News

President Vaclav Klaus has vetoed the first provision of a package of bills introduced by the government in an effort to reform the public finances. On Wednesday Mr Klaus's office said the president had refused to sign a bill increasing health insurance payments for the self-employed. However, Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said he was optimistic that the governing coalition would unite to override the president's veto when the bill comes before the Chamber of Deputies for a second time. Mr Spidla has staked his political future on the financial reforms, which were introduced in reaction to a record budget deficit.

The Environment Ministry has refused permission to the Transport Ministry to build two weirs on the Elbe River in north Bohemia, saying both proposed weirs were in protected areas. However, the ministry's decision could be overruled in a vote in the Chamber of Deputies this week. Under a bill put forward by the former transport minister, Jaromir Schling, the law on the environment would make exceptions for the modernisation of waterways of international importance, meaning the Elbe, the Oder and the Danube. Environmental groups say, however, that the bill would allow for unprecedented devastation of the landscape.

Three police officers have been accused of assaulting a group of Romany men in the East Bohemian town of Dobruska at the weekend. The accusations were made by witnesses to the incident, which took place in a local gambling bar. The witnesses said the officers had attacked the men without the reason. However a police spokesman said the officers themselves were assaulted and that coercive means were only used after the men became aggressive. He said one of the men broke several panes of glass with his head while being restrained at the local police station. The men face charges of assaulting a police officer and hooliganism.

Meanwhile, the Association of Independent Trade Unions has called on President Klaus to veto parts of a government financial reform package. Officials said on Friday that over 100,000 union members had signed the letter, which demands amendments to legislation designed to combat the Czech Republic's record budget deficit.