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Current AffairsCzechs and Serbs rediscover their old partnership
Relations between the Czech Republic and Serbia-Montenegro have a long
history. Both are Slav nations and their languages are similar. Their
predecessors - Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia - were very close allies in
the period between the two world wars, and something of the special
relationship has survived even after the tragic events of the 1990s as
Yugoslavia disintegrated. The Czech think tank, the Council for
International Relations, has decided to take a closer look at Czech-Serb
relations and organised a special debate on the subject. More
Talking PointCzech Republic - A Second Homeland
Since the 1989 Velvet Revolution, the Czech Republic has become a second
home for many foreigners. Among them - a sizeable community of 7,500
people from the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Why did they decide to
leave their homes and come here? What do they do now? Do they see Prague
as
their new home? Maida Agovic reports about their experiences and
impressions in the Czech capital. More
Current AffairsCzechs can play an "active role" in consolidating peace in the Balkans
Now that the latest EU enlargement has finally been ratified, there are
some who are already thinking about the further expansion of the Union.
One region that will surely be considered in regard to any future
enlargement is the Balkans, which is slowly beginning to stabilise after a
decade of ethnic conflict. Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla has
already publicly backed the idea of pushing the EU's borders eastwards to
include the Balkan countries.
More
Current AffairsCzechs promote Balkan integration into western political and defence structures, seek business ties
On the eve of its accession to the EU, the Czech Republic said it supported
further expansion of the Union to the southeast to include more Balkan
countries. At the same time, the Czechs seek to boost business ties with
the region. Vladimir Tax reports.
More
Letter from PragueBalkan Exiles in Prague
After I left the quiet and pleasantly cold interiors of Prague Castle where
I had an interview that morning, I found myself on the courtyard, already
warm from the first rays of sun. The tired faces of school kids traipsing
round the castle brought back memories. They were sitting on benches
suffering from an obvious lack of sleep, while the tourist guide was so
uninspiring that even the teacher was beginning to doze off.
More
One on One Lidija Grebo - my home will always be former Yugoslavia
It's the beginning of a new year, and some of us have vowed to make radical
changes in our lives, to make a fresh start. For many people across the
world, however, starting afresh is not simply a matter of giving up
smoking or looking for a new job. Each year hundreds of thousands of
people are forced to leave their homes, the victims of war or natural
disaster. One of them is Lidija Grebo, who arrived in Prague in 1992 after
fleeing war-torn Sarajevo. She's been here ever since, and now works for a
non-profit organisation called Slovo21, which helps minorities and
promotes tolerance in Czech society. I asked Lidija to recall the
traumatic decision to leave her country for good.
More
Current AffairsFormer Yugoslav president presents book in Prague
Yugoslavia was one of the few countries where Czechoslovak citizens could go on holiday to the seaside during the Communist era, and the relationship has always been a close one. The post-Communist split of Yugoslavia was - unlike the division of Czechoslovakia - a bloody affair, and the entire region will have to deal with the consequences of the wars for a long time. One of the people at the centre of events just before the outbreak of the conflict was the former Yugoslav president, Raif Dizdarevic, who was in Prague last week. Pavla Horakova reports.
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