Czech Post ( Czech : Česká pošta ) is the state-owned postal company of the Czech Republic . With its headquarters in Prague , the corporation has around 31,000 employees. Czech Post primarily serves the Czech Republic but also delivers to other countries.
107-441: Česká pošta was established on 1 January 1993, on the Dissolution of Czechoslovakia , separated from the Slovak postal service , as well as from Cesky Telecom . All these organisations had previously been united under the Administration of Posts and Telecommunications , but were split following a decision from the Minister of Economy on 16 December. In 1993 implementation of the APOST automatic postal system began. On 29 May 1999
214-563: A federal Czechoslovakia. Some major Slovak parties, however, advocated a looser form of coexistence and the Slovak National Party sought complete independence and sovereignty . For a few years, political parties re-emerged, but Czech parties had little or no presence in Slovakia and vice versa. To have a functioning state, the government demanded continued control from Prague, but Slovaks continued to ask for decentralisation. In 1992,
321-568: A Czech magazine. Hardships during the World War I took their toll, and she died in 1923. Their son, Jan , was a Czechoslovak ambassador in London, foreign minister in the Czechoslovak government-in-exile (1940–1945) and in the governments from 1945 to 1948. They had four other children: Herbert, Alice , Eleanor, and Olga. Born and raised a Catholic , Masaryk later became a Protestant ; first joining
428-556: A July 1924 gathering of 120 global labour experts (of which 60 were from the United States ), organized with Masaryk Academy of Labour. After the rise of Adolf Hitler , Masaryk was one of the first political figures in Europe to voice concern. Masaryk resigned from office on 14 December 1935, because of old age and poor health, and was succeeded by Edvard Beneš . Masaryk (b. 07 March 1850) died less than two years after leaving office, at
535-558: A Slovak himself, returned most control to Prague. That approach encouraged a regrowth of Slovak separatism after the fall of communism. By 1991, the Czech Republic's GDP per capita was some 20% higher than Slovakia's. Transfer payments from the Czech budget to Slovakia, which had been the rule in the past, were stopped in January 1991. Many Czechs and Slovaks desired the continued existence of
642-571: A State (1927). Karel Čapek wrote a series of articles, Hovory s T.G.M. ("Conversations with T.G.M."), which were later collected as Masaryk's autobiography . Masaryk married Charlotte Garrigue in 1878, and took her family name as his middle name. They met in Leipzig , Germany, and became engaged in 1877. Garrigue was born in Brooklyn to a Protestant family with French Huguenots among their ancestors. She became fluent in Czech and published articles in
749-524: A bust was erected in 2002 on Zakhysnykiv Ukrainy Square (former Druzhby Narodiv Square) in Uzhhorod , Ukraine. Avenida Presidente Masaryk (President Masaryk Avenue) is a main thoroughfare in the exclusive Polanco neighbourhood of Mexico City . In 1999 the city of Prague donated a statue of Masaryk to Mexico City, one of the two originals made when the statue for the Prague Castle was being prepared for
856-621: A decision of the Director General of Česká pošta canceled the operation of the branch plant, OZ shipping and commercial services and OZ VAKUS (acronym from the original name of Computer and control switchboard connections). On 22 November 2006 the Supervisory Board discussed a proposal to convert Česká pošta into a limited company, and instructed the Director-General Karl Kratina to develop the proposal further. A new SPU
963-520: A figure of interest to sociology and philosophy, especially within Czechoslovakia, where his significance has been analysed in depth by philosophers such as Jan Patočka (1991 monograph), Milan Machovec (1968 monograph) and others. As the founding father of Czechoslovakia, Masaryk remains revered by Czechs and Slovaks. Masaryk University in Brno , founded in 1919 as Czechoslovakia's second university,
1070-585: A grant of automatic citizenship only to those who were born on Czech territory. For others, the right to citizenship required proof of a five-year period of residence, an "unobjectionable" criminal record, significant fees and a complicated bureaucratic process, which reportedly excluded a rather large percentage of Roma. The Slovak government did not want to grant citizenship to nonresidents. Significant numbers of Roma living in Czech orphanages did not have their legal status clarified and were released from care as adult noncitizens without any right to work or live in
1177-659: A leading Russian historian and one of the leaders of the Kadet Party, to introduce him to various members of Russian high society. In early 1916, the Czechs and Slovaks in Russian service were reorganized as the First Czecho-Slovak Rifle Regiment. In a rare attempt to influence public opinion, Masaryk opened up an office on Piccadilly Circus in London whose exterior was covered with pro-Czechoslovak slogans and maps with
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#17328588453751284-566: A main thoroughfare in Ljubljana is named after Masaryk. Streets named Thomas Masaryk can be found in Geneva and Bucharest . Asteroid 1841 Masaryk , discovered by Luboš Kohoutek , is named after him. He received awards and decorations before and after World War I. Masaryk's motto was "Fear not, and steal not" ( Czech : Nebát se a nekrást ). A philosopher and an outspoken rationalist and humanist , he emphasised practical ethics reflecting
1391-521: A meeting in Bratislava . Czechoslovak President Václav Havel resigned, rather than oversee the secession, which he had opposed. In a September 1992 opinion poll, only 37% of Slovaks and 36% of Czechs favoured dissolution. The goal of negotiations switched to achieving a peaceful division. Peaceful division was prioritized as the process ran in parallel with the violent breakup of Yugoslavia (another formerly socialist, Slavic federal state created after
