DOCSLIB.ORG

Czech the News Spring/2005

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Czech the News Spring/2005 CZECH the NewsNews Newsletter of the Embassy of the Czech Republic of the Czech Republic Spring 2005 In this issue: President Klaus Received at the White House n March 8, George W. marked the meeting as very President Vaclav Klaus Received at the White House.......1 Bush received Czech friendly: “I think that relations OPresident Vaclav Klaus between the Czech Republic Former President Havel Spends in the Oval Office of the White and the United States are very, Two Months in the US..................1 House. It has been the first very positive, and this meeting Message from the bilateral meeting with Bush was just a confirmation of that,” Ambassador................................2 since Klaus assumed the presi- said President Klaus. dential post in March 2003. While in the US, President Robert Zoellick Visits Prague.........2 The meeting was announced Klaus also presented his new Jiri Paroubek to Become the New less than twenty four hours book, entitled “On the Road to Prime Minister..............................2 ahead, during Klaus’s visit to Democracy: The Czech Re- the US, where he was presenting public from Communism to Commission for Human Rights his book “Road to Democracy” Free Society.” This book con- Keeps the Pressure on Cuba.........3 on the development in the Czech President Klaus meets President Bush centrates on the impact of the Vaclav Havel Speaks Out on Republic since the collapse of at the White House Czech Republic´s free-market Democracy Issues, Rallies for the communist regime in 1989. mainly on the Middle East, reforms and examines lessons Cuban Dissidents.........................3 Diplomats and politicians in the Lebanon, the situation in Europe learned during the transition to News Brief...................................3 Czech Republic appraised the and in the Czech Republic. democracy. The book, pub- quick arrangements of the top George Bush was keen to lished by NCPA (National Newly Appointed Officers: meeting, since such a process hear that the Czech Republic Center for Policy Analysis) was American Friends of the Czech usually takes up to several was not planning to change its officially released by Vaclav Republic......................................4 months. policy and withdraw its troops Klaus and NCPA President John Getting to Market...Chicago The presidents discussed and would continue to train Iraqi Goodman in Dallas, TX on Chapter of North American major political issues focusing police officers. Vaclav Klaus March 7, 2005. Chamber of Commerce...............5 CSA, Airbus Agree on Contract for New Planes Purchase...................5 Former President Havel Czechs Help Southeast Asia..........5 Spends Two Months SVU Establishes a Special Studies Fund...........................................6 in the US Medek’s 80th Birthday.................6 aclav Havel arrived in among others. the United States at Vaclav Havel is 2005 MFA Grants.......................7 Vthe end of March and is also supposed to Business Buzz...............................8 going to stay for about two visit the Inter- months on a stipend granted by national Campaign SVU Extravaganza in Florida.........8 the Library of Congress in for Tibet in Former President Vaclav Havel in the Anniversary Celebrations..............9 Washington, D.C. He is accom- Washington, D.C. Library of Congress panied by his wife Dagmar, who and the Festival of Special Exhibition in PA...............9 is planning to use the time in the International Literature in New orary degree in May. US to improve her English. York in the middle of April. In Asked about how he enjoys Partnership Foundation and Prague-Vienna Greenways..........10 The former president in- Washington, he will also attend being in the US so far, Vaclav tends to spend most of the time a performance by the legendary Havel said, “It seems to me that Upcoming Cultural Events..........11 in Washington, D.C. and to meet Czech underground band, The life over here is not as hurried with several of his friends Plastic People of the Universe, and nervous as at home. And it Dear Friends of Czech Cuisine....11 including current U.S. President who were a symbol of resistance also seems to me that people Sokol Summer Camp.................11 George W. Bush, former U.S. to Czechoslovakia’s Communist here actually like to talk about Secretary of State and Czech regime during the 1970s and politics. Back home, people