Of course the Czechs know what communism really is

The prospect of the Communist Party returning to play a role in power haunts some Czechs so much they are offering voters rewards to shun the left in this weekend's election.

Sports equipment retailer Rock Point said on Thursday it would give a 20 percent discount to anyone who turned in unused ballots for the Communists and the leftist ruling party, the Social Democrats.

"Do not vote for the red coalition. Vote for a 20 percent discount," the firm said on its Web site. A similar pledge to Rockpoint's appeared at an antique store in Prague.

Graphics studio Mowshe is running a campaign urging voters to send in as many Communist ballots as possible, and said it had received about 2,500 so far, including 12 collected by one family. Czech voters get ballot papers for each party by post.

Mowshe's Michal Gregorini said the winners would receive prizes like anti-Communist T-shirts and a subscription to the weekly magazine Respekt.

(Thanks to Janinka)