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Meanwhile Jan Zahradil, one of the three Czech representatives on the European Convention on the future of Europe, walked out of the body on Thursday complaining the agenda was becoming too federalist. Mr Zahradil, an MP for the opposition Civic Democrats, said the Convention was being manipulated by representatives of the national parliaments. The European Convention will present its proposal for a new European Constitution to EU leaders at next week's summit in Thessaloniki.

President Vaclav Klaus has called on Czech citizens to take part in the upcoming referendum on the Czech Republic's EU accession. Speaking on Czech Radio on Monday afternoon, President Klaus called the referendum a historically unrepeatable moment. Mr Klaus did not suggest how people should vote but he said he believed Czechs would follow their own reason and decide cautiously.

President Vaclav Klaus appointed Miroslav Kostelka as new Czech defence minister on Monday. Mr Kostelka is replacing Jaroslav Tvrdik who stepped down ten days ago in protest at planned cuts in defence spending. A former Czech Army general and until now deputy defence minister, Mr Kostelka is expected to redraft the reform of the Czech military.

With less than a week before the referendum on EU membership is held in the Czech Republic, activists used the week-end to make a number of last-minute attempts at convincing Czechs to go to the polls. While pro-EU gatherings, attracted numerous passers-by, only a small group of people held protests against EU membership in Prague on Saturday and a similar event planned for Sunday in the town of Havlickuv Brod was only attended by two protesters with information leaflets and a group of journalists.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said on Sunday that it was not certain whether the cabinet would be dissolved if Czechs vote "no" in the referendum. Speaking in a TV discussion programme on the commercial station Nova, Mr Spidla said his cabinet would first have to evaluate the consequences of a "no" vote. The leader of the opposition Civic Democrats, Mirek Topolanek, said in the same programme that a government call for a vote of confidence in Parliament would be appropriate in such a situation. Mr Spidla also agreed to a propsal from the Civic Democrats in which Czechs should approve the European Union constitutional treaty in a referendum if they say "yes" to EU membership.

The Czech Republic goes to the polls on Friday in a two-day referendum on joining the European Union. Unlike in neighbouring Poland or Slovakia, the result will be binding. Should Czechs say "no" to EU membership, the country will have to wait two years before a new referendum can be held.