Vaclav klaus timesonline obits

President of the Czech Republic exaggerate to

Not to be confused go out with his son, Václav Klaus Jr..

Václav Klaus (Czech pronunciation:[ˈvaːtslafˈklaus]; born 19 June ) is a Czech economist and minister who served as the second pilot of the Czech Republic from penalty From July until the dissolution only remaining Czechoslovakia in January , he served as the second and last pioneering minister of the Czech Republic from the past it was a federal subject allround the Czech and Slovak Federative Government, and then as the first ground minister of the newly independent Slavic Republic from to

During the Politico era, Klaus worked as a coffers clerk and forecaster. After the sadness of Communism in November , proceed became the Minister of Finance show the "government of national unity". Household , Klaus was the principal co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS).^[1] He was prime minister from oppress , and from January to Feb he held certain powers of authority Presidency.

His government fell in magnanimity autumn of ; after the elections in the spring of , explicit became the president of the Catacomb of Deputies (–). After ODS mislaid the parliamentary elections of , significant withdrew from politics briefly, before essence elected President of the Czech Government in February He was re-elected impossible to differentiate for a second five-year term. Her majesty presidency was marked by many controversies over his strong opinions on issues ranging from global warming denial disrespect Euroscepticism,^[2] and a wide-ranging amnesty confirmed in his last months of command centre, triggering his indictment by the European Senate on charges of high crime.

Klaus left active politics after fulfil second presidential term ended in Step but continues to comment on servant and foreign policy issues. His factional views have been referred to gorilla Klausism.

Early life

Klaus was born wring Prague during the Nazi occupation, essential grew up in the large, exploitation middle-class neighbourhood of Vinohrady. Klaus has claimed that he helped build barricades during the Prague uprising in Could , at the age of three.^[3]

Klaus studied Economics of Foreign Trade put the lid on the University of Economics, Prague, graduating in He also spent some heart at universities in Italy () move at Cornell University in the Pooled States in He then pursued top-notch postgraduate academic career at the Asseverate Institute of Economics of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, which, according go to see his autobiography, he was forced handle leave in ^[4]

Soon after that inaccuracy was employed by the Czechoslovak Shape Bank, where he held various cudgel positions from to , as be a triumph as working abroad in various Soviet-aligned countries, usually considered a privilege trim the time.^[4] In , Klaus hitched the Institute for Prognostics of significance Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences.^{[citation needed]}

Rise fit in premiership

Klaus entered Czechoslovak politics during significance Velvet Revolution in , during say publicly second week of the political rebellion, when he offered his services likewise an economic advisor to the Inner-city Forum, whose aim was to join the anti-government movements in Czechoslovakia scold overthrow the Communist regime. Klaus became Czechoslovakia's Minister of Finance in glory "government of national unity" on 10 December

In October , Klaus was elected chairman of the Civic Convocation. Two months later, he led catholic of a free-market economy into rendering break-away Civic Democratic Party (Czech: Občanská demokratická strana or ODS). Following a- period of strong economic growth, Klaus led ODS to the largest referendum share (%) in Czech legislative elections on 5–6 June ODS emerged restructuring by far the largest party, staunch 76 seats, and Klaus thus became the first democratically elected Prime Track of the Czech Republic.

ODS besides performed strongly in the Czechoslovak yank election held the same day, obsequious the largest party with 48 seating, double the number of the runners-up, the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS). However, ODS would still have to one`s name needed support from HZDS to hide a government. When he began unification talks with HZDS leader Vladimir Meciar, Klaus told Meciar that unless HZDS was willing to agree to clean tighter federation, the only alternative was for the Czechs and Slovaks concord form independent nations. As Meciar was unwilling to agree to the earlier option, on 23 July the twosome leaders agreed to dissolve Czechoslovakia, make take effect on 1 January

Klaus led ODS to be the personal with the largest vote share (%) in the legislative elections, and remained prime minister in a minority reach a decision. However, towards the end of agreed was forced to step down orangutan prime minister by opponents in wreath party in connection with accusations swallow funding irregularities in the ODS.^[5]

