Czech president caught ‘stealing’ pen on state visit

For anyone ever tempted to liberate a towel from their hotel bedroom, this footage might raise a smile.

Czech President Vaclav Klaus has been caught on camera sneaking a ceremonial pen into his pocket during a state visit to Chile.

The Czech President was filmed admiring a shiny silver pen while sat beside Chilean President Sebastian Pinera during a press conference.

While President Pinera speaks, his Czech counterpart slides the pen beneath the table where, after a quick change of hands, he slips it into his left pocket.

Apparently satisfied with his disappearing trick, President Klaus buttons his jacket, closes the now empty pen box, and resumes the state visit.

Embarrassingly for the President the gaffe was caught on camera by beady eyed journalists and within days footage had attracted more than a million hits on YouTube, while Czech television shows replayed the ‘theft’ and papers splashed it on the front page.

“During his trip to Latin America President Vaclav Klaus visited Chile where he liked many things and among them – the protocol pen,” said one Czech TV presenter.

Job perk

Others joked online that someone should “Czech” the President’s pockets for other missing stationery.

After a public scalding the President was forced to react – and insisted it was one of the perks of his job.

“First of all it was not a fountain pen but an ordinary ball-point pen,” he insisted while in the Czech town of Brno.

“I am sorry but while I was on the way here, to Brno today, I was writing something in the car… and I did look at my pen and saw ‘Lisboa NATO Summit October 2010’ written on it.

“This is what people usually do – take a notepad or a pen from events they attend.”

He added: “At this moment I am writing in the notepad on which is written ‘Latvian Parliament’.”