just Sokol Detroit Czech and Slovak native Madeleine Albright, for- 1980s. complain about it. I enjoy being Festival.....................................11 mer U.S. President Bill Clinton Bard College in New York here and living here, but I feel as Prague-Vienna Greenways: and his wife, Senator Hillary will take the opportunity of the if I do not have enough time; I Lubomir and Tiree Chmelar........12 Clinton, and Milos Forman, former president’s visit to the would need to spend more time famous Czech movie director, US and award Havel an hon- here.” Czech the News/Spring 2005 1 Ambassador Message from the Ambassador ear Friends, Library of Congress stipend to Foreign Minister Svoboda, The onset of the spring study, meditate, and spend a however, remains in his post. Dseason has brought quiet time in Georgetown. Last, but not least, I have to important events to the Vaclav Havel, the first President share with you one diplomatic Washington, D.C. area. First of of the free and democratic issue which recently made me all, on March 8, President Czech Republic, is planning to proud of our achievements in Vaclav Klaus arrived in the stay in Washington until late the field of human rights. The USA and was received by May. You can find more infor- Commission on Human Rights President George W. Bush. mation on his visit within our in Geneva has recently voted in Their friendly meeting confirms newsletter, as well. favor of a resolution condemn- the excellent level of Czech- Back at home, in Prague, a ing the abuse of fundamental American relations. Details of prolonged and turbulent politi- freedoms by the Castro regime much as anyone else on this the Presidential visit are avail- cal crisis prompted a resignation in Cuba. I hope that such victo- Earth. able for your reading enjoyment of the Cabinet, finally resulting ry on an esteemed international Sincerely yours, on the front page. in the replacement of Prime forum will constitute another Another President, this time Minister Gross by Jiri Paroubek. step to arrival of democracy on a former Head of State, arrived There were also minor changes the “Island of Freedom,” whose at the beginning of April on a in other ministerial positions. citizens deserve their rights as Robert Zoellick Visits Prague Deputy Secretary of State Discusses Iraq, Visa Waiver Program .S. Deputy Secretary of the presence of our military September 11, 2001, there were State Robert Zoellick, police, but also with our pres- a number of restrictions and lim- Uon his visit to 14 ence in the NATO Training itations on visas that have been European capitals in late March Mission in Baghdad; it is neces- frustrating to many people and early April, made a stop in sary to continue our participa- around the world, including the Prague for a meeting with tion in other missions as a solid Czech Republic. As Zoellick has President Vaclav Klaus, Prime part of NATO and therefore also pointed out, Secretary Rice had Minister Stanislav Gross and in partnership with the United already started to take action on Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda States.” some of these issues. The United The Foreign Minister assured According to Minister States and the Czech Republic Zoellick that the Czech foreign Svoboda, the only pending issue have set up a consular working policy regarding Iraq would not in U.S.-Czech relations con- group to help the Czech U.S. Deputy Secretary of State change. Minister Svoboda said: cerns the changes in the Visa Republic meet the statutory Robert Zoellick meets with “I am deeply convinced that it is Waiver Program. Zoellick requirements that have been President Vaclav Klaus on his visit necessary to keep not only with explained that because of implemented. to the Czech Republic Jiri Paroubek to Become the New Czech Prime Minister A turbulent political crisis over the Czech Prime Minister Stanislav Gross’s personal financial affairs sparked many doubts about the future of the Czech government. After considering various the leadership of each party, financial consultancy focused on options, early elections includ- opened the way for Gross to step small and medium-sized busi- ed, the crisis finally seems to be down and make way for the nesses. Paroubek was elected to over and a solution has been new government led by Jiri the office of Deputy Mayor of found. The three major parties, Paroubek, who until now served Prague for Finance for the time CSSD, KDU-CSL and US-DEU as Minister for Regional period of 1998-2004, where