Final Word from Thursday, January 2, 2025

Probably the most important part of Pres. Petr Pavel's New Year's address yesterday was the part he said the least about. He belabored his points about not succumbing to fearmongering, the importance of upholding democratic values and the need for a substantive political debate in an election year, but he didn't explain at all what he meant when he said near the end of his speech that the events this year in France, Germany, the United States, the Middle East and Ukraine will require Czechs and Europeans to take action. "We ourselves will have to be much more active. As a country, and as Europe," he said. "Together with the challenges and the pressure to make major decisions, we also get the chance to push for big changes. We must not waste this opportunity. Even if it means a lot of work, even if it takes a lot of effort." These 58 words (46 in Czech) can probably be boiled down to just eight: "Never let a good crisis go to waste." Petr Pavel certainly isn't known for his original political thinking, so the main question after yesterday's New Year's address is what big surprises his advisers - and their advisers - are preparing us for in 2025. [ Czech Republic scare scaring afraid ]