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The opposition Social Democrats have again threatened to initiate a vote of no confidence on the government of Mirek Topolanek next week if coalition MPs on Friday obstruct an extraordinary session of the lower house which is to discuss the case of deputy Prime Minister and Christian Democrat chairman Jiri Cunek. The Social Democrats first considered this step last week when the prosecutor in Mr Cunek's case was replaced. The party then accused the government of trying to manipulate proceedings.

Mr Cunek has been under investigation for several months now over allegations that he accepted a bribe of half a million crowns five years ago when he was mayor of the Moravian town of Vsetin.

NATO and US officials said on Thursday that the United States is moving forward with missile shield talks with Poland and the Czech Republic, as it explores the idea of a joint radar base with Russia. NATO defence ministers agreed in Brussels on Thursday to examine the implications of the US move to extend the shield into Eastern Europe and see how the alliance's planned theatre missile system might fit in.

Washington announced in January that it wants to install 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic linked to an early warning system, probably in the Caucasus, all to be operational by 2013. The shield is aimed at countering attacks from nations that Washington regards as "rogue states" such as Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised his US counterpart George W. Bush last week by proposing that they set up a joint US-Russian radar base in Azerbaijan. US and Russian officials are studying the proposal.

TV Nova reported that a court in Johannesburg will decide on a possible release of Czech businessman Radovan Krejcir on bail on June 21. Until then Mr Krejcir will stay in a South African prison. He is now back in police custody eight days after walking out of jail on a legal technicality, police said on Thursday. Radovan Krejcir, wanted in the Czech Republic on charges of fraud and conspiracy to commit murder, was released by South African police on June 4th after a 40-day period of waiting for extradition documents from the Czech Republic expired, according to a police spokeswoman. For over a week, Interpol and the authorities had no idea where Mr Krejcir was until he surrendered to police on Wednesday. Radovan Krejcir was arrested in April at Johannesburg's International Airport on an Interpol "red notice", which allows for an arrest and possible extradition.

The daily Lidove noviny writes that Czech courts will probably deal with alleged discrimination against some employees at the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty based in Prague. The paper refers to the case of Armenian reporter Anna Karapetian who says her dismissal from the radio after 12 years is invalid and has filed a lawsuit against her former employer. The paper says that those RFE/RL employees who do not come either from the United States or the Czech Republic find themselves in a legal limbo as regards their employees' rights. While Czechs can rely on the Czech Labour Code, disputes with US employees are solved by the Washington-based Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. RFE/RL did not comment on the case.