|
[
August 10
]
[
August 7
]
[
August 6
]
[
August 5
]
[
August 4
]
[
August 3
]
Temelin
The future of the controversial Temelin Nuclear Power station in South Bohemia is to be assessed by an independent international commission, following a decision by government ministers Tuesday. Peter Smith has more on that story.
The twelve member commission, which was originally proposed by the last administration of Josef Tosovsky, will be responsible for assessing the future viability of the plant and will publish it's findings before the end of year.
After Tuesday's meeting between the Minister of the Environment, Milos Kuzvart, and his counterpart at Trade and Industry, Miroslav Gregr, it was finally resolved that an independent commission would be established and that international experts would be invited to sit on the commission.
The question of non-Czechs sitting on the commission had been a sticking point in negotiations between Kuzvart and Gregr. The former had agreed to honour the proposals of his predecessor, Martin Bursik, concerning the future of Temelin. Gregr, on the other hand, had been ardently opposed to outside interference in decisions regarding the nuclear power station. When asked by reporters, however if foreign experts would be invited onto the commission, Gregr put on a brave face.
"Of course they will be, of course.. but there will also be many representatives on the commission from the Czech side."
According to yesterday's announcement, the commission is likely to include three representatives from the European Union - probably experts from Austria and France. Other members of the commission will a representative from the ministry of Finance, a lawyer, an expert on social issues, an auditor, and a number from Non-governmental organisations.
Verhaugen Defends Zeman
For some days now we have been reporting on the often
negative attitudes towards the Czech Republic voiced by some
German politicians. The Czech foreign ministry has even conceded
that official relations between the two countries have
deteriorated. Olga Szantova looks into the matter.
It started, you'll recall, with premier Zeman's rather
unfortunate remark about Sudeten German membership in the
coordination committee of the Czech-German Discussion Forum set up
on the basis of the agreement between the two countries. The
remark fell on the fertile soil of pre-election Germany and is
bearing a rich harvest of negative propaganda, the result being
that we hear very little about Czech-German cooperation and the
actual activities of the Coordination Committee. How is it getting
on amidst all this? I phoned one of its members for the Czech
side, Pavel Cernoch, to find out.
Streaming RA /
RA Download
And following those words by Pavel Cernoch, one of the Czech
members of the Coordination Committee of the Czech-German
Discussion Forum, I'd like to add that one of the 20 German
members of that same committee, Gunther Verheugen has also
expressed his view that the tension should end, that it is
essential to make full use of all chances for constructive
dialogue between the two countries.
Jan Palach - anniversary
As you may have heard in our newsbulletins, a small commemorative
ceremony was held over the weekend to mark the birthday anniversary
of Jan Palach, the student who immolated himself in protest of the
Soviet led invasion of Czechoslovakia following the aborted Prague
Spring. More from Daniela Lazarova.
Jan Palach was twenty at the time of the Prague Spring. A second year
student of history and political sciences he was deeply affected by
the democratization movement sweeping the country and was engaged in
compiling a study on the freedom of the individual and equality of
nations as Alexander Dubcek sought to steer Czechoslovakia away from
Soviet influence and into more democratic waters. When the nation's
hopes were dashed and the country invaded by Warsaw Pact troops he
could not stand the sight of his compatriots' growing lethargy and
despair. As the country settled into a grey and seemingly endless
normalization period Palach made a desperate attempt to rouse them.
Before immolating himself close to the statue of the nation's patron
saint at the top end of Wenceslas Square on January 16th, 1969 Palach
wrote an open letter demanding an end to censorship and oppression.
He warned that he was one of a group of dissidents and the public
suicides would continue. "I am honoured to have been chosen first"
Palach wrote. For the next three days he battled with death at a
Prague clinic, where a sympathetic doctor recorded his last message
to Czechs " There are times when it is imperative to take immediate
action. Six months or a year later it could be too late.
The nation was to wait another 20 years for its freedom but Palach's
name remained a symbol of resistance and courage which fuelled the
underground dissent movement in the country. In the days of the Velvet
Revolution his name was on many people's lips and later President
Havel awarded him the order of T. G. Masaryk, in memorium. Today the
number of those who remember, and pay their respects, has dwindled.
Enjoying their new-found freedom few Czechs are looking back.
©
Copyright 1997
Radio Prague All Rights Reserved
Please send us your comments
RP Home / Radio Prague in English / Commentary
|
