Political parties and leaders:
governing coalition: Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Vaclav KLAUS,
chairman; Christian Democratic Party (KDS), Ivan PILIP, chairman;
Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA), Jan KALVODA, chairman; Christian
Democratic Union/Czech People's Party (KDU-CSL), Josef LUX,
chairman; note - KDS was to merge with ODS in March 1996
opposition: Czech Social Democrats (CSSD - left opposition), Milos
ZEMAN, chairman; Left Bloc (LB - left opposition), Jaroslav ORTMAN,
chairman; Communist Party (KSCM - left opposition), Miroslav
GREBENICEK, chairman; Liberal Social Union (LSU - left opposition),
Frantisek TRNKA, chairman, note - may not still be in existence;
Liberal National Social Party (LSNS - center party), Vavrinec
BODENLOS, chairman; Bohemian-Moravian Center Union (CMUS - center
party), Jan JEGLA, chairman; Assembly for the Republic (SPR-RSC -
right radical), Miroslav SLADEK, chairman
Other political or pressure groups: Czech-Moravian Chamber of
Trade Unions; Civic Movement
International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS,
CCC, CE (guest), CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NACC, NSG, OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UN Security Council (temporary), UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPROFOR, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael ZANTOVSKY chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 363-6315, 6316 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Jenonne R. WALKER embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1 mailing address: Unit 1330, APO AE 09213-1330 telephone: [42] (2) 2451-0847 FAX: [42] (2) 2451-1001
Flag: two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (almost identical to the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)
Economy ———-
Economic overview: The Czech Republic, which separated from Slovakia on 1 January 1993, emerged from recession with 2.6% growth in 1994 and 5% growth in 1995. Inflation in 1994-95 was cut in half; unemployment was kept at about 3%; the budget was balanced; and exports were reoriented to the EU. Prague's mass privatization program, including its innovative distribution of ownership shares to Czech citizens via "coupon vouchers," has made the most rapid progress in Eastern Europe. About 80% of the economy is wholly or partially in private hands. Because of its progress on reform, the Czech Republic in 1995 became the first post-Communist member of the OECD. Its solid economic performance also led Standard and Poor's to upgrade the country's sovereign credit rating to "A" and attracted nearly $5.3 billion in direct foreign investment to Czech industry between 1990 and September 1995. The Czech crown became convertible for current account transactions in October 1995. Czech companies increasingly are using the international capital market to fund capital investment, and foreign currency reserves totaled $13.9 billion at the end of 1995. Prague's biggest macroeconomic concern now is limiting the inflationary effect of these large capital inflows. The Czech economy also still faces microeconomic problems. Prague has promised to strengthen its bankruptcy law and improve the transparency of stock market operations in 1996, but some changes probably will not take effect until some time after the parliamentary elections of mid-1996 and will depend largely on voluntary compliance. Prague forecasts a balanced budget, 5.5% GDP growth, 2.8% unemployment, and 8.1% inflation for 1996.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $106.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 5% (1995 est.)