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Carolina (English) No 036B
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STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA
School of Social Science of Charles University
Smetanovo nabr. 6
110 01 Prague 1
C.S.F.R.
e-mail address: CAROLINA@CSEARN.BITNET
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C A R O L I N A No 36A, Saturday, July 18, 1992.
(Addendum to Carolina issue 36)
CSFR without the president
"Dear members of parliament, this is to announce to you, that
on July 20, 1992 at 6pm, I resign to the office of the president
of CSFR".
This letter was sent to the Federal Parliament by the
president of CSFR Vaclav Havel. The letter was delivered
yesterday, July 17, at 1 pm.
The full text of speech , given in the TV, in which Havel
explains the reasons that led him to this decision, is given
below:
Dear fellow citizens,
today at noon the chancellor Karel Schwarzenberk
delivered to the federal parliament my letter, in which
I announce my resignation to the office of the president of Czech
and Slovak Federative Republic, on July 20 at 6 pm.
I made this decision after a thorough consideration and
realizing that I can no longer fulfill the obligations implied by
the pledge to Czech and Slovak Federative Republic and its
constitution in a way that would be in harmony with my character,
convictions and conscience. Trying to fulfill this pledge under
any circumstances, I could even become an obstacle to
far-reaching changes in our state setup, that have started after
the recent parliamentary elections, and to the striving for
emancipation of the Slovak republic, which is politically
expressed by the declaration of sovereignityaccepted by the
Slovak national parliament today. In addition, the recent
presidential elections have shown, that I have lost the
confidence of large part of Slovakia's political representatives.
I do not see this loss as an expression of dislike me as
a person, but as an expression of disagreement with the values
I stand for. I cannot imagine myself to be productive in my
office under these circumstances and during this complicated era
that awaits us. I cannot bear responsibility for the developments
I can no longer influence. Nor do I want to be a barrier to
historical developments, nor a mere timeserving bureaucrat, who
will wait a few weeks until he definitely leaves his office and
who will be all this time just passively watching what is going
on and formally fulfil his formal duties. I always wanted and
I want in the future to create something positive in favor of my
fellow citizens. The office of federal president does not provide
a basis for a creative and constructive work anymore.
Majority of my colleagues in the office of the
president,led by the chancellor have resigned together with me.
I did everything that was necessary, so that the office of the
president may operate after my resignation, including services to
the prime minister of federal government who will, according to
the constitution, take over most of the presidential duties.
Since December 29, 1989, when I was elected to the
presidential office for the first time, I have tried to do my
best so that all Czechoslovak citizens can live in freedom and
dignity, caring about integrity and safety of our country, trying
to maintain its independence and just internal structure and
contibuting to the world peace. I will definitely continue in my
work in favor of democracy, respect for human rights and friendly
coexistence of all peoples and nations. I will continue doing
this wherever I think it will be meaningful and where I will be
given the opportunity.
I will not candidate anymore to the office of the president
of Czech and Slovak Federative republic.
I want to thank to all Slovaks and Czechs, who have trusted
me and who supported me and who understood the meaning of my
efforts. I thank to all who assisted me or cooperated with me.
I thank to my wife, who accepted all the duties resulting from
her status and fulfilled them with responsibility. She will also
continue in her work in favor of our neighbors.
I wish you good luck, good health and strong faith in
future.
Good bye!
* * * * *
Translated by:
Peter Rajcani <rajcani@usceast.cs.scarolina.edu>
Franya Franek <franya@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca>
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