Quotes by Vaclav Klaus

I was paid to read Western economic texts. In a way, the regime paid for their own undermining. (Vaclav Klaus)

Nevertheless, there is another threat on the horizon. I see this threat in environmentalism which is becoming a new dominant ideology, if not a religion. Its main weapon is raising the alarm and predicting the human life endangering climate change based on man-made global warming. (Vaclav Klaus)

Privatization of the state-owned economy is not yet on the agenda. We cannot do it immediately; my colleagues would not agree to it. But we must put all forms of ownership on an equal footing immediately and let different types of ownership compete with the state firms. (Vaclav Klaus)

To pursue a so-called Third Way is foolish. We had our experience with this in the 1960s when we looked for a socialism with a human face. It did not work, and we must be explicit that we are not aiming for a more efficient version of a system that has failed. (Vaclav Klaus)

To talk about planning an economic system is to talk in old terms, and I find myself sometimes having to teach Westers about what the market really means. (Vaclav Klaus)

We must have the time to create strict rules so that property is not sold by Communist managers for a low price. They often get payments under the table to sell to the first bidder. This does not build public support for a market economy. (Vaclav Klaus)

We will also allow state companies to sell shares to their workers and will pass a law allowing citizens to start companies of their own with no limits on the number of employees or on the firm's output. (Vaclav Klaus)