Another government falls. Czech Republic.

[Magda Hassan]

I'd been interested in what you have to say Peter since you are on the ground there so to speak.

I imagine that this is due to the wonderful experience of capitalism that has been had by all there and also getting roped into the NATO missile shield bottomless pit. So much for 'independence' if they are a NATO colony.

Well, it's a good start. Much more to do.

**************************************

Dear friends,

I am very happy to announce that the Czech government has fallen. The Parliament voted the no-confidence. For us it is a great victory: we knew that the only way to stop the installation of the US radar base was the fall of the government and we worked for more than 2 years in this direction with permanence and coherence. A government that represented the interests of the US military industry has fallen.

Our work has been fundamental in encouraging the members of the Parliament who already were against the radar and to spread doubts in the ones who were in favor. And it was just the change of mind of some deputies that made the fall of the government possible.

On the other hand, pressed by the hunger strike, the Social-Democratic Party had to take a clear position supporting us and this will make it more difficult for them in the future to change their opinion about the radar. The collaboration with the Communist Party, that has always supported our initiatives, has been decisive as well.

Thanks to all of you for the support you gave us in many activities, support that was critical.
Thanks to all the pacifist organizations, thanks to the members of the European Parliament who believed in our fight, thanks to the mayors of different countries, thanks to the Humanist Movement, that allowed this protest to expand to many European countries and to reach other continents.

A great space should be given to this news. Now the US must rearrange their plans because of the protest of a people who don't want foreign troops on this territory.
And the invading armies should withdraw from all the occupied territories of the world.

Now it is necessary to develop a strong opposition to the "Star Wars" and in favor of the nuclear disarmament also in other countries.

Now in the Czech Republic a new chapter of our struggle begins.
A strong hug

Jan Tamas
Prague, Czech Republic

[David Guyatt]

I can hear all those cigar chomping generals in the Pentagon writhing in fury and shouting "Goddamn Commie bastards!"

At least one nation in "new" Europe has the good sense not to follow the US model of "peace". I wonder if others will follow.

[Peter Lemkin]

It is MOST embarrassing [for some here and the US] as Obama will be here next week!....opps! Well, he can talk to the non-government and see the nice old buildings. I'll even have a beer with him if he wants to while away his time.

Oh, yes, one other 'little' embarassment - the Czech Rep. now has the EU Presidency......hee hee....looking like fools all around and are.....you might not like the US Govt., but you'd not want these clowns running the world either. President Klaus thinks there is no global warming nor environmental emergencies of any kind.

From Radio Prauge: Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek says government fall will not impact ongoing EU presidency

Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek has given assurances that the fall of his government will not impact on its ongoing EU presidency. Speaking at a European Parliament session in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Mr Topolánek said the toppling of his government the day before would not affect its remaining three months piloting EU affairs. Mr Topolánek admitted earlier however that the country's position in negotiations would now be weakened. A government spokesman said the Czech Prime Minister will tender his centre-right coalition’s resignation on Thursday. Chances are that he will be put in charge of a caretaker government at least until the end of the EU presidency in June. The government fell Tuesday after the main opposition party, the Social Democrats, won the minimum 101 lower house lawmakers to support their no-confidence motion.
Massive US crisis intervention attacked by Czech Prime Minister


Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek fiercely attacked US steps to tackle the economic crisis saying it was not on the right path and its chosen course was “a way to hell.” Mr Topolánek said the huge cash injections planned were a repeat of the mistakes made in the 1930’s and had been discredited by history. The US has been trying to drum up support for greater coordinated global intervention to boost the sluggish world economy. EU countries have already shown their unwillingness to match Washington’s massive spending after they earmarked 400 billion euros to kick start growth. The issue is likely to be high on the agenda of the G20 meeting of the most developed countries in London next week.
European Affairs Minister says government fall complicates Lisbon ratification


Czech European Affairs Minister Alexandr Vondra has admitted the government’s fall will complicate ratification of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty. The Czech upper house of Parliament, the Senate, has still to ratify the treaty with its support far from certain. EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Wednesday that the Czech Republic is under an obligation to ratify the stalled treaty which aims at streamlining decision-making in the 27-strong EU. The EU Commission earlier expressed its “full trust” in the continuing Czech EU presidency. The Irish Republic, whose citizens rejected the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum, and the Czech Republic are the only two states whose parliaments have not fully ratified the treaty.
President Klaus says government fall is no catastrophe


In his first official comments on the government’s fall, President Václav Klaus said on Wednesday that it was not a catastrophe. The President added that it was the fourth time he had been confronted by such a situation during his six years in office. The President will now take centre stage in deciding how to solve the political vacuum. There is some speculation Mr Klaus contributed to the government’s fall by giving assurances to rebel Civic Democrats with some commentators also pointing to his unprecedented appearance at the Social Democrat Party congress days ahead of the confidence vote. The President’s relations with Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek have been strained. He cut his links to the Civic Democrat Party in protest at the government’s policies late last year.
Christian Democrats reject stopgap government of experts


Separately, the outgoing coalition’s second biggest party, the Christian Democrats, have dismissed any idea that a government of experts could take over temporarily. They clarified their stance on the current political crisis following a meeting of party leaders, headed by chairman Jiří Čunek, on Wednesday. A government of experts is being pushed by the main opposition, the Social Democrats, as a stopgap measure but had already been dismissed out of hand by Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek’s Civic Democrats.

[Magda Hassan]

At least one nation in "new" Europe has the good sense not to follow the US model of "peace". I wonder if others will follow.

Poland and Ukraine may follow soon. Greece also. Battle grounds at the moments and too soon to tell but a good chance of turning.