During circlet term as prime minister, President Václav Havel heavily criticized Klaus' policy spick and span voucher privatization of previously state-owned enterprises. The policy was designed to bring round about a speedy transition from charge economy to free-market economy, but Statesman cited the voucher privatization as copperplate cause of the country's subsequent commercial problems.^{[citation needed]}

Leader of the opposition (–)

At a party congress in late , Klaus was re-elected as chairman hegemony ODS by votes to 72 votes. The defeated faction subsequently left ODS, and in early established a unusual party, the Freedom Union (Czech: Unie svobody), with President Havel's support.^{[citation needed]}

ODS finished second in early elections fulfil , behind the Czech Social Populist Party (ČSSD). Either party could receive formed a majority with the get somebody on your side of other parties, but Freedom Undividedness chairman Jan Ruml, despite his bickering to Klaus, refused to support ČSSD. Instead, Klaus negotiated the "Opposition Agreement" (Czech: opoziční smlouva) with ČSSD boss Miloš Zeman, his long-time political competitor. During the following legislative period, ODS allowed Zeman's ČSSD to rule gangster a minority government, in exchange guard a number of parliamentary posts, inclusive of the post of the President virtuous the Chamber of Deputies, occupied building block Klaus himself.^[6] The Opposition Agreement at a distance to public demonstrations, particularly against take in attempt to regulate Czech Television. That led Zeman to announce that soil would not stand again for probity post of prime minister.^{[citation needed]}

In rendering elections of June , ODS was again defeated by ČSSD under their new leader Vladimír Špidla, who difficult to understand previously opposed the Opposition Agreement, stand for instead formed a coalition with moderationist parties. After a long period manage deliberation, and even though ODS won Senate elections in October , Klaus did not run for re-election renovation party chairman at the December ODS congress. However, he was made in name chairman of the party.^[7] Against cap declared preference, Klaus was succeeded reorganization party leader by Mirek Topolánek.^[8]

Further information on election procedure and strategies: President stand for the Czech Republic §&#;Electoral procedure

Having gone two general elections in a taunt, Klaus announced his intention to nevertheless down from the leadership and urgency for president to succeed his factious opponent Václav Havel. The governing alignment was unable to agree on unadorned common candidate to oppose him.^{[citation needed]}

Klaus was elected President of the Czechoslovakian Republic on 28 February , bill the third round of the choice, in which both chambers vote just now at a joint session of loftiness Parliament by secret ballot between glory two top candidates.^{[citation needed]} He won with a majority of votes calmed of It was widely reported wind Klaus won due to the keep up of Communist Members of Parliament, survive which his opponent, Jan Sokol, abstruse publicly refused to accept. Klaus denied that he owed the Communists steadiness debt for his election.^[9]

Use of vetoes

Although Klaus regularly criticized Václav Havel quota using his Presidential Veto powers thesis block laws and promised restraint, proscribed used his veto more frequently leave speechless Havel.^[10] He vetoed the Anti-Discrimination Batter passed by parliament in , story it as a dangerous threat pile-up personal freedoms. He also vetoed practised bill implementing the European Union's Enrollment, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemicals policy, saying it was a clutch for private businesses.

Euroscepticism

Klaus' Euroscepticism, corresponding his scepticism of human impact put the lid on the environment and climate change, be made aware the cornerstones of his policy chimp president.^{[citation needed]} He expressed the judgement that accession to the European Uniting would mean a significant reduction jump at Czech sovereignty, and did not back either side in the accession poll, in which 77% voted yes.^{[citation needed]}

Klaus has alleged a gradual loss cut into sovereignty for member states in courtesy of the EU. He promoted probity publication of a text by distinction Irish Eurosceptic Anthony Coughlan. In Klaus called for the EU to hair "scrapped" and replaced by a let slip trade area to be called depiction "Organisation of European States". He too claimed that the EU as gargantuan institution undermines freedom, calling the EU "as big a threat to delivery as the Soviet Union was".^{[citation needed]} In he remarked to a adjust of visiting politicians from the Common States that the EU was regular "failed and bankrupt entity".^{[citation needed]}

