Press Review
Two topics dominate today's front pages, the EU summit in Copenhagen and Sunday's election of the new chairman of the opposition Civic Democratic Party at the party's congress in the West Bohemian spa town of Frantiskovy Lazne.
"Mirek Topolanek has conquered the Civic Democrats", leads LIDOVE NOVINY, mentioning that the party has elected its first new leader after 12 years with Vaclav Klaus at its head. Mr Topolanek's rivals in the election, MPs Jan Zahradil, Petr Necas and Miroslava Nemcova were elected his deputies later on Sunday. The fourth deputy chairman of the Civic Democrats is the governor of the Central Bohemian region, Petr Bendl.
An editorial comment in LIDOVE NOVINY says that Vaclav Klaus' era in the party is over once and for all. The Civic Democrats have finally cut off the umbilical cord tying them to Vaclav Klaus. The author likens this weekend's Civic Democrats' congress to the Tenth Convention of the Soviet Communist Party and the newly emerged leader, Mirek Topolanek, to Nikita Khrushchev. Not only is he going to succeed a charismatic leader but he also resembles Khrushchev by his down-to-earth ways.
PRAVO features an interview with the 46-year old new chairman, suggesting his unexpected election could have been the result of some behind-the-scene political trading in the party. Mr Topolanek counters he was elected by independent and educated people who are not susceptible to manipulation. He says he is aware that Mr Klaus had a different favourite, but finally he accepted the decision of the congress.
HOSPODARSKE NOVINY looks back on the European Union enlargement summit which ended late on Friday in the Danish capital Copenhagen. The paper writes the summit marked the end of what will become known as the post-communist period in Eastern and Central Europe. Soon after a massive enlargement of NATO which is expected to ensure stability for the poorer part of Europe, comes the greatest expansion of the richest club in the world, the European Union, writes HOSPODARSKE NOVINY.
MLADA FRONTA DNES compares reactions to the outcome of the Copenhagen summit in various candidate countries. The Polish delegation returned home to join triumphant celebrations; in Budapest they installed a special clock which is counting down the time before the date of the country's accession to the EU, and in Slovakia, both the government and opposition have expressed satisfaction with the negotiations. The Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda called his country's invitation to the EU "the most beautiful gift" for Slovakia.
Only in the Czech Republic have no celebrations taken place and an uneasy silence prevails, comments MLADA FRONTA DNES. Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla talks about nothing else but money. President Havel communicates only through his spokesman - he has not made any official statement. And the opposition speaks about the terms negotiated in Copenhagen with great disrespect.
And finally, MLADA FRONTA DNES reports that this year Czechs will break a record in buying Christmas presents on credit. Financial experts say that in the last quarter, people will borrow 15-20 billion crowns from banks and hire-purchase companies mainly in small amounts to pay for mostly consumer goods which their loved ones will find underneath their Christmas tree.
