News

The first and only Czech astronaut, Vladimir Remek, has confirmed that he was interested in running in the country's first election to the European Parliament on the Communist Party's candidate list. Mr. Remek's confirmation followed several insider reports this week in the Pravo newspaper about his alleged negotiations with leaders of the Communist Party. Remek, who is 55, currently works in the commercial section at the Czech Republic's embassy in Moscow. Mr. Remek flew with a Russian partner on the Soyuz 28 mission in 1978, becoming the first person in space who was neither American nor Russian. Czech voters will choose 24 of the European parliament's 732 seats after European Union enlargement in May.

The Czech government has approved a new demerit points system for drivers that should discourage reckless driving and lower the number of accidents on Czech roads. According to the bill amendment two serious transgressions committed by drivers would be enough to see them lose their licence. The new system will rely on twelve demerit points, whereby those who reach the 12-point mark will automatically lose their licence, while having to pay an extensive fine. According to the proposal drivers, for example, caught drinking at the wheel will automatically lose 7 points. The bill amendment also describes - in detail - protocol for remanding licences, as well as outlining maximum fines for various offences. If approved by Parliament the bill will come into effect on May 1st, the day the Czech Republic joins the European Union.

Well-known Czech actress Jirina Bohdalova, who filed a law suit against the interior ministry last year for including her name on a list of agents of the Communist-era secret police, or the STB, has won her case in court. However, a loophole in the law says the ministry can not be forced to remove Mrs Bohdalova's name and requires only that a link to the court's verdict be marked on record. Mrs Bohdalova commented to reporters after the verdict that she could not understand how the Czech justice system could allow for her to be guilty on paper, even after she had been proven innocent.

Police in Prague are searching for two men in connection with an attack on the editor of the country's leading investigative newspaper. Tomas Nemecek, editor of the Respekt weekly, is recovering in hospital after an attack that he said included being tear-gassed, hit on the head with a club and kicked in the face by a pair of unknown assailants on Saturday outside his home in Prague. Mr Nemecek said he believed the attack was in retaliation for articles about crime gangs in northern Czech cities that had appeared in his weekly.