Václav Klaus: Interview for Global Gold

English Pages, 25. 2. 2015

Mr. Klaus it’s a great honor and pleasure to be here and have this opportunity to interview one of the key shapers of the Czech Republic as it is today. The first time I actually saw you speak in person was at the “Gottfried von Haberler-Conference” last year, where you rightfully criticized a Canadian politician or diplomat after his speech due to his strong pro-government arguments, which you disproved using classical liberal arguments. 

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Introduction to the Fraser Institute's book „The Essential Hayek“

English Pages, 17. 2. 2015

Those of us born in the 20^th century—the century of two destructive world wars and two equally ruinous periods of Nazism and Communism—particularly those of us born during the Second World War and who spent four decades under Communism, who to understand what was going on, and who eventually had the courage to try to change it, had always been looking for a compass that would make possible some elementary orientation in life.

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Munich Speech: Looking at Europe from Prague Which Recently Celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Fall of Communism

English Pages, 16. 2. 2015

Thank you for inviting me to come to Munich after a relatively long time and for giving me an opportunity to speak here tonight. Last time I made a speech in this city was in May 2009 in the moment of the culmination of my fight with the Lisbon Treaty, which I considered then and consider now – with the benefit of hindsight – an important component in a series of wrong steps towards economically unproductive and politically undemocratic European arrangements.

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Notes for Vienna 2015 Com.Sult Congress: It Is Time to Look at the Ukrainian Crisis in a Broader Context

English Pages, 20. 1. 2015

When I was asked by David Ungar-Klein to speak here today on Ukraine, I hesitated. My knowledge of Ukraine is rather limited and I don´t pretend to be an expert on this sorely tried country. I am not someone who follows the day by day developments there. I also know that my views on that topic are against the mainstream and that they would not be much welcome. I know as well that there are real experts on Ukraine here in this audience (not only foreign observers but insiders), President Yushchenko being one of them.

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Communism’s Comeback?

English Pages, 5. 12. 2014

In the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, we are currently remembering the 25th anniversary of the fall of Communism.Communism, one of the most irrational, oppressive, cruel and inefficient political systems in history, ceased to exist suddenly and relatively quietly. It fell simultaneously in Central and Eastern Europe, and a little later in the Soviet Union too, in spite of the many differences among the countries of the former Soviet bloc.

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Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic - The Spirit and Main Contours of the Postcommunist Transformation

English Pages, 24. 11. 2014

The topic “a quarter of a century after the transition from communism” is very relevant and deserves to be openly and seriously discussed. We policy makers very strongly believe that, in the context of developments in both our own countries and in Europe overall.

I have a personal interest in keeping alive awareness, as well as understanding, of the unique era of the fall of communism (and, in many respects, of its unrepeatable tasks).

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Yegor Gaidar´s Award Speech

English Pages, 20. 11. 2014

Many thanks for conferring on me the Yegor Gaidar´s award. I am really honoured by it. Thank you for doing it to now, in this very complicated moment of modern history. We live in a very strange moment – we celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the fall of communism and we suddenly appeared in a situation which reminds us of the atmosphere we experienced more than 25 years ago. This is a rather unexpected coincidence of events. I will return to it later. Let me, first, say a few words about how I see the person whose name is connected with the award I just got.

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Comments on the occasion of the Launching of the Eurasian Council of Foreign Affairs

English Pages, 12. 11. 2014

1. Let me say a few words. I – and I suppose all of us – listened very carefully to Minister Idrissov´s sophisticated and thoughtful speech and let me say that we all welcome – at least I hope we all welcome – the launching of the Eurasian Council of Foreign Affairs. We would like to thank you, Mr. Minister, for inviting us to be part of it, and for organizing this gathering.

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Notes for House of Lords Hearing about Ukraine

English Pages, 11. 11. 2014

1. I don´t pretend to be a specialist on Ukraine. I am also no aprioristic advocate or defender of Russia or Mr. Putin, but due to my life in communism I have been always opposing lies and manipulative propaganda. In this respect the life in communism made us very cautious and not to be easily persuaded and misled.

2. I see the current Ukrainian crisis as a domestic Ukrainian problem later heavily influenced, if not mostly masterminded from abroad.

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The Growing Ambitions of the Ideology of Universalism and Their Destructive Consequences

English Pages, 3. 11. 2014

Many thanks for the invitation, many thanks for giving me such a prestigious role at this important gathering. I still have to figure out whether and why I eventually deserve it.

One possible explanation for it could be the specific, in many respects unique perspective from which I look at the current world and at the topic of this conference, which I hope can be summarized and simplified as “Communication Problems between the East and the West”.

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