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Does Germany Need a Second Reunification?

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Does Germany Need a Second Reunification? Obalka 3.4.2006 13:22 Str. 1 THE PRAGUE JOURNAL OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN AFFAIRS www.new-presence.cz 100 Kč / in the USA, Canada, Europe 6 USD Vol. 8 No. 1 • SPRING 2006 Euro, Here We Come Extraordinary Rendition on Trial The Balkan Recipe for EU Entry Czechtek: What Really Happened? Does Germany Need a Second Reunifi cation? Obalka 3.4.2006 13:22 Str. 2 001_031_TNP_Spring2006 3.4.2006 17:52 Str. 1 (K-ãerná/Process Black plát) Editor’s Notes Dominik JÛn – 2 News Roundup A look at events in the Czech Republic as well as key stories from Central and Eastern Europe from the last few months – 3 Opinions Principles or Tactics? – Cóilín O’Connor – 5 On Caricatures – Libu‰e Koubská – 6 Alibism and Leadership – Martin Jan Stránsk˘ – 6 The Lesser of Many Evils – Simon Pardek – 7 spring 2006 Comment Czech Film – Breeding Mediocrity – Dominik JÛn – 9 The Czech Republic Euro, Here We Come – Libu‰e Bautzová – 12 From Grey to Green – Asmara Ghebremichael – 14 Slavkov Then and Now – Petr Fleischmann – 16 The World Belarus: Is a Peaceful Turn Towards Democracy Possible? – Andrew Murrell - 18 The Balkan Recipe for EU Entry – Milada Anna Vachudová – 20 From the land of a Chess despot – Karel âern˘ – 22 In Focus From Festival to Fiasco – Ian S. Lamb – 24 Definitions of Convenience – William A. Cohn – 28 Spotlight on Germany A Different Germany –Bedfiich Utitz – 32 Die Kleine Stadt –Jaroslav·onka – 35 Expansion is not Reunification –Lubo‰ Palata – 36 One Past, Two Paths – Prokop Tomek – 38 How Close Are We As Neighbours? –Jaroslav ·onka – 40 Czech Small Towns RESENCE Dissent in Small Towns – Petra Schindler-Wisten – 41 Small Towns, Big Ideas – Jifií Musil – 43 P Media The Airwaves of Change – Interview with David Vaughan, Editor-in-Chief of Radio Prague – Jethro Bradley-Firth – 47 Do Czechs Know Their Media? – Jan Jirák – 50 Short Story The Last Stop –Jaroslav Rudi‰ – 52 EW Outside the Box Green and Blue – Jan Horálek – 57 N Then and Now A Pfiítomnost article from 1932 – 58 Letter From… Petr Slinták describes a visit to Scotland’s Isle of Arran HE Parting Shots Martin Jan Stránsk˘ –60 Cover photo: Krist˘na Urbánková Graphic Layout: TomበHaman T The New Presence is the sister publication of the Czech magazine Pfiítomnost. Both magazines are published by Martin Jan Stránsk˘, grandson of the original publisher of Pfiítomnost, which under renowned editor Ferdinand Peroutka, became inter- war Czechoslovakia’s most widely respected periodical publication. The New Presence is published on a quarterly basis. It features a mixture of original material and translated articles from our sister publication. Due to considerations of space and style, some translated articles may vary in style and/or length from the original. SPRING 2006 1 001_031_TNP_Spring2006 3.4.2006 17:52 Str. 2 (K-ãerná/Process Black plát) EDITOR’S NOTES Dear Readers, Spring has finally arrived and as asks what lessons can we learn from this battle today. Staying with election season gears up in the the Czech Republic, Asmara Ghebremichael takes a look at the Czech Republic, we can certainly environmental state of the country and casts a critical eye over the expect plenty of hot days ahead. In Czech Green Party, which polls suggest will play a key part in any this issue,we take a special in-depth future Czech coalition government.Meanwhile,Ian S.Lamb takes a look at the state of Europe’s former detailed look at the controversial police intervention at the Czechtek economic giant, Germany. Lubo‰ festival last summer and attempts to find just who was to blame.On Palata argues that German reunifi- the global front, William A. Cohn examines the US tactic of cation merely entailed swallowing Extraordinary Rendition of terror suspects across the world, and the former East Germany,and that a argues that such a policy is both illegal and self-defeating.With the real reunification has yet to occur. recent elections in Belarus,Andrew Murrell asks whether this trou- Meanwhile, Bedfiich Utitz puts the bled country will ever find a true path towards democracy, whilst new German coalition government headed by Chancellor Angela Milada Anna Vachudová evaluates the prospects of the Balkan Merkel under the spotlight, whilst Prokop Tomek compares the countries for entry into the EU. We also have an interview with post-Communist development of two, once close neighbours, David Vaughan,Editor-in-chief of Radio Prague,a special look at life namely East Germany and Czechoslovakia.With the recent anniver- in Czech towns, a short story by the award-winning Czech writer sary of the famous battle of Austerlitz, in which Napoleon’s troops Jaroslav Rudi‰ and much, much more.I hope you enjoy the issue. scored a decisive victory over Austrian and Russian forces on Moravian soil, Peter Fleischman revisits this crucial battle and Dominik JÛn Kdo se moc ptá, moc se dozví. He who asks too much will learn too much. – Old Czech proverb. 