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The Social Democrats should decide on their candidate for next year's presidential election within two months, chairman Jiri Paroubek said on Sunday. Speaking on Czech Television, Mr Paroubek said he wanted to put forward a resolution at his party's next conference against any of the Social Democrats' MPs or senators voting for the incumbent Vaclav Klaus in the bicameral secret vote. He said his party were willing to put aside their own interests in order to see the president replaced. Mr Paroubek also criticised Mr Klaus for remaining honorary chairman of the Civic Democrats after he became Czech president.

Four men died near Opava in north Moravia in the early hours of Sunday morning when they crashed into a tree on their way home from a disco. The four were aged between 20 and 25. A woman passenger survived but is in a serious condition in hospital. Four other people died in accidents around the Czech Republic on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

The rock group Kabat will represent the Czech Republic at the Eurovision song contest in Helsinki in May. The band won Czech Television's Eurosong competition to find the country's first ever Eurovision representative. Kabat formed in 1983 but have become big stars only in recent years. Their latest CD Corrida was the biggest selling album in the Czech Republic last year, despite not being released until December.

The only female referee in the Czech men's first division will not be allowed to officiate in the second half of the season, which has just got underway after the winter break. Dagmar Damkova has been removed from the list of top-flight referees after missing a fitness test due to illness. Ms Damkova said she would now concentrate on reaching the Women's World Cup, which takes place in China in September.