Klaus: Shooting scare mirrors poor state of society

Prague, Oct 1 (CTK) - The Friday attack with a toy gun reflects the situation in society that has reached an "extremely bad state," Czech President Vaclav Klaus says in an interview with the daily Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) yesterday, commenting on the shooting at him with a airsoft gun.

"This was no 'regrettable incident,' as Prime Minister Petr Necas said in the unfortunate way," Klaus said.

"If anything, it was the first assassination attempt at a president over the 100 years of our modern state," he added.

A man, aged 26, fired several pellets from a paintball ball at Klaus at close range at a ceremony at which a bridge was opened in Chrastava, north Bohemia.

As the bodyguards were unable to prevent the attack and the perpetrator walked away without any problems from the place, head of the bodyguards Jiri Sklenek has resigned.

Klaus said the act had been politically motivated.

"A gun is something quite different than pelting the eggs, which I have experienced about twice. The gun has pushed the situation onto a quite new level," Klaus said, adding that he was angry with the incident being interpreted as a mere failure of the bodyguards.

Unfortunately, much more was behind it, this cannot be waved away, Klaus said.

Those who have virtually prepared the situation should resign, he added.

"Now it is not up to me to name the main hate-mongers in the media. I would only uselessly provide publicity to them," Klaus said.

"I cannot accept the notion that this was a 'certain form' of social protest. If it is put so, it means reconciling oneself with such things," he added.

"The way some hacks play with my person, not only with Vaclav Klaus, but with the president, is something unseen in the civilised world," Klaus said.