“Fine Gael’s foreign affairs spokesman Billy Timmins said the Minister for Foreign Affairs should lodge a formal complaint with his Czech counterpart over Mr Klaus’s “inappropriate behaviour in creating a very definite perception that he is strongly sympathising with groupings and individuals who are opposed to Irish Government policy.”
(Irish Times).
What would be the basis of such a complaint? That Mr. Klaus was democratically engaging in free speech?
Copy to:
Fine Gael
Diplomatic norms – The Czech President, is actually the Czech President not a randomer, and would be normally expected to show a bit of decorum and respect for the government of the country he is visiting.
I was shocked that Irish media was not allowed access to Mr. Klaus as they would normally be to any other head of state. How could our Irish government refuse them? What kind of democracy is it that would do that? The free expression of ideas is the very seed of democracy. If we are denied ideas, then how can we evolve as a free nation? Shame on the government, for in effect, gagging President Klaus. They have clearly taken a leaf from US president Bush’s book.
A new low.