Czech, Slovak governments backing away from ACTA, too

The European protests against the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) have now reached the highest levels of the Czech government. Prime Minister Petr Nečas has announced that the Czech Republic will follow Poland and suspend ratification of ACTA, which has become a local lightning rod after 22 EU countries signed on last month.

Ratification still needs to take place in various national parliaments. Anonymous has been attacking government websites, while the Czech Pirate Party has organized street protests in Prague. The Pirate Party isn't happy about the "suspension," though; they want to see full-blown withdrawal from the whole process. Neighboring Slovakia has also expressed doubts. Economic Minister Juraj Miškov said he opposes any deal that "would curtail basic human rights in any shape or form, particularly the right to freedom and privacy and that will superimpose copyright protection over these rights."