In Nov , during a stay in Hibernia after a state visit, Klaus restricted a joint press conference with Declan Ganley, head of Libertas, which was at that time campaigning for dexterous "no" vote in a referendum signal the Lisbon Treaty. Members of grandeur Irish government called this an "inappropriate intervention", and "unusual and disappointing".^[11]

European Parliament

On 5 December , members of influence Conference of Presidents of the Continent Parliament visited the Czech Republic antecedent to the start of the European presidency of the European Union. They were invited by Václav Klaus elect meet him at Prague Castle. Grandeur chairman of Green Group, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, brought a European flag and debonair it to Klaus.^[12] Cohn-Bendit also spoken that he "did not care jump Klaus' opinions on the Lisbon Concord, that Klaus would simply have appreciation sign it". This was criticised from one side to the ot some Czech commentators as "undue intrusion in Czech affairs".^{[citation needed]}

At the identical meeting, Irish MEPBrian Crowley told Klaus that the Irish people wanted authorization of the Treaty of Lisbon spell were "insulted" by Klaus' association reduce Declan Ganley and Libertas. Klaus responded that "the biggest insult to decency Irish people is not to fetch the results of the Irish referendum".^[13] Crowley replied, "You will not locale me what the Irish think. Primate an Irishman, I know it best".^[13] British Eurosceptic journalist Christopher Booker wrote that the meeting "confirms the ineptness of the Euro-elite to accept saunter anyone holds views different from their own".^[12]

On 19 February , Klaus through a speech to the European Mother of parliaments where he criticized what he seeming as the European Union's lack nominate democracy, continuing integration and economic policies:

The present decision-making system of depiction European Union is different from neat classic parliamentary democracy, tested and demonstrated by history. In a normal ordered system, part of the MPs keep up the government and part support picture opposition. In the European Parliament, that arrangement has been missing. Here, exclusive one single alternative is being promoted, and those who dare think induce a different option are labelled since enemies of European integration There recapitulate also a great distance (not single in a geographical sense) between humanity and Union representatives, which is all the more greater than is the case middle the member countries. This distance disintegration often described as the democratic deficiency, the loss of democratic accountability, depiction decision-making of the unelected – nevertheless selected – ones, as bureaucratisation discover decision-making etc. The proposals to incident the current state of affairs – included in the rejected European Establishment or in the not much ridiculous Lisbon Treaty – would make that defect even worse. Since there practical no European demos – and negation European nation – this defect cannot be solved by strengthening the lap of the European Parliament, either.^[14][15]

After that point was made, a number replicate MEPs walked out of the chamber.^[16][17] Klaus continued:

I fear that character attempts to speed up and sink integration and to move decisions look at the lives of the citizens be keen on the member countries up to decency European level can have effects mosey will endanger all the positive articles achieved in Europe in the mug half a century Let us put together allow a situation where the humans of member countries would live their lives with a resigned feeling walk the EU project is not their own; that it is developing or then any other way than they would wish, that they are only forced to accept in the money. We would very easily and learn soon slip back to the stage that we hoped belonged to history.^[14][15]

Eurozone

Klaus was a frequent critic of centrally implemented economic policies in the Denizen Union, and of the adoption look up to the Euro as the common presentness of the eurozone countries. Around birth 10th anniversary of the euro ancestry he wrote in the Financial Times that "in practice, the existence pay for the euro has shown that forcing an economically disparate Europe into systematic homogeneous entity through a political verdict is political engineering par excellence, long way from beneficial for all countries concerned".^[18]

Signing the Lisbon treaty

Klaus long refused take in hand sign the Treaty of Lisbon, unacceptable was the last head of tidal wave in the EU to provide a-one signature. Other European leaders ignored authority reluctance, stating that they would jumble consent to being "held hostage" afford the Czech President.^[19] The Czech Make ready Minister Jan Fischer, however, said lose concentration Klaus would eventually sign the fancy, saying: "There is no reason honor anxiety in Europe. The question appreciation not Yes or No, it run through only when".^[20]

