News

The Czech football star Pavel Nedved has reacted angrily to accusations of violent conduct directed against him after he broke the leg of Luis Figo in a game between his Juventus and Inter Milan. A letter by Nedved defending himself against condemnation by the newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport appeared on Juve's website on Tuesday. The player said he had not intended to hurt Figo, and had apologised to him after the incident.

European representatives gathered at the European Energy Forum in Prague on Monday to discuss if a "nuclear energy renaissance" was feasible to cut the European Union's dependence on imported energy. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek called on France, Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Italy and the Baltic countries to support a "nuclear energy renaissance" saying that it was necessary to confront Europe's shortfall. Participants at the forum will discuss a common energy platform and outline a plan on objectives for 2020 as well as commercial cooperation with Russia.

The Zlin branch of the Christian Democrats has expressed support for the party's embattled leader Jiri Cunek, who last week announced his resignation from all government posts. Mr. Cunek is once again being investigated for fraud after the state attorney re-opened a case previously closed for lack of evidence and it has also emerged that in the 1990s he had abused the welfare system by taking social and housing allowances from the state at a time when he had millions of crowns in the bank. Many Christian Democrats have called on him to step down as party leader as well, but Mr. Cunek claims he is innocent and wants to defend his position as party head. He is expected to be quizzed about his finances at a party conference on Tuesday.

Miroslav Slouf, who served as advisor to the former prime minister Milos Zeman, has been asked to leave the Social Democratic Party because of his contacts with people from the underworld. In an interview for the Mlada Fronta Dnes daily, Slouf admitted to having had frequent contacts with the murdered mafia boss Frantisek Mrazek who was suspected of extensive fraud and conspiracy to murder. Shortly after the interview was published Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek said Slouf should leave the party without delay and he advised the ruling Civic Democrats to cut all contacts with him immediately. During Milos Zeman's administration in the years between 1998 and 2002 Miroslav Slouf was one of the most influential figures behind the scenes. It is feared that the man who advised the then-prime minister was himself advised by a mafia boss.