RESPEKT this week looks at the growing turmoil in the ruling ODS party. In an article on page 2, called "Macek's diagnosis" the weekly focuses on Deputy Chairman of the ruling ODS party Miroslav Macek and his recent study called "A crisis of confidence".

The weekly notes that this work was circulated in the press and is full of criticism of the ODS and their mistakes. "Many members of the party have attacked Macek for having been so indiscreet and allowed the study to be read by mere mortals" writes RESPEKT.

The weekly comments that although many of these colleagues agree with Macek, they accuse him of having chosen the worst possible time to publicise his revelations. RESPEKT is not amused, and writes that a battle over the budget lies in the wait for the ODS and that the party should surely present a unified front. The article gives a run down of the contents of Macek's study, writing that he thinks the party has become obsessed with success and sees real problems as trivial issues. "An old medicine for a new illness" writes the paper commenting that Macek does not actually offer a new vision or suggestion as to how to improve the party. "One can only conclude" comments RESPEKT "that while the ODS's programme is in order, the way it is being implemented is not".

The Daily Sun last week, featured an article entitled "Internal criticism of ODS grows". The paper writes that the economic difficulties the Czech republic has been going through, are mirrored in the difficulties being faced by the ruing ODS party. The article also mentions Macek's criticism of the party and writes that this is the second time he has come up with serious reservations about the party in a short time. The paper records the attacks made on Vaclav Klaus from various directions, recalling Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec's accusations this summer that Klaus had kept a letter from the IMF hidden when measures to help the economy were being drawn up.

After looking at frequent disputes within the party, the article also mentions that ODS poll ratings have gradually plummeted, falling behind the opposition Social Democrats.

This week's edition of TYDEN looks at a performance of "Granny" or the well known Czech story by Bozena Nemcova "Babicka". The magazine writes that the performance which is taking place in the Brno Husa theatre is remarkable in that, the main role of the grandmother is being played by a bearded male actor! TYDEN takes a look at the reviews the play has received, writing that many people have shrugged off the gender change saying this is part of the theatre's approach and not the only interesting aspect of the performance. "From the moment it was established the Husa Theatre had one goal" writes TYDEN, "and that was to explore the unconventional and give a more objective point of view".

The magazine talks to Petr Oslzly, the artistic Director of the Theatre, asking him, what aspect of life the theatre is currently presenting to its audiences. He tells the weekly that Czech society has a tendency to convince itself that it is better than it really is.

The Central European Business weekly, looks at an important Czech environmental issue this week. The article writes that environmentalists from the International Association for Friendly and Sustainable Energy Management, lodged a complaint on Wednesday to have the Temelin nuclear power plant closed. The plant which is under construction in South Bohemia has been the topic of much controversy over the last few years. The weekly writes that environmentalists criticised the CEZ national power company for using an untested mixture of Soviet and American Westinghouse technology. It quotes them as saying that "given the standards of the technology and the poor quality of construction works, there is no guarantee of a safe operation of the plant". The lawsuit is based on the article of the Civil Code, which says that everyone is obliged to behave in a way which would not harm health, property, nature or the environment. The weekly concludes that according to the latest plan, the Temelin nuclear power plant, situated about 80 kilometres from the border of nuclear free Austria is to be completed in 1999.

The PRAGUE POST this week on its front page, looks at the court case of eight people suspected of trying to peddle uranium through the Czech Republic. The paper writes that this trial which was supposed to be the feather in the cap of the new improved criminal authorities, ended with an indictment of unprofessional police behaviour which the judge said, saw guilty men go free. According to the PRAGUE POST the Judge said the defendants had not been properly informed about the progress of the investigations and were not aware of their rights before they testified against themselves in preliminary hearings.

MLADY SVET this week, features a long piece on Romanies who are successful and hold high positions at work. The first is Jarmila Blazova an editor at Czech radio, she runs the Romany department. The article writes that Romanies if given the chance and have plenty of luck can intellectually excel. MLADY SVET gives a run down of Blazova's life, writing that she comes from a traditional Romany background and that as a young girl she had to look after her siblings. She says this taught her communication and patience. Blazova comments that she was extremely lucky as far as school was concerned because she had excellent teachers and the article records her attempts to integrate into Czech society. Blazova comments that this is a difficult issue and she cannot expect Czechs to stop committing crimes, just as they cannot hold her responsible for pickpocketing in buses. The magazine also interviews Dr Horvath, a Romany surgeon. He says that at school, he didn't mind being called a "gypsy" by the other children as much as he minded being called stupid. The magazine recalls that this ambitious young man once operated on a skin head who was in prison for beating up a Romany. "When the skin head was later told that a Romany had carried out the operation, he said "I'm glad he did not kill me". But Dr Horvath thinks there is hope for the next generation of both Czechs and Romanies. He believes the situation will change for the better and remembers how the entire village stood up in protest when the Nazis wanted to send his Romany grandparents to a concentration camp. "Had it not been for these people, my grandparents would have perished" the magazine quotes him as saying at the end of the article.