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Carolina (English) No 025
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STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA
School of Social Science of Charles University
Smetanovo nabr. 6
110 01 Prague 1
C.S.F.R.
e-mail address: CAROLINA@CSEARN.BITNET
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C A R O L I N A No 25, Friday, May 1, 1992.
The events of the last week (from April 22-29)
The Parliament Accepted the Treaty with Germany
The Federal Parliament has ratified the Czechoslovak-German
friendship treaty which was approved by President Havel in February.
Foreign Minister Jiri Dienstbier said the clause referring to the
"expelling of Germans" has a generally moral character and shouldn't be
understood only as referring to the transfer of Germans from the country
after WWII. He also said the treaty won't solve the problems of the
past, but would determine future relationships between the two
countries. The document recognizes Czechoslovak continuity as a nation
from 1918. Left wing MP's, during nine hours of debate, opposed such
terms as "Nullification" of the Munich agreement as well as the
"expelling" clause. The ruling coalition however, claimed there is no
danger of giving back the property that was conficated from Sudeten
Germans after the war.
Vaclav Havel in Japan
Czechoslovak president Vaclav Havel visited Japan last week. The
state visit was opened by discussions between Vaclav Havel and empiror
Akihita on April 23. President Havel met with Japanese Prime Minister
Miyzawa as well and informed him about Czechoslovak economical reforms.
Vaclav Havel mentioned Czechoslovakia was interested in negotiating
cultural exchanges with Japan. Such exchanges would greatly help CSFR
universities and theaters. Starting in May, there will be special
customs and tariff rates between the two countries. There will also be
increased cooperation in joint investment strategies for Vietnam and the
CIS. Japan has pledged to support marketing and managerial training for
Czechoslovaks. An agreement on air-routes between Prague and Tokyo is
expected. Japan has pledged to provide scrubbing technology credits for
high-sulphur energy plants in Presov and Kosice.
The President in Korea
From Tokyo, the President flew to Seoul, South Korea. He was the
first Czechoslovak President to do so. In meetings with Roe Tae Woo, the
Presidents announced the beginning of a new relationship for the
countries. The CSFR is interested in economic cooperation, raising Korea
investments and mutual trade. CSFR hopes to export electronic and
sanitary materials.
Voucher Privatization
The first turn of voucher privatization is over. April 26 was the
deadline for citizens to give their coupons to privatization investing
funds. The second run of voucher privatization, in which citizens can
invest their coupons directly with enterprises, is going to start on
May, 18.
Candidates for the President
Richard Sacher, an MP and ex-Minister of the Interior, and Miroslav
Vacek, the ex-Minister of Defence announced they would be candidates for
the presidency. Unofficially, there four candidates for president: V.
Havel, A. Dubcek {Chairman of the Parliament}, R. Sacher and M. Vacek.
At the Faculty of Social Science...
Egon Lansky, a founding member of the Democrats 92 party, spoke
with students at the Charles University. Exiled in Sweden until 1989, he
has been a spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry and is now
a special ambassador to the Council of Europe. His party aims at
supporting the president and maintaining a common state. Responding to
students questions on the wisdom of adding yet another party to the
already crowded field for the June elections, Lansky replied that there
are still many undecided voters and "their absence from the elections
would be a big loss to democracy". He doesn't think this additional
party will dilute the support of other democratic representatives or end
up with a Poland like splintering of government. (Parties must obtain
a minimum of 5% of the vote to gain seats in the parliament.)
The 1992 Election
Carolina will present descriptions of the most popular parties and
political movements in the next five issues before the elections. We
start with the two parties which opinion polls show to be strongest in
Czech and Slovakia.
Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
The ODS consistently polls about 20% of the vote. Since February,
it has had some activities in Slovakia, but its strength lies within
Czech. The Party leader, Vaclav Klaus, is currently the Federal Finance
Minister and is considered to be the strongest force behind economic
reforms. ODS was founded after the break-up of the Civic Forum and
currently controls 50 seats in the federal parliament and 40 in the
Czech parliament. Its platform is based on present and future economic
reforms based on market forces and private enterprise. Its main foreign
policy objective is rapid integration into the western world. It
supports public health insurance and minimal social intervention
programs. Environmental issues are also part of the election campaign.
ODS has joined in a coalition with the Christian Democrats in the Czech
republic and the Democratic Party of Slovakia, but it refuses to join
with the HZDS due to differences of view on the federation.
The Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS)
The party most strongly opposed to the radical economic reforms of
the ODS and Minister Klaus, HZDS now has 35% support among Slovak
voters. Headed by former Interior Minister and current Slovak Prime
Minister, Vladimir Meciar, the HZDS is less than enthusiastic about
continued Czech-Slovak federation. Meciar is officially, "undecided", on
the issue, but his party often sides with left-wing and nationalist
faction in the parliament, and in the past he was a harsh critic of
federation. Like the ODS, the HZDS emerged from the fragments of Public
Against Violence. Its policies promote the slowing down of economic
reform and lightening the burden on Slovakia through increased social
spending there. It has tried in the past to reduce the power of federal
bodies in favor of the states.
Cultural service
Dadaism? Da, da!
Dada-opera with two dad-part "Spasm of Youth" was introduced in
studio Labyrint. It was an atractive show using montage of verses.
Vlasta Gallerova, literary manager and Karel Kriz, director
componed the evening form the verses by T. Tzara, H. Arp, Ch.
Morgenster, F. Picabia, I. Wernish and other pre-dadaists, dadaists and
postdadaists.
"We are not dadists! We don't want to brush up dadaism and copy it. We
attend to make theatre attraction and mediate our fascination with
dadaism", said both of them.
The first-runs took place on April 10,17,25.
Rock Cafe
Rock club "Rock cafe" is located in the centre of Prague, on
National street. The "New horizont" company rented rooms from the state
enterprise Komenium. The Rock Club was opened on January 11, 1991. The
Club provides a venue for concerts and so called, "Rock Parties"
sponsored by local radio stations. Performers from abroad as well as
local talents are showcased there. The Rock Club also produces
recordings of live concerts and sells other records and second hand
musical instruments.
The Ice Hockey World Championships
Hoping to repeat their medal performances of 1947, 72 and 85,
Czechoslovakia is again playing host to the best hockey teams of the
world in Prague and Bratislava. Teams from the USA, Germany, Finland,
Sweden, Poland, and Italy comprise group A, and Canada, France,
Switzerland, Russia, Norway and Czechoslovakia make up group B. After
a series of playoffs, the eight best will go on to the semi-finals. 410
journalists, 122 photographers, 186 TV and Radio technicians from 19
countries are covering the action. In the first match, Czechoslovakia
trounced Norway 6-1.
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