Outlawed Czech Communist group head coordinates anti-EU drive

Prague, Nov 19 (CTK) - Milan Krajca, former head of the now outlawed Czech
Communist Youth Union (KSM), coordinates a newly-established People's
Movement Against the EU, the movement's documents, cited by Krajca Wednesday,
have shown.

The movement says the EU pursues imperialistic policy running counter to
people and democracy, therefore it must be rejected.

Krajca even suggests the abolition of the Czech EU membership as an
alternative step for Prague to take.

The movement is against the ratification of the Lisbon treaty by Czech
parliament and it plans a petition campaign against the ratification.

The movement also plans to stage protests and demonstrations during the
Czech EU presidency in the first half of 2009.

Vera Zezulkova, deputy chairwoman of the junior opposition Communist Party
of Bohemia and Moravia (KSM), Wednesday dissociated herself from the People's
Movement Against the EU.

She said she knows nothing about the movement, but its very name seems
absurd and unreasonable to her.

The KSM is not interested in fighting against the EU. It would rather like
the EU to change so that it becomes more useful to people, Zezulkova said.

KSM deputy chairman Jiri Dolejs told CTK that calling for the EU's
abolition or the Czech departure from it is at variance with the programme
of the KSCM, which respects the [positive] result of the Czech referendum
on EU entry and supports European integration.

Dolejs said he doubts that the KSM branch of which Krajca is a member has
asked him to take "negativist steps in relation to the EU."

Citing from the new movement's documents at a press conference Wednesday,
Krajca said "the EU means agreements that the biggest European monopolies
have forced upon a number of European nations. Its goal is to use all
possible ways to maximise the monopolies' profit at the cost of working
people, the EU nations and other countries in the world."

Krajca criticised the EU for its military alliance with the USA, and also
the EU's employment and agricultural policies.

"The EU means restrictions of democratic rights and freedoms in the name of
the so called war against terrorism and of anti-communist campaigns,"
Krajca said.

The People's Movement Against the EU was established on October 15, 2008
and has its headquarters in Brno.

Krajca said the movement has about 10 members now, but is supported by
other pro-communist entities such as the Czech Peace Movement and the Club
of the Czech Borderland.

Krajca said his movement is open to all "democratic groupings" and
cooperates with people of similar opinions abroad.

The KSM, of which Krajca was chairman, was outlawed by the Czech Interior
Ministry in October 2006 over its programme running counter to the Czech
Constitution.

The KSM has lodged a complaint against the step with the Supreme
Administrative Court.