Czech to remove EU lampoon early

David Cerny's controversial work was unveiled in January

A Czech artist whose satirical work "Entropa" sparked a diplomatic furore in Brussels plans to remove the piece earlier than scheduled, as a protest.

David Cerny said he would take down Entropa on 10 May because he objected to a temporary cabinet taking over next month in the Czech Republic.

"The old government was my partner, not an autopilot cabinet or a government of former communists," he told Reuters.

Entropa hangs in the European Council building - the venue for EU summits.

The Czech EU presidency apologised to Bulgaria, which formally complained over its depiction as a toilet in the artwork. The toilet representation was then covered with a black cloth.

The eight-tonne mosaic, resembling a snap-out plastic modelling kit, pokes fun at national stereotypes.

In January Mr Cerny admitted misleading officials over the project. He said he had "wanted to find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself".

Bulgaria did not like this toilet depiction - and it was covered up In pictures: Entropa installation Mardell blog: But is it art?

The installation was supposed to remain in Brussels until 30 June, when the Czech EU presidency ends. But now Mr Cerny plans to move it to a Prague gallery.

The centre-right cabinet of Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek lost a confidence vote last month, when four rebel MPs aligned themselves with the opposition Social Democrats and Communists.

Mr Topolanek's government thought it had commissioned work from 27 European artists for the EU display. But it turned out that Mr Cerny and two associates had done the entire installation.

Entropa depicts Romania as a Dracula theme park and France as a country on strike.

The Netherlands is shown as a series of minarets submerged by a flood - a possible reference to the nation's simmering religious tensions.

Germany is shown as a network of motorways vaguely resembling a swastika, while the UK - criticised by some for being one of the EU's most Eurosceptic members - is absent from Europe altogether.