PM apologises to nation for giving rise to political row

The Prime Minister Stanislav Gross has officially apologised for giving rise to a political row by some of his ill-advised statements in connection with the controversy over the way he financed his apartment. In a live address to the nation in Czech Television's evening news programme on Saturday, Prime Minister Gross also announced his wife was going to terminate all her business activities in order to put an end to the current political crisis. The Prime Minister also pledged to put forward a bill shortly which would, as he said, clarify matters related to the private finances of politicians and state officials.

Mr Gross has been under fire for several weeks over questions as to where he got money to buy his apartment six years ago, and how his wife funds her business.