Paroubek under fire after show host told apparently racist jokes

The prime minister, Jiri Paroubek, has come under fire for appearing in a pre-election stage show in which the host told apparently racist jokes. Daily Mlada fronta Dnes said on Wednesday that the host of the "Premiere with the Premier" show, Jiri Krampol, had told jokes suggesting Romanies avoided work and committed petty crimes. Mr Paroubek has rejected the newspaper's allegations, saying he is no way racist. For his part Mr Krampol, an actor, says if jokes can be made about blondes or doctors, they can equally be made about Romanies.