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Labour and Social Affair Minister Zdenek Skromach suggested that a government-sponsored bill on property declarations is so important that the government may link it with a confidence vote in Parliament. The bill, aimed at fighting tax evasions and money laundering, has caused controversy within the ruling coalition. Some ministers for the senior government Social Democrats have been trying to make the law retroactive, which is unacceptable for the other two parties. The opposition Communist Party had previously indicated it was willing to support a stricter version of the law. However, the Freedom Union said that if the legislation were pushed through with the help of the Communists, it would mean an end of the ruling coalition.

Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda underwent a neck operation on Saturday at the Brno Hospital after two days of monitoring and treatment. Mr. Svoboda sustained injuries in a car accident on Thursday. Doctors said Mr. Svoboda was recovering well from the injuries and will most likely stay in the hospital for one or two weeks. That means that Svoboda will probably not be able to participate in a key vote on a VAT bill in the Lower House.

Meanwhile, police have ruled out alcohol as a factor in the accident, which took place when the driver lost control of the minister's vehicle in a difficult turn. All three in the car were injured, but none of the injuries - including the foreign minister's - were life-threatening.

Three Czech journalists kidnapped in Iraq last Sunday have been released and are now safe at the Czech embassy in Baghdad. Czech TV's Michal Kubal, cameraman Petr Klima, and Czech Radio correspondent Vit Pohanka, were kidnapped by insurgents while en route to Amman, Jordan last Sunday, suffering an intense six days captive at the hands of unknown assailants. Before this Friday's breakthrough release Czech diplomatic authorities had tried in vain to establish contact with the insurgents. Correspondent Vit Pohanka spoke with Czech Radio Friday afternoon saying he and his colleagues were in good condition and were ready to return to the Czech Republic.

"All of us are alright we are in good psychological shape, although as you can imagine there were moments when we didn't feel so great. The main thing was that we were all together. Now we're okay and look forward to everything being sorted out."

Vit Pohanka was also asked by Czech Radio if he and his colleagues had had any contact at all with any of the other foreigners being held in captivity in Iraq:

"No. we were completely isolated. It wasn't even clear who our abductors were. At first we just thought we were being stopped by some locals. No one told us a thing and we had no idea what was going on."

Deputy foreign minister Petr Kolar has meanwhile revealed that one of the factors instrumental to the Czech journalists' release was a diplomatic meeting by the Czech ambassador to Iraq Martin Klepteko with Muslim spiritual leaders. Mr Kolar also praised Czech Muslim representatives for a letter of appeal they sent showing solidarity with the abducted men, asking for the journalists' release. On Friday Mr Kolar spoke with Radio Prague about how and when the journalists would return home.

"The problem is that our jet is not allowed to land in Baghdad because of the security reasons and technical reasons. So, we are probably going to focus on Basra now - to take them to Basra and then have our jet fly there to take them home. So, I hope it is a question of one or two days."