Czech Communists' Self-Confidence Has Merely Skyrocketed

Czechoslovakia has removed most of the communists from might apace too peacefully inwards piece of cake 1989 too early on 1990, inwards the so-called Velvet Revolution. Throughout the decades, communists were getting some 10-15 per centum inwards the Czech parliamentary elections which wasn't plenty to retrieve close the re-conquering of the government.

And no other political party inwards the Parliament really wanted to cooperate with them inwards these 28 years. So spell they were allowed to live represented inwards the Parliament – a selection that our politicians made afterwards 1989, too I don't retrieve that it was the exclusively imaginable 1 – they were a dead chunk of meat. Coalitions had to live formed inside the remaining 80% of the deputies. At most, the social democratic political party discussed "how dogmatically" their resolution non to cooperate with the communists should live interpreted. But they've never found a bulk to really start to homecoming the communists to the power.

Paradoxically, now, inwards the wake of the Oct 2017 elections inwards which the communists scored the worst final result inwards their history (7.5%), they came out of the isolation and, inwards fact, became the essential political party inwards the institution of the novel coalition.




Yesterday, communist lawmaker Comrade Zdeněk Ondráček was elected every bit the principal of the parliamentary commission that supervises GIBS. GIBS itself is the "police going afterwards the policemen". It seems obvious that the acting [without confidence from the Parliament] prime number government minister Babiš – who has been charged with some serious crimes – wants to supervene upon the boss of GIBS with his ain person. That individual is supposed to burn downwards all the policemen who dare to investigate Babiš (probably specially Mr Nevtípil).




Zdeněk Ondráček, the main lawmaker supervising the law enforcement forces, isn't exactly a communist (he joined the communist political party inwards August 1989, what a timing). He was a "puncher" or "bruiser" (for Czechs: "Mlátička"), a cop with a baton who was sent to compaction the participants of the pro-democratic rallies inwards 1989.

It seems that he wasn't exactly a random guy alongside these 20-year-old guys. He was chosen for an interview inwards piece of cake 1989 inwards which he defended the demand to human activity against the antisocialist elements. His election is weird fifty-fifty for the Pakistanis.

Some people tell that a immature individual who is xx may err, is naive, too thus on. H5N1 work is that nosotros accept a proof that this guy hasn't fixed himself inwards whatever way. The electrical flow Bolshevik lawmaker Zdeněk Ondráček "isn't sorry of a unmarried thing" he has done. He has basically explicitly said that he would happily obey those orders to compaction the pregnant women – who threatened him past times spitting inwards his human face upwardly – again. In fact, it seems he is constantly bragging.

Batons are far from his family's worst acts or opinions. In a 2017 interview, Ondráček's manlike individual nurture has opined that the Warsaw Pact armies came to defend socialism, Ms Milada Horáková (murdered past times the commies around 1950) deserved to live hanged because she has "confessed", too inwards 1989, when socialism was threatened, a fence should accept been built around Prague too its inhabitants should accept been starved to death! That's the guy who has educated the electrical flow top supervisor of the Czech police.

The boy needed several attempts to live appointed too he was elected past times the smallest possible margin – which also depended on the (irresponsible) absence of some xx democratic lawmakers inwards total. But he finally got it. The guy who symbolizes a classic moral failure of the Czech police line during communism has locomote the most powerful lawmaker when it comes to the supervision of the police's supervisors.

How is it possible? Why would the Parliament brand such an insane choice? Well, sadly, the truth is worrisome too simple. H5N1 bulk of the lawmakers inwards the Parliament are "mostly anti-democratic" ones. Among 200 lawmakers, KSČM, SPD, too ANO accept 115 votes inwards total – unopen to a constitutional bulk – too they're largely considered non-democratic parties. KSČM is the unreformed communist political party (Czechia was almost the exclusively post-communist nation where the commies chose to locomote along the old hollo too many symbols); SPD is the Czech counterpart of Le Pen's FN; too ANO is the billionaire Andrej Babiš's would-be political political party whose role is to expand the personal wealth too might of Mr Babiš, a old communist rat, himself. So far, ANO has worked beautifully. For example, Babiš's wealth doubled (to $4 billion) during his 4-year-long tenure every bit the finance minister.