1498-416: A much lower understanding of Slovak. Also, the number of Slovak-language books and newspapers sold in the Czech Republic dropped drastically. The Czech television news, however, started to reintroduce Slovak-language coverage from Slovakia and Slovak television (STV2) rebroadcasts the Czech television newscast Události ČT daily, ten minutes after midnight. On the public Radio and Television of Slovakia , it
1605-504: A somewhat limited role; the framers of the constitution intended to create a parliamentary system in which the prime minister and cabinet held actual power. However, a complex system of proportional representation made it all but impossible for one party to win a majority. Usually, ten or more parties received the 2.6 per cent of votes needed for seats in the National Assembly. With so many parties represented, no party even approached
1712-743: A student in Leipzig, on 15 March 1878. They lived in Vienna until 1881, when they moved to Prague . Masaryk was appointed professor of philosophy at the Czech Charles-Ferdinand University, the Czech-language part of Charles University , in 1882. He founded Athenaeum , a magazine devoted to Czech culture and science, the following year. Athenaeum , edited by Jan Otto, was first published on 15 October 1883. Masaryk's students included Edward Benes and Emanuel Chalupny. Masaryk challenged
1819-562: A symbol of Czech nationalism. There were founded "The Masaryk Academy of Labour", for the scientific study of scientific management too, with the Masaryk's supporting in Prague in 1918 and Masaryk University in Brno . Masaryk visited France, Belgium, England, Egypt and the Mandate for Palestine in 1923 and 1927. With Herbert Hoover , he sponsored the first Prague International Management Congress,
1926-726: Is commemorated by a number of statues, busts, plaques, coins and postage stamps. Although most are in or of the Czech Republic and Slovakia , Masaryk has a statue on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C. , and in the Midway Plaisance park in Chicago and is memorialized in San Francisco 's Golden Gate Park rose garden . A plaque with a portrait of Masaryk is on the wall of a hotel in Rakhiv, Ukraine , where he reportedly resided from 1917 to 1918, and
2033-524: Is common to have at least one daily newscast from the Czech Republic during prime time news. Furthermore, many programmes on Slovak television channels are still dubbed into Czech, some films in cinemas are subtitled in Czech and there are far more Czech-language books and periodicals on the market than there were before the dissolution. The major boost for the language interchange has come from private television channel providers like CS Link (Czech Republic) and Sky Link (Slovakia) that offer Slovak channels in
2140-553: Is lessened by both nations' membership in the EU as the freedom of movement for workers , a policy that guarantees EU citizens the right to work and to live anywhere in the Union. In the case of movement between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the policy took effect from 2004. By contrast, the Czech Republic has prohibited dual citizenship for naturalized citizens and requires them to give up existing citizenship(s) prior to receiving citizenship of
2247-515: The Allied powers and Masaryk was recognised as head of its provisional government. He was formally elected president in November, and was reelected three times subsequently. Masaryk presided over a period of stability as Czechoslovakia emerged as a strong democratic state. He resigned from office in 1935 due to old age, and was succeeded by Beneš. He retired to the village of Lány and died two years later at
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#17328588453752354-550: The Antarctic Treaty from the date that Czechoslovakia had signed the agreement in 1962. Both countries have ratified the Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties , and it was not a factor in the dissolution of Czechoslovakia since it did not come into force until 1996. The dissolution had some negative impact on the two economies, especially in 1993, as traditional links were severed to accommodate
2461-467: The Czechoslovak flag . During the 1992 negotiations on the details of dissolution of Czechoslovakia, as demanded by Vladimír Mečiar and Václav Klaus , a clause forbidding the use of the state symbols of Czechoslovakia by its successor states was inserted into the constitutional law on the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. From 1990 to 1992, the red and white flag of Bohemia (differing only slightly from
2568-725: The First Slovak Republic was created as a satellite state of Germany with limited sovereignty. The alignment with the Soviet Union after World War II oversaw the reunification into the Third Czechoslovak Republic . In 1968, the Constitutional Law of Federation reinstated an official federal structure of the 1917 type, but during the Normalization Period in the 1970s, Gustáv Husák , despite being
2675-754: The Institut d'études slaves of the Sorbonne on " Les Slaves parmi les nations " ("The Slavs Among the Nations"), receiving what was described as a "vigorous applause". During the war, Masaryk's intelligence network of Czech revolutionaries provided critical intelligence to the allies. His European network worked with an American counterespionage network of nearly 80 members, headed by Emanuel Viktor Voska (including G. W. Williams ). Voska and his network, who (as Habsburg subjects) were presumed to be German supporters, spied on German and Austrian diplomats. Among other achievements,
2782-598: The Pittsburgh Agreement , which promised a common state consisting of two equal nations: Slovaks and Czechs. However, the Czechoslovak Constitution of 1920 specified a single "Czechoslovak nation". In subsequent years, there were political tensions in the new country between Czechoslovakists and those seeking greater autonomy for the Slovaks in particular. In March 1939, with pressure from Adolf Hitler ,
