Expulsions In Prague

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32005, 4 June 1969, Page 21

Expulsions In Prague

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) ■ PRAGUE, June l.| A leading Czechoslovak j Communist reformer was expelled from the party, six members of the party’s central committee were dropped from its ranks, and five others were officially reprimanded in a political shakeup announced in Prague last night. Prague Radio said that Dr Frantisek Kriegel, a close associate of the former party leader (Mr Alexander Dubcek) during last year’s reforms, was expelled from the party during last week’s i meeting of the Communist Party central committee. A party resolution said: “Comrade Kriegel adopted an I anti-party, anti-soeialist and anti-Soviet platform.” Among those dismissed I from the central committee! were Professor Ota Sik, who! masterminded the economic reform movement before the Warsaw Pact invasion last August: a veteran parliamentarian, Mr Frantisek Vodslon: and Mr Karel Kosic. a Liberal professor of Charles University. Two Liberal members of the partys cabinet—the secretariat—Mr Josef Spacek and Mr Vaclav Slavik—were also released from their party jobs.