the daily said.