EU state bans ‘communist propaganda'
The amendment introduces prison terms of one to five years for anyone who 'establishes, supports or promotes Nazi, communist, or other movements which demonstrably aim to suppress human rights and freedoms or incite racial, ethnic, national, religious, or class-based hatred.'
The change follows calls from the Czech government-funded Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, with co-author Michael Rataj claiming that it is 'illogical and unfair' to treat the two ideologies differently.
'Part of Czech society still perceives Nazism as the crime of a foreign, German nation, while communism is frequently excused as 'our own' ideology just because it took root in this country,' Rataj said.
The Czech Republic, once part of communist Czechoslovakia and a Soviet-aligned Eastern Bloc member, became independent in 1993 after the 1989 Velvet Revolution. Its current president, Petr Pavel, referred to his past membership in the Communist Party as a mistake.
The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) has strongly opposed the change, calling it politically motivated. The party is part of the 'Stacilo' ('Enough') alliance and currently polls at around 5%, which could allow it to return to parliament in the October 2025 elections.
'This is yet another failed attempt to push KSCM outside the law and intimidate critics of the current regime,' the party said in a statement.
Prague has removed or altered hundreds of Soviet-era monuments, with another wave of removals following the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. Several countries in Eastern Europe – including Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania – have joined Kiev's decommunization drive in recent years, passing various laws that effectively equate communism with Nazism, moves that Moscow describes as politically driven attempts to rewrite history.
Russia argues that such measures distort the truth about World War II, during which the Soviet Union lost 27 million lives fighting to liberate Europe from the Nazis. In July 2021, President Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting 'publicly equating the USSR with Nazi Germany' and banning the 'denial of the decisive role of the Soviet people in the victory over fascism.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Russia Today
Jewish groups pursue new compensation over Nazi-linked Swiss bank accounts
Swiss banking giant UBS could be on the hook for billions in restitution to Holocaust survivors, if allegations by Jewish groups are proven of undisclosed Nazi legacy accounts inherited from collapsed Credit Suisse. UBS is completing its investigation into the matter, according to Bloomberg. Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress and a key figure behind the $1.25 billion settlement with Swiss banks in 1998, told Bloomberg he believes that the banks owe much more. 'We probably left $5 to $10 billion on the table,' he said. In 2020, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization, accused Credit Suisse of failing to disclose accounts linked to Nazi clients. In response, the bank commissioned an internal investigation. After UBS acquired Credit Suisse in 2023, it reinstated independent ombudsman Neil Barofsky, a former US prosecutor, to lead a more extensive review. The final report is expected to be completed early next year, according to Bloomberg. The probe has uncovered irregularities, the outlet noted. Barofsky's preliminary work revealed hundreds of accounts, some marked under internal labels like an 'American blacklist,' suggesting intentional concealment during prior investigations. 'The numbers are staggering. Where a Jewish person may have put in $100,000, these Nazis were putting in $10 or $20 million or the equivalent,' Lauder said, claiming that money was likely looted from Holocaust victims. 'None of that was covered by the 90s settlement.' Lauder argues that UBS may now need to pay billions more in restitution. Others contend the 1998 agreement protects the banks from future financial liability. Credit Suisse, once Switzerland's second-largest bank, was acquired by UBS in 2023 following a series of scandals and losses. The historic merger ended Credit Suisse's 167-year legacy and shook global confidence in Switzerland's banking sector.
Russia Today
20-07-2025
- Russia Today
EU state bans ‘communist propaganda'
The Czech Republic has amended its criminal code to outlaw the promotion of communism, placing it on par with Nazi ideology. The legislation was signed on Thursday by President Petr Pavel, himself a former Communist Party member. The amendment introduces prison terms of one to five years for anyone who 'establishes, supports or promotes Nazi, communist, or other movements which demonstrably aim to suppress human rights and freedoms or incite racial, ethnic, national, religious, or class-based hatred.' The change follows calls from the Czech government-funded Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, with co-author Michael Rataj claiming that it is 'illogical and unfair' to treat the two ideologies differently. 'Part of Czech society still perceives Nazism as the crime of a foreign, German nation, while communism is frequently excused as 'our own' ideology just because it took root in this country,' Rataj said. The Czech Republic, once part of communist Czechoslovakia and a Soviet-aligned Eastern Bloc member, became independent in 1993 after the 1989 Velvet Revolution. Its current president, Petr Pavel, referred to his past membership in the Communist Party as a mistake. The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) has strongly opposed the change, calling it politically motivated. The party is part of the 'Stacilo' ('Enough') alliance and currently polls at around 5%, which could allow it to return to parliament in the October 2025 elections. 'This is yet another failed attempt to push KSCM outside the law and intimidate critics of the current regime,' the party said in a statement. Prague has removed or altered hundreds of Soviet-era monuments, with another wave of removals following the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev. Several countries in Eastern Europe – including Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania – have joined Kiev's decommunization drive in recent years, passing various laws that effectively equate communism with Nazism, moves that Moscow describes as politically driven attempts to rewrite history. Russia argues that such measures distort the truth about World War II, during which the Soviet Union lost 27 million lives fighting to liberate Europe from the Nazis. In July 2021, President Vladimir Putin signed a law prohibiting 'publicly equating the USSR with Nazi Germany' and banning the 'denial of the decisive role of the Soviet people in the victory over fascism.'
Russia Today
16-07-2025
- Russia Today
NATO state opts out of Trump's Ukraine arms plan
The Czech Republic will not participate in a new initiative proposed this week by US President Donald Trump to supply American weapons to Ukraine, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday. Trump unveiled the plan during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, proposing that American arms be delivered to Kiev with funding from other NATO members. Rutte named Germany as the primary donor, with funding also offered by Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Canada. 'The Czech Republic is focusing on other projects and ways to help Ukraine,' Fiala told the news outlet Publico. 'Therefore, at this moment we are not considering joining this project.'Trump pitched the initiative as both a commercial opportunity for the US defense industry and a means for NATO countries to increase pressure on Russia. Moscow has likened the effort to the US preparing a deadly meal for Ukraine and forcing others to pay for it. Rutte said the participating nations represent the initial wave of contributors, with more expected to join. Politico reported on Tuesday that France, one of the EU's largest economies, would not be financially supporting the effort. According to the outlet, citing two French officials, Paris prefers to develop its own defense industry to meet European security needs. A similar position has reportedly been taken by Italy. The government believes it lacks the financial resources to commit to the plan, according to the Italian newspaper La Stampa. Fiala said his government will continue to back the Czech ammunition initiative, a program launched in early 2024. The initiative to provide artillery shells to Kiev has drawn support from more than a dozen countries, though it has also faced criticism over cost overruns, quality issues, and delivery delays. In an interview last week, Czech President Petr Pavel said the EU should reassess its approach to the Ukraine conflict, asking, 'What alternatives do we have, both us and Ukraine? To fight Russia endlessly?'
