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Czech Books“We were criminally naïve”: a former Czech PM looks back to the Velvet Revolution
Since the fall of communism, Petr Pithart has been a central Czech
political figure. As one of the first people to sign the human rights
manifesto, Charter 77, he spent the last years of the communist regime as
a
political dissident. But as the regime collapsed in November 1989, he shot
to prominence – firstly in Civic Forum, which brought together those
fighting for an end to one-party rule, and then as the first
post-communist
prime minister of the Czech part of the Czechoslovak federation. Later he
went on to be chairman of the Czech Senate and today he serves as the
Senate’s deputy chairman. Senator Pithart has just published a book with
the simple title “1989”, in which he reflects on the events and the
legacy of the time. Surprisingly the book is one of the first studies to
be
written by a prominent actor in the Velvet Revolution. The book is
striking
for the openness with which it discusses the mistakes that were made,
mistakes that in Pithart’s view, hastened the split of Czechoslovakia
and
sowed the seeds for many of the political problems in the Czech Republic
today. When I went to see Senator Pithart, he began by telling me that he
was drawn into the fray of politics more or less by chance. More
Current AffairsCourt cancels ministry’s ban of communist youth union
The Communist Youth Union got a new lease on life this week after a court
cancelled a ban on the organization issued by the Czech Interior Ministry.
Falling in line with a previous ruling of the country’s Supreme
Administrative Court on the issue, the judges sent the case back to the
ministry which should again deliberate whether the far-left group
represents a real threat to democracy.
More
Current Affairs20 years after, Václav Havel seen as key figure in transition to democracy
In a memorable moment of history, dissent and playwright Václav Havel was
elected the first post-communist president of Czechoslovakia 20 years ago.
His inauguration put the final seal on the country’s road to democracy.
Two decades later, most Czechs believe Mr Havel’s role in the process was
crucial.
More
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