Former president Havel released from hospital

The former president Václav Havel has been released from hospital, following his admittance on January 12 for breathing difficulties and lung-related complications. Mr Havel was released from the Motol hospital in Prague on Thursday morning. He has been allowed to return home, but doctors are maintaining that Mr Havel’s recuperative regime must continue. Václav Havel was admitted after developing breathing and swallowing problems. An operation was followed by complications which left Mr Havel in intensive care. A doctor that had been part of the team looking after the former president, said that the situation had been very serious and at one point even life-threatening. The former president suffers from chronic bronchitis and had part of his right lung removed when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1996. Reports suggest that Mr Havel was in good spirits when he left the hospital, telling reporters that he felt well.