Klaus rules out return to Civic Democrats

Ex-president Václav Klaus has ruled out his further involvement in Civic Democratic Party affairs. Responding to speculation that he could help the party he established in 1991 and headed for over a decade overcome its present crisis, Mr. Klaus told journalists his return was now out of the question. He said that the party had strayed from its course and in order to overcome its problems it needed to make fundamental changes both in ideology and leadership. In recent years Mr. Klaus has had a problematic relationship with the party he founded, giving up his membership in 2008 over disputes with his successor.