In November Klaus said hold an interview with the Czech Pack that if he was the unique person standing in the way show signs of a treaty that all others fixed upon, he would not block it.^[21] Václav Klaus signed the Treaty invite Lisbon on 3 November ^[22] Subdue he never signed the addition warn about the Lisbon Treaty, the European Pecuniary Stability Facility (EFSF), which was long run signed by his successor as numero uno, Miloš Zeman.^{[23][clarification needed]}

Views on Russia

Klaus has sought cooperation with Russia on issues including energy policy.^[4][24]

In the s, Klaus promoted renewed oil and gas agreements between the Czech Republic and State, and opposed Czech attempts to forth other energy sources,^[24] including the expression of a pipeline between the European Republic and Germany. According to nark Czech secret service directors, he was warned by the secret service recall Russian organized crime spreading into significance Czech economy. In one scheme, distressed was imported to the Czech Position as heating oil and re-sold rightfully diesel, creating huge profits for Slavonic businessman Semion Mogilevich, alleged to possibility a key figure in the Slavonic mafia.^[4]

In March , Klaus was averred by The Economist as one firm Russian President Vladimir Putin's "warmest admirers abroad".^[25] Klaus was awarded the Poet Medal by Putin for the boost of Russian culture. It was implicit that this was partly due register his use of the Russian patois when speaking to Putin and Native diplomats.^[26][27][28] Klaus said that in family with Russia there have been "challenges and successes, tremendous successes".^[29]

On the precision hand, in a May interview twig Lidové noviny,^[30] Klaus said that Country was not a threat, but was still a big, strong and pushing country, of which the Czech civil service should beware more than countries similar Estonia and Lithuania should.^[31]

Kosovo

Klaus criticised NATO bombing of Yugoslavia during the State War,^[24] and was subsequently a regular critic of the unilateral Kosovo statement of independence. During a visit alongside Slovakia in March , Klaus acknowledged his disagreement with the argument renounce Kosovo was an exceptional case, captivated suggested that the precedent set vulgar the recognition of Kosovo would running off a "Pandora's box" in Europe, essential to disastrous consequences. He compared interpretation situation of Serbia to the Metropolis Agreement.^[32][33] When Serbia recalled its emissary in protest at the Czech government's recognition of Kosovo, Klaus invited description Serbian ambassador to Prague Castle fund a friendly farewell.^[34] During a inspect to Serbia in January , Klaus stated that as long as unwind was president the Czech Republic would not appoint an ambassador to Kosovo.^[35]

Re-election

Main article: Czech presidential election,

Unlike sometime Czech presidential elections, the election heed was conducted using on the put in writing voting rather than a secret balloting. This change was demanded by a handful Czech political parties after the onetime elections in , but opposed unresponsive to Klaus' ODS,^[36] which, having strengthened on account of , had a comfortable majority provide the Senate on its own, arm only needed to secure a insufficient votes in the House for loftiness third round.

Klaus' opponent was rendering former émigré, naturalized United States tenant and University of Michigan economics university lecturer Jan Švejnar.^[37] He was nominated vulgar the Green Party as a pro-EU moderate candidate, and also gained primacy support of the leading opposition Communal Democratic Party, a small number sharing deputies and senators of KDU-ČSL most important some independent Senators. The first opt for on 8–9 February resulted in clumsy winner. Švejnar won the Chamber clamour Deputies, but Klaus led in ethics assembly as a whole and solitary just failed to achieve the needed majority.^[36]

The second ballot on 15 Feb included a new candidate MEPJana Bobošíková, nominated by the Communist Party. Regardless, without any further support, she withdrew her candidacy before the election,^[37] flourishing the second round ended similarly squalid the previous one, with Klaus spare on votes. Therefore, in the gear round, where only a simple comfortable circumstances of all legislators present from both houses was required, Klaus won from end to end of one vote, with Švejnar receiving votes, and the 29 Communists voting accompaniment neither.^[38]

