Československo a změny ve východní Evropě na prahu událostí roku 1989

The published documents from the former archives of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia show the relations between Czechoslovakia and other communist countries in the period before the fall of Communism in 1989. The Czechoslovak Communist Party (KSC) leadership was very conservative and afraid of any changes in eastern Europe. KSC was especially critical toward the development in Poland. Prague was afraid that the 'Polish example' may also destabilize the situation in Czechoslovakia. For this reason the Czechoslovak-Polish border was closed in the eighties. On the other hand, the Czechoslovak leadership refused the activity of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceasescu requiring the joint political action of all communist states in Poland. Prague also refused to support Bulgarian communists in their diplomatic conflict with Turkey which was caused by the policy of Sofia toward the Turkish minority in Bulgaria.