Former underground magazine now run by ex party cadres

The editorial leadership of the literary magazine Literarni Noviny, a former figurehead of the Czechoslovakian anti-communist resistance, has recently been taken over by people close to the opposition Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) who have communist backgrounds. Some 15 editors have threatened to leave the publication in protest. The conservative daily Lidové Noviny takes up their defence: "Literarni Noviny needs a change. When it was bought by interests who stood close to CSSD, people at the party started toying with the idea of turning it into a leftist magazine similar to [the liberal weekly] Respect. As CSSD leader Jiří Paroubek - who supports the editorial changes - sees things, Literarny Noviny should reflect the image of a modern, dynamic CSSD. So it is understandable that there should be a change of editors. ... It seems, however, that the image of a modern leftist party is now being determined by party cadres from the days of 'normalisation' [the period between Prague Spring and the fall of communism]."

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