Bublan wants Husak to be appointed police president

Interior Minister Frantisek Bublan will once again ask the Cabinet to officially appoint Vladislav Husak police president. The minister failed to push through Mr. Husak's appointment earlier this summer due to opposition from the Christian Democrats who only agreed to let him serve in the post on a temporary basis. Mr. Husak is considered a controversial choice since he was the officer directly responsible for the police action to end the techno party CzechTek, which left scores of people injured on both sides.

The police has been severely criticized not only in connection with the crack down on CzechTek, but more recently for failing to intervene during a neo-Nazi concert at which participants did the Nazi salute and chanted racist slogans. The acting police president Vladislav Husak said on Tuesday the police had been inadequately prepared to deal with the situation at the neo-Nazi gathering.