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Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.
He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.
In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.
Global Real Estate Project
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Czech story: The future trapped by the past
On the surface the Czech Republic, or, if you prefer, the Czech part of former Czechoslovakia, was a highly homogeneous society in ethnical terms. This fact has played decisive role during the most recent history of the country, when communism was put down and democracy was established. No public energy was wasted on moderating the inexistent ethnic conflicts within Bohemia and Moravia* and once Czech and Slovak societies decided to divorce, it was made in a civilized manner, without a hint of bloodshed. But today's clear surface wasn't always so homogeneous. Before the WWII about a third of the Bohemia and Moravia population was comprised of ethnic Germans (the so-called Sudeten Germans). They played a major role in encouraging the Hitler's aggression following the Munich Agreement in 1938. Being rightly considered as Nazi agents, they were brutally expelled by the Czech authorities in1945. Since then these Germans were living in West Germany and since 1990 in unified Germany. They never have given up the hope to return to their native places where their ancestors have lived for centuries. The Sudeten Germans isn't the only foreign ethnic group that ultimately could claim a big chunks of the Czech land and other properties. Before the WWII Prague was a major Jewish center in Central Europe. Part of this population was exterminated in the German camps during the war; some of those who survived decided to go to the Middle East since 1947. Today many survivors can be found in different places around the world, ranging from Argentina through the United States and Canada to Israel. They can also decide some day to claim their properties and actually some do it, in fact without a major success. To make this reclamation picture even juicier the Liechtenstein's royal family claims restitution of 1,600 sq.km of land in the Czech Republic confiscated in 1918. Before the WWI today's Czech lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and large areas were private properties of German aristocratic families. If all foreigners' restitution claims are satisfied, then it seems that almost nothing will be left to the present Czech population is terms of real estate. It seems also that the big powers don't want to bring up these questions. France and England are still shamed of their behavior during the Munich Agreement in 1938. Germany is still looking for allies in order to internationalize the problem. The United States don't want to point at their ally in the war against the terror, Russia doesn't favor any substantial change in the post WWII status quo in Europe that could undermine its sacrifices during the war. On the other hand, an outright Czech rejection of any property claim coming from abroad could hardly be maintained in a country that respects the rule of law. There are additional pressures that could influence the property restitution process in the years to come. Joining EU later this year will increase the power of Germany over the Czech political process. Once inside EU, Czech Republic will have gradually to demolish any of now existing discriminatory restrictions on foreign property. Being part of EU will bring the much-needed psychological comfort for the local population to live in a larger community of nations without feeling that its ethnic identity or its very existence is threatened.
 * - The historic regions of Bohemia and Moravia constitute today's Czech Republic.
-------- Czech Republic profile: --------------------
See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Czech Republic.
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