The death of the former Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is being noticed by a number of media in Austria and other countries. For example, the APA agency recalled that for many years he was one of the most important figures in the Czech political scene and was known for his sharp statements.
Die Presse reported that a great European of the old school had passed away, and with his departure, one of the last great political personalities who, as chancellor at Prague Castle, helped to restore freedom and democracy in the Czech Republic after decades of communist lawlessness, is leaving the Prague scene.
Schwarzenberg was a convinced European and was always in favor of the Czech Republic belonging to the “hard core” of the EU, the APA agency wrote. The Reuters agency also described the ex-minister as a strong supporter of closer European integration.
The media remind that Schwarzenberg supported the resistance against the communist regime in his homeland, and after leaving Czechoslovakia, he joined international campaigns to support persecuted human rights fighters. This theme remained with him even after his return to Prague – first when he stood by Václav Havel and later when he served as foreign minister.
On your own https://twitter.com/othmar_karas/status/1723607571674628155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1723607571674628155%7Ctwgr%5E1f137d7da35d8a9e412b26415806e57732d86d80%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fde.euronews.com%2F2023%2F11%2F12%2Fkarel-schwarzenberg-ist-tot-trauer-um-tschechiens-ex-aussenminister Austrian politician and first vice-president of the European Parliament Othmar Karas also remembered Schwarzenberg on the X social network. According to him, Schwarzenberg was a great European, a critical thinker and a fighter for democracy. “His lifelong work for the European idea and his work in Eastern and Central Europe will not be forgotten,” he wrote, adding that he would miss their conversations together.
Der Standard recalled that Schwarzenberg’s characteristic feature was often a quirky and biting sense of humor and self-irony. The APA wrote that he could also be very direct, sometimes using colloquialisms or even swearing.
Austrian opponents of nuclear energy, for whom he had the term “magor”, also fell victim to this verbosity. As foreign minister, he compared the work of diplomats to the work of prostitutes and, after the Russian attack on Ukraine, drew parallels between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler.
Tags: convinced European left Foreign media commenting Schwarzenbergs death
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