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1994-05-02
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<text>
<title>
Mentality Behind Czech-Slovak Frictions
</title>
<article>
<hdr>
Foreign Broadcast Information Service, January 3, 1991
Czechoslovakia: Mentality Behind Czech-Slovak Frictions Viewed
</hdr>
<body>
<p> [Editorial Report] Prague MLADA FRONTA DNES in Czech on 28
December on page 3 carries a 2,000-word interview with CSFR
Deputy Prime Minister Jozef Miklosko by Martin Komarek entitled
"Slovaks Want Morality." In the interview, the place and date
of which are not given, Miklosko discusses differences between
the mentality and traditions of Czechs and Slovaks and their
impact on the two nations' diverse approach to the economic
reform.
</p>
<p> Asked about historical differences between the Czech and
Slovak nations and their possible influence on current
"frictions" between them, Miklosko, who represents the Slovak
Christian Democratic Movement [KDH] in the Federal Government,
first points to the "asymmetrical development" in the two parts
of the republic after World War II. Whereas in Slovakia the
first postwar elections in 1946 were won by "democratic forces,"
in the Czech lands they were won by communists. Because the
communists strove to concentrate all power in their own hands,
the management of "almost everything" was transferred to Prague.
This has not changed, according to Miklosko, which is why
Slovaks perceive everything federal as being essentially Czech,
despite the presence of many Slovaks in the communist leadership
of the past.
</p>
<p> The next difference to which Miklosko draws attention
concerns the two nations' divergent view "of some period of
Slovak history, particularly during World War II." As Miklosko
points out, the "Marxist assessment" of this period of Slovak
history still continues on the Czech side. The "old terminology"
is still being used whereby the Slovak State was a
"clerico-fascist" state and Andrej Hlinka, the prewar Slovak
nationalist leader, a "murderer and fascist." He died in 1938.
According to Miklosko, "the Slovaks are greatly offended by the
constant rebukes for the past, which are often at variance with
historical facts."
</p>
<p> Another differentiating factor which plays a role, according
to the deputy prime minister, is the Slovaks' more distinct
religious orientation. As he observes, even statistics from the
period of totalitarianism showed that 72 percent of the
inhabitants of Slovakia are believers. Speaking about the
Czechs' and Slovaks' divergent attitude to the economic reform,
Miklosko says: "The prevalent view in Slovakia is that too rapid
steps in the economy are damaging to the working people, that
the steep price rises, currency devaluation, and other measures
are too radical. They may be warranted from the economic
viewpoint but they need to be counterbalanced with the human and
social viewpoint. Slovakia does not overly identify with this
rapid reform and there are many examples where we think that one
ought to proceed with greater deliberation. In my opinion, the
new economic laws make little provision for help for the
socially weak. Slovaks would rather be a bit worse off than see
differences between individual people become too deep. They say
yes to the market economy but to one with strong social and
ecological aspects. The conversion of industry [from arms
production to production for civilian use] is also connected
with this. A question mark is hovering over the jobs of tens of
thousands of people. Someone else decided for them that weapons
would be manufactured in Slovakia and now it was again someone
else who decided that their manufacturing will be halted. Or
take foreign investments. Recently we calculated that they are
being distributed in a ratio of six to one in favor of the Czech
lands. The number of Slovak in delegations that are being sent
abroad for negotiations and in the diplomatic service is
disproportionately low. I acknowledge that the Czechs have a
greater number of qualified experts but the proportion of
Slovaks should still be higher than it is."
</p>
<p> Miklosko goes on to voice objections to other aspects of the
economic reform. He says that he "does not identify" with the
proposed 22-percent tax on books and periodicals because he
fears that "this could destroy our entire culture." Likewise,
he considers it "abnormal" that a Czechoslovak worker earns
only 3,500 korunas, which is 170 German marks. He continues: "It
is equally abnormal what a German worker can buy in our
country. Many restaurants and hotels are already inaccessible
to ordinary people. The prices in the Palace Hotel in Prague,
for example, are such that Italians who invited me there
recently thought that the prices were in Italian lira." "I
believe that we should not proceed so quickly and radically,"
Miklosko says.
</p>
<p> Asked about "other differences" between Czechs and Slovaks,
Miklosko mentions Slovak objections to the "propagation of free
love, violence, and a superficial attitude to life on
television." As he points out, "there is fear in Slovakia that
if federal television keeps broadcasting only from Prague,
various Western ailments will beset us earlier." Whereas the
Slovak National Council has already approved a law "limiting
the dissemination of pornography," no such law exists as yet in
the Czech Republic and on the federal level. Miklosko also
voices his "concern about the too benevolent laws allowing young
girls to decide to have an abortion without the consent of their
parents and the future father. This forces doctors and nurses
to partake in this, even if their conscience revolts against it.
I think that the attitude of this issue is somewhat different
in Bohemia than it is in Slovakia."
</p>
<p> In concluding, Miklosko stresses that none of the
differences he mentioned prevents the coexistence of Czechs and
Slovaks in a common state "as long as there is goodwill on both
sides."
</p>
</body>
</article>
</text>