Frost between Austrians and Czechs

RELATIONS between the Austrians and their Czech neighbours to the north, once pals within the Habsburg empire, have been chilly since the Czechs chose—a bit too eagerly, most Austrians thought—to dance to the tune of the 14 European Union countries that more or less ostracised the government in Vienna after Jörg Haider's far-right Freedom Party joined it in a coalition in February. Now the mood is even icier. Some Austrians are even talking of scuppering the Czechs' bid to join the EU. Mr Haider's lot, in particular, are happy to stir up the bad blood.