Prague, Oct 17 (CTK) – Neither Czech President Milos Zeman nor the Deputy Prime Minister and ANO head, Andrej Babis, will succeed in breaking up the democratic system in the country, former defence minister Alexandr Vondra said at the Forum 2000 international conference on Monday.
He said democracy is fundamentally threatened by the weakening of the West in the past decade.
“We have a problem with Milos Zeman and I, too, I would like to see (Slovak President Andrej) Kiska at Prague Castle. On the other hand, the problem concerns reputation. Zeman is a disgrace to our country, his words are dangerous, but he is not strong enough to change the foundations of our democratic system,” Vondra said.
“Another attack on our system has been launched by populist businessman Andrej Babis. This is more serious, because this is not merely a problem with reputation,” Vondra said.
He criticised Babis for denigrating parliament and calling it a prattle house.
“But I am very optimistic. Not even he will succeed in changing our system because the democratic foundations of the Czech Republic laid by (former president Vaclav) Havel and others are firm enough,” Vondra said.
He said the current weakness of the West is a serious threat. It started with the economic crisis in 2008, which stripped the West of its self-confidence.
“In the same year, Russia started to test its strength in Georgia, to which we were unable to respond. The current situation in Ukraine and the annexation of Crimea are direct consequences of this,” Vondra said.
He said Western countries must return to their fundamental values if they want to hold their own in the current world and preserve their democratic system.
Vondra challenged multiculturalism, saying that it lowers the value of individuals in its consequence.
“As long as we attach the same value to everything, nothing will have any in the end,” Vondra said.
The Forum 2000 conference was initiated by former president Vaclav Havel (1936-2011) in 1997. Its motto this year is Courage to Take Responsibility.
The conference, which lasts from September 16 to 19, brings together personalities and thinkers who discuss human rights issues and focus on the role of education in the promotion of democracy.
