Prague, January 8th 1991

At midnight a group of citizens will start a fast which will go on up to the end of the Assembly of Civic Forum, on January 12th »to dialogue and to support all those who will take part to it . In their appeal, is also written: »The next Assembly could be crucial. What's at stake is not only the destiny of a single political organization, but a concept of democracy and a possible evolution of it; and -above all- not only a chance for Czechoslovakia, but the chance for the democratic European society to receive from Czechoslovakia a better, deeper, fuller way of democracy, able to improve their political institutions, and to make faster the trip to an European Union. Only a very strong and strongly democratic government can lead to Europe; only a very strong Civic Forum can assure, now, a strong democratic government. With the fast, continues the appeal,»we ask everybody to try whatever they can for a honorable compromise, able to leave neither winners nor defeated in the name of »such an high political exp

erience as Civic Forum has been and is.

Among the fasters there are members of Transnational Radical Party, like Richard Stockar, Paolo Pietrosanti, Jaromir Soukup; calling the Prague's office of TRP (2361445) is possible to enjoy the fast and/or to express the support: the fast is totally open.

-The unabridged text of the appeal is the following:

Prague, January 8th 1991

Today at midnight we'll start a FAST TO DIALOGUE AND TO SUPPORT ALL THOSE WHO WILL TAKE PART TO THE CIVIC FORUM NEXT ASSEMBLY THAT WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 12th.

We are not in favour of ANY fraction inside Civic Forum: it must be clear.

We are deeply aware that this initiative could be misunderstood: that's why we ask each reader of this text to pay the best attention to its words.

The next Assembly could be crucial. What's at stake is not only the destiny of a single political organization, what's at stake -through the role that Civic Forum will be able or won't be able to play- is a concept of democracy and a possible evolution of it.

What's at stake is also -and above all- not only the chance FOR CZECHOSLOVAKIA to adequate itself to the most evolved political systems, but the chance FOR THE DEMOCRATIC EUROPEAN SOCIETY to receive from Czechoslovakia a better, deeper, fuller way of democracy, able to improve their political institutions, and above all to make faster the trip to an European Union, according to the will that is proved does belong to the big majority of Czech and Slovak citizens.

Only a very strong and strongly democratic government can lead this country to Europe with the strenght not only Czechoslovak, but every and each European citizen needs. Only a very strong Civic Forum can assure, NOW, a strong democratic government to Czechoslovakia.

We'll go on with our fast up to the end of the Civic Forum Assembly.

We want to make clear, definitely clear that decisions about the destiny of Civic Forum canNOT be taken NOW, WITHOUT MORE REFLECTION, WITHOUT A BIGGER AND DEEPER DEBATE, WITHOUT TRYING TO FIND EVERY WAY OF DIALOGUE IS THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE TO FIND, WITHOUT BEING AWARE OF THE WHOLE CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIETY BEING INVOLVED IN SUCH DECISIONS, LIKE THE EUROPEAN ONES NOT INDIRECTELY ARE.

We are sure it's possible more dialogue among the different opinions before taking definitive decisions about the destiny and the structure of Civic Forum.

Our fast wants to ask -as much humbly as solemnly- everybody who can to take open the doors of dialogue, even if it will request time. We woudn't like to realize that the possible split, the possible disappearence of Civic Forum will have been a way to avoid the standing out either of the absence of political will to overcome the present unhappy situation, or of the will not to overcome it. The present dark situation inside Civic Forum is not at all a consequence only of external factors.

We ask everybody to try whatever he/she can do before deciding the disappearance of such an high political experience as Civic Forum has been and is.

We are sure a dialogue is possible, we are sure the conditions for an honorable compromise do exist, for a compromise able to leave neither winners nor defeated.

We ask everybody who can to be realistic, without playing to be "realistic" acritically and a priori.