Petr Boháč

`The workers were banned from leaving the workplace. We didn't know where to place the strike. Whether to a factory or outside the area. In the end it was done so that one part, which was led by a colleague Bursa, was in the city in front of the municipality, the other part after quite demanding negotiations was managed to be placed in front of a foundry, there is a quite large area. Then there was a problem with the sound system because the factory banned us from using their equipment. In the end it turned out well and the sound was added. The strike took place. The area was full. I can't guess how many people were there. Maybe ten thousand.’

`The crucial moment of my political engagement happened during my military service when there were by-elections for the Louny district to the Federal Congress. The whole military unit came in, and the commander said, 'Comrades, you are all obliged to elect Major Šípek.' At that moment I told myself that I was not. I turned to the Executive Corporal who was there and asked him to get me a pen that I wanted to scratch out Major Šípek. Several hundred soldiers began to vote. It was not an election, but a comedy. I took the ballot paper, asked for a plent that lay in there somewhere, and I really scratched Šípek out and voted. Someone was taking pictures of me during that. Nothing happened for the next two hours. Then the politruk (a political officer) came and yelled, 'You have betrayed the party and the government.´