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- From: WI6865@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK (Mr. G. Wightman)
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.mideur-l
- Subject: Re: The Czech Republic wants a successful and independent
- Message-ID: <"mailhub.li.065:21.00.93.16.54.54"@liverpool.ac.uk>
- Date: 21 Jan 93 16:38:42 GMT
- Sender: Discussion of Middle Europe topics <MIDEUR-L@UBVM.BITNET>
- Lines: 23
- Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
- In-Reply-To: Your message of Wed, 20 Jan 1993 13:35:12 -0500
-
- On Wed, 20 Jan 1993 13:35:12 -0500 GEORGE BAUER
- (BAUER%RCKHRST1.BITNET@edu.buffalo.cc.UBVM) said:
-
- >I agree that the Slovaks HAVE NEVER voted for separation.
- >
- >I repeat, why was the referendum not allowed?
-
- The last explanation I have seen for the failure to hold the referendum in
- Slovakia was a technical one, given by a member of the Slovak government, if my
- memory serves me right, in December last year (I can check details if any one
- wants). The intention was to hold one early this year. There seems little
- point now.
-
- "Not allowed" seems more appropriate in the Czech case where a referendum was
- ruled out immediately after the 1992 elections. The argument at that time
- was the risk that in a federation-wide referendum, the Slovaks would vote for
- a common state and the Czechs would vote to break up the federation - and lose
- succession rights as a result. (This was said to me in conversations, and may
- have appeared in the press.) Subsequently, it was argued that there was no
- point on the grounds that the common state was no longer viable, even if a
- referendum expressed support for it.
-
- Gordon Wightman
-