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The government committee for intelligence services has decided that the civilian counter-intelligence service (BIS) and the civilian intelligence (UZSI) will not merge under a new reorganisation of Czech intelligence. The government had been considering a merger of the two intelligence services for some time. But the plan was strongly criticised by some politicians and experts. The UZSI gathers foreign intelligence information for the government and senior officials, while the BIS operates in the Czech Republic, gathering for example information on potential terrorist threats, extremist groups, and illegal arms trading.

The results of a new poll conducted by the CVVM agency have suggested that trust in the Czech government has gone up, increasing from 30 percent in April this year to 36 percent in May. By contrast, trust in President Vaclav Klaus, who traditionally enjoys high support, decreased slightly (by four percentage points) to 71 percent.

The presidents of 16 central and eastern European states are gathering in the Czech Republic's second city Brno, ahead of an annual conference which is being hosted this year by Czech President Vaclav Klaus. Among the subjects on the agenda at this year's meeting are dialogue with the European Union, relations with Russia and security questions. President Klaus has said disputes in the regions of Kosovo and Transnistria will also be discussed by him and his counterparts.

Ahead of the conference, the authorities in Brno hired specialised teams to remove graffiti on the route between the airport and the centre of the city. Pavements in the historic centre of the Moravian capital were also repaired on the eve of the presidents' visit.

Charges of child abuse have been filed against the aunt of a little boy named Ondrej discovered to have been kept naked, bound and in the dark. Katerina Mauerova was arrested on Thursday, two week's after her sister Klara, the boy's mother, was taken into custody.

Social Affairs Minister Pavel Necas has filed a criminal complaint against whoever made public Ondrej's testimony to social workers. Mr Necas said the leak seriously violated the pledge of confidentiality and the protection of personal data. The minister also said he had ordered a thorough investigation of a complicated case which has gripped the country.

Both Mauerova sisters could face up to eight years in jail if found guilty of abusing the boy. Police are also searching for a 34-year-old woman who may have posed as Klara Mauerova's 13-year-old "daughter".