he agreed to re-form the coalition Development. contributed to the change of the and produce a new cabinet. This The new Prime Minister city’s financial policy and to the should assure an effective gov- graduated from the Prague increase of finances for large New Prime Minister ernment until the end of the elec- School of Economics. He investments in Prague. of the Czech Republic tion period in the summer of worked as an economist in man- Jiri Paroubek 2006. The agreement, ratified by agerial positions and provided 2 Czech the News/Spring 2005 Current Events Commission for Human Rights News Brief Keeps the Pressure on Cuba Havel sharply he Commission for Human Rights in Geneva, the top human rights UN body, approved, as in the criticizes EU for past several years, the resolution condemning Cuba for violating human rights. The text of the approach to Castro Tresolution calls for keeping the pressure on Cuba and for the renewal of the mandate of a special investigator into alleged abuses .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • THE REBIRTH of EUROPE Wilsonian Club Prof
    WILSONIAN A nonprofit corporation that promotes education, study, and WILSONIAN understanding of the modern nations of Central and Eastern & Czechoslovak Society of Arts & Sciences CLUB Europe. Visit www.wilsonianclub.org CLUB Washington DC Chapter 2018 CONFERENCE • WASHINGTON, DC 3523 International Ct NW I Washington, DC 20008 CONFERENCE RECEPTION: JUNE 1 1:30 - 5:30 pm JUNE 1 5:30 pm JUNE 2 9:00 am - 5:30 pm SPONSORS: ORGANIZING COMMITTEE: Czechoslovak Society for Arts and Frank Safertal - Wilsonian Club Sciences, Washington DC Chapter - SVUW Prof. Eliot Sorel, MD - George Washington University THE REBIRTH OF EUROPE Wilsonian Club Prof. Kenneth Janda - Northwestern University American Friends of the Czech Republic Prof. Hugh Agnew - George Washington University Embassy of the Czech Republic CELEBRATING 100 YEARS Kevin J. McNamara - author Embassy of Slovakia anniversary of Paris conference and creation Roman Kostovski - SVUW Embassy of Poland of new states in Central/Eastern/Southern Europe Prof. John Palka - University of Washington Embassy of Romania Polish American Congress JUNE 1-2, 2018 EMBASSY OF SLOVAKIA 3523 International Ct NW Washington, DC 20008 Czechoslovak Society of Arts & Sciences (SVUW) CZECH Washington DC Chapter INDEPENDENCE CONFERENCE PROGRAM SESSION 3, 11:00-12:30 pm Celebrating New National States 11:00 The Establishment of the Republic of Czechoslovakia: A How-To-Manual KEVIN J. MCNAMARA, Associate Scholar, Foreign Policy Research Institute FRIDAY, JUNE 1 11: 30 Slovakia: 100 Years and 6 Regime Changes 1:30 pm:
    [Show full text]
  • Vol. 46, No. 3, May-June 2004
    Czechoslovak Society ZPRÁVY of Arts and Sciences, Inc. Společnosti pro vědy a umění SVU NEWS Electronic Publication May-June 2004 No. 3/2004 SVU World Congress SVU Website: www.svu2000.org Palacky University, June 27 - July 4, 2004 Contents of this Issue: Word from SVU President 9SVU World Congress 2004 This is the last occasion I have before the forthcoming SVU Congress 9Students, Come to Olomouc! to address SVU membership. This is the 22nd World Congress the 9Academic Program Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences (SVU) has organized since its 9SVU General Assembly inception in 1958. It is being convened in cooperation with Palacky 9From Executive Board Meeting University, Lord Mayor of the City of Olomouc and C.E.O. (Hejtman) of 9Activities of SVU Members the Olomouc Region, under the auspices of Vaclav Klaus, President of 9New Publications and Other Works the Czech Republic. of SVU Members Based on our periodic reports and announcements on SVU Website: 9In Memoriam www.svu2000.org you could see that this will be a fantastic event, certainly a pivotal event of the year for anyone interested in the Czech 9Time to Pay Dues and Slovak culture and affairs. The University Rector Prof. Jana Macakova and Dean of the Philosophical Faculty Docent Ivo Bartecek, under whose leadership and counsel the preparations have been made, have gone out of their way to make all the university resources available Innovative Way for Students to to us to make the Congress a success and all the visitors welcome. Come to Olomouc SVU The Congress, with its varied and highly interesting program, will Congress cover just about every area of human endeavor from the arts, music, literature, history, education, law, politics, media to business, law, medicine, science, technology and much more.
