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From the ArchivesAfter Palach: fears and hopes
In last week’s From the Archives we followed the tragic last days of the
student Jan Palach, who on January 16 1969 set himself alight in protest
against growing apathy in the face of the Soviet invasion five months
earlier. The whole country was in shock. Such a drastic and violent
sacrifice had little precedent in modern Czech and Slovak history, and
perhaps for just that reason Palach immediately became a symbol of the
country’s lost liberty and a rallying cry for those who still hoped to
save something of the reforms of 1968. Those in power had to be cautious;
they were well aware that Palach’s legacy could be explosive. More
Current AffairsRussian President Medvedev signs business contracts, opens exhibition at Prague Castle
More than a dozen important bilateral agreements and business deals were on
the agenda of a two-day state visit to Prague by the Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev and his entourage. Bilateral relations were at the
forefront of attention, but topics such as the eurozone’s debt crisis and
the recent parliamentary elections in Russia were also addressed. More
Current AffairsRussian President Medvedev in Prague
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev arrives in Prague on Wednesday at the
invitation of Czech President Václav Klaus. His short visit will entail
primarily meetings with President Klaus, who is often noted for his warm
attitude towards Russia, and later on Thursday with Prime Minister Petr
Nečas. There is plenty on the table for discussion among Czech and Russian
leaders, namely business deals and Russia’s bid for the tender to
complete the Temelín nuclear power plant in South Bohemia. Many of the
milestones in the last decade of Czech-Russian relations however have been
negative, with years of debate over the abandoned American missile defence
plan and a spy scandal two years ago. Christian Falvey spoke with Petr
Kratochvíl, one of the heads of Prague’s Institute of International
Relations and an expert on Russia, who he first asked where relations stand
now. More
PanoramaPanorama
In Panorama this week – military history buffs invited to take their pick
from Warsaw Pact era equipment and facilities. Will Karlovy Vary get a
life-size statue of Peter the Great? And why producing a stuffed elephant
can be a tall order. More
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