2889-447: The Polish flag by proportion and tone) officially served as the flag of the Czech Republic. Eventually, after a search for new symbols, the Czech Republic unilaterally decided to ignore the aforementioned law and to keep the Czechoslovak flag, with an altered meaning. Slovakia, meanwhile, adopted its traditional flag ; however, just before independence, on September 3, 1992, the coat of arms
2996-585: The Russian Empire , the United States and Japan . Masaryk began organizing Czechs and Slovaks outside Austria-Hungary during his exile, establishing contacts which would be crucial to Czechoslovak independence. He delivered lectures and wrote several articles and memoranda supporting the Czechoslovak cause. Masaryk was pivotal in establishing the Czechoslovak Legion in Russia as an effective fighting force on
3103-509: The University of Vienna and was a student of Franz Brentano . He received his Ph.D. from the university in 1876 and completed his habilitation thesis, Der Selbstmord als soziale Massenerscheinung der modernen Civilisation ( Suicide as a Social Mass Phenomenon of Modern Civilization ), there in 1879. From 1876 to 1879, Masaryk studied in Leipzig with Wilhelm Wundt and Edmund Husserl . He married Charlotte Garrigue , whom he had met while
3210-614: The Velvet Divorce , a reference to the bloodless Velvet Revolution of 1989, which had led to the end of the rule of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia . Czechoslovakia was created with the dissolution of Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I . In 1918, a meeting took place in the American city of Pittsburgh , at which the future Czechoslovak President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and other Czech and Slovak representatives signed
3317-469: The Visegrád Group , to reduce costs. One of the problems not solved during dissolution was the question of a large number of Romani living in the Czech Republic born and officially registered in today's Slovakia. Most of them did not re-register their official place of stay during the months before dissolution and so the question of their citizenship was left open. The 1992 Czech Nationality Act allowed
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3424-511: The coat of arms of Czechoslovakia was a composition of those of the historic geographic areas forming the country, each republic simply kept its own symbol: the Czechs the lion and the Slovaks the double cross. The same principle was applied to the two-part bilingual Czechoslovak national anthem that comprised two separate pieces of music, the Czech stanza Kde domov můj and the Slovak stanza Nad Tatrou sa blýska . Disputes occurred only with respect to
3531-474: The dissolution of Austria-Hungary ). On November 13, the Federal Assembly passed Constitution Act 541, which settled the division of property between the Czech lands and Slovakia. With Constitution Act 542, passed on November 25, they agreed to the secession of Czechoslovakia into two entities as of December 31, 1992. The partition occurred without violence and so was thus said to be " velvet ", much like
3638-597: The euro as its currency, with a conversion rate of 30.126 SK/€, and the €2 commemorative coin for 2009 , Slovakia's first, featured the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in remembrance of the common struggle of the Czechoslovaks for democracy. By a quirk of fate, the welcoming speech on the behalf of the European Union on the occasion of Slovakia's entry to the eurozone was delivered by Mirek Topolánek ,
3745-413: The " Velvet Revolution ", which had preceded it and had been accomplished by massive peaceful demonstrations and actions. In contrast, other post-communist breakups (such as the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia ) involved violent conflict. Czechoslovakia is the only former Eastern Bloc state that had an entirely peaceful breakup. In the following years, as Slovakia's economy struggled, Slovaks began to describe
3852-463: The "less-developed Slovakia". Similarly, others looked forward to an independent unexploited Slovakia that might become a new " economic tiger ". According to The Prague Post , "Slovak GDP reached 95 percent of the Czech GDP, and it is likely to draw level with it. The Slovak gross national product (GNP), which includes citizens' incomes abroad and deducts the money multinational companies move out of
3959-468: The 150th anniversary of his birth. The community of Masaryktown, Florida , founded by Slovaks and Czechs, is named after him. In Israel, Masaryk is considered an important figure and a national friend. A village was named after him - Kibbutz Kfar Masaryk near Haifa, which was largely founded by Jewish immigrants from Czechoslovakia. One of the main squares in Tel Aviv is Masaryk Square (he had visited
4066-436: The 151 seats needed for a majority; indeed, no party ever won more than 25 per cent of the vote. These factors resulted in frequent changes of government; Masaryk's tenure saw ten cabinets headed by nine statesmen. Under the circumstances, Masaryk's presence gave Czechoslovakia a large measure of stability. This stability, combined with his domestic and international prestige, gave Masaryk's presidency more power and influence than
4173-544: The Allied side during World War I, when he held a Serbian passport. In 1915 he was one of the first staff members of the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (now part of University College London ), where the student society and senior common room are named after him. Masaryk became professor of Slavic Research at King's College London , lecturing on the problem of small nations. Supported by Norman Hapgood T. G. Masaryk wrote
4280-708: The Austrian empire. After the 1917 February Revolution he proceeded to Russia to help organize the Czechoslovak Legion , a group dedicated to Slavic resistance to the Austrians. Miliukov became the new Russian foreign minister in the Provisional government, and proved very sympathetic towards the idea of creating Czechoslovakia. After the Czechoslovak troops' performance in July 1917 at the Battle of Zborov (when they overran Austrian trenches),
