Press Review

One man dominates the front pages today - and that man is the former president Vaclav Havel - shown receiving the country's highest state distinctions. The papers have all noted the public snub to him by President Klaus who absented himself from the ceremony on what the papers call a very flimsy excuse.

The fact that the communists boycotted the award ceremony is of no consequence - indeed it is fitting since Mr. Havel received the award for helping to bring about their downfall but the fact that the current head of state failed to attend is regrettable, Lidove Noviny says.

Mlada Fronta Dnes is worried that young people may soon know very little about the role of any Czech president in the country's history since the subject is increasingly neglected in schools. A history teacher confirms that this is indeed the case adding that due to a packed curriculum the events of the Prague Spring get about ten minutes in the classroom.

The dispute between the Czech Republic and Liechtenstein as a result of which the latter refused to sign the agreement on the European Economic Area has also received plenty of attention. Pravo is the most critical, carrying a front page headline that reads "Liechtenstein blackmails the Czech Republic over property". All the papers note that Prague is not willing to make any concessions in the row, and claim that Liechtenstein's attitude will not effect the Czech Republic's admission to the EU nor seriously damage its economic interests.

The Interior Ministry's recent operation code named Fantine in which the police conducted raids in brothels across the country in an attempt to crack down on child prostitution and trafficking of women - is still a topic of debate. The operation produced little evidence of either and Mlada Fronta Dnes says the Interior Ministry is now making a list of all prostitutes working in the Czech Republic - many of whom are not Czech - hoping to find collaborators who would help them nail the pimps. Their reward would allegedly be a long term residence permit in the Czech Republic.

Lidove Noviny has ridiculed both the approach and the interior minister. Foreigners who have problems acquiring a long term residence permit will now know what to do, the paper says: get involved in some criminal activity and then call the police.