Czech President, First Lady to visit Ústí region - but not Šluknov

Czech President Václav Klaus and First Lady Livia Klausová are planning a three-day visit to 12 Czech towns in the Ústí region on 18 October. Their trip will begin in Roudnice nad Labem and will gradually take in Terezín, Litoměřice, Česká Kamenice and Ústí nad Labem, where Klaus will autograph his books on the main square before heading west to the Podkrušnohorské Basin.

Some expected the visit might include the Šluknov foothills, the site of recent unrest. When Klaus was last in the region, he drew attention by saying in Karlovy Vary that “the state must remorselessly intervene with force” there. The Ústí Regional Authority objected to that statement and has since taken the side of those participating in the anti-Roma demonstrations there who do not identify as right-wing extremists.

Neither Klaus nor the First Lady are planning to visit the sites of unrest. Magdalena Hanáčková, spokesperson for the Ústí Regional Authority, said Klausová would undertake some of the scheduled program separately from the president.