Poll suggests majority of Czechs found late president Václav Havel’s funeral dignified

According to a poll by the SANEP agency, over 80 percent of Czechs believe that the state funeral for the late president Václav Havel was dignified. More than half of those polled said that the attendance of international political leaders at the funeral inspired a feeling of national price in them. Mr. Havel’s time in office had helped promote the Czech Republic and its reputation worldwide, said 80 percent of the respondents. Over 70 percent believe that Mr. Havel’s contribution to democracy in the country was significant.

Some 40 countries had sent representatives to the funeral of Mr. Havel, which was held on December 23. Among them were French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German President Christian Wulff, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, British Prime Minister David Cameron and others.