D.O.S.T. hands over letters to Prague Pride supporters

Prague, Aug 8 (CTK) - Representatives of the Czech D.O.S.T. conservative group delivered yesterday letters to the U.S. embassy and the Prague City Hall protesting against the support they have expressed to the homosexuals' weekend march.

"We do not want to take a stand against the march or the whole week, but we were startled by the mayor having agreed to take aegis of the event and by the U.S. ambassador having also supported it," Ladislav Batora, D.O.S.T. chairman and the Education Ministry's personnel department head, told journalists.

The Prague march of homosexuals and members of other sexual minorities will end a five-day festival Prague Pride, organised by the same-name association, on August 13.

U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic Norman Eisen together with diplomats from another 12 states supported the event on Friday.

Batora said his support to the event "is just as inappropriate as support of the mayor."

D.O.S.T. considers Eisen's support "a sort of interference in the internal affairs of our country," Batora said.

He said yesterday mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) is not only a representative of Prague, but also of the conservative ODS, the Czech government's senior party.

"Even a civil servant can have his opinions and can communicate them, particularly if I am also D.O.S.T. chairman," Batora said.

The opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) are of a different opinion.

The Czech Republic, in which no government representative has reacted to the words of Batora and President Vaclav Klaus's office deputy head Petr Hajek on the same theme and where Klaus even supported Hajek, may be considered a country where there is a tension on the theme of sexual minorities even though this is not so, CSSD head Bohuslav Sobotka said.

"Such statements are dangerous because these are no private persons, but high-placed officials," Sobotka said, adding that the people are paid by taxpayers.

He called on the government to dissociate itself from the statements.

Sobotka said the CSSD has no objections to Prague mayor Svoboda's statements.

Batora, asked whether he will watch the homosexuals' march, Batora said he and his family will probably be taking part in a march for the family, organised by the Christian Democratic Youth, at the same time.

The homosexuals' event drew sharp criticism of Czech President Vaclav Klaus's office deputy head Petr Hajek last week and Klaus supported his statement last Friday.

Klaus also supported Batora in the past. Some senators call for Batora's departure from the Education Ministry.

His opponents criticise him for his links to the marginal and radical parts of the Czech right.

Education Minister Josef Dobes (Public Affairs, VV) defends Batora, saying he is a dutiful person, a patriot and a conservative Roman-Catholic. There is no evidence proving that Batora is a racist.