4387-644: The Chicago meeting on 8 October 1918, Chicago industrialist Samuel Insull introduced him as the president of the future Czechoslovak Republic de facto and mentioned his legions. On 18 October 1918 he submitted to president Thomas Woodrow Wilson "Washington Declaration" ( Czechoslovak declaration of independence ) created with the help of Masaryk American friends ( Louis Brandeis , Ira Bennett, Gutzon Borglum , Franklin K. Lane , Edward House, Herbert Adolphus Miller , Charles W. Nichols , Robert M. Calfee , Frank E. J. Warrick , George W. Stearn and Czech Jaroslav Císař ) as
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4494-539: The Czech Republic elected Václav Klaus and others, who demanded either an even tighter federation ("viable federation") or two independent states. Vladimír Mečiar and other leading Slovak politicians wanted a kind of confederation . Both sides opened frequent and intense negotiations in June. On July 17, the Slovak parliament adopted the declaration of independence of the Slovak nation . Six days later, Klaus and Mečiar agreed to secede Czechoslovakia into two separate states at
4601-527: The Czech Republic and Slovakia since they automatically lose Slovak citizenship upon voluntarily acquiring another one (see previous paragraph). Exempt from that law are only Slovak citizens who obtain a foreign citizenship by virtue of marriage with a foreign national. Some Slovak politicians have speculated in the media about softening the Citizenship Act, but no change has yet materialised as of January 2015. Citizens of both countries were allowed to cross
4708-606: The Czech Republic and vice versa. Additionally, several channels, regardless of their national origin, offer programs both in Czech and Slovak (CSFilm, TV Barrandov ) or even mix like TV Nova 's Nova Sport coverage of the English Premier League . New impulses to mutual contacts coming via television are also common shows like the Intelligence Test of Nations, Czechoslovakia's Got Talent , and Masked Singer broadcast by PRIMA and TV JOJ, and Czecho-Slovak SuperStar ,
4815-696: The Czech Republic converted all money on 8 February 1993 from Kčs to Kč. In Slovakia stamps were also applied on banknotes, and a new 10 SK coin was introduced. At the beginning, the currencies could be exchanged at par, but later the value of the Slovak koruna was usually lower than that of the Czech koruna (in 2004, around 25–27% lower). On August 2, 1993, both currencies were distinguished by different stamps that were first affixed to and then printed on old Czechoslovak koruna banknotes. New Czech and Slovak coins replaced old ones during 1993. On January 1, 2009, Slovakia adopted
4922-555: The Czech Republic or the Slovak Republic, based on their previous citizenship, permanent residence address, birthplace, family ties, job and other criteria. Additionally, people had one year's time to claim the other citizenship under certain conditions. Slovak legislation allowed dual citizenship until 2010, when it was abolished under the Citizenship Act . Only a handful of people have exercised that right, but its significance
5029-516: The Czech Republic, the right wing opened the economy, and the left wing privatised banks and attracted foreign investors. Until 2005, the GDP of the two countries was growing at a similar rate. However, from 2005 to 2008, the Slovak economy grew faster than the Czech economy. Economists agree that this growth was caused by the right-wing reforms of the Mikuláš Dzurinda government and the promise to adopt
5136-460: The Czech Republic. Under pressure from the European Union, the Czech government made amendments to its nationality law in 1999 and 2003, which effectively solved the problem, but compensation has not been provided to those rendered stateless in 1992. In the former Czechoslovakia, the first television channel was a federal one, and the Czech and Slovak languages were used in equal ratios in
5243-419: The Czech Republic. That requirement can be waived only if giving up an existing citizenship might put the applicant or their relatives in danger of persecution in their homeland, which was not the case of applicants from Slovakia. That situation changed with the new Citizenship Act of 2013 (186/2013 Sb.), in force since January 1, 2014. However, most Slovak citizens are still unable to become dual citizens of both
5350-585: The Czechoslovak national anthem. Young Slovak people still have the same knowledge of Czech as their predecessors, if not better. In Slovakia, Czech may still be used automatically in all judicial proceedings, and all documents written in Czech are acknowledged by Slovak authorities and vice versa. Further, the Slovak Official Language Act, passed in 2009, reconfirmed the right of Czechs to use their language in all official communication when dealing with Slovak authorities although it explicitly limited
5457-672: The Czechs and the Slovaks agreed to honour the treaty obligations of Czechoslovakia. The Slovaks transmitted a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations on May 19, 1993, to express their intent to remain a party to all treaties signed and ratified by Czechoslovakia and to ratify treaties signed but not ratified before dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The letter acknowledged that under international law , all treaties signed and ratified by Czechoslovakia would remain in force. For example, both countries are recognized as signatories of
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#17328588453755564-403: The EU countries whose salaries form the lowest portion of their GDP. In other words, some of people's incomes come from sources other than their main employment, which reduces the real difference between the Czech and the Slovak salaries. Slovaks have become a more integral part of the EU because of their adoption of the euro and are more resolved to take part in the banking and fiscal unions. In
5671-651: The Russian High Command authorized the formation of a battalion recruited from Czechs and Slovaks in Russia. The unit went to the front in October 1914 and was attached to the Russian Third Army. From its start, Masaryk wanted to develop the legion from a battalion to a formidable military formation. To do so, however, he realized that he would need to recruit Czech and Slovak prisoners of war (POWs) in Russian camps. In late 1914, Russian military authorities permitted
5778-733: The Russian provisional government granted Masaryk and the Czechoslovak National Council permission to recruit and mobilize Czech and Slovak volunteers from the POW camps. Later that summer a fourth regiment was added to the brigade, which was renamed the First Division of the Czechoslovak Corps in Russia (Československý sbor na Rusi, also known as the Czechoslovak Legion – Československá legie). A second division of four regiments
5885-486: The Slovak national team to the silver medal at the 2012 IIHF World Championship , having beaten the Czech team in the semifinals. Several sports have featured a common league, and discussions about having a common football or ice hockey league continue. Tom%C3%A1%C5%A1 Garrigue Masaryk Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (7 March 1850 – 14 September 1937) was a Czechoslovak statesman, progressive political activist and philosopher who served as
5992-449: The Soviet Union , when the Russian Federation was recognized as successor state not only to the Russian SFSR but also to the Soviet Union itself, and also contrasts with the dissolution of Yugoslavia , where the rump Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , dominated by Serbia and encompassing only it and Montenegro , unsuccessfully demanded recognition as the sole successor to the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia , even though
6099-439: The University of Chicago and introduced to the highest political circles (including Wilson). Except for president Wilson and the secretary of the state Robert Lansing this was Ray Stannard Baker , W. Phillips, Polk, Long, Lane, D. F. Houston, William Wiseman , Harry Pratt Judson and the French ambassador Jean Jules Jusserand . And Bernard Baruch , Vance McCormick, Edward N. Hurley , Samuel M. Vauclain, Colonel House too. At
6206-417: The adoption of two national currencies as early as February 8, 1993. On February 2, 1993 Act No. 60/1993 Coll. came in effect in the Czech Republic to create a separate currency that was already envisaged in the Czech Constitution and in Act No. 6/1993 Coll. that created the Czech National Bank by stamping Czechoslovak banknotes. The stamps had already been prepared in secret in 1992 after the decision about
6313-418: The age of 87, in Lány on 14 September 1937. He was buried next to his wife in a plot at Lány cemetery, where later the remains of Jan Masaryk and Alice Masaryková were laid to rest. Masaryk did not live to see the Munich Agreement or the Nazi occupation of his country, and was known as the Grand (Great) Old Man of Europe. Masaryk's unique combination of intellectual and political authority has made him
6420-476: The age of 87. Masaryk was born to a poor, working-class family in the predominantly Catholic city of Hodonín , Margraviate of Moravia , in Moravian Slovakia (in the present-day Czech Republic , then part of the Austrian Empire ). The nearby Slovak village of Kopčany , the home of his father Jozef, also claims to be his birthplace. Masaryk grew up in the village of Čejkovice , in South Moravia , before moving to Brno to study. His father, Jozef Masárik,
6527-425: The approximate ratio between the Czech and Slovak population in Czechoslovakia, including army equipment, rail and airliner infrastructure. Some minor disputes, such as gold reserves stored in Prague and federal know-how valuation, lasted for a few years after the dissolution. Initially, the old Czechoslovak currency, the Czechoslovak koruna , remained in use by both countries . Czech fears of an economic loss caused
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#17328588453756634-455: The basic document for the foundation of a new independent Czechoslovak state. Speaking on 26 October 1918 as head of the Mid-European Union in Philadelphia, Masaryk called for the independence of Czechoslovaks and the other oppressed peoples of central Europe. T.G. Masaryk's heroic defence of the Jewish defendant in the Hilsner Trial left a lasting mark on him and led to a deep interest in Jewish thought, Zionism and interreligious relations. At
6741-462: The border using an ID card instead of a passport and were allowed to work anywhere without the need to obtain an official permit. Border checks were completely removed on December 21, 2007, when both countries joined the Schengen Agreement . Under the current European regulations, citizens of either country are entitled to the diplomatic protection of any other EU country and so both have been considering merging their embassies, together with nations of
6848-423: The bureaucracy of international trade, but the impact was considerably less than expected by many people. A customs union between the Czech Republic and Slovakia remained in place from the dissolution until May 1, 2004, when both countries entered the European Union (EU). Many Czechs hoped that dissolution would quickly start an era of high economic growth in the Czech Republic, which no longer had to sponsor
6955-411: The city in 1927). In Haifa , one of the junctions in the city was named after him as well. Many cities in Israel named streets after his name, including Jerusalem , Petach Tikva , Netanya , Nahariya and others. A Masaryk forest was planted in the Western Galilee. Streets in Zagreb , Belgrade , Dubrovnik , Daruvar , Varaždin , Novi Sad , Smederevo and Split are named Masarykova ulica, and
7062-406: The country, is higher than the Czech one. Old-age pensions are more or less at the same level in both countries, and the consumption per capita is slightly higher in Slovakia. However, salaries are 10 percent lower on average in Slovakia than in the Czech Republic". However, Martin Filko, the head of the Institute of Financial Policy of the Slovak Finance Ministry, pointed out that Slovakia is among
7169-407: The differences between the two nations, which date back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire , and to other issues. There are differences between the Czechs and Slovaks, such as problems with the shared state during communism, the success of the state in the Czech lands , its failure in the Slovak lands that still resulted in the adoption of communism since the Czechs were more influential in the running of
7276-412: The difficulties via mutual negotiations, financial compensation and then an international treaty covering the border modifications. People living or owning property in the border area, however, continued to experience practical problems until both new countries entered the Schengen Agreement Area in 2007, rendering the border less significant. Most federal assets were divided in a ratio of two to one,
7383-433: The dissolution as a "sandpaper divorce". A number of reasons have been given for the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, with the main debates focusing on whether dissolution was inevitable or whether dissolution occurred in conjunction with or even in contrast to the events that occurred between the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the end of the joined state in 1992. Those who argue from the inevitability stance tend to point to
7490-551: The dissolution of Czechoslovakia. In December 1992 some of the reserve banknotes started to be stamped in the selected banks in secret. From 8 February to 12 February old banknotes of 100, 500 and 1,000 Kčs (Czechoslovak crowns) were exchanged for the stamped ones in the Czech Republic and a new 200 Kč banknote was introduced. Each person over 15 could exchange banknotes up to 4,000 crowns, and minors below 15 years of age up to 1,000 crowns. Banknotes of lower denominations and coins remained until new ones were printed and minted. Banks in
7597-476: The euro because of the financial crisis and the Civic Democrats' ideological stance. Since federalisation in 1968, Czechoslovakia had divided citizenship, either of the Czech Socialist Republic or of the Slovak Socialist Republic , the word Socialist being dropped from both names shortly after the Velvet Revolution . That distinction, however, had little effect on citizens' life. On January 1, 1993, all Czechoslovak citizens automatically became citizens either of
7704-551: The euro, which attracted investors. When the left-wing populist Robert Fico replaced Dzurinda as Slovak prime minister after eight years in 2006, he reduced the right-wing reforms only moderately, but he did not abolish them, unlike the Czech Social Democrats (ČSSD). Meanwhile, the Czechs had three ČSSD prime ministers in four years (2002–06), followed by a centre-right cabinet, which cut and simplified taxes but failed to push through other reforms and did not want to adopt
7811-694: The first president of Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1935. He is regarded as the founding father of Czechoslovakia . Born in Hodonín , Moravia (then part of the Austrian Empire ), Masaryk obtained a doctorate at the University of Vienna and was a professor of philosophy at the Czech Charles-Ferdinand University . He began his political career as a deputy of the Austrian Reichsrat , serving from 1891 to 1893 and from 1907 to 1914. He
7918-459: The first memorandum to president Wilson , concerning to independence of the Czechoslovak state, here in January 1917. During World War I and afterwards, Masaryk supported the unification of Kingdom of Serbia and Kingdom of Montenegro . Masaryk championed feminist causes, being influenced by his wife Charlotte Garrigue . Masaryk's progressive ideas strongly influenced Washington Declaration of Czechoslovak Independence. On 5 August 1914,
8025-467: The four remaining ex-Yugoslav states, now independent, collectively encompassed around three-fifths of former Yugoslavia, both in population and in territory. Therefore, Czechoslovakia's membership in the United Nations ceased upon the dissolution of the country, but on January 19, 1993, the Czech Republic and Slovakia were admitted as new, separate states. With respect to other international treaties,
8132-555: The framers of the constitution intended. He used his authority in Czechoslovakia to create the Hrad (the Castle), an extensive, informal political network. Under Masaryk's watch, Czechoslovakia became the strongest democracy in Central Europe. Masaryk's status as a Protestant leading a mainly Catholic nation led to criticism, as did his promotion of the 15th-century proto-Protestant Jan Hus as
8239-641: The inaugural address at the newly opened School of Slavonic Studies at King's College London on "The Problem of Small Nations in the European Crisis", arguing that on both moral and practical grounds that the United Kingdom should support the independence efforts of "small" nations such as the Czechs. Shortly afterwards, Masaryk crossed the English Channel to go to Paris, where he delivered a speech in French at
8346-511: The influence of Anglo-Saxon philosophers, French philosophy and—in particular—the work of 18th-century German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder , who is considered the founder of nationalism. Masaryk was critical of German idealism and Marxism . He wrote several books in Czech, including The Czech Question (1895), The Problems of Small Nations in the European Crisis (1915), The New Europe (1917), and The World Revolution ( Svĕtová revoluce ; 1925) translated into English as The Making of
8453-554: The intelligence from these networks was critical in uncovering the Hindu–German Conspiracy in San Francisco . Masaryk began teaching at London University in October 1915. He published "Racial Problems in Hungary", with ideas about Czechoslovak independence. In 1916, Masaryk went to France to convince the French government of the necessity of dismantling Austria-Hungary. He consulted with his friend professor Pavel Miliukov ,
8560-461: The intention of attracting the interest of those walking by. One of Masaryk's most important British friends was the journalist Wickham Steed who wrote articles in the newspapers urging British support for Czechoslovakia. Another important British contract for Masaryk was the historian Robert Seton-Watson , who also wrote widely in the British press urging British support for the "submerged" nations of
8667-615: The latter being the first international edition of the Pop Idol song contest broadcast by TV Nova and Markíza (both owned by CME ), which also organized joint versions of MasterChef and The Voice in 2012. Also, the New Year's Eve Program for 2009 was prepared and broadcast jointly by ČT and STV and for 2010 by the Czech TV PRIMA and the Slovak TV JOJ, this time even including the singing of
8774-626: The legion to enlist Czech and Slovak POWs from the Austro-Hungarian army; the order was rescinded in a few weeks, however, because of opposition from other areas of the Russian government. Despite continuing efforts to persuade the Russian authorities to change their minds, the Czechs and Slovaks were officially barred from recruiting POWs until the summer of 1917. Under these conditions, the Czechoslovak armed unit in Russia grew slowly from 1914 to 1917. Masaryk preferred to concentrate on elites rather than public opinion. On 19 October 1915, Masaryk gave
8881-634: The middle of the 1993 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships , which took place in Sweden . The team representing Czechoslovakia was renamed "Czech–Slovak" on January 1. In international ice hockey tournaments, the Czech Republic took over Czechoslovakia's place in the A-groups, and Slovakia had to start in the lower divisions. During the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1993 in Falun , Sweden,
8988-444: The name RCS, which stood for "Representation of Czechs and Slovaks". In their last game as "Representation of Czechs and Slovaks", the team failed to qualify after it got only a draw in its final match against Belgium , a match that it had to win to qualify. It was afterward that it was officially split up into Czech and Slovak national teams, with both being declared successors to Czechoslovakia. The mutual encounters between
9095-604: The national teams of both countries in many sports are followed by most of the populations, and the number of players and coaches active in the other republic is significant. Martin Lipták, a Slovak handball coach, successfully led the Czech national team to the EHF 2010 Handball European Championship in Austria. A Slovak team under his coaching, Tatran Prešov, won the Czech national league in 2008 and 2009. Czech ice hockey coach Vladimír Vůjtek led
9202-621: The new CEO of Česká pošta in June 2014. In July 2014, Elkán announced a plan to franchise approximately 200 smaller post offices within the Czech Republic, with 49 franchises already in operation. On 18 June 2018 Roman Knapp became CEO of Česká pošta. Under the scope of the Directorate-General there are currently seven branches and 11 SPUs: Dissolution of Czechoslovakia The dissolution of Czechoslovakia ( Czech : Rozdělení Československa , Slovak : Rozdelenie Československa ), which took effect on December 31, 1992,
9309-505: The postal service moved from the "outpatient method" of sorting items, whereby they were processed during the trip, to a system in which all mail was sorted in the collection transport hubs ( Czech : Sběrných přepravních uzlů ; SPUs) or at post offices. On 1 April 2005 Česká pošta became the responsibility of the Czech Telecommunication Office . On 1 September that year the service received a certificate of accreditation for
9416-459: The prime minister of the presiding country, the Czech Republic, naturally in his native language, but the other guest speakers used English. The Czech Republic continues to use the Czech koruna, or crown, but are bound to switch to the Euro in the future. Neither the Czech Republic nor Slovakia sought recognition as the sole successor state to Czechoslovakia. This can be contrasted to the dissolution of
9523-493: The provision of digital signatures . On 1 September 2006, at the request of the Czech Telecommunications Office, 593 Post was renamed so that mail contains the name consistently modified the name of municipality (without specifying the attributes), except in the villages with the name composed of names of the two villages where the name of the mail, include only the name of one of the parts. On 1 October 2006,
9630-651: The results of ignorance, and that provided that one undertook a proper "scientific" approach to studying the underlying causes it would be possible to devise the correct solutions. As such, Masaryk saw his role as an educator who would enlighten the public from its ignorance and apathy. Masaryk served in the Reichsrat from 1891 to 1893 with the Young Czech Party and from 1907 to 1914 in the Czech Progressive Party , which he had founded in 1900. At that time, he
9737-525: The same time, according to Czech historian Jan Láníček , Masaryk believed that Jews had a "great influence on newspapers in all the Allied countries", and helped the nascent state of Czechoslovakia during its struggle for independence. With the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, the Allies recognized Masaryk as head of the provisional Czechoslovak government. On 14 November of that year, he
9844-479: The ski jumping team competed as a combined Czech–Slovakia team in the team large hill event and won silver. The team had been selected before the dissolution. Jaroslav Sakala won two medals in the individual hill events for the Czech Republic at those games along with his silver in the team event. In their qualifying section for the 1994 FIFA World Cup , the Czechoslovakia national football team competed under
9951-500: The state than Slovaks, and the 1968 constitution with its minority veto. Those who argue that events between 1989 and 1992 led to the dissolution point to international factors such as the breakaway of the Soviet satellite nations, the lack of unified media between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and most importantly the actions of the political leaders of both nations like the disagreements between Prime Ministers Klaus and Mečiar. Since
10058-529: The streets to welcome him; Chicago was the centre of Czechoslovak immigration to the United States, and the city's reception echoed his earlier visits to the city and his visiting professorship at the University of Chicago in 1902 (Masaryk had lectured at the university in 1902 and 1907). He also had strong links to the United States, with his marriage to an American citizen and his friendship with Chicago industrialist Charles R. Crane , who had Masaryk invited to
