MfD: ČR only first-world country where Communists share power

Prague, Oct 15 (CTK) - The Czech Republic is the only country in the civilised world in which die-hard Communists share such a big slice of power, Martin Komarek writes in daily Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) yesterday.

On the global level, Czechs are only outstripped by China, Cuba and North Korea in this, Komarek writes, adding that even in Russia, post-Bolsheviks do not have such a good position as here.

How did the curiosity appear? Komarek asks.

In Western Europe, Communist parties disappeared or were transformed in the 1970 and 1980s when no one harboured any illusions about the real nature of the Russia empire called the Soviet Union, he adds.

After its fall in 1989, most Communist parties in the former satellite countries either disappeared or were transformed as well, Komarek writes.

The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) only remained in the Czech Republic, he adds.

This was so although, along with the notorious comrades from the former East Germany, it was the most reactionary of all the Communist parties and it was opposed even to the attempt at humanising socialism called the perestroika, Komarek writes.

The first postcommunist rulers had a chance of banning the party when they passed the law on the criminal nature of Communism, but they did not do it, he adds.

It was generally assumed that the reds are elected by the former apparatchiks who lost power as well as the poor who are unable to find their places in the rapidly changing world, Komarek writes.

Plitical scientists and commentators adopted a rather cynical position that the Communist electorate will virtually die out, he adds.

However, the forecast was wrong, Komarek writes.

How is it possible? he asks.

In the Czech Republic, the watchfulness relating to the Communist totalitarian rule has been traditionally smaller than elsewhere, Komarek writes.

In the 1946 elections, people voted for the Communists with enthusiasm, he adds.

Even now, voters are not stopped by any warning of the Communist rule, Komarek writes.

Many Czechs have strong leanings towards egalitarianism and envy of the successful ones, he adds.

The ordinary Communist voter is the one who used to be sure that he will be paid a salary and later pension under the Communist regime. Compared with this, the advantages of capitalism such as freedom are quite negligible for him, Komarek writes.

In fact, there is no party outside the ruling establishment except Communists, he adds.

Unlike many traditional as well as new democracies, no populist right-wing party has gained roots in the Czech Republic that would capitalise on the general malaise caused by the "unfair" wealth, immigrants, minorities and corruption, Komarek writes.

Czech Communists are collecting the votes in the spheres in which populists are successful elsewhere, he adds.

Besides, the KSCM can benefit from its schizophrenic face. On the one hand, it is the genial party leader Vojtech Filip, a trained lawyer, who looks absolutely innocent, Komarek writes.

However, there is also the other face, ascetic functionary Miroslav Grebenicek whose speeches delight everyone yearning for the return of the 1950s or at least 1970s, he adds.