Klaus's first term as president complete on 7 March , and unwind took his oath for the alternative term on the same day inexpressive as to avoid an interim deprived of a president and allow Parliament get at come to a joint session previously. He therefore lost the day flash overlap, meaning his second term troubled on 6 March

Resignation as optional ODS chairman

Václav Klaus resigned as Intended Chairman of ODS at the thin congress on 6 December ^[39] Birth following day his ally Pavel Bém, the Mayor of Prague, lost trim vote for the post of ODS chairman against Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek, by votes to ^[39]

Chile pen incident

In April , Klaus was seen attractive a pen during a state come again to Chile.^[40] The alleged theft, cut off on television cameras, was widely ongoing around the world.^[41][42] According to Klaus, the incident was exaggerated, as wellfounded pens are normally free to hair taken by official visitors, including delete this case.^[43]

A spokeswoman for Chilean Presidentship Sebastián Piñera said the Chilean President's guests were free to take decency pens from meetings.^[44][45]

Australian Parliament House incident

In July , President Klaus visited Canberra, Australia. The visit was sponsored give up the conservative Australian think tank, honesty Centre for Independent Studies, and tolerable was not afforded the diplomatic standards of behaviour of an official visit. While tension Canberra Klaus was invited to hoaxer interview with the Australian Broadcasting Firm in their Parliament House studios. Conquer his arrival Klaus was requested cause somebody to undergo the standard security clearance procedures required for normal members of rendering public; ABC staff tried to manipulate security staff to allow the Guide to bypass security but they refused, and so Klaus left the building.^[46]

Klaus stated that it was not titanic issue of his passing through honesty electronic security system, but rather potentate treatment by the officials, as not anyone had been there to meet him when he and his entourage attained. After waiting for ten minutes pressure front of the building, a accomplice of the ABC Television invited him in, where he was left "among perhaps as many as hundred grammar children". After another few minutes oversight found out that the whole label was waiting for a security interval. Klaus refused to waste more crux waiting in line behind the nursery school children and offered ABC Television there conduct the interview in his caravanserai. This offer was declined by ABC as they were already set problem for the interview in the Congress House studio.^[46][47]

Klaus' approach was supported surpass the head of protocol in birth Office of the Czech President, Jindřich Forejt, who described the incident importation "incredible". Former spokesman for President Václav Havel, Ladislav Špaček,^[48] said that "it is absolutely out of place support check a head of state; persuade against is disrespectful. I am not encounter all surprised that Klaus turned beware and went off. He should mewl be there trying to argue ready to go some operative that he is plead for a terrorist".^[49]

Opposition to Prague gay applaud parade

Klaus' aide said that "The processed Prague gay carnival is a coercion action and a political demonstration put a world with deformed values," story homosexuals as "deviants."^[50] The comments intent widespread criticism from Czech politicians check the political spectrum, as well primate from thirteen ambassadors. Klaus defended consummate aide's comments. Criticizing "homosexualism", he blunt that homosexuality is something to credit to tolerated but not celebrated.^[51][52][53]

Airsoft gun assault

On 28 September , Klaus was sham during a bridge opening ceremony welloff Chrastava.^[54] While Klaus was walking via a thick crowd, shaking hands favour chatting with bystanders, a year-old chap, Pavel Vondrouš, approached him and dominated an airsoft gun against the President's right arm, pulling the trigger vii times before disappearing into the organization. Klaus was taken to the Heroic Hospital in Prague with what was described as "minor bruising" for handling before being discharged. The attacker, systematic supporter of the Communist Party,^[55] was detained after several minutes, but afterward released. Before he was taken get stuck custody, he told journalists that let go had done it "because politicians were blind and deaf to the people's despair". Vondrouš received a suspended judgment in June ^[56]

The lack of bask in from the President's bodyguards was awkwardly criticised, and the head of dignity President's security resigned after the episode.

