The importance for Czechs of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk - Czechoslovak president from 1918 to 1935 - was highlighted by the opening ceremony of this academic conference. The forum was launched by the country's high-level politicians.

Prime Minister Milos Zeman pointed out that Tomas Masaryk was a leader who built Czechoslovakia into a self-confident democratic society. Masaryk knew well, said Prime Minister Zeman, that real authority was not only given by the constitution but was earned by a statesman from his morality, his ability to convince others, and the strength of his arguments. But less glowing words came from former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus - who criticised the myth that has grown up around Tomas Masaryk:

"I think that Czech national conscience is stuck in the idea that democracy in this state has developed from one untouchable figure and he has become an absolute measure not only of values but also of the present behaviour of the state," said Lower House speaker Vaclav Klaus.

Klaus' speech was controversial, with some saying it went against the spirit of the conference. But Klaus did point out that the figure of Masaryk lacked any serious analysis, which if anything supports the need for the conference. Alexander Ort is president of the George of Podebrady foundation for European co-operation, one of the organisations behind the event:

Streaming RA / RA Download

With the Czech Republic having recently joined NATO, and with its bid for European Union membership, the phrase a "return to Europe" has often been evoked. I asked Professor Ort if it made any sense to speak of a return to Europe, given that the country has always been part of the continent:

Streaming RA / RA Download

And the Czech Republic's European neighbours as well as other international guests will be present during the activities planned next week for the anniversary celebrations of the birth of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. This shows that appreciation of his importance as a great statesman is not limited to the borders of the former Czechoslovakia.

Both foreign ministers arrived at the talks determined to find a mutually acceptable solution. As the Czech foreign minister told Berlin's Tagespiegel newspaper, "It is already five minutes to twelve. With every passing day there are fewer of the old, sick and disappointed people left who have been waiting for justice for 55 years."

Although few details of the pending agreement were released, the ministers said that a round of negotiations in Washington next week would put an official stamp on the agreement, which was described as a "compromise acceptable to all sides". This concerns, among other things, the distribution of the 10 billion marks made available by the German state and the German business sector.

"We understand the wish of the Czech government to earmark the highest possible amount for immediate payment for the victims," Joschka Fischer said, adding that the German side would not have a crucial say in how the money should be distributed.

The appointment of nine members of the Czech-German Fund for the Future, jointly set up in 1997, likewise proceeded without difficulty. "Our relationship is now a relationship between friends," Fischer said of Czech German relations. "The time of mutual irritation is over."

Regarding the Czech Republic's accession to the European Union, the German foreign minister said his country acknowledged its responsibility to the EU candidates and would ensure there were no unnecessary delays. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan confirmed that bilateral relations were on a new footing and all problems had been successfully resolved.

"I must say that over the past three years we have made more progress that in the 50 years preceding that. If we can maintain that relationship I can only say that I am greatly looking forward to our future coexistence and cooperation in Europe," the Czech foreign minister said.

Former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and Czech National Bank Governor Josef Tosovsky have always been at odds because of the central bank's monetary policy. Klaus has said repeatedly that the central bank's tight monetary policy had snuffed out economic growth in recent years, while central bank officials have countered that a lack of structural reforms during the Klaus government forced the bank to adopt strict measures.

Klaus' senior opposition Civic Democratic Party have been making efforts to limit the Czech National Bank's independence and have prepared amendments to the law on the Czech National Bank to introduce government and parliamentary control. They want to link the changes with a plan on harmonising central bank laws with European Union standards. The proposed changes stand a good chance of being approved due to a co-operation pact between the Civic Democrats and the ruling Social Democrats who together have a majority in the lower house.

Meanwhile, the feud between Klaus and Tosovsky gained momentum last week when Tosovsky, in an interview for the German business newspaper Handelsblatt, accused Klaus of orchestrating a media campaign against the Czech National Bank in an attempt to manipulate the independent central bank into a political position.

Tosovsky also said that politicians will have to decide whether they want to exert political influence on the central bank and politically manipulate the currency, or whether they want to enter Europe and respect the European rules of the game.

Klaus was initially shocked that Tosovsky had taken the dispute across the border but accepted the gauntlet. In an interview that appeared in Handelsblatt on Thursday, Klaus said it was Tosovsky who had politicised the professional discussion on the status of the bank. Klaus also accused Tosovsky of damaging the Czech Republic and expressed doubts about the governor's sanity.

Economic experts do agree that the Czech National Bank is more independent than is common in Western Europe and that the nomination of board members solely by the president is unique. They would welcome the bank board also being responsible to Parliament, but strictly warn against any political influence on the Central Bank.

I must confess I have never seen a press conference like it. Hanging by its hind feet in the middle of the courtyard of the Zizkov district council building was a dead pig. Standing right beside the carcass were three men in Habsburg era uniform in an advanced state of intoxication, despite the fact that it was still officially the morning, and one of them was pounding out this wee ditty on the accordion:

Streaming RA / RA Download

The words for that charming rendition of Jingle Bells are: Alcohol, alcohol, I have to have it, alcohol, alcohol, I can't live without it.

Funnily enough, there were gallons of beer and vodka to hand, and officials and journalists alike were involved in deep and absolutely meaningless conversation as a result.

On the food side, there was Prdelacka to hand, and this is a name that I cannot translate on the air, which is a soup made from pig's blood and barley. There were Jitrnice, offal sausages, which I am actually quite fond of, because they remind me of my native dish haggis, and there was a large vat of boiling pig bits, which were dished out in massive slices with large amounts of fat still attached. I discreetly disposed of my fat, as the others there seemed to feel it was the best bit, and I was worried this might be a terrible faux pas.

These were my first impressions of the Zizkov Masopust. What is Masopust anyway? It can be literally translated as dropping the meat, but it actually means a meat fast. I asked the press spokesman for Zizkov district council, Zdenek Pavelka, to tell me more about it:

"Masopust lasts from the Festival of the Three Kings throughout Lent, up until Easter. Traditionally, Masopust was celebrated by eating all the meat left in the house, in preparation for fasting during Lent. This tradition has been revived, and is celebrated in Zizkov with various cultural events."

These events include the Zizkov Mascarade Ball, music and dancing, and Masopust culminates with a Mascarade Parade on March 7th through Zizkov, which leads to Kostnicke Square, where there will be free alcohol and various types of meat handed out to the general public.

AS luck would have it, I had other interviews to conduct after this press conference, so I was able to leave without assistance, and with a relatively clear head. Before I left, however, the accordion player, still surprisingly on his feet, performed this impromptu rendition of the symphonic poem Ma Vlast by Bedrich Smetana:

Streaming RA / RA Download

Please send us your comments.