    [Show full text]
  • Lustration Laws in Action: the Motives and Evaluation of Lustration Policy in the Czech Republic and Poland ( 1989-200 1 ) Roman David
    Lustration Laws in Action: The Motives and Evaluation of Lustration Policy in the Czech Republic and Poland ( 1989-200 1 ) Roman David Lustration laws, which discharge the influence of old power structures upon entering democracies, are considered the most controversial measure of transitional justice. This article suggests that initial examinations of lustrations have often overlooked the tremendous challenges faced by new democracies. It identifies the motives behind the approval of two distinctive lustration laws in the Czech Republic and Poland, examines their capacity to meet their objectives, and determines the factors that influence their perfor- mance. The comparison of the Czech semi-renibutive model with the Polish semi-reconciliatory model suggests the relative success of the fonner within a few years following its approval. It concludes that a certain lustration model might be significant for democratic consolidation in other transitional coun- tries. The Czech word lustrace and the Polish lustrucju have enlivened the forgotten English term lustration,’ which is derived from the Latin term lus- Roman David is a postdoctoral fellow at the law school of the University of the Witwa- tersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (davidr@law.wits.ac.za; politologie@hotmail.com). The original version of the paper was presented at “Law in Action,” the joint annual meeting of the Law and Society Association and the Research Committee on the Sociology of Law, Budapest, 4-7 July 2001. The author thanks the University for providing support in writing this paper; the Research Support Scheme, Prague (grant no. 1636/245/1998), for financing the fieldwork; Jeny Oniszczuk from the Polish Constitutional Tribunal for relevant legal mate- rials; and Christopher Roederer for his comments on the original version of the paper.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Opinion and Democracy In
    PUBLIC OPINION AND DEMOCRACY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE (1992-2004) by Zofia Maka A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science and International Relations Summer 2014 © 2014 Zofia Maka All Rights Reserved UMI Number: 3642337 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI 3642337 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, MI 48106 - 1346 PUBLIC OPINION AND DEMOCRACY IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE (1992-2004) by Zofia Maka Approved: __________________________________________________________ Gretchen Bauer, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Political Science and International Relations Approved: __________________________________________________________ George H. Watson, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Approved: __________________________________________________________ James G. Richards, Ph.D. Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education I certify that I have read this dissertation and that in my opinion it meets the academic and professional standard required by the University as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Signed: __________________________________________________________ Julio Carrion, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • The State As a Firm
    EEPXXX10.1177/0888325418791723East European Politics and SocietiesBuštíková and Guasti 791723research-article2018 East European Politics and Societies and Cultures Volume 33 Number 2 May 2019 302 –330 © 2018 SAGE Publications The State as a Firm: https://doi.org/10.1177/0888325418791723 journals.sagepub.com/home/eep hosted at Understanding the Autocratic Roots http://journals.sagepub.com of Technocratic Populism Lenka Buštíková Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA Petra Guasti Goethe-Universität, Faculty of Social Sciences, Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Ash Centre for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, USA Why, when, and how does populism emerge in a stable democracy? This article inves- tigates the political logic and ideological appeal of a rarely explored form of populism: technocratic populism. Technocratic populism uses the appeal of technical expertise to connect directly with the people, promising to run the state as a firm, while at the same time delegitimizing political opponents and demobilizing the electorate by instilling civic apathy. Technocratic populism is an anti-elite ideology that exploits competence to create the appearance of authenticity and proximity to ordinary people. It is less exclusionary than