The number of demonstrators on the streets of Prague has been less than expected, following the NATO summit hosted by the Czech Republic on Thursday. First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Stanislav Gross attributes this to close co-operation with neighbouring security services. "If the only criticism is that security measures were too high and expensive, then I will be very satisfied," said Gross.

Police President Jiri Kolar claimed that the war against demonstrators was won on the border. "Foreign security services were a great help to us in doing everything they could to keep the number of people coming here low," Kolar said. A demonstration on Thursday afternoon saw about 600 activists, according to police estimates, march around for a couple of hours before dispersing. Veteran Czech anarchist Jakub Polak told the Czech News Agency CTK, that he was satisfied with the demonstration because it was "calm and cultivated."

(NewsBase 11.xi.02)