Havel's retirement good news for Communist Party, says Ransdorf
Though President Vaclav Havel co-operated with the Communists in the period just after the Velvet Revolution, for many years the former dissident and political prisoner has chosen to ignore the Communist Party, and has used the term democratic parties' to refer to all the parties in parliament, minus the Communists. Will Mr Havel's retirement offer the Communists - the third biggest party in the Chamber of Deputies, and the biggest in terms of membership - the chance to win wider acceptance on the political scene? I spoke to the party's deputy chairman Miloslav Ransdorf, and asked him what Vaclav Havel's departure would mean to the Communists.
"Havel functioned in recent years as the main obstacle to the full legitimisation of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia and I suppose that with his retirement this last obstacle will be removed. The only obstacle, the last problem for this full legitimisation was this group around Prague Castle."
Do you think Mr Havel was justified in ignoring the Communist Party for so many years, given the fact that he was imprisoned by the previous regime?
"It cannot be a justification, because politics does not concern our feelings and emotions, but it is a question of interests and the respect of public opinion, the rules and procedures. The basic method of making progress is dialogue and compromise. I am convinced, a hundred per cent sure, that any future president will involve the Communist Party in political debate in our country."
Mr Havel has often used the term democratic parties' to refer all the parties except the Communists - do you think that term will cease to exist now?
"Democracy is a question of labels, it is a question of deeds, real activity."
Why are the Communist Party putting forward a presidential candidate, Miroslav Krizenecky, when he doesn't really have a chance of winning?
"His chance is not marginal, he can address a great deal of the population. It is also one step in the process of preparing the public vote of the state president. It is a very good opportunity to present our ideas and values."
Given the fact that Mr Krizenecky doesn't have a chance of winning, who would you like to see succeed Vaclav Havel?
"The election of the president will be a very complicated process, there are many interests involved in the game. And I am convinced that the candidature of Dr Krizenecky is a very important part of this game, a very important part."