nativist or economic forms of populisms and its broad appeal is therefore arguably more threatening to representative democracy. In order to under- stand the appeal of technocratic populism, as well as why it arises at critical junctures when dominant ideologies are in turmoil, we argue that one must not ignore its his- torical roots, which shows that it transcends both regime changes and the traditional left–right divide. The article develops and examines these points using evidence from communist-era populist campaigns against “elitist” dissidents (from Charter 77) in the Czech Republic, and demonstrates how post-1989 politicians have exploited and also adapted ideas and strategies from the authoritarian past for the new democratic setting.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents Journal on Legal and Economic Issues Zdeněk Koudelka: Judicial Control of the Acts of the President in the Czech Republic
    Editorial staff table of contents JOURNAL ON LEGAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES Zdeněk Koudelka: Judicial control of the acts of the President in the Czech Republic . 2. OF CENTRAL EUROPE: Jan Hejda: Private law reformation in the Czech Republic . 12. JUDr. PhDr. Stanislav Balík (Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic) Radka MacGregor Pelikánová: Intellectual property rights and their enforcement Prof. Dr. Mezey Barna in the Czech Republic . 15. (Eötvös-Loránd-University Budapest, Hungary) Ivona Ondelj: Croatian Context of the Right of Establishment . 19. Doc. JUDr. PhDr. Jiří Bílý, CSc. Milan Jančo: On the Long Road towards a European Civil Code . 25. (Metropolite – University Prague, Czech Republic) Petr Kolman: Rules of Administrative Procedure – the question Prof. JUDr. Ignác Antonín Hrdina, DrSc. of procedure language in the Czech Republic . 38. (Faculty of Law, Westbohemia University, Plzeň, Czech Republic) Nina Bachroňová: Ombudsman and Principles of Good Administration – JUDr. Vilém Knoll, Ph.D. (Faculty of Law, Westbohemia University, Czech and European Perspective . 41. Plzeň, Czech Republic) Olga Sapoznikov: A Treatise on the Extent of the Legal Concept of an Animal . 46. ao. Univ. Prof. Dr. jur. Christian Neschwara (Faculty of Law, University of Vienna, Karel Schelle: Tradition of the Czech Constitutional System . 49. Austria) Jaromír Tauchen: Local Referendum in the Czech Republic – History Doc. JUDr. Karel Schelle, CSc. (Faculty of Law, Masaryk University, Brno, and Present Days . 52. Czech Republic) Jiří Myšík: Production & Operations Management Strategy of the company . 55. JUDr. Bc. Jaromír Tauchen, Ph.D., LL.M. Eur.Integration (Dresden) Andrea Schelleová: Overview of the Office for the Protection of the Competition (Faculty of Law, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic) concerning public procurement and rewarding procedures .
    [Show full text]
  • Czech the News Summer/2005
    CZECH the NewsNews Newsletter of the Embassy of the Czech Republic of the Czech Republic Summer 2005 In this issue: Havel Promoted Human Rights While in the US ormer Czech President Vaclav Havel and his wife Havel Promoted Human Rights Dagmar stayed two months While in the US...........................1 F in the United States on a stipend, EU Constitution Put on Hold.........1 granted to Havel by the Library of Congress in Washington, Message from the D.C. Even though the primary Ambassador................................2 purpose of his visit was to study Czech Senator Schwarzenberg and work on his new book, Expelled from Cuba.....................2 he attended a number of events, informal dinners with U.S. Czech Republic Has a New Government................................2 officials, met with dissidents and gave an impressive speech Vaclav Havel Speaks at on human rights at the Library Vaclav Havel receives a standing ovation at the Library of Congress Library of Congress......................3 of Congress. former U.S. President Bill State Madeleine Albright News Brief...................................3 During his visit, the former Clinton, and President Victor were joined by students at Czech President met, among Yushchenko of the Ukraine. On Georgetown University for an Czech Republic Has New Envoys others, with the President of the another occasion, Vaclav Havel afternoon session of political, at the World Bank and IMF..........4 United States, George W. Bush, and former U.S. Secretary of (Continued on page 3) Czech Ice Hockey Team
    [Show full text]
  • 2002.10.21 NYT Havel
