The flaws of the Czech 'lustration law'

Judit Hamberger of the Laszlo Teleki Institute in Hungary points to how Czech Social Democrats and communists try to get round the so-called Lustration Law, which excludes former communist functionaries and secret service collaborators from holding public office. "In their government programme the Social Democrats, in government since 1998, say nothing about wanting to make a break with the communist past. On the contrary: there are numerous attempts to hinder the process of confrontation with the past." Hamberger criticises the fact that while state security spies are publicly condemned, there are still former collaborators whose identity remains secret. "There are many who can count themselves as the real winners of the Velvet Revolution. Their names don't appear on any lists and before the fall of communism they were relatively well paid. After the fall of communism they were able to profit from privatisation measures, thanks to their connections in high places and privileged access to information. They don't hold public office but many own large companies."

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