2 THE NEW PRESENCE 001_031_TNP_Spring2006 3.4.2006 17:52 Str. 3 (K-ãerná/Process Black plát) NEWS ROUNDUP A look at events in the Czech Republic as well as key stories from Central and Eastern Europe from the last few months 1st January 2006 - Russia begins cutting off gas supplies to 1st February 2006 - Czech Prime Minister Jifií Paroubek is Ukraine after the country rejects a proposed fourfold price criticised for appearing in a pre-election stage show in which increase. Ukrainian officials claim the proposed hikes are politi- the host apparently told racist jokes, suggesting Romanies were cally motivated punishment for the 2005 Orange Revolution and work-shy, petty criminals. Mr Paroubek rejects the allegations the election of pro-Western President,Viktor Yushenko. The dis- made by the newspaper, Mladá Fronta Dnes,insisting he is not pute raises fears that Russian gas exports to Western Europe aracist. could be hit.On the same day,Russia takes over the G8 leader- ship, with global energy supply high on the agenda. Three days 3rd February 2006 - Thanks largely to car sales abroad, Czech later,Russia and Ukraine settle their row over gas prices in a five- exports exceed imports for the first time in the country’s year deal which will see Ukraine buying Russia and Central history.Figures released show the foreign trade surplus for last Asian gas for an average price of $95 per 1,000 cubic metres. year was over 41 billion crowns (1.7 billion US dollars), an increase of around 70 billion crowns on the previous financial 19th January 2006 - The EU warns Serbia it must hand over year. Analysts say exports have continued to rise despite wanted war crimes suspect, Ratko Mladic or face a halt in increasing energy costs and a strong Czech crown, resulting in moves towards EU membership. UN chief war crimes prosecu- a trade deficit for December amounting to nearly 4 billion tor, Carla del Ponte states that Mladic is still inside Serbia and crowns (160 million US dollars), the worst figure for that accuses the Serbian army of using its power to protect him. On month since 1993. the same day in the Czech Republic, Interior Minister Franti‰ek Bublan tells commercial TV station Nova that fugitive Czech 7th February 2006 - A group of Romanies from North businessman, Radovan Krejãír commissioned accomplices Moravia lose their case against the Czech State at the to produce a false bill of exchange to serve as proof that he had European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.They claimed to lent the ruling Social Democrats 60 million crowns for their elec- have suffered discrimination at the hands of the Czech education tion campaign. authorities when they were sent to so-called special schools. Their claim that their human rights were violated had previous- 24th January 2006 - Ecofin, the European council for econom- ly been dismissed by the Czech constitutional court. ics and finance approves the Czech Republic’s convergence programme,which is to pave the way for the 2010 adoption of the 10th February 2006 - The Iranian Embassy in Prague sends Euro. The Czech government is advised to speed up the planned a letter of protest to Czech diplomatic officials concerning pension reform and to use the period of economic growth to cut two Czech newspapers’ reprinting of a controversial Danish car- back on its budget deficit and reduce public spending. icature depicting the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. In Islam, images of Muhammad are prohibited and the Danish cartoons 26th January 2006 - According to the European Commissioner have caused widespread protests in Europe and the Middle East. for Regional Policy, Danuta Huebner, the Czech Republic lags Eleven days later,The Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda says behind in drawing money from European Union funds. the EU should take a unified stand in demanding an apology Since Joining the Union in 2004, the Czech Republic has only from Lebanon and Syria in connection with the attacks on used roughly 20 percent of its allocated 2.6 billion Euros. Only Danish embassies by Muslim radicals opposed to the publication neighbouring Slovakia drew less money from the fund during of the caricatures. the same period. 16th February 2006 - President Václav Klaus vetoes a bill on 31st January 2006 – Commenting on the spying row in which same-sex registered partnerships, which would allow gay and Moscow accuses British diplomats of making secret payments to lesbian couples in the Czech Republic many of the same rights as non-governmental organisations, Russian President Vladimir married heterosexuals. Along with critics of the bill in the Putin defends tighter controls on NGOs in Russia, saying for- catholic church, the President believes the proposed law is eign “puppeteers” will not be allowed to control them.
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