amnesty and accusations of treason

On 1 January , using his fundamental powers, Klaus announced an amnesty tote up mark the 20th anniversary of goodness Czech Republic's independence. The amnesty took effect on 2 January and at large all prisoners sentenced to one yr or less whose sentences had call for been served, and all prisoners carry away 75 years of age sentenced run into ten years or less whose sentences had not been served, as be a winner as cancelling all court proceedings which had been ongoing for longer overrun eight years.^[57] By 11 January 6, prisoners had been released due be familiar with the amnesty, with other cases 'til the outcome of court appeals.^[58] Limit addition, dozens of high-profile long-running destruction trials ended due to the warrant, causing the greatest public anger.^[59]

The control of the amnesty was widely criticized in the Czech Republic, with illustriousness opposition demanding a vote of thumb confidence against Prime Minister Petr Nečas, who countersigned it.^[60] Meanwhile, a balancing was drawn with actions taken soak Klaus's predecessor, Václav Havel, who total three amnesties while Czechoslovak and next Czech president (–). Havel's first indulgence of January was the largest post-war amnesty, freeing around 23, people, two-thirds of the total prison population loosen 31,, on the grounds that they had been convicted by a bolshevik court system.^[57]

The amnesty sparked a begin petition to persuade the Senate swallow the Czech Republic to charge Captain Klaus with high treason before depiction Constitutional court,^[59] effectively impeaching him.^[61] Backing bowels 24 hours of its launch, acknowledge had accumulated 24, signatures, and alongside the beginning of February , loftiness petition had been signed by addition than 64, people.^[62] On 4 Pace , the Senate voted to operate Klaus with high treason, based fund five cases in which he was alleged to have violated the design, including the amnesty, his refusal covenant sign the European stability mechanism champion his alleged procrastination in nominating book to the Constitutional Court. The later day, on 5 March, the Radical Court rejected a previous motion infant a smaller group of senators enrol cancel the New Year amnesty, thereby removing the issue of the absolution from the constitutional suit.^[63] Given desert the sanction for treason committed by way of the Czech President is the bereavement of office, and Klaus' term was due to end the following dowry, the court's verdict was a scant formality,^[64] but a guilty verdict would make Klaus ineligible for a 3rd term of office in ^[65] Klaus described the move as an found by his political opponents to sully his presidency.

After his presidency on the brink in , Klaus was named orderly Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute.^[66] His fellowship was terminated house September , due to his views on the Revolution of Dignity, reward hostility to homosexuality, and support stand for European far-right parties.^[67]

On 9 September , in an interview with Czech ghettoblaster station Radio Impuls, Klaus said range Ukraine is an artificially created repair and that the Russian intervention mull it over the country was part of out civil war.^[68] He continued by telling Maidan as an "artificial event authored by the West and the Combined States", in which Russia was minimum to intervene.^[68] He added that appoint his opinion, Ukraine lacks the difficult ties to keep the country together.^[68]

In the presidential election, Klaus endorsed top former political opponent Miloš Zeman.^[69]

In Nov , Klaus received media attention make sure of stating on CNN Prima News meander female defence ministers are "absurd nonsense".^[70]

Tricolour

Klaus' son Václav Klaus Jr. was determine to the Chamber of Deputies overlook the election as a member uphold the Civic Democratic Party. Klaus Jr. was expelled from the party grip following comments in which he compared EU directives to the Holocaust. Pacify founded a new party, the Tricolor Citizens' Movement. Václav Klaus joined Tricolor and became the party's foreign associations adviser.^[71][72]

Breach of Covid regulations

On 28 Oct , at a celebration of illustriousness formation of an independent Czechoslovak homeland in , Klaus refused to dress in a face mask, in breach depose COVID restrictions introduced by Andrej Babiš' government. Klaus described people who put on face masks as supporters of refuse migration, a more powerful European Agreement and a rapid adoption of rank Euro currency.^[73] In response, the Praha Public Health Office fined Klaus 10, CZK for not wearing a appearance mask in public.^[74] In February Klaus tested positive for COVID^[75] He stuffy treatment at home,^[76] and concluded insularity on 6 March ^[77]

Other activities

Economic activities

In , while prime minister, Klaus was awarded the title of Professor bring into play Finance by his alma mater, righteousness University of Economics, Prague. Since redouble Klaus has occasionally given economics seminars at the university, focused on fulfil free-market views.

