Šídlo: The mass departure of Russian diplomats from Prague was one of the most important moments of 2021 | iROZHLAS
When politics becomes a boring affair, is there something wrong? Should we have a boring policy? How did the year 2021 change the Czechia? And what will it bring to the local political scene next year? The guest of the New Year’s Eve edition of Twenty Minutes of Radiožurnál was Jindřich Šídlo, a commentator for the Seznam Zprávy server and the author of the satirical show Šťastný pondělí.
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Print
Copy url address
Abbreviated address
Close
How hard is it today to invent a satirical show? Aren’t the politicians taking the wind out of your sails?
It is not hard. Rather, it is important to decide what we will joke about. But whenever people claim that political satire cannot be done in this country, I say that is not true. Political satire is not a mockery of politicians, because I don’t even think politicians are stupid. And I think most politicians are smarter than me. It’s a commentary that, with the humor that should be present, describes serious things. Political satire is not making fun of the stupid statements of politicians that fall. Just as stupid statements from journalists fall.
Listen to the whole interview with Jindřich Šídl
There has been talk of a split society for a long time. Is it taken?
It’s nothing new, society is divided in some way, as it always has been. Even in that politics. It was in the 1996 election that we first found ourselves living in a country inhabited by at least two sections of the population with quite different interests, fears, hopes. As journalists, we found out that there was some other Czechia, represented at the time by Miloš Zeman, a Czechia that did not feel on the side of the winners of these post-revolutionary years. We found out in 1996, and since then it’s actually just happening again. The presidential election told us definitively. Even though governments change, the basic division of the country remains. Social networks only make it more aggressive. But even so, people who vote differently can have fun together in the normal world.
In the comments for Czech Radio Plus, you described the year 2021 as the year that changed the Czechia. In what sense?
Basically. On the one hand, he changed political conditions, he changed the government. Which is nice about a democracy, that the government is handed over peacefully at regular intervals. And for those of us who like the history of politics, it’s nice that we’ve checked two things: that I never know how it will turn out, and that it usually happens after two terms.
And just as important, if not more important, was what happened in April this year. The case of Vrbětice, when the government of Andrei Babiš, and I think it deserves great respect, together with the secret services did what politicians from the former national team did not want to do, but it never had the space, opportunity, chance – limiting Russian influence in Czech Republic. Mass departure of Russian “diplomats” from Prague, the pictures from the airport, this is one of the most important moments of this year… Such a significant event in terms of foreign policy and security, I have not experienced perhaps 30 years of departure of Soviet troops.
Let’s go to 2022. How do you see what it will probably bring us?
The presidential campaign begins. There will be municipal elections in the autumn, the parties are also very interested in it, so it will be quite busy around it. And it will go hand in hand with the Czech Presidency of the EU, which is something that does not tear the veins of the citizens, but it is an important action that we must manage. And with that comes the presidential campaign, in January 2023 we will have another presidential election. And I think that will have a fundamental impact on that year. Another thing that will affect this is energy prices. The government is in a very difficult situation. And then we also don’t know what will happen to the covid.
Share on Facebook
Share on LinkedIn
Print
Copy url address
Abbreviated address
Close