He recalls that the extra-parliamentary ultra-right NS recently said on its website that it would be willing to fund Romanies' exodus from the Czech Republic elsewhere, "from India to Canada." The NS's chairwoman is probably well aware of the fact that she can win political Rice says Czechs might travel to USA visa-free by year end ...
North Korea 'tests sea missiles' ... support by inciting the Czechs' generally negative stances on Romanies and foreign immigrants, Komarek adds. Though except for Romanies the Czech Republic is so far almost a homogenous society, the fears of foreigners, who would spread diseases and deprive genuine Czechs of work, are strong, and the NS abuses it in its campaign. However, it is silly to ban parties and ideas, no matter how disgusting they are, and the laws that enable it are foolish, too, Komarek notes. Instead of banning the extremist party, the government should rather solve the problems of relations between the majority society and other ethnic and national groups, Komarek concludes. Czech Romanies will keep leaving the country and seek asylum in Canada until it is economically advantageous for them, and the government cannot do much to prevent it, Martin Zverina writes in the daily Lidove noviny (LN) today. He adds that PM Mirek Topolanek has assigned Interior Minister Ivan Langer (both Civic Democrats, ODS) with am "unrealisable task" to hinder Romanies'departures for Canada. In a democratic society, no authority can prevent citizens from leaving the country, or possibly apply for asylum elsewhere, Zverina says. The government can maximally make the "asylum sport" disadvantageous for Romanies and other citizens by stripping them of social benefits.
Yet, it will not help very much until it is financially profitable for them to leave, Komarek adds. "It is funny that the Civic Democrats (ODS) in the government have been taken by surprise by such an economically rational behaviour," Zverina concludes in LN. Petr Kambersky asks in Hospodarske noviny (HN) today why the government has given in to President Vaclav Klaus and adopted quite a vague stance on the Russian annexation of Georgian territory. A different view of the Russian-Georgian conflict has divided the government and the president. While the government condemned the Russian intervention previously, Klaus put all the blame for the conflict on Georgia only. This week, PM Mirek Topolanek, Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and Deputy PM for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra agreed on a rather flat stance on the Russian-Georgian crisis after a meeting with Klaus. Kambersky says Vondra indicated that the real reason was the upcoming Czech EU presidency in the first half of 2009 due to which the Czech Republic should show an unanimous stance. "In other words...If the government keeps silent, Klaus will do so to," Kambersky writes. However, the question is whether it is wise to take respect for the EU presidency under all circumstances. "It is namely no abstract dispute about 'a remote Georgia.' We and our energy security are at stake," Kambersky points out in HN. President Vaclav Klaus is behaving more wisely than the government in the current international situation after the Russian-Georgian conflict erupted, Alexandr Mitrofanov writes in Pravo today. He recalls that Russian representatives have warned the West in the long run. Now Russian PM Vladimir Putin is testing the West to see whether it will be willing to accept Russia as an equal partner. Over his stance on the Russian-Georgian conflict, Klaus has been described as a "pro-Russian agent" by many politicians and journalists. However, his statements do not confirm it, Mitrofanov says. Klaus insists on the view that the war was triggered by the Georgian military attack on South Ossetia, while he at the same time condemns the mass deployment of Russian armed forces, Mitrofanov adds. "In the dispute between the government and president, the pro-Bush cabinet has disqualified itself for a non-violent solution to the conflict between Russia and the West. Though the president's stance does not define the state policy, it is wiser," Mitrofanov writes in conclusion.
(Ceske Noviny)
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