Czech Republic: Havel Returns From Vacation

  • By Jolyon Naegele


Prague, 28 February 1997 (RFE/RL) - Czech President Vaclav Havel returned to Prague yesterday evening from a brief vacation in Belgium and Holland with his bride of nearly two months, Dagmar. Last week Havel likened the vacation to a honeymoon and said it would mark the end of his convalesence following a lung operation nearly three months ago.

The 60-year-old dissident playwright turned president has said he expects to return to his full work schedule in the coming days.

Havel is due to receive Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov today.

The Czech president has less than one more year to go before his five-year mandate expires. He has said he has no intention of publicly declaring in advance whether he intends to run again or retire.

But sources close to the Czech President told RFE/RL this week, Havel would consent to being reelected by parliament provided a consensus in his favor exists among lawmakers and on condition there be no repetition of the lengthy, last minute, acrimonious debate in parliament over his qualifications, as took place prior to his election in 1993.