Czech contemporary history triggers debate at historians' congress - 08-09-2006 - Radio Prague "I would say that the priority is the opening of the archives of the StB, the former Bolshevik secret police, especially involving various historians who are still alive today. They are historians, who are about 70 years old and were Bolsheviks in the 1950s and 1960s. Then, in 1968, they were engaged in the Prague Spring process and were then expelled from power, from the party, and from institutions, and they became dissidents and somehow lived like dissidents more or less actively. Recently, the opened archives revealed that some of them were StB confidants. I am not enthusiastic about it and would prefer to discuss the world situation and 9/11 and so on but I am afraid that Czech history is encapsulated in this past of some members and so on."  read more »

Politicians commemorate August 1968 events - Prague Daily Monitor Prague, Aug 21 (CTK) - Politicians and eyewitnesses gathered outside the Czech Radio building Monday to commemorate the events of the August 1968 when the Warsaw Pact armies crossed Czechoslovakia´s border and invaded the country to crush the Prague Spring communist reform movement. ... The invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact armies suppressedthe Prague Spring reform process. The toughest clashes between theoccupiers and Prague residents took place outside the Czech Radiobuilding. From the beginning of the occupation and till thebeginning of October, 72 people were killed, 276 wounded severely and422 received light injuries, according to the Office for theDocumentation and Investigation of Communist Crimes.  read more »

Czech arms imports higher than exports, this should change -Urban - Prague Daily Monitor The Czech Republic imports more arms than it exports, Industry and Trade Minister Milan Urban told journalists today after the discussion of a regular report on arms exports by the cabinet. ... The Czech Republic used to rank among top arms exporters, Urban said, adding that there was no reason why the country could not return to this while respecting all international agreements.

Kozeluh is seventh Czech to enter tennis Hall of Fame - Prague Daily Monitor The late tennis player Karel Kozeluh on Saturday became the seventh Czech to be introduced in the tennis Hall of Fame in Newport. Kozeluh, one of the world´s best players in the 1920s and the 1930s, joined his younger Czech colleagues Jan Kodeš, Hana Mandlíková, Jaroslav Drobný, Ivan Lendl, Martina Navrátilová and Jana Novotná.

Czech Republic and the new Europe... Blog - Ross Hedvicek (blog.sme.sk) Lying as part of the Czech national culture started with the communist takeover right after WWII and established its roots so deeply that it reached a state of confabulation. Confabulation is "the confusion of imagination with memory, and/or the confusion of true memories with false memories." Basically it is when you start believing your own lies. The Czech Republic is in a state of confabulation. A few examples to ponder: the decrees of President Benes in 1945, which caused irreparable harm to millions were lies - and millions knew they were lies, but the Czechs believed it then and believe it now. They even honored those lies recently by passing the new "Lex Benes" law. Then there were the political trials in Czechoslovakia in the early fifties ­ everyone knew they were lies, but they believed it then and they believe it now. Can you imagine that the Czech Republic adheres to "legal continuity" with laws from the early fifties? Laws of the brutal terror of communism?  read more »

"Schicksalswahl“? Ne, obyčejné volby! Pravdu mají politologové, kteří upozorňují, že v České republice politické strany fungují spíše jako soukromé firmy, které usilují o zisky a výnosy. Politická bratrstva, která jdou napříč politickým spektrem, se řídí heslem vlastního prospěchu, spíše než zájmy veřejnosti. Jenže tento problém volby neodstraní; bude třeba postupných změn v politické kultuře, spjatých nejspíše až s novou politickou generací, která nemá kořeny v cynismu a odcizení normalizační éry.

Czechs face prolonged post-election deadlock | Reuters.com Czech voters face weeks of political uncertainty or even fresh elections after delivering a deadlock between centre-right and leftist parties in weekend general elections. Full preliminary results showed the opposition Civic Democrats won the biggest share of the popular vote but not a majority in the first elections since the ex-communist nation joined the European Union two years ago.  read more »

BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Q&A: Czech election Czechs go the polls on 2-3 June to elect deputies to the lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies.

Politicians, Praguers pay homage to Soviet troops fallen in war - Prague Daily Monitor Leading Czech politicians, Russian Ambassador Alexei Fedotov and further dozens of people, including Russians living in the Czech Republic and Czech and Russian war veterans, met at Prague's Olsany cemetery today to commemorate the Soviet soldiers who fell in World War II.

61 years on - the Czech Republic commemorates the end of WWII - 09-05-2006 - Radio Prague On Monday the Czech Republic commemorated the 61st anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Over the weekend, ceremonies were held all over the country in honour of those Czechs who lost their lives, and people celebrated the end of over six years of occupation. Amongst the events which took place was the full military burial of wartime Prime Minister Alois Elias in Prague, 64 years after his execution by the Nazis. Vitkov memorial, photo: CTK Vitkov memorial, photo: CTK  read more »