Czech foreign minister prank raises security concerns

Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka faced criticism Friday after activists said they staged a prank interview in a room containing model guns, replica bombs and people hidden behind a curtain.

The group Detektivni Parta, or Detective Group, said the interview took place on August 21 at an undisclosed location. It published images of Macinka sitting across from a man wearing a balaclava, sunglasses and a hood at a table with microphones.

Macinka said he immediately recognised the interviewer as activist Vojtech Psenak and did not fall for the prank. Detektivni Parta also identified the interviewer as Psenak, posing as a journalist.

The group published video excerpts from the interview and said Macinka had bypassed security protocols by asking his only bodyguard to leave the room without checking the premises first. Macinka told journalists late Thursday that a police officer was there with him and that the interview was no different from many previous interviews.

Czech media said the police unit responsible for protecting senior officials was looking into the matter. Martin Kupka, head of the opposition Civic Democrats, called on Macinka to resign, citing his protected status and access to classified intelligence documents.

Detektivni Parta said it had wanted to test Macinka's security awareness and cognitive capacities. The group said the evidence showed he had failed the test.