©těpán Kotrba and Vladimír Rott
Vladimír ©pidla, Czech Prime Minister (2002–04), in an exclusive interview, questioned by ©těpán Kotrba of Britské listy, a Czech internet daily, and Vladimír Rott (questions sent by e-mail, on behalf of ERC european-referendum.org, IRI EUROPE iri-europe.org, MD mehr-demokratie.de, also released through D-Europe) Translated from Czech by Vladimír Rott [VR]: The last autumn's declaration of Czech Premier Vladimír ©pidla, about preparatory steps toward referendums, found quite an interest in European circles - from citizens' movements to politicians - working towards "more democracy" in all European countries. In contrast to the "Czech special" one-time referendum bill and law, Mr ©pidla's proposal would be - according to their understanding - one of the very first steps towards a new European democracy of the 21st century. According to some foreign media (1), (2) - with reports based upon Czech sources - this declaration should be binding for the Czech government. [©K]: Vladimír ©pidla recently repeated for the media (3), in relation to referendum about EU Constitution, that the government will pursue a bill on general referendums. The Civic Democrats (ODS [a party founded by Mr Klaus, modelled after UK Tories, and now lead by Mr Topolánek]) qualified such a position as "blackmail", as they would like to realize a one-time referendum regarding the Constitution only [which they oppose, same as the Communists do]. Britské listy regard the changing the Czech constitutional institutes as basic to the development of democracy, and so asked the Premier for an interview about this topic. [©K]: The Parliamentarian Assembly of the Council of Europe seriously debated the question of enhancing citizens' participation in the functioning of the state and of the state's institutions, and in 1997 adopted resolutions nos. 1121 and 1129 about the instruments of citizens' participation in representative democracy, which includes in some detail the referendum's question. Considering the pros and contras, the Parliamentarian Assembly recommends to use referendum in a deliberated manner, as it is the moment of citizens' participation, something increasing citizens' self-confidence, and citizens' relation to the state. [VR]: Mr Premier, should you be serious about the referendum question and should you regard it in the mentioned European spirit, what are the further steps of the Czech government? The next steps of the government
are simple, the government will submit a bill about referendum to the
House and to the Senate, and there will be a discussion about this law,
and we will try to push it through.
[VR]: Should the citizens change their
preferences during coming elections [this year], and so the
government's composition, would this your declaration be binding for
the new government as well?It is not binding for the next
government, it is not binding for anyone at all. Only laws are
permanent. [?]
[VR]: However, should your declaration not be binding and not a will of constitutional majority [of the parliament], as some observers in Czechia insist, how then are the chances for introducing referendums in Czechia? Are referendums a demand of Czech society? It is evident that my declaration
is not the will of constitutional majority, it might be, at best, the
will of the governing coalition [remark VR: which it is not, or, at
best, by far not yet (3)], which does not posses this
[necessary] constitutional majority. Therefore, it will be necessary to
gain support throughout the whole political spectrum.
[©K]: Part of the
constitutional order of the Czech republic is also the Charter of
Fundamental Rights and Basic Freedoms, which in its Art. 21, Cl. 1
embeds the citizens' right to participate in the administration of
public affairs directly or by free election of their representatives.
In-spite of this, Czech citizens could not have decided about Czech
republic joining NATO. Will the bill in preparation forbid "back
voting", to come back to issues already accepted by the parliament?No, no referendum can enable
"back voting" about any issues already discussed by the parliament.
[VR]: What are, in your opinion, the chances to implement a more contemporary approach to politics in Czechia - introducing [legal] institutes of direct, participatory, democracy - than the present purely parliamentarian, representative democracy? [©K]: Your party, Social Democrats (CSSD), declares precisely this in its long-term program, [moreover] the deputies of the left already submitted [in vain] several bills of constitutional amendments concerning peoples' execution of power in referendums... I think, that it is necessary to
seek further approaches and I also think, that the next step, in my
opinion, is the direct election of the president [remark VR: who has by
large purely representative tasks only]. Therefore I support this
effort.
[VR]: Are you engaged personally in the preparations of the bill on general referendum? [©K]: The latest initiative announced looks quite concrete - is this already in the stage ready for realization or still more an idea, along the lines of Tony Blair's initiative concerning referendum on the EU Constitution? Yes, I am engaged in this matter,
I think that the [constitutional] law on general referendum is a matter
of crucial importance.
[©K]: Can the government of coalition, having only 101 voices out of 200 - that is the smallest majority possible - enforce a law demanding for constitutional majority [of two thirds...]? What support are you relying upon? It is not clear, whether the
coalition will be able to enforce referendum, after all, Social
Democrats (CSSD) submitted [the bill on] referendum about eight times
already. I think, that much will rest with the pressure of the civil
public.
[©K]: Do you suppose that the Communists (KSČM), at present in opposition [remark VR: ©K assumes that KSČM may well participate in the new government coalition after this next elections...], would support the [present] coalition in the matter of general referendum, embracing in itself a referendum on EU Constitution? I do not know, what the
Communists may support. Their position on a number of issues is
surprising and ambivalent.
[VR]: Do you think, that the present generation of Czech citizens may live up to such political rights and in such an extent like others already enjoy, for example the citizens in Switzerland (4), [©K] where referendums in that or other form are a standard instrument of [political] power execution? No, I do not think, that our
political development would lead to referendum democracy of the Swiss
type. Yet I believe that we will succeed in enforcing our bill on
referendum(s).
[©K]: Can you imagine a transformation of parliamentary democracy by reinforcing the institutes of direct democracy to such an extent, that they may even replace the legislative bodies by civil servants - experts, preparing groundwork materials for execution by the citizens - possibly supported by telecommunication and information technologies? Perhaps also on pan-European scale? No, I cannot imagine anything
like that. This is not typical even in Switzerland, where referendum
democracy is very developed, neither in the state of California, where
referendums are possibly most advanced at all. [?]
[©K]: How would you see in the respect of this vision - today already technologically possible and in parts already being realized abroad - the role of political parties? Are they, in your opinion, ready to meet the challenge of nearing digital future? Like, at its time, the Roman
legion laid down the scheme for any armed force for millenniums to
come, so I am convinced that political parties are a form enabling
people - based upon free association - to seek, freely and jointly,
political solutions for various issues. Politics is a collective work.
It cannot be done without community, same as you would not be able to
produce on your own much less complicated things, like a motor-bike.
(1) in English: |