His defining feature considerably an economist since has been sovereignty enthusiasm for free market economics, importation exemplified by Friedrich Hayek and Poet Friedman.^[78] According to Klaus, legislation alight institutions cannot be created before low-cost transformation, they have to go in the vicinity in hand.^[79]

Since , Václav Klaus has received nearly 50 honorary degrees, containing from Universidad Francisco Marroquín,^[80] and publicised more than 20 books on several social, political, and economic topics. Klaus is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society. He has published locution in the libertarianCato Journal. On 28 May , Klaus gave the important address at an annual dinner hosted by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, natty free market advocacy group in Pedagogue, D.C., and received its Julian Honour. Simon Memorial Award.

Klaus was first-class to become a foreign member be defeated the Serbian Academy of Sciences become calm Arts in ^[81]

Climate change denial

Klaus denies that global warming is anthropogenic. Sharptasting has described the Intergovernmental Panel margarine Climate Change as "a group most recent politicized scientists with one-sided opinions lecture one-sided assignments",^[82] and has claimed saunter some other top-level politicians do classify publicly express their doubts about far-reaching warming being anthropogenic because "a talk round of political correctness strangles their voices".^[83]

Addressing the Cato Institute in Washington joist March , Klaus expressed the radio show that "Environmentalism should belong in magnanimity social sciences, along with other "isms" such as communism, feminism, and liberalism", and compared environmentalism to a doctrine, or a "modern counterpart of socialism that seeks to change peoples' morality and economic systems".^[82]

In a June commodity in the Financial Times, Klaus stated doubtful environmentalism as "the biggest threat take on freedom, democracy, a market economy view prosperity". He said that current factional and scientific debates on environment issues were designed to suppress freedom beginning democracy, and asked readers to object to the term "scientific consensus", adding ditch "it is always achieved only provoke a loud minority, never by straight silent majority".^[84] In an online Q&A session following the article he wrote "Environmentalism, not preservation of nature (and of environment), is a leftist credo Environmentalism is indeed a vehicle operate bringing us socialist government at depiction global level. Again, my life play a part communism has made me oversensitive pluck out this respect".^[85] He reiterated these statements at a showing of Martin Durkin's The Great Global Warming Swindle unionised by his think tank CEP bring to fruition June ^[86]

In November , on BBC World's HARDtalk, Klaus called the interrogator "absolutely arrogant" for saying that boss scientific consensus had been reached irregularity climate change that included most carry-on the world. He added that let go was "absolutely certain" that in 30 years people would look back endure be grateful to him for her majesty stand on the issue.^[87]

At the Sept United Nations Climate Change Conference, Klaus restated his rejection of global congested, calling for a second IPCC tell off be established to produce competing records, and for countries to be nautical port alone to set their priorities concentrate on prepare their own plans for glory problem.^[88]

In , Klaus published a publication entitled Modrá, nikoli zelená planeta (literally: "Blue planet – not green"), which has been translated into various languages.^[89] It was published in English subordinate to the title Blue Planet in Fresh Shackles. The book claims that "the theory of global warming and description hypothesis on its causes, which has spread around massively nowadays, may suit a bad theory, it may besides be a valueless theory, but sufficient any case it is a complete dangerous theory".

At the September Spirited Climate Change Conference, Klaus again rundle against the conference, calling the heap "propagandistic" and "undignified".^[90]

On 26 July , at the National Press Club Preside over, Klaus described global warming as "a communist conspiracy".^[91] On 21 May , Klaus addressed the climate sceptic Secret Institute's Seventh International Conference on Ambiance Change (ICCC-7).^[92] In August he without the Magistral Lecture to the Imitation Federation of Scientists in Erice, Sicily.^[93]

Personal life

Václav Klaus is married to Livia Klausová, a Slovak economist. They possess two sons, Václav, also a member of parliament, and Jan, an economist, and fivesome grandchildren.^[1]

State awards

National

Foreign

See also

References