Václav Klaus: Notes on the Russia-Ukraine War

English Pages, 26. 1. 2024

Many thanks for the invitation. It has made some of us part of the annual political pilgrimage to Davos, which – I have to admit – not all of us support. Not all of us are happy with the radical turn of the Davos Forum into a Mecca of progressivism in recent years.

read more »

Václav Klaus: A Few Words on the Situation in and around Israel

English Pages, 12. 10. 2023

I don't want to make my - entirely voluntary - task of writing a regular Friday note every week any easier by choosing an escape topic. Right now, the topic of the so-called austerity package in the Chamber of Deputies, which is due to be debated today, was a potential candidate. This week, however, I must and want to write about my feeling of despair about the situation in and around Israel and my sadness at the huge and growing number of casualties on both sides of the conflict that has flared up in recent days.

read more »

Václav Klaus: We Need Political World Economy, not Geoeconomics

English Pages, 21. 9. 2023

To make sure I am well understood, I will start with three short introductory remarks:

1. We are quite rationally interested in the development of the world economy because it has a huge impact on the countries where we live, but the term geoeconomics – a fashionable term these days – pretends to be based on a well-established theory, which it is not. Economics is a scientific discipline, geoeconomics is not. This is not a well-defined field of inquiry and studies.

read more »

Václav Klaus: Is it Possible and Meaningful to Aim at Re-Humanizing the World?

English Pages, 1. 9. 2023

Many thanks for inviting me to this exceptionally beautiful part of the world and to this important conference. This is not my first visit to Portugal. I have been here before, four or five times, always for a very short time. On state visits (as Prime Minister and as President of the Czech Republic) or when attending international gatherings. In total, not more than 10-12 days. Never as a tourist. This visit is, therefore, quite special for me.

read more »

Václav Klaus sent a letter of congratulations to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of Turkey

English Pages, 30. 5. 2023

     Dear President Erdoğan,

     Let me congratulate you on your remarkable victory in the presidential elections. I congratulate not only you, I also congratulate your country. You yourself described the result of the elections as a great victory for Türkiye. I fully agree with you.

read more »

Václav Klaus for the Swiss die Weltwoche TV Daily from CPAC Hungary conference in Budapest

English Pages, 9. 5. 2023

Václav Klaus in the interview with die Weltwoche editor-in-chief Roger Köppel from CPAC Hungary conference.

read more »

Budapest Dinner Speech: Hungary Is Defending Its National Interests, Traditional Values and Normalcy

English Pages, 4. 5. 2023

Dear Madame President, Distinguished Participants and Organizers of the conference, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Many thanks for the invitation and for giving me the opportunity to address this distinguished audience. It is an honor for me to share the floor with one of the most outspoken and courageous representatives of – what I would dare call – the Hungarian way of coping with the current post-democratic, more or less socialist, in any case progressivist world, with President Katalin Novák.

read more »

Marmara Forum 2023: One Hundred Years of Modern Turkey, Tragic Earthquake and Growing Distrust in the World

English Pages, 15. 3. 2023

Many thanks for the invitation. Many thanks for organizing this traditional annual forum, even as the country is mourning the tragic losses it has suffered and continues to suffer in the consequence of this year’s huge earthquake. We feel your grief and know that our condolences can’t be much helpful. The nature demonstrated its enormous strength once again. 

read more »

Notes for the Opening Ceremony of the 20th Vienna Congress

English Pages, 29. 1. 2023

We are attending the almost incredible, already 20th opening ceremony of the Vienna Congress com.Sult. At the beginning I was a little uncertain. I was afraid that we are misusing the well-known, more than two hundred years old name of the Wiener Kongress, but I do believe now that we can afford it. Twenty congresses make history.

read more »

More Democracy is a Precondition for Having a Meaningful Future

English Pages, 27. 1. 2023

Many thanks for inviting me to address this distinguished audience. I always highly value this opportunity. Coming to Vienna and participating in the Monday morning session of the Vienna Congress has been for some of us already for years the best way how to spend the last January Monday morning. Instead of skiing in the mountains or doing something similarly productive. I have been privileged to be part of this group. There are always many daunting topics waiting to be addressed. I, therefore, look forward to our today’s talks. And to having a chance to meet many good old friends. It is great to speak to an audience again, after two years of speaking to TV cameras only.

read more »