Václav Klaus warns of weak yet ‘bloated’ state
In his annual address marking the anniversary of independent Czechoslovakia, President Václav Klaus warned that the Czech state has grown weaker yet has, at the same time, swelled or become bloated. The state and its laws, institutions and representatives were no longer respected, the president suggested, particularly by the younger generation. In his last such address as the head-of-state, Mr Klaus called for a reform of public finances but warned of unrealistic expectations from the EU. In his speech, he repeatedly criticized the media for – in his view – forwarding the interests of lobby groups and NGOs, as well as for ridiculing the state.