Klaus would not merely watch scene after departure as president

He said he is not and will not be indifferent to what is happening in the Czech Republic.

As president he tried to contribute to the preservation of the Czech Republic as a sovereign state adhering to the legacy of the generations that had built it and were ready to lay their lives for its liberty and democracy, Klaus said.

He said it was a tremendous honour for him to hold the presidential office.

"I thank all who supported me in my presidential post, who did not allow themselves to be misled by the regularly repeating campaigns of my powerful opponents and political rivals. I will continue relying on them. They, on their part, can rely on me," Klaus said.

He said his message to all who are not indifferent to the developments in the Czech Republic is that he is not and will not be indifferent to them either.

It is necessary to beware of the diktat of political correctness and cheap moralising presented with a subsequent relevant action, Klaus said.

He said he and those siding with him know realistically and with humbleness that a change in people´s behaviour is a long-lasting and evolutionary process in a democratic system.

"That is why it is our task to carefully watch and improve the conditions in which our behaviour and decision making take place," Klaus said.

On the other hand, there are those who present themselves as standing above others, who moralise and patronise, Klaus continued.

"They claim being the ones who know how to easily and simply improve the world and any of us. Unfortunately, in most cases this is nothing but their own self-presentation pursuing their personal political goals that do not have much in common with the easily pronounced and noble sounding slogans," Klaus said.

In spite of all troubles and complications, he said he will continue to contribute to a better future in his capacity "as a small part of the 10-million collective of Czech citizens."

He said he would like people to be friendlier to each other, capable of mutual communication, and to view problems as challenges that can be coped with.

In his televised speech he presented the aims he pursued as president. He admitted that he has not succeeded in everything.

Most of his apprehensions concerning European integration have come true, unfortunately, said Klaus, who is known as a staunch opponent of Europe´s political integration.

"For almost nine years we have been a part of the European Union that is becoming more and more centralist and suppresses the individual countries´ role more and more. As a result, we have ceased to be a fully sovereign country," Klaus said.

He recalled the "far from simple" Czech political developments and emphasised that the Constitutional Court´s (US) intervention in politics in 2009, when it scrapped the prepared early elections, changed Czech politics.

Klaus said he is not to blame for the US vacancies.

"The Senate wanted the US to be uni-colour, which is why it repeatedly rejected my proposals [for candidates for US judges], as they upset the US´s uni-colour character," Klaus said, referring to the rejection of his proposals by the leftist opposition-dominated upper house of parliament.

He wished many successes to his successor in the presidential post, former socialist prime minister Milos Zeman.

Klaus would declare amnesty again despite attacks it provoked

Outgoing Czech President Vaclav Klaus holds by his New Year amnesty and he would declare it again in spite of his experience with the sharp and mean attack that his political rivals waged afterwards, Klaus said in his last presidential speech on Czech Television today.

The accusation that the amnesty article that halted long lasting criminal proceedings was meant to help criminals is one of the most repugnant slanders Klaus has met with during his political career, he said.

He referred to the amnesty´s Article 2 halting the proceedings that lasted for more than eight years and carrying a ten-year sentence at the most.

The article came under criticism as the halted proceedings involved a number of cases of large-scale fraud and corruption.

"The unprecedented media caricature of its [amnesty´s] meaning, content and consequences, based on the idea that a lie becomes the truth if repeated hundred times, had the only aim and purpose: to blacken my whole performance as president," Klaus, whose second five-year mandate expires at midnight today, said.

He said he felt it his duty to declare the amnesty. Reconciliation, forgiveness and giving of a chance to start anew belong to democracy, he added.

In February, the critics challenged Klaus´s amnesty at the Constitutional Court (US), which, however, said it would not deal with the issue.

This Monday, the Senate, the upper house of parliament, voted to sue Klaus for high treason in connection with the amnesty and some of Klaus´s other steps that the critics consider at variance with the constitution.

Klaus today said the amnesty was not what his critics were actually aiming at.

"I should have reckoned with this, but the meanness and sharpness of my political rivals´ attack went beyond my expectations. It culminated with the lawsuit the [left-dominated] Senate approved a few days ago," Klaus said.

Klaus said it would have been more comfortable for him to do nothing.

If so, however, he would have to give up his idea of doing politics that he has espoused since 1989 and promoted for almost half a century, Klaus said.

He said he is prepared to do his utmost to prevent similar "Jacobin-like" actions from repeating.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz