Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Radio Prague Today 9.30.2008

Articles posted on www.radio.cz today

Current Affairs: Former president Havel receives Point Alpha Award

The former Czech president Václav Havel has just been awarded the German Point Alpha Prize for his contribution to German, and European, unification. Tuesday's ceremony did not take place at the usual venue – the former border between East and West Germany – but at the German Embassy in Prague. The embassy itself has also been marking an important chapter in its own history.

Current Affairs: Agreement paving the way for first Czechoslovak state to go on display in Prague

In less than one month, the Czech Republic will mark an historic anniversary: 90 years since the founding of Czechoslovakia. To commemorate this day, the Czech Senate has put the original of the Pittsburgh Agreement, a document that created the basis for the new state, on display. On Monday, the US ambassadors to the Czech Republic and Slovakia presented the document to the head of the Czech Senate, Přemysl Sobotka. Ruth Fraňková has the details.

Current Affairs: Major glass producer axes two of its plants to stay afloat

A long tradition of Bohemian glass making almost came to an end on Monday when Bohemia Crystalex Trading, the Czech Republic's largest producer of glass, was left little choice but to consider closing down all of its four plants due to severe financial difficulties. But late Monday evening, the company struck a deal with its creditors, buying time to seek investors who could save the glassworks from going under. The deal has come at a price: two of its facilities will still close down.

Talking Point: The long shadow of the Munich Agreement

I'm standing in the exhibition hall of the Czech Senate and in front of me is an official copy of the Munich Agreement, the notorious 1938 document that ceded the Sudeten territories in Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany. It is a four page document that is written in German, with a series of numbered points on it. At the bottom of the document are the clearly visible signatures of Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain and Benito Mussolini and French Prime Minister Édouard Daladier. But this act of appeasement didn't work and ended up leading to the Second World War and that it the subject of this week's Talking Point.