    October 21, 2002 THREATS AND RESPONSES: THE VIEW FROM PRAGUE; PRAGUE DISCOUNTS AN IRAQI MEETING By JAMES RISEN The Czech president, Vaclav Havel, has quietly told the White House he has concluded that there is no evidence to confirm earlier reports that Mohamed Atta, the leader in the Sept. 11 attacks, met with an Iraqi intelligence officer in Prague just months before the attacks on New York and Washington, according to Czech officials. Mr. Havel discreetly called Washington to tell senior Bush administration officials that an initial report from the Czech domestic intelligence agency that Mr. Atta had met with an Iraqi intelligence officer, Ahmad Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, in Prague in April 2001 could not be substantiated. Czech officials did not say precisely when Mr. Havel told the White House to disregard the reports of the meeting, but extensive interviews with leading Czech figures make clear that he did so quietly some time earlier this year in an effort to avoid publicly embarrassing other prominent officials in his government, who had given credibility to the reports through their public and private statements in the months after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The statements by those officials, including the Czech prime minister, had helped turn the reports of a meeting between an important Al Qaeda operative and an Iraqi spy into an international issue. When the reports of a meeting between Mr. Atta and Mr. Ani came to attention in October 2001, they appeared to provide the most direct connection yet uncovered between the Sept.
    [Show full text]
  • Informality Reigns the Country: the Case of the Czech Republic1
    inForMALitY reiGns tHe CoUntrY: tHe CAse oF tHe CZeCH rePUBLiC1 Nicole Gallina Criminal networks have infiltrated the Czech justice system. Czech Security Information Services BIS, 2007 Abstract: This work focuses on informal politics for the political elite level in the Czech Republic and proposes an actor-based view. It considers the relationship between formal and informal structures and the functions of informality. I analyse areas highly affected by informality: the justice system and anti-corruption agencies as well as state ministries and state monopolies distributing large amounts of money, and identify patterns of informality. Additionally, the work shows the effect of informality for the European level. The work concludes with a rather pessimistic view on the effects of informal politics in a democratic country. Keywords: Informality, Political Elite, Justice System, (anti-)Cor- ruption, the Czech Republic Introduction At least 200 Czech state prosecutors sighed with relief at the end of October 2010: Finally, the general state prosecutor, Renata Ves- ecká had resigned from her office. This would finally put an end to the instrumentalisation of the state prosecution. The destructive informal networks that had developed between the state prosecu- tion and politics had used the justice and political system for their personal gains, and impeded independent agencies from fulfilling their function as control institutions. The Czech Republic has some democratic traditions; however it is still a country in transition. One important aspect is that the for- malisation of politics and of the political system is outweighed in certain situations – for instance, should future possibilities arise to generate financial gain or power advantages.
    [Show full text]
  • Premiéři V Rukách Poradců Aneb Kdo Komu Vládne
    Premiéři v rukách poradců aneb kdo komu vládne Nadační fond proti korupci Obsah Prolog 3 Úvod 4 1 Václav Klaus aneb narcis v zajetí poradců 11 1.1 Poradci a černá konta ODS . 12 1.2 Jiří Weigl aneb tichá voda… . 18 1.2.1 Investiční a poštovní banka . 20 1.2.2 Doporučení Viktora Koženého . 24 1.2.3 Utajená schůzka s velkými následky . 26 1.3 Další „drobnosti“ kolem Klause . 28 1.3.1 Kocourkův odklon a Key Investments . 28 1.3.2 Ranko Pecić . 30 1.3.3 Alexandr Nikolajevič Rebjonok . 31 1.3.4 Nejbližší osoba . 32 2 Miloš Zeman aneb svéráz na scéně 33 2.1 Miroslav Šlouf – olympionik lobbingu . 37 2.2 Martin Nejedlý – Rusko na Hradě . 41 3 Vladimír Špidla aneb byrokrat v oblacích 44 3.1 Jaroslav Ungerman – trojjediný poradce . 48 4 Stanislav Gross aneb divoké mládí 51 4.1 Uhlí a kamarádi Musela, Sýkora a Pokorný . 55 4.2 Provize – Pandury – pokus č. 1 . 59 4.3 Křišťálová čistota a životní obchod . 59 5 Jiří Paroubek aneb urputně proti všem! 62 6 Mirek Topolánek aneb zemitá pravice vpřed! 68 6.1 Aleš Řebíček a zvedací most v Kolíně . 70 6.2 Marek Dalík a astronomický úplatek . 71 7 Petr Nečas aneb osudová žena 76 7.1 Jana Nagyová – carevna na Úřadu vlády . 81 8 Bohuslav Sobotka tedy Radek Pokorný 90 8.1 Škoda plzeňské Škody . 93 8.2 OKD a… Pokorného kancelář . 100 8.3 Lokomotivy a arbitráž s Pokorným . 103 8.4 Schůzka s předsedou Vrchního soudu v Praze . 105 8.5 Dvě velké oslavy jednoho právníka .