The remaining (whopping) half dozen parties, the democratic ones, accept 85 votes (a chip over 40%). The largest 1 is ODS that I voted for, the political party founded past times Václav Klaus that got much to a greater extent than centrist over the years but that is withal the political party closest to Klaus, at to the lowest degree to what he used to correspond inwards the early on 1990s; thus at that spot are three center-right too somewhat ambiguous CDU-like parties, namely TOP, KDU-ČSL, too STAN the mayors (all of them human face upwardly the peril to driblet from the Parliament inwards the adjacent elections – their inability to unify is amazing), the social democrats (who led the previous regime too which suffered a historically bad final result every bit well); too the Pirates, a novel "cool" political party with mostly immature voters too the corresponding sum of the revolutionary spirit (combined with confused ideology). Those Pirates could live considered a "youth organization of ANO" past times themselves but I wishing to live a chip optimistic too generous thus I included them inwards the democratic fly – otherwise the numbers would live really hopeless.

So y'all may imagine, the partitioning to the democratic too non-democratic parties unavoidably became the most of import dividing occupation inwards the Parliament. ANO (KGB/STB/oligarchy), KSČM (commies), too SPD (sometimes nicknamed NSDAP) are the actual "voting coalition" inwards the Parliament. It's non difficult to meet that the combined icon of these political parties isn't terribly good. Especially inwards Western Europe, SPD too KSČM aren't besides salonfähig. So ANO's Andrej Babiš tried to persuade some democratic parties to squad upwardly with him.

But they refused it – they don't wishing to back upwardly a criminal every bit the prime number government minister too they're convinced that they would accept no power, anyway. Such a cooperation with ANO was real harmful for the social democrats too it's believed that some other democratic political party cooperating with Babiš would basically commit suicide. They would live abused to legitimize Babiš's regime that won't really live legitimate too that is probable to violate lots of democratic traditions too likely explicit laws, too. Babiš would utilisation his dailies etc. to sell all successes every bit his ain too blame all the perceived failures on the coalition partners. He's done it for years.

The main work is that the largest political party inwards the Parliament, Babiš's ANO, looks similar an unreadable mixture of all political (and specially apolitical) attitudes y'all may retrieve of. But inwards reality, it's really dominated past times people who loved the communist regime to a greater extent than than the post-1989 capitalism – too Babiš himself is the textbook instance of that. He's oftentimes presented every bit an extreme pragmatic who exclusively cares close his personal wealth too power. But StB rightfully wrote that he was both "ambitious" every bit good "loyal to the principles of socialism". He may print some non-communist or Western-oriented voters with his wealth, the cognition of French too English, or the Michelin star eating seat inwards the French Riviera. But when it comes to things he really cares about, he really wants basically everything to live organized exactly similar during communism, except that the governance should live to a greater extent than authoritarian than what it used to be. The Senate too mayhap the Parliament too certainly the debates inwards the Parliament are a waste materials of time; opposition inwards metropolis halls is a waste materials of money; the regime has the right to larn arbitrarily intimate information close every citizen, specially entrepreneur; too thus on too thus on.

Because he has reconciled himself with the thought that the communists too SPD are the exclusively ones that volition really render his regime with the illusion of legitimacy, he started to intensely locomote on befriending these 2 other anti-system parties too their voters. Babiš formally said to live uncertain whether Ondráček, the puncher, is the right guy to supervise GIBS (police's police). But when 1 studies the facts behind the scenes, it's absolutely obvious that Babiš was a cardinal driver that pushed Ondráček where he is.

Communist lawmakers too their voters are incredibly grateful to Babiš for placing them nether the sunshine over again – which is the main motivation of Babiš to exercise such things. Lawmakers of SPD accept also been isolated inwards previous years too they're already grateful for the leader Okamura's beingness a vice-chairman of the Parliament, too thus on. The network of gratitude alongside these non-democratic parties (well, mostly gratitude to the novel would-be Führer Babiš) has locomote thick too this terrifying coalition – something that I was exclusively imagining every bit a horrific science-fiction novel exactly a twelvemonth agone – is becoming a nearly unavoidable reality.

