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The former head of the Office of the Government, Pavel Pribyl, is once again working for the Interior Ministry, according to press reports Saturday. Mr Pribyl was forced to resign last year when it emerged that he had led a riot police unit which attacked anti-communist demonstrators in early 1989. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said Mr Pribyl had been employed in an external capacity to help improve police standards.

Both the Czech and Slovak authorities have denied reports by the Russian newspaper Novaja Gazeta that a ransom was paid for the release in November of Miriam Jevikova, a Slovak woman who was kidnapped five months earlier while working for a Czech aid agency in Ingushetia. The internet site of the Russian paper said 4.5 million crowns (almost 200,000 US dollars) had been handed over to Ms Jevikova's kidnappers.

The ruling Social Democratic Party is preparing for an important conference this weekend, with the party's future policy direction up for debate. Chairman Stanislav Gross and Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka are reportedly in favour of a more centrist approach. Meanwhile, Labour Minister Zdenek Skromach is calling on the Social Democrats to stick to their traditional socialist principles. The Social Democrats lost European Parliament, Senate and regional elections last year, and currently have around 14 percent voter support.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel has sharply criticised the European Union for deciding to no longer invite Cuban dissidents to receptions at EU states' embassies in Havana. The EU has reportedly adopted this position so as to facilitate increased dialogue with the Cuban authorities. However, in an article in France's Le Figaro newspaper Mr Havel described the EU's stance as "diplomatic apartheid". He said the Union could not have found a better way of tarnishing the ideals of freedom and respect for human rights.