Press Review

Most of today's papers carry a variety of stories ranging from the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Jiang Zemin in Beijing, to farmers planning to stage protests across Central Europe tomorrow. A policeman who killed a four year-old boy in a road accident also makes the front pages today.

LIDOVE NOVINY writes that thousands of farmers are expected to descend on Prague on Wednesday. Similar protests are to be held by farmers in Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary, with farmers demanding higher subsidies than the European Union is currently offering. According to the paper, Czech farmers have decided that silent protests with banners and slogans are not enough, and now hope to make more of an impact using rotten eggs and vegetables. They may even bring animals on their demonstration.

MLADA FRONTA DNES leads with an analysis of why Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla is opposed to the idea of his predecessor Milos Zeman becoming president. With just over a month to go before a presidential election is to be held to find a successor to Vaclav Havel, the Social Democrats find themselves in a tight corner. Party leaders recently held a non-binding public referendum to try and rally support for ombudsman Otakar Motejl, but the referendum backfired with the controversial Mr Zeman coming in first.

Although Prime Minister Spidla does not want Mr Zeman to become president, he has asked him to take part in the first round of elections. The reason, the paper says, is Mr Spidla's fear that the lack of a strong Social Democrat candidate could result in the election of Civic Democrat Vaclav Klaus. Mr Zeman, however, has said he would only run for president if all the party's other candidates fail and a new election has to take place. The situation has seen Mr Zeman's power rise as Mr Spidla's decreases, the paper concludes.

PRAVO carries an interview with the ombudsman Otakar Motejl, the man Mr Spidla would like to see succeed Vaclav Havel. The paper questions him on recent allegations that Mr Motejl killed a person over twenty years ago in a road accident. Mr Motejl confirms the allegations, saying that he accidentally hit and killed an old man as he was driving home from his weekend cottage one evening in 1978. He received a suspended sentence and was stripped of his drivers' license. Six months later, his drivers permit was re-issued and in 1980, he received a presidential pardon.

LIDOVE NOVINY reports on a Czech soldier, currently part of the international logistics unit in Kuwait, who has admitted to robbing a military store on a US base. Despite receiving a monthly wage of 80,000 Czech crowns, which is a little under 2,500 US dollars, the officer stole a sweater worth 40 US dollars, says the daily. He is being sent home on Wednesday.

The paper quotes Czech Defence Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik as saying that he sees no reason why the officer ought to stay in the army. Another army official tells the paper that one more Czech officer, currently stationed in Kuwait, is also to be sent back to the Czech Republic after 'failing to uphold good relations with his subordinates'.

The country's leading business paper, HOSPODARSKE NOVINY, looks at Monday's backing by European Union health ministers of a new law that extends a ban on tobacco advertising to radio, newspapers and the Internet. EU rules already prohibit cigarette advertising on television. The Czech Republic hopes to join the union in 2004, and the paper looks at how such a ban will affect the country's economy.

Since most tobacco companies play a large role in sponsoring cultural and sports events, the paper says that such events will suffer the most in the Czech Republic. However, the ban will not have the effect intended, meaning that it will not result in a decrease in the number of smokers or profits made by the tobacco companies, believes HOSPODARSKE NOVINY.

MLADA FRONTA DNES writes that the number of schools offering information such as students' grades on the Internet has been increasing dramatically. The paper says that many schools have taken this step because students tend to hide their bad grades or fail to forward invitations to school meetings to their parents. Information on each student is classified and can only be accessed with a password. Whilst students have naturally voiced their opposition, parents have been welcoming the service, says the paper.