Klaus criticises awarding of Jaruzelski at Moscow celebrations

During his visit to Moscow, President Vaclav Klaus expressed criticism at the fact that the former Polish President Wojciech Jaruzelski was among those who received medals from the Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Before leaving Moscow, President Klaus told President Putin that despite Mr Jaruzelski's role in the defeat of Nazism, for Czech citizens he remained a symbol of the 1968 occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. Wojciech Jaruzelski was Poland's Defence Minister when Polish units, along with Soviet, Hungarian, Bulgarian and East German troops invaded Czechoslovakia in August 1968, putting an end to the reforms of the Prague Spring.