It's far from clear whether the social scheme too civic rights are going to deteriorate to a comparable extent every bit they did afterwards the 1948 communist coup. I am inwards no agency sure too indeed, I wishing to believe that it won't come about – that nosotros won't come upwardly anywhere unopen to it, inwards fact. But the similarity to the events of 1948 looks shocking (the total communist might was also preceded past times their naming communist people into the chairs of diverse police line directors) too the modify of the "spirit of the opinions" that nosotros take heed from some politicians inwards the media is stunning.

For the get-go fourth dimension since 1989, nosotros take heed influential media where the politicians ultimately defend the novel "default" sentiment that it was exactly fine to compaction the pregnant participants of pro-democratic rallies with batons right earlier the Velvet Revolution. OK, I volition never subscribe to that. These punchers too bruisers were top "physical" defenders of a totalitarian scheme that has crippled our province inwards thus many ways too that was retroactively defined every bit a "criminal epoch" for real goodness reasons. And they should live grateful upwardly to the terminate of their life for our immense generosity – that nosotros didn't execute them inwards piece of cake 1989. They should silently walk through the sewerage scheme too avoid the temptation to influence politics again. They accept already screwed a lot for 1 life, indeed. 300,000 Czechoslovak citizens (2%) who were pushed to emigration too the reduction of the gross domestic product past times an lodge of magnitude relatively to the previously "equal" Western European countries are exactly 2 parts of this devastation.

The Parliamentary Letters is the main Internet server which attracts the mostly pro-communist voters – too to a greater extent than generally, pro-authoritarian, pro-Russian, anti-capitalist voters. I could accept agreed with some important fraction of the views on (especially) unusual policies. But at the end, those aren't the things that affair most. When it comes to the political issues that I withal consider most consequential inwards the context of the Czech Realpolitik, the arrogant too combative voices past times the commenting communist filth too rabble on that server is terrifying. They are clearly feeling that their communist clique is reconquering the might inwards Czechia.

This terrifying impression may live an artifact of a few hundred or a few G communist trolls who are exactly to a greater extent than active right at in 1 lawsuit than they accept always been. They likely don't really correspond the sentiment of a bulk of Czechs. But y'all know, fifty-fifty if they're a rather little minority, they merely affair these days – exactly similar the Islamic terrorists affair for Islam to a greater extent than than the average Muslims do. It's their novel glorious days too they know it.

I accept oftentimes thought close possible alternate histories – could the goodness guys determine inwards improve ways to straight the development of my province inwards a improve direction? In 1938 too 1939, nosotros exactly had no run a peril to defend ourselves against the Nazis – too I retrieve it was ultimately right that nosotros basically surrendered to Hitler. However, I retrieve that the French too Britons shouldn't accept surrendered inwards 1938, of course.

On the other hand, the weather were tough too the "working class" was immensely brainwashed inwards 1948 but I experience that the pro-democratic forces should accept tried to defend republic with weapons etc. Someone should accept tried to physically take away communist boss Mr Klement Gottwald too mayhap a greater role of the Stalinist leadership. I can't hope y'all a victory inwards my alternate victory. But I exercise retrieve that the average benefits would accept exceeded the average costs. Well, I retrieve it's fair to tell that slap-up people such every bit Dr Ms Milada Horáková did seek to preclude the ascent of totalitarian communism using some powerful methods (she was trying to negotiate some the U.S.A. intervention inwards Czechoslovakia etc.) but the work was that the number of the warriors on the right side was besides low.

If it had looked reasonably sure that we're on a similar path every bit nosotros were inwards 1948, I retrieve the same recommendation would apply. The reasonable people should seek to utilisation whatever available weapons against the totalitarian communist rabble.

