News

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel has been awarded the Prize for Understanding between Nationalities and Peoples of Europe. The prize was awarded over the weekend in Pasov, Germnay by the media consortium Verlagsgruppe Passau. Also receiving the same award was Madeleine Albright, the former U.S. Secretary of State, who is of Czech origin. The prize is given to persons who have contributed significantly to the development of democracy, the protection of human rights, and encouraged understanding between different nationalities. The Verlagsgruppe Passau group first awarded the prize in 2005 to the former Israeli prime minister, Simon Peres.

The body of a newborn was found in the central Bohemian region of Cesky Raj on Saturday. Tourists discovered the baby's body in a dry well while hiking in the region, and police are currently investigating the death. As of yet, there is no information about the deceased infant or the parents.

The Czech capital, Prague, is under a high-alert security watch. At an extraordinary overnight session that began at 23:00 on Friday night, the Czech cabinet decided to increase security measures in the capital city—effective immediately—because of a possible terrorist threat. Prague's Ruzyne airport has implemented what are being described as "massive security measures," though no flights have been cancelled. The city centre and other possible targets are also being patrolled by additional specialized police units, and the police chief says that there is no need to call for the army's assistance at this time. On Saturday morning, Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer said that it is the first time that the Czech Republic faces such a concrete threat.

Shortly after the measures were announced, a bomb threat was called in that resulted in the closure of Prague's metro line 'C' for about an hour. No explosive was found.

The daily Pravo's on-line service, Novinky, writes that the terrorist threat is related to the Jewish New Year, and that Prague's Jewish district of Josefov likely faces the most serious threat. Speaking at a press conference, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek said that he would neither deny nor confirm the reports. Authorities have said that the situation in the Czech capital is connected to Friday's developments in Norway, where four men were arrested and police are said to have uncovered a terrorist plot to bomb the Israeli and American embassies in Norway.

Svatopluk Karasek has been dismissed as the government's human rights commissioner. In an interview for the daily Pravo, Mr. Karasek said that he was dismissed without reason, and the paper notes that the Civic Democratic cabinet did not make the information public at its regular press conference following the Wednesday decision. Reacting to the news at a press conference on Saturday, Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek said that while he and Mr. Karasek did not always get along and are not men of the same blood, Mr. Karasek did his job well since being appointed in November 2004. Mr. Karasek has been replaced by former Civic Democratic MP Jan Litomisky.