Democracy Digest: Czech Culture Ministry Cuts Funding for Velvet Revolution Anniversary

In an interview with iDnes.cz earlier this week, Czech Culture Minister Oto Klempir (of the ultraconservative Motorists party) said that his department will not grant any subsidies this year to the organisers of Korzo Narodni – a series of events marking the 37 th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution on November 17 on Narodni trida, one of central Prague’s main avenues. “It’s not that I don’t want to give them money,” Klempir reasoned, arguing that this specific state subsidy program can only apply to round anniversaries and that the association in charge of the event, Diky Ze Muzem, therefore did not meet the requirements for the grant. Having successfully applied for the ministry’s subsidies in recent years,