Press Review

This Monday there are basically two items that dominate the Czech dailies: one is the tragedy of the Columbia shuttle, which broke up in flames upon re-entry on Saturday killing all of the astronauts on board. The second dominant event in the press this Monday is the end of Vaclav Havel's presidency. Mr Havel's final term ended on Sunday after thirteen years in office, so it is hardly surprising all of the papers devote several pages to his legacy.

MLADA FRONTA DNES, for instance, notes that Mr Havel was a far from average president, borne into office on the waves of the Velvet Revolution. The paper compares Mr Havel's stature to that of Czechoslovakia's T.G. Masaryk, and writes that whoever will now succeed Mr Havel in office will be a more everyday president. Of course, it is yet unclear just when - and under what circumstances - new elections will take place.

The interim gap has some observers worried, but writes MLADA FRONTA DNES commentator Martin Komarek "there is no need to rush things". In his view it is better that Czech politicians take the time to prepare for a third round of elections, either parliamentary or by direct vote, than to try and usher in a less than appropriate figure.

Addressing the problem a vacant presidency could present during a possible war in Iraq, or a referendum on EU accession, Mr Komarek says Czechs could make do - suggesting that such decisions would still be fully within the competency of the legislature. He even writes that it might do the Czech Republic good to take a breather between presidents, now that Mr Havel has stepped down.

And Monday's PRAVO agrees: the daily also writes it will not be a tragedy that the country will be temporarily without a head of state, though perhaps for different reasons. Commentator Pavel Verner aims a small jab at Mr Havel for his show of solidarity with the US stance on Iraq last week. Essentially he suggests it will be better for the Czech Republic to be without a head of state rather than to 'lose its head' in military action. And the commentator outlines his persuasion that the presidential powers, transferred for the time being to the prime minister and the speaker of the Lower House, will be competently handled by Social Democrats Vladimir Spidla and Lubomir Zaoralek, both left-of-centre politicians.

Turning now to other events, HOSPODARSKE NOVINY writes about the prestigious FEBIO film festival which drew to a close on Friday: director Roman Polanski's The Pianist closed the festival, and Mr Polanski received a top award for life long contribution to cinematography. Czech films recognised at the festival included Aurent Klimt and Vlasta Pospisilova's animated feature Finfarum. In all this year's FEBIO festival drew more than 70, 000 visitors who were able to choose between 438 entries, so in its tenth year the festival has clearly gained ground and prestige and will return in 2004.