Related articles

On Thursday, the US President, George Bush, visited Bratislava to hold one of the most anticipated meetings during his five-day trip to Europe. Mr Bush met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and with the backing of his advisors and senior politicians back home and in Europe called on the Russian president to reassert his commitment to democracy in Russia. Mr Bush also met with Slovak politicians, addressed a crowd of several thousand that had gathered on Hviezdoslav Square in Bratislava, and met various other people, including former Czechoslovak

Exactly 57 years ago, on 25 February 1948 the Communists seized power in post-war Czechoslovakia. This marked the beginning of more than four decades of hard line communist rule, brought to an end by the Velvet Revolution in 1989. Czechoslovak Communist leader Klement Gottwald on that fateful day in 1948 announced on Prague's Old Town Square that the resignation of several non-communist ministers had been accepted by the president. Even though the change to a totalitarian system did not happen just overnight, this event was symbolic of the start

In this week's edition: Responses to Radio Prague's programmes covering the 15th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. Radio Prague's programme structure. Listeners quoted: Janice Pacl Hare, USA; Gilles Letourneau, Canada; Alisdair Cook, Canada; William Flynn, USA.

My guest for One on One this week is Natasha Dudinska - a former Prague resident who now lives in Israel, but who recently came back to the Czech capital to do some research on an upcoming documentary on Prague's Jewish cemetery by the academy award-winning filmmaker Allan Miller. Originally from Slovakia with Jewish roots, Natasha first came to Prague in the late 1980s to study at Charles University. Like many students of that era she ended up getting embroiled in the events of the Velvet Revolution. I started by asking her what memories she had

Bursting to share your views? Head for Palacky Square - the site of Prague's newly inaugurated Speakers' Corner. Hockey star Jaromir Jagr may be in far away Siberia but he can still enjoy Czech beer and dumplings at a local Czech restaurant. And, the Czech Army is being accused of discrimination after turning away a transsexual. Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.

Fifteen years after the fall of communism the Czech Republic still has problems coming to terms with the past and many important issues remain highly controversial. Should the communists have been outlawed immediately after the revolution? Has the country made good use of the fifteen years of freedom or have the ideals of the revolution been betrayed? Czech society is still racked by conflict and a special parliament session devoted to the anniversary clearly reflected this state of affairs.

In the Prague street Albertov a peaceful march began fifteen years ago on 17th November 1989. It was to mark the 50th anniversary of the death of Jan Opletal, the Czech student killed by the Nazis in 1939. The event marked the beginning of the Velvet Revolution, as the march was suppressed brutally by police when it reached National Avenue in the heart of the city. On Wednesday, exactly fifteen years later, another march took place. This time it was staged by students to protest against the continued influence of the Communist Party in the Czech

There is much to be done. That was the unanimous verdict of academics, politicians and former dissidents who met Wednesday to reflect on the legacy of the Velvet Revolution. But precisely what work remains for the Czech Republic's continuing democratization was a matter for debate.

Meanwhile, the student demonstration which sparked the changes of 1989 was reenacted in the Czech capital, beginning at Albertov and continuing to Narodni and later to Wenceslas Square. The march was entitled "Podzim bez komunistu" ("Autumn without Communists"), in protest at the present-day Communist Party.

On Wednesday evening a huge free concert called "Narodni Jinak" ("Narodni Otherwise") was held on the city centre street.

A number of events have been held in Prague to mark the anniversary of the beginning of the Velvet Revolution, which led to the collapse of the communist regime in 1989. President Vaclav Klaus, former president Vaclav Havel and Prime Minister Stanislav Gross laid flowers at the spot where riot police attacked a peaceful student demonstration on Narodni trida exactly 15 years ago.

Mr Havel, the former dissident who led the Velvet Revolution and was elected president shortly after the fall of communism, was greeted by cheers of "long live Havel, long live Havel".

Other politicians and many ordinary Czechs laid wreathes and lit candles at the memorial on Narodni Street throughout the day.