News
President slams court ruling
President Vaclav Klaus has said he is appalled by the Supreme Court's decision to invalidate the Senate elections in the Prague 11 constituency. The court ruled on Friday that the elections in that constituency were invalid and would have to be repeated because the election campaign had been conducted in a dishonest manner, in violation of the election law. One of the unsuccessful candidates in the elections said he had been damaged by slanderous articles in the press. President Klaus described the decision of the Supreme Court as "a dangerous precedent" and "intervention into the country's political freedom", adding that mud-slinging in the press was not unusual in the run up to elections and was no reason to invalidate them.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Pavel Nemec said he understood the Court's decision and urged the President to think about the rules of fair play. He said that in criticizing the Court's decision, Vaclav Klaus had acted like a party leader, rather than a president.
Civic Democrats hold party conference
The opposition right wing Civic Democratic Party is holding its national party conference this weekend. Addressing some 400 delegates, party leader Mirek Topolanek said the party was "on the brink of success", set to win the next general elections. He urged them to make good use of the party's victory in regional elections and so to convince the public that the Civic Democrats were a party with a vision and a future. Topolanek is running for re-election, the only candidate for the post of party leader.
PM attempts to rally his party with eight point plan
Meanwhile, the head of the ruling Social Democrats Stanislav Gross attempted to rally the weakened and divided party for a crucial confrontation with their main rivals in the remaining 18 months to elections. At a meeting of the party's executive leadership, Gross unveiled an eight-point plan which should help the Social Democrats to regain lost ground and restore public trust. Addressing speculation about the possible return of the one time party leader Milos Zeman, Gross said that this could not benefit the party and that in the present day Zeman had little to offer besides criticism and bitterness. Zeman has repeatedly blamed Gross for the party's poor showing in elections and its slide in popularity.
Communist Party leader calls for change of style
The Communist Party also planned its strategy for the months ahead at a meeting of its central committee this weekend. Opinion surveys suggest that the party would come second in elections if they were held today. Party leader Miroslav Grebenicek is advocating a change of style, which would attract more voters. He told the gathering that the party should make a point of distancing itself from the past and condemning the crimes committed in the 50s and in 1968. In advocating this new policy line, Miroslav Grebenicek has partly yielded to the party's reform faction headed by Jiri Dolejs and Miroslav Ransdorf. He made no mention though of wanting to change the party's name.
Defence Minister visits Czech military police unit in Iraq
Defence Minister Karel Kuhnl on Saturday visited the Czech military police unit in Shaiba, southern Iraq. He was taken around the military base and spoke with police officers and doctors about the conditions they were working in. The country currently has a 90 member military police unit in Shaiba as well as a small surgical team which works in a British hospital. The Czech Parliament recently extended the Czech unit's stay in Iraq by another two months in connection with the January elections which will involve increased security risks.
Weather:
Sunday is expected to be cloudy to overcast with day temperatures between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius.
