Czech government refuses loan of gold for Czech pavilion at Expo 2010

The Czech government has refused to loan a ton of gold from the national bank for a Czech exhibit at this year’s Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The gold was needed for the so-called ‘Czeknowlogy’ part of the exhibit where sensors should allow the emotions of visitors to be displayed on a giant drop of pure gold. The Czech finance minister, Eduard Janota, said he considered the loan risky in view of the possibility that the exhibit could be auctioned off with other gold then being returned to the Czech Republic. The organizers say they have an alternative solution involving private sponsors.