Prerov- Roughly 70 people attended a 7-kilometre march, staged by the local Communists (KSCM), protesting against the stationing of a U.S. anti-missile base in the Czech Republic.

The activists prepared a "peace bonfire" and barbecue for children.

"We are very concerned over the information that the establishment of foreign military bases in the Czech Republic is being prepared," Alexander Cerny, deputy chairman of the Chamber of Deputies defence committee, said.

"It is doubly alarming that this is to be a U.S. base, to be part of the U.S. anti-missile defence," Cerny said.

The base would threaten Czech sovereignty and would become a tremendous security risk for Czechs, he added.

"We do not want any Americans and any dangerous activities here. We want to live in quiet and peace and we do not want to be exposed to danger," activist Marie Tomankova said.

In July, a U.S. expert team visited the Czech Republic to inspect the possible suitable localities for the bases in the military grounds Libava, north Moravia, Boletice, south Bohemia, and Brdy, central Bohemia.

Poland is also being considered in connection with the location of the U.S. defence protection system in Europe.

According to certain information, the USA intends to station a radar rather than a base in the Czech Republic mainly because it wants to avoid the rejection of the base by Czechs in a referendum.

In the Czech Republic, the base is only supported by the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), while the rest of the parties are either reluctant to accept or quite opposed to the project.