Aug 13, 2014
Culture
Freedom isn’t Free, says Czech Opposition Leader Schwarzenberg
- Karel Schwarzenberg, a hereditary Prince who now leads the Czech conservative party TOP 09.
- Courtesy of Karel Schwarzenberg
The leader of the Czech opposition has taken business leaders, farmers, and commentators to task for complaining about the economic cost of Russia-related sanctions when Ukraine’s political crisis remains unresolved.
Czechs have forgotten the fateful consequences of Western countries’ willingness to accept the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia in the aftermath of World War II, said Karel Schwarzenberg, Chairman of the conservative party TOP 09.
Mr. Schwarzenberg, who garnered a respectable 40% of the vote in the country’s first-ever popular presidential election last year, in a statement on TOP 09′s website published late Tuesday said he is disappointed that local media are ignoring the ethical dilemma presented by the Ukraine crisis and Russia’s role in it.
Too many people are taking a very narrow view of the crisis, he said.
Many local politicians and businesspeople were wary of sanctions in past months and now the business leaders are demanding the state or the European Union compensate them financially for revenues lost to sanctions.
In fact, following Moscow imposing a ban on food goods from countries that were party to sanctions on Russia, anecdotal observation suggests that most media time on the topic is now centered on the economic impact of sanctions, while the ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine is losing prominence in media reports.
As a result, locals are forgetting why sanctions were imposed in the first place.
“In Ukraine, there was a clear act of violence and occupation by a foreign country when Vladimir Putin sent his troops, first covertly, then openly, to annex Crimea. It is a gross violation of international law and numerous treaties signed by Russia,” Mr. Schwarzenberg said.
The hereditary Prince-turned-politician has emerged as the moral and ethical standard-bearer in the Czech Republic since the passing of dissident and playwright-turned-president Vaclav Havel in 2011.
The Czech Republic sells more than 80% of its exports to the European Union, while approximately 3% go to Russia. To be sure, the country gets most of its oil and gas and all of its nuclear fuel from Russia, though energy deliveries are not touched by sanctions.
If Europeans put short-term economic interests ahead of the long-term defense of freedom, it will only breed further crises, Mr. Schwarzenberg said.
“If we back off, then there will no longer be a brake against violence in Europe. Don’t you realize that? It is essential that Europe stands against aggression. Otherwise, violence will go on and on and other countries will get caught up in it, including the Czech Republic. Have we learned nothing from the 20th century?”
Write to Sean Carney at sean.carney@wsj.com
One man/party/religion systems guns,prisons,surveillances,all weapons crush democratic and human rights systems for over thousands years,then just after decades ruling of elected democratic and human rights systems guns,surveillance,spying against opposite side political forms at home at the very least then you forget what gained your side peace in front of one man/party/religion power seekers(exist forever fir brain comparing functions)even civilians gun rights could be used by them if there are no elected governments surveillance.your side freedom from governments massacres aint gained by your side pen,reason,fair,sharing power towards one man/party/religion ones that crushed those for thousands of years with guns,remember?forgetting history do is dangerous for your side for all are new born empty brains at first.
Freedom from governments massacres ain’t fall from the sky or you can kowtow/pray for another thousands of years in front of one man/party/religion ones even at home,giving up your side guns then no guns?well you get opposite side political form guns and get crushed for another thousands of years,having been giving it up for thousands of years,remember?simply read some history with your brain comparing functions.
Giving up democratic and human rights systems guns,surveillances,prisons,spies?
Democratic and human rights systems get crushed by one man/party/religion systems with guns,surveillance,prisons for thousands of years,now you hate your side weapons like opposite side political form supporting guns?stupid or what side you are on?Snowden do is a huge traitor,for when these enemies bring down all your side guns,you face the opposite side political form guns for human beings brain comparing functions.
EU and the USA?
Should do the surveillance together at some level,aint give the weapon up at all for one man/party/religion power seekers at home and worldwide,for human beings bad natures cant be killed off but restrained for brain comparing functions,that is where your side guns,political form,prisons,laws are needed forever among human beings world,remember?
One man/party/religion systems guns,prisons,surveillances,all weapons crush democratic and human rights systems for thousands over years,then just after decades ruling of elected democratic and human rights systems guns,surveillance,spying against opposite side political forms at home at the very least then you forget what gained your side peace in front of one man/party/religion power seekers(exist forever fir brain comparing functions)even civilians gun rights could be used by them if there are no elected governments surveillance.your side freedom from governments massacres aint gained by your side pen,reason,fair,sharing power towards one man/party/religion ones that crushed those for thousands of years with guns,remember?forgetting history do is dangerous for your side for all are new born empty brains at first.
Freedom from governments massacres ain’t fall from the sky or you can kowtow/pray for another thousands of years in front of one man/party/religion ones even at home,giving up your side guns then no guns?well you get opposite side political form guns and get crushed for another thousands of years,having been giving it up for thousands of years,remember?simply read some history with your brain comparing functions.
Surveillance?
like guns what it aimed at matter,one man/party/religion systems use them to crush democratic and human rights systems where they reign at the very least for thousands of years.democratic and human rights systems use them to crush one man/party/religion systems where they reign.you hate it well enemies political forms seekershate it more,like your side guns,what you expect anyway?
Snowden?
a low iq got a broken comparing function(or a high iq just like support enemy side political form without saying even say he loves the USA) for you dont like surveillance from your governments?(what you did to fear in front of governments guns,prisons,surveillance?you dont worry about government guns if you aint seek to topple democratic and human rights systems like one man/party/religion power seekers at home and worldwide want to do)there are much more enemies holding opposite side guns hate it more, then snowden try very hard to bring down the weapons that protect your side political form enemies in political form level at home and worldwide.
Help one man/party/religion systems power seekers at home and worldwide,you dont like surveillance(what did you do?),brutal ones hate the opposite side weapons much more.
No enemies in political form level?
human made opposite side political form seekers exist forever,even the most fair and sharing power systems have enemies for human beings brain comparing functions,that is where your side political form,laws,guns,surveillance are needed forever.
Peaceful,see no enemies in political form level,one man/party/religion guns aint crushing guns,sharing power,giving up guns,no your side surveillance?
Democratic and human rights systems get crushed by one man/party/religion ones with guns for thousands of years,remember?
surveillance?
snowden cant persuade one man/party/religion ones to give up their weapons against opposite side democratic and human rights systems for their power ability in front of unarmed civilions(what ability?read some history books,human beings have bad natures for brain comparing function forever,the very reason to build political form,laws to restrain them in long term,but cant kill off that is where your side forces are needed forever)
One man/party/religion systems power?
You like it?well there are ones having human beings brutal natures more like it more also,you hate your side guns,human rights,surveillance(against opposite side activities,not your normal life),well one man/party/religion ones hate it much more,and your side already give it up for thousands of years,remember?
The man speaks the truth Freedom isn’t Free. You have to pay the piper in blood if you wish dance. Or you can be a slave to the Russian Bear.
Freedom, comes thru waving the swastika flag, right! despicable fascists…
“Disatisfaction.
Ther are three wants which can never be satisfied: that of the rich, whowants something more; that of the sick,who wants something different; and that of the the traveller, who says “Anywhere but here.”
Change can only take place when the majority thinks as one for the betterment of everyone.