    [Show full text]
  • The Never ‑Ending Story: Czech Governments, Corruption And
    The Never ‑ending Story: Czech Governments, Corruption and Populist Anti ‑Corruption 1 Rhetoric (2010–2018) VLADIMÍR NAXERA Politics in Central Europe (ISSN: 1801-3422) Vol. 14, No. 3 DOI: 10.2478/pce-2018-0017 Abstract: Corruption is a phenomenon with significant effects – economically, politi‑ cally and culturally. Corruption tends to be viewed negatively by the public. As such, anti‑corruption rhetoric may be an ideal election strategy for individual political parties. Nevertheless, anti‑corruption rhetoric does not necessarily translate into an actual anti ‑corruption policy. This study analyses the impact of anti ‑corruption rhetoric that does not reflect the actual practices of its speaker and has been used strategically to gain favour. My focus is on elections and the subsequent formation and exercise of government in the Czech Republic. I analyse how anti‑corruption rhetoric directed at political opponents works as an election success strategy. At the same time, I show how electoral success, transformed into real political power, strengthens the ability of actors to engage in activities that amount to borderline or outright corruption, irrespective of any anti ‑corruption rhetoric. Keywords: corruption, Czech politics, anti ‑corruption, Czech government, populism. Introduction The research for this study was completed at the beginning of 2018, a time when the Czech Republic found itself in a unique political situation. Parliamentary elections in the autumn of 2017 had resulted in the clear victory of the ANO 1 This study has been supported by Institutional Support for Long­‑term Conceptual Development of a Research Organization 2018 at the Department of Politics and International Relations in the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen.
    [Show full text]
  • The New Presence Dominik Jůn
    contents E d i t o r ’ s N o t e s the new presence Dominik Jůn..............................................................................................................................2 Winter 2008 O p i n i o n s Democracy.“Plus”? n Simon Pardek..................................................................................3 Statesmen.and.Gentlemen n Libuše Koubská....................................................................4 Divine.Wrongs n Eva Munková.........................................................................................5. N e w s R o u n d u p A.look.at.events.in.the.Czech.Republic.as.well.as.. key.stories.from.Central.and.Eastern.Europe.from.the.last.few.months................................6 P o i n t : C ounterpoint Should Quotas Be Used to Put More Women in Politics? We.Must.Redress.the.Imbalance n Jana Hybášková..........................................................8 The.Road.to.Hell n Jiří Šolc................................................................................................9 C o m m e n t Czech.Presidents:.A.Blunderous.History n Dominik Jůn...............................................10 16 Th e C z e c h R e p u b l i c A.Crisis.of.Leadership n Eric Tabery...............................................................................13 The.Awkward.Revolution n Gia Emilia Castellano and Dominik Jůn..............................16 Gifts.of.The.Empire n Alexander Loesch.........................................................................20 Step.by.Step n Zdeněk Suda.............................................................................................22
    [Show full text]