Czech press survey - November 18

It would be awkward if the two pillars of modern Czech statehood did not agree on the very fundamental thing, Petracek writes.

He says, however, that reality is broader. "Czechoslovak dissidents did not beat Communist leader Milos Jakes's regime, but they gave face to the victory over him, they gave a certain framework to all the 20 years that we are now reviewing," Petracek writes.

"They left in society a kind of seem, a kind of conviction about what is and what is not correct. This is probably the most essential conclusion," Petracek writes.

"To quarrel with the president is normal. To wage political struggle with him as well. But to whistle at wreaths is tasteless," Karel Steigerwald writes in Mlada fronta Dnes about how Vaclav Klaus's opponents booed him when he was laying a wreath to the memorial of November 17, 1989, today.

The president is an opponent of the Lisbon treaty and this is the reason of the current protests against him, Steigerwald writes.

He writes that the president used all available political means of struggle against the treaty because he is free as every citizen.

"He lost and he signed the treaty because this is what the constitution expects him to do. This is a great lesson of democracy to be taught to the short-tempered persons," Steigerwald writes.

The behaviour of Czech politicians during the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of November 17, 1989, indicated their "road maps" for the the months ahead during which they will be fighting for votes in the May general election, Alexandr Mitrofanov writes in Pravo.

The Communists (KSCM) are clear: everything was a lie and swindle, Mitrofanov writes.

Social Democrat leader Jiri Paroubek praised his party for also having "theh necessary anti-communist character" in 1990.

"What character will be needed after the spring elections, if the CSSD and KSCM together have a majority of deputy mandates?" Mitrofanov asks.

Civic Democrat (ODS) chairman Mirek Topolanek and the whole party, shivering with pre-congress cold, were celebrating mainly in the anti-communist spirit, Mitrofanov writes.

"So we have been left with two Vaclavs, two originals from November 198," Mitrofanov writes alluding to Vaclav Havel and Vaclav Klaus.

He writes that the former was applauded while the latter was booed.

"If it still interests us, we can think about why 20 years after one of the men who asserted themselves in November 1989 is still the most distinct figure of Czech politics" and why those who came later are of a lower quality, Mitrofanov writes.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz