ps: was Czech the only official language back then, or were both official?
Robert Fico, millionaire businessman, formed his left-populist movement [..] My problem with Fico, beyond lack of trust, is that he shows no scruples allying with other populist or extremist parties (and also plays the nationalist card).
I agree, just the first part (left-populist & millionnaire) is incompatible in my eyes. It's ok to be a millionnaire who wants to do good things, but being a millionnaire AND a populist just doesn't cut it.
I don't know how it was before WWII, but after, both were. However, at federal level in politics and in the media, Czech dominated.
I was told that Slovakians in Czechoslovakia could understand Czech just from watching TV easily, but today's youth doesn't understand it. I would be really interested if Barbara or (if they heard both languages spoken) our Russian crew could tell how different really the two languages are.
Regarding Fico, while I don't trust him, I wouldn't already dump him. He sticked to some less easy promises, e.g. abadoning the flat tax which means tax raise for the rich. So maybe he won't dump all promises once in power. Also, the fact that Barroso was called in to campaign for his incumbent opponent and that the US ambassador seems to think that Mečiar is now all fine (lesser evil?) incites my sympathies :-) *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