I accept mentioned that the billionaire's ANO political party is "mostly communist". Its votes accept been crucial for the election of the puncher every bit the parliamentary police's supervisor. In the give-and-take prior to the vote, some ANO lawmakers accept made it clear that they honey communist punchers. But at that spot were also of import exceptions. Dr Robert Pelikán – the jurist government minister whose manlike individual nurture was, ironically, an of import comrade at a academy focusing on Marxism-Leninism or what was that (and an agent of StB, too) – denounced the election of Mr Ondráček, too thus did Mr Tomáš Macura, the mayor of Ostrava, Czechia's third largest metropolis (ahead of quaternary Pilsen).

In recent months, ANO has lost some of import folks, e.g. the fellow member of the European Parliament too an ex-member of the European Commission Mr Pavel Telička – who didn't similar the teaming upwardly of ANO with President Zeman and/or communists etc. The lack of unity inside the ANO motility owned past times the oligarch himself may ultimately live the most of import "crack" to observe. Babiš himself screams that he volition live the "only candidate for the Führer upwardly to the terminate of his life" but I am non 100% sure whether he tin enforce this wishing inwards ANO, despite his ownership of the movement.

On Thursday, at that spot were the get-go questions asked past times the lawmakers to the acting prime number government minister Babiš. The pro-democratic lawmakers mostly concluded that it was the get-go fourth dimension inwards the history of modern democratic Czechoslovakia too Czech Republic when the prime number government minister didn't fifty-fifty seek to give tangible explanations or answers to most questions – instead, most of his "answers" were some superficial insults directed against the authors of the questions. The content (or the absence of it) is deeply disappointing but thus is the style. Mr Babiš is apparently completely unable to speak inwards a meaningful way, participate inwards a debate. He tin exclusively indefinitely parrot some slogans – which were mostly written past times his PR goodness Mr Marek Prchal, anyway. It's misfortunate but his supporters let on it enough. Some people, including ex-president Klaus, wishing to tell that voters who back upwardly this sort of politics shouldn't live labeled idiots. I beg to differ.

I've despised these people's political instincts for thirty years, I volition almost certainly despise them forever, too the thought that they're "equal" to the average voters of ODS too mayhap others is exactly a politically right lie. They're primitive scum that has understood aught close the pillars of the Western civilization. If these are the lastly weeks or days when I tin denounce this scum without a physical punishment, I wishing to maximally savor these weeks or days.

By the way, I accept used – too many other people accept used – the term "communism" inwards diverse generalized meanings. But hither nosotros don't speak close whatever generalized communists. We speak close people who explicitly wishing to homecoming most aspects of the scheme that existed through piece of cake 1989. It's rather clear that this is becoming a really of import question. You tin meet which people larn the worst handling inwards the media whenever these self-confident communists participate. Well, a victim who is treated really badly is Mr Marek Benda – who was a nestling from a dissident identify unit of measurement (he is a quiet, modest boy of the prominent piece of cake dissident Mr Václav Benda) too whose locomote inwards the Parliament has been a symbol assuring us that we're withal living inwards the novel post-1989 democratic system.

The retrieve attacks against this life-long pol are basically identical to what they used to live inwards the pre-1989 communist propaganda press. Acting PM Babiš loves to assail Benda all the fourth dimension – he nicknames him "Benda the Legend[a]" which rhymes inwards Czech. The typical self-glorifying revolutionary working-class loves to abhor such people from special families who differ from them. Mr Ondráček, the puncher too the novel supervisor of GIBS, has given Benda an fifty-fifty worse handling than Babiš. Needless to say, I withal largely consider Mr Benda to live a guy who to a greater extent than or less represents me inwards the Parliament thus these communist-style attacks against this modest individual are something that I consider a proclamation of war.

Communists are beingness bought past times Babiš's regime without confidence past times many other acts. For example, the regime has approved the income taxes imposed on the assets (stolen past times the communists and) returned to the church. Babiš has admitted that he realizes that this taxation of the stolen too returned assets is likely unconstitutional but inwards lodge to befriend the communists too their voters, he approved that shameful law, anyway.