10165-451: The television news there, but foreign films and television series were almost exclusively dubbed into Czech, for example. That and the great similarity of the two languages made almost all people of both nations passively bilingual : they could understand but not necessarily speak the other language. After the dissolution in 1990s, the new television channels in the Czech Republic practically stopped using Slovak, and young Czech people now have
10272-508: The use of Czech in Slovakia to persons with Czech as their mother tongue. The same is true about using Slovak in the Czech Republic under the Administration Procedure Act of 2004. Gustáv Slamečka , a Slovak citizen who was the Czech transport minister (2009–2010), used only Slovak exclusively during his official communication. See also differences between Slovak and Czech languages . The official breakup occurred right in
10379-604: The validity of the epic poems Rukopisy královedvorský a zelenohorský , supposedly dating to the early Middle Ages and presenting a false, nationalistic Czech chauvinism to which he was strongly opposed. He also contested the Jewish blood libel during the 1899 Hilsner trial . Masaryk was greatly influenced by the 19th-century cult of science. The 19th century was an age of tremendous scientific and technological advances, and as such scientists enjoyed immense prestige. Masaryk believed that social problems and political conflicts were
10486-581: The war. In 1918, Masaryk, along with his protégés Edvard Beneš and Milan Rastislav Štefánik , travelled to the United States to obtain support from President Woodrow Wilson and Secretary of State Robert Lansing . Their negotiations resulted in the Washington Declaration , which proclaimed the independence of a Czechoslovak state. With the fall of Austria-Hungary in late 1918, the First Czechoslovak Republic received recognition from
10593-685: Was elected president of Czechoslovakia by the National Assembly in Prague while he was in New York. On 22 December, Masaryk publicly denounced the Germans in Czechoslovakia as settlers and colonists. Masaryk was re-elected three times: in May 1920 , 1927 , and 1934 . Normally, a president was limited to two consecutive terms by the 1920 constitution , but a one-time provision allowed the first president–Masaryk–to run for an unlimited number of terms. On paper, Masaryk had
10700-488: Was Slovak, born in Kopčany , Slovakia . Jozef Masárik was a carter and, later, the steward and coachman at the imperial estate in the nearby town of Hodonín. Tomáš's mother, Teresie Masaryková (née Kropáčková), was a Moravian of Slavic origin who received a German education. A cook at the estate, she met Masárik and they married on 15 August 1849. After grammar school in Brno and Vienna from 1865 to 1872, Masaryk attended
10807-428: Was added in order to prevent confusion with the similar flags of Russia and Slovenia. The national territory was divided along the existing internal borders, but the border was not clearly defined at some points and, in some areas, the border cut across streets, access roads and communities that had coexisted for centuries. The most serious issues occurred around the following areas: The new countries were able to solve
10914-501: Was added to the legion in October 1917, raising its strength to about 40,000 by 1918. Masaryk formed a good connection with Russian supreme commanders, Mikhail Alekseyev , Aleksei Brusilov , Nikolay Dukhonin and Mikhail Diterikhs , in Mogilev , from May 1917. Masaryk travelled to the United States in 1918, where he convinced President Woodrow Wilson of the righteousness of his cause. On 5 May 1918, over 150,000 Chicagoans filled
11021-591: Was an advocate of restructuring the Austro-Hungarian Empire into a federal state , but by the outbreak of the First World War , he had become a supporter of Czech and Slovak independence. He went into exile, and travelled around Europe to organise and promote the Czechoslovak cause. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Czechoslovak Legion , which fought against the Central Powers during
11128-543: Was named after him when it was founded; after 30 years as Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně v Brně, it was renamed for Masaryk in 1990. Commemorations of Masaryk have been held annually in the Lány cemetery on his birthday and day of death (7 March and 14 September) since 1989. The Czechoslovak, then Czech Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk , established in 1990, is an honour awarded to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to humanity, democracy and human rights. He
11235-770: Was not yet campaigning for Czech and Slovak independence from Austria-Hungary. Masaryk helped Hinko Hinković defend the Croat-Serb Coalition during their 1909 Vienna political trial ; its members were sentenced to a total of over 150 years in prison, with a number of death sentences. When the World War I broke out in 1914, Masaryk concluded that the best course was to seek independence for Czechs and Slovaks from Austria-Hungary. He went into exile in December 1914 with his daughter, Olga, staying in several places in Western Europe,
11342-510: Was opened in Brno in May 2007, replacing three former centres in Brno, Břeclav and Jihlava . Later in 2007 the government approved a plan to transform Česká pošta into a joint stock company, effective mid-2009. In March 2012, legislation was passed to remove the last monopoly from the service, exclusive delivery of items under 50 grams. This legislation came into effect in January 2013. Martin Elkán became
11449-670: Was the self-determined secession of the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries of the Czech Republic (also known as Czechia) and Slovakia . Both mirrored the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic , which had been created in 1969 as the constituent states of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic until the end of 1989. It is sometimes known as
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