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Talking PointReflecting on two years of EU membership
On May 1st, the Czech Republic celebrated its second anniversary as a
European Union member state. While the official anniversary passed nearly
unnoticed, on May 8th, a holiday marking the end of World War Two,
politicians, intellectuals and businesspeople gathered to discuss the
Czech Republic and its future in Europe. Guests included the former head
of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, the former Secretary General of the
Council of Europe, Catherine Lalumiere, and many figures from Czech
circles. The forum was one where diverse issues to be raised, and there
was room for serious reflection on Czech membership in the EU.
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Current AffairsChinese PM arrives in CR to discuss economic cooperation
The Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek has called it the "visit of the
year". On Thursday, the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao arrived in
the Czech Republic for a two-day visit during which he is meeting Mr Jiri
Paroubek as well as President Vaclav Klaus. Talks are expected to concern
mainly economic topics but to also touch on the issue of human rights.
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Current AffairsPrague festival offers rare chance to hear Mongolian-style aliquot singing live
Czech music lovers will get a rare chance to hear remarkable
Mongolian-style aliquot singing live over the next few days at Alikfest, a
festival of New Age alternative music with performers from the Czech
Republic and Germany.
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Talking PointPolitics and the Olympic Games in Beijing, 2008 - Czechs discuss the dangers and benefits
Contrary to the Olympic ideal, politics and economics always come into play
well before the games begin in the city that is chosen. With the Olympic
Games under way in Athens, the work of a Prague-based pressure-group
called Olympic Watch came to my attention. In response to the
International Olympic Committee's decision to hold the 2008 Summer Games
in Beijing, "Olympic Watch" was created by three former Czech
dissidents in 2001. Their mission is to monitor the human rights situation
in the People's Republic of China. With each Olympiad in the run-up to the
Beijing Games they have produced a report on the development of human
rights in China. In today's Talking Point we look at some of the issues in
the debate from a Czech angle. Petr Kutilek is the executive Secretary of
Olympic Watch. He points to parallels with Central and Eastern Europe at
the time when communism was collapsing here fifteen years ago. More
Current AffairsCzechs take action against growing repression in Eastern Tibet
On Wednesday March 10, 2004, people around the world commemorate the 45th
anniversary of the Tibetan uprising that was crushed by the Chinese
communist army. Oppression in Tibet is not just a matter of the past and
the night before the anniversary a candlelight procession was held in 12
cities in the Czech Republic. The symbolic event was dedicated to a
Tibetan political prisoner, and is part of a worldwide campaign
coordinated in the Czech Republic. The Buddhist leader Tenzin Delek
Rinpoche, is currently being held by the Chinese authorities and may be
executed as soon as this April. More
