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Czechs are voting in a historic referendum on joining the European Union. For the first time in the country's history, its people have the chance to decide about their country's future, and politicians have urged them not to let such an opportunity pass them by. On the eve of the big day, the Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla went on national television urging Czechs to use their voting rights:

Meanwhile Jan Zahradil, one of the three Czech representatives on the European Convention on the future of Europe, walked out of the body on Thursday complaining the agenda was becoming too federalist. Mr Zahradil, an MP for the opposition Civic Democrats, said the Convention was being manipulated by representatives of the national parliaments. The European Convention will present its proposal for a new European Constitution to EU leaders at next week's summit in Thessaloniki.

Members of the centre-left coalition have been urging people to say "Yes" to the European Union in this weekend's referendum. Led by Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla, ministers in the Social Democrat-dominated cabinet walked the streets and held special press conferences to persuade people to go to the polls. President Vaclav Klaus - often described as a Euro-sceptic - has urged people to vote in the plebiscite, but has refused to recommend EU membership to his citizens. Neither will he say which way he himself will vote.

Polls open at 2pm on Friday, and close at 2pm on Saturday. Unconfirmed results should be available almost immediately. There is no minimum turnout needed for the referendum to be declared valid, but the vote is binding: if a majority of people vote "Yes" to joining the EU, there will be no need for the parliament to ratify accession. In the event of a "No" vote, the government can ask the President to hold a second referendum in two years' time. The latest opinion polls suggest around 75 percent will vote in favour of accession, although a low turnout could reduce that margin considerably.

On Thursday President Klaus received his Slovenian counterpart Janez Drnovsek at Prague Castle, and repeated that EU membership should be viewed realistically and without illusions. Mr Klaus said once again that people must realise EU accession was a marriage of convenience rather than a marriage based on love. He told reporters that while he had not said which way he would vote, he had always tried to explain to people the reasons why the Czech Republic should "eventually" join the EU.

The focus of today's edition of Economics Report is the Czech referendum on European Union accession. On Friday afternoon Czechs will begin going to the polls to decide that fundamental question 'to join, or not to join'. The Czechs' answer, either way, will have a profound effect on the future of the country for generations to come. So far, all indications are that Czechs - like their neighbours in Poland and Slovakia - will vote to join the EU. A Stem survey released this week has predicted that around 78 - 80 percent of those who come to the

Just one day to go before the referendum on the Czech Republic's accession to the European Union, and all of the daily newspapers are understandably filled with reports on the EU. But, interestingly, they do not dominate all of the front pages: the headlines of and do deal with the EU referendum, but and 's first pages focus more on the latest suicide bombing in Jerusalem and the CSA pilots' strike set for Tuesday.

Just two days to go until Czechs vote on whether to join the European Union, and the government's "Yes" campaign is in its final stages. But there are a number of other groups who've launched their own campaigns - either for or against joining the EU. One of the most prominent pro-EU organisations held a concert in the centre of Prague on Tuesday, to rally support for EU membership. Rob Cameron was there.

EU related issues dominate the front pages: there are snapshots of former president Vaclav Havel at Tuesday's concert in support of EU accession; reports about the 2 million e-mails - sent out by mistake under the Prime Minister's name - urging Czechs to go to the polls; and an interview about EU membership with President Vaclav Klaus under the heading "It is a pity we couldn't enjoy our sovereignty for a while longer, but it is simply not possible".

The former president Vaclav Havel is one of the guests of honor at a concert in support of EU accession held at the bottom end of Wenceslas Square on Tuesday evening. The event was preceded by a dispute with the Town Hall which would not allow it to take place on the Old Town Square citing noise pollution. Following a great deal of criticism the Town Hall approved Wenceslas Square as a more appropriate location. Get-togethers in support of EU accession are taking place in several parts of Prague. The Prague 3 Zizkov district is organizing an outdoor event called "Zizkov goes to Europe". Czechs are due to vote on EU accession this weekend.