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 Wins World Championship...................5 EU Constitution Put on Hold History of the Czech Olympic ust recently, the largest larger role for European and Movement...................................5 The Constitution requires economic bloc in the world national Parliaments, as well as that all 25 member states Business Buzz...............................6 Jset out to accomplish what promoting the citizens’ right to approve and have ratified the would have been its greatest feat ask the EU to launch new initia- Constitution within their respec- Prague, Sixth Most Visited to date: unifying all 25 European tives. City in Europe.............................6 tive States in order for it to Union Member States under one The proposed Constitution “enter into force.” The Prague Named Best ‘Region’ Constitution. Although many merges the three pillars of the Constitutional Treaty was for Business.................................6 member states had already former treaties and amendments approved in Brussels on June approved and ratified the into one treaty. Included are the Sokol Slet in Chicago...................6 18, 2004 and signed by the new Constitution, the forward Charter of Fundamental Rights Member States in Rome on Liberation of Plzen by US Forces progress came to a halt when the and enhanced efforts toward October 29, 2004, with the can- in May 1945...............................7 French and Dutch citizens voted cooperation or structured coop- didate countries of Turkey, against the ratification of the eration in the field of defense. Exhibit: Commemorating Bulgaria, and Romania only 60th Anniversary of Western Constitution via popular referen- Adjustments in the institutional signing the Final Act; however, Bohemia by US Forces.................7 da. The European Union’s goal framework include clarifying each Member State had yet to of ratifying its first Constitution respective roles of the European ratify the Constitution in their Remembering Jan Werich by 2006 quickly became obso- Parliament, the Council, and the One Hundred Years After respective country. To do so, His Birth......................................7 lete; upon reflecting on the rapid Commission. Setting Parliament each Member State was given developments of the EU in the representation to “digressive two options: to ratify the treaty Journey: A Novel of America........8 past year, the bloc was forced to proportionality” and guarantee- by referendum or by ratification reexamine its priorities and ing each Member state at least 6 Congratulations...........................8 in national legislatures. focus on other pressing issues. (up to 96) seats out of the 750 Two types of referenda The European Constitution total, defining voting rules, exist – binding and non-binding. was the EU’s first, solid attempt updating the field of Justice and The French decision to reject the to streamline decision-making in Home Affairs, and increasing Constitution was based on a an expanded Union, allowing transparency and democracy are binding referendum in which the for a more visible role in interna- some general points that are people voted and the outcome tional affairs. That said, the new emphasized. The Constitution was the final decision (69% Constitution also endeavored also outlines the rights of EU voter turnout and 55% voting to simplify and consolidate citizens, inviting them to against). In the Netherlands, all prior treaties, make the petition and be present at legisla- however, the citizens voted in a institution more transparent and tive Council proceedings, among non-binding referendum; the more democratic, leaving a many others. (Continued on page 4) Czech the News/Summer 2005 1 Ambassador Message from the Ambassador ear readers, Prague at the beginning of July. will soon complete his assign- The summer season has He will be replaced by Jaroslav ment and leave for Prague. At Dslowly, but surely Kurfurst, who has previously the Foreign Ministry, he will prevailed over the spring. For served as the Head of the rejoin the Cabinet of the many of my colleagues at the Department of Security Policy, Minister in a senior position. On Czech Embassy, this time of the where he arrived from his first top of these senior officials I year will mean the “completion posting in Moscow. I certainly have mentioned, several other of their tour of duty,” as we say thank Mr. Janda for his work and members of my staff are in our “diplomatic jargon.” As a achievement toward strengthen- scheduled to leave during the matter of fact, I myself have ing and enhancing Czech- summer and the fall. To arrived in Washington almost American relations, and I wish everyone leaving the Embassy, I four years ago, therefore my Mr. Kurfurst good luck in his would like to express my sincere and economic news and also own posting as Ambassador to new endeavor as the second gratitute and to all those who are some light reading fit for the the Unites States will, over highest ranking Czech diplomat coming to replace them, I next couple of months. some time, also come to an end. in Washington. sincerely wish good luck and I wish you an enjoyable My departure, although, is not The Head of the success. summer and refreshing as imminent as my other Administrative Section, Eduard For you, our readers, we vacation. colleagues´ journey back to the Metela, is scheduled to leave in have prepared the Summer 2005 Czech Republic. the fall. He also deserves a edition of Czech the News, Yours, Vratislav Janda, who has sound “thank you” for all he has featuring highlights of the spring served as the Deputy Chief of done during his tenure. From the and summer season in bilateral Mission, is bound to return to Cultural Section, Jakub Skalnik relations, EU events, political Czech Republic Has a New Government fter the resignation of Stanislav Gross in April, Athe new Premier, Jiri Paroubek, became the third Social Democrat to head the Czech government since the last parliamentary elections in 2002. The 52-year old economist has pledged to ratify the new EU constitution and reduce the budget deficit to less than 4 per- cent of GDP next year to keep the country on track in adopting the Euro (common EU currency) by 2010. Political analysts see Foreign Minister Svoboda remains Paroubek as a pragmatist ready in the new government of to cut deals in order to be able Prime Minister Paroubek to push through his party´s legislation. The center-left Social of Freedom (US), agreed that democrats (CSSD) and its the new cabinet would include coalition partners, the Christian four new names, but that all key Democrats (CSL) and the Union ministers remain in their posts. Czech Senator Schwarzenberg Expelled from Cuba n May 19, Cuban hotel, took him to the airport and The Czech senator affirmed that heard during his stay, his expul- authorities expelled placed him on a plane. It was the he would continue pushing sion was a trifle. OCzech senator Karel conduct of for human Schwarzenberg met sever- Schwarzenberg who arrived a totalitarian ItIt isis unbelievableunbelievable thatthat oneone rights in al dissidents, including Oscar there for a meeting organized by country, he isis expelledexpelled fromfrom aa countrycountry Cuba in Espinosa and Oswaldo Paya in the Cuban Association for the added. It is without having spite of his Cuba. “They are absolutely not Support of Cuban Civic Society unbelievable violated the law, expulsion extremists, but very reasonable (APSC), a dissident umbrella that one said Schwarzenberg from the people who work for civic group, devised to push through is expelled country. society,” he said. democratic reform in Cuba. from a coun- He also Schwarzenberg said that the try without having violated the said that compared with the fate police had fetched him in the law, Schwarzenberg said. of Cuban prisoners, of which he 2 Czech the News/Summer 2005 Current Events Vaclav Havel Speaks at Library of Congress News Brief “The Emperor Has No Clothes” Czech Republic to s one of the highlights of army.” Czech Republic to issue biometric his visit to the USA, Vaclav Havel issue biometric passports AVaclav Havel addressed a shared his convic- passports distinguished audience on May tion that “we must Czech Republic, along 24, at the Library of Congress, support in every with other EU countries, with his speech, entitled “The possible way the should be issuing new, the Emperor has No Clothes.” people who stand so-called “biometric” trav- The former Czech up to dictatorial el documents within two President spoke about his regimes by taking years.