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Former president Václav Havel says he is disturbed by the attitude of President Klaus and the Public Affairs party towards the issue of ultra-right-winger Ladislav Bátora and his involvement with the Ministry of Education. Mr Havel told the daily Mladá fronta Dnes that he was struck by the party’s apparent opinion that an official could express semi-fascist or semi-anti-Semitic views outside the workplace. The former president, who has been out of the public eye for most of the year as he recovers from a lung ailment, further criticised the support that Mr Bátora enjoys in Prague Castle. Mr Bátora was formerly a candidate for an extreme nationalist party and is known for his far-right positions. President Václav Klaus has strongly backed his position at the Education Ministry.

A novel titled “Secret Book” has been flying off the shelves in Czech bookstores. In it, author Irena Obermannová describes her secret affair with a figure that she refers to as “the greatest Czech.” The author is known for her very open, often autobiographical style of writing – and since the book’s male protagonist shares many traits with former president Václav Havel, there is heated speculation over the veracity of her account. Culture and society journalist Jana Ciglerová talks about the juicy bestseller.

Czech actress Iva Janžurová and former Czech president and playwright Václav Havel were awarded honorary citizenship of Prague 6 on Friday by the district’s mayor, Marie Kousalíková. At the ceremony Mr Havel was accompanied by his wife Dagmar; it was the former president’s first public appearance in some time. Due to poor health and in order to recover his strength, Mr Havel, who turns 75 in October, has been staying at his cottage. Friday’s ceremony was held at the Břevnov monastery.

American astronaut Andrew Feustel, in the Czech Republic for a lecture series along with his wife Indira, visited former president Václav Havel on Tuesday. Mr Havel, who had been in poor health recently, is currently recuperating at his cottage. Mr Havel’s secretary, Sabina Tančevová, however, said that the former president was feeling better; she also described Tuesday’s meeting as unique. Andrew Feustel took part in the recent final mission of the space shuttle Endeavour and made international headlines by taking a plush toy of the famous Czech animated character Krtek (Little Mole) with him on the mission.

Former Czech president Vaclav Havel who is still recovering from a bad respiratory infection in March has been moved to his country cottage. An assistant to Mr Havel said his health had slightly improved over the past week and doctors were hoping that the bracing country air would do him good. The former president has been plagued by respiratory infections ever since he had part of his right lung removed due to cancer 15 years ago.

The organizers of the prestigious German Quadriga Prize cancelled on Saturday this year’s award ceremony following an outcry by a number of international figures including former Czech president Václav Havel who protested against Russia’s Prime Minister Vladmir Putin receiving the award. Mr Havel, who received the prize in 2009, had threatened to return his award if the Russian official is given the prize, the German news website Deutsche Welle reported on Saturday. Mr Havel has reportedly asked the Quadriga jury to reconsider their decision which had surprised and disappointed him. The Czech daily Lidové noviny reported on Saturday that another Czech recipient of the prize, the head of the humanitarian NGO People in Need Šimon Pánek, was considering the same move.

Former Czech president Václav Havel, who is 74, remains in poor health, his wife told the news website aha.cz on Wednesday. Mr Havel, who was hospitalized in March with a respiratory infection and recently underwent treatment in a medical spa, has not been able to leave the house. In his Prague home, Václav Havel is attended by doctors and nuns; Ms Havlová also said the former head of state has been unable to sleep. An assistant to Mr Havel said however his health had slightly improved over the past week, and he was now planning a trip to his beloved country house, Hrádeček.

On Tuesday, the public broadcaster Czech TV is airing the first part of a new documentary series dedicated to Originální videojournal, a unique video magazine established by Czech dissidents in the late 1980s. The documentary offers some rare footage from dissident circles, as well as reports about the Velvet Revolution in November 1989.

The office of Václav Havel says he remains in poor health after contracting a respiratory infection four months ago. Mr Havel’s secretary says the former president is still suffering from fatigue and is being looked after in his home by doctors and nurses, as well as his wife Dagmar, who cancelled a visit to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival due to her husband’s poor state of health. Respiratory infections pose a great health risk to Mr Havel, who had part of his lungs removed due to cancer 15 years ago. The 74-year-old has frequently suffered from respiratory infections since. In March he was hospitalized for two weeks and was recently treated at a health spa.

In today’s business news: The Czech antimonopoly watchdog launches a probe into the controversial Promopro contract, industrial production in the Czech Republic has grown by 15.2 percent year-on-year, the average cost of purchasing a vehicle continues to drop, former president Václav Havel features in new ad campaign for the used car dealer AAA Auto, and the Karlovy Vary airport will get a new departure hall.