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Carolina (English) No 053
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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
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 53, Friday, December 14, 1992.
FROM LAST WEEK EVENTS (December 2-10)
Bugging Device at the American Consulate in Bratislava
According to the American Ambassy in Prague, the United
States have irrefutable evidence of the bugging device revealed
two weeks ago at the American Consulate in Bratislava being
active at the time of its discovery. The Czech press broke the
story Thursday according to the Czech Press Agency.
According to the same source, this bugging device was not
found during the recent renovation since it had been very well
concealed. The device is now in the possession of the American
government. Its photographs were presented to the Federal
Minister of Interior and are available for the Slovak Minister of
Interior as well.
Czechoslovak Minister of Foreign Affairs, J. Moravcik said
on Wednesday, December 9 at the briefing of the federal
government, that according to the government's knowledge no
Czechoslovak authority is responsible for the bugging devices at
the American Consulate - meaning that the installation and
monitoring of these devices are illegal. Minister Moravcik also
said that both Czechoslovak and American sides would like to
settle this matter as quickly as possible and not let it
interfere with mutual interstate relations.
Former Minister of Interior, R. Sacher deduces that the
bugging device could not have been installed and monitored at the
Consulate by foreign espionage groups except for the KGB or the
Czechoslovakia. Although he said that the American side has
access to perfect technical equipment capable of detecting these
kinds of device everywhere - on the ceiling, on the wall or in
the floor. The ex-minister also questioned who would profit from
this affair and who would be injured.
No one on the level of the Minister of the Interior of the
Slovak Republic might have give an order to use the bugging
device, says the spokesman for the Ministry. "Such a device had
never been available to the Minister of Interior. It is available
exclusively for the Federal Ministry of Interior and The Federal
Security Information Service (FBIS), " the spokesman said in an
interview for the Czech Press Agency.
FBIS has also disassociated itself from the bugging device
found in Bratislava, its director P. Novak has declared.
Federal Minister of Interior, P. Cermak directed his first
undersecretary to investigate the matter. He is required to find
out when and by whom the device was installed, how long was it in
effect, who abused it and why was it not dismantled in 1990,
according to the order of the former Minister of Interior of
Czechoslovakia
Investigation was also taken up by the General Prosecution
of Czechoslovakia.
The discovery of the bugging device was intially reported on
the TV, Saturday, December 5. The problem has been occupying the
covers of the daily press since Monday, December 7.
Attempted Murder of Jiri Svoboda
Chairman of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia and a
member of the Federal Assembly, Jiri Svoboda was assaulted on
the evening of Saturday December 5 in his flat by an unknown
disguised man who stabbed him twice. One stab wound led to the
heart and the other reached the liver.
Svoboda, who was immediately operated on, is reported to be
in satisfactory condition. His 18-year old daughter who had
suffered light stab wound of chest when attempting to rescue her
father, was already released from the hospital.
According to Czech Premier Vaclav Klaus this deed - no
matter what was its motive - is a big disaster for fragile
situation in the creation of the Czech state, as well as for its
reputation abroad. In a statement provided for the Czech Press
Agency, Klaus emphasized that a case like this is exceptional in
this country. However, local media reported on two political
assaults which happened seventy years ago.
According to Chairman of the Party of Democratic Left Wing
and first Deputy-Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak
Republic, Peter Weiss, the real source of the assault of Jiri
Svoboda is the policy of intolerance.
On Tuesday, Jiri Svoboda was visited by Czechoslovakian
ex-president Vaclav Havel. To his question whether in the
background of the this assault is a political motive, the
chairman of the communist party of Bohemia and Moravia answered
that he could not think of any other reason.
The Czech Flag as Federal
This headline from Thursday December 10 in the daily Mlada
Fronta Dnes, brings information that the state symbols of the
seperate Czech Republic should stay the same as the current
federal symblols. The Czech Republic should use the Czechoslovak
state flag and the present red and white flag of the Czech
Republic should lose its validity.
This is stated in the bill of state symbols which was dealt
with the Czech National Council.
The University of Trnava Still Without Money
The door lock wrenched out by Minister of Culture of the
Slovak Republic, Dusan Slobodnik, was sold at auction for 11
thousand crown (400 USD). D. Slobodnik, at the time charged also
with managing the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport,
exchanged the lock during his visit to the University of Trnava
(UT) on September 9 to unable rector A. Hajduk access to his
office.
The auction was a part of the St. Nicholas' Eve Party held
on December 5 by the students of UT. Its yield should contribute
to the university whose bank account has been blocked since
September 25 by Minister of Education of the Slovak Republic, M.
Kucera. Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Czechoslovakia,
E. Valko, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement, J.
Canogursky and deputy-chairman of the Civic Democratic Alliance,
D. Kroupa, were present at the party.
Pieces of World Graphic Art for Sale
Leger, Picasso, Warhol, Vasarely, Matta, Appel, and Calder
are the authors of the pieces from the selling exhibition Graphic
Art of World Masters which has been opened on the Bethlem Square
in Prague. The exhibition will last till January 13, 1993.
International Festival of Film Debuts
The international film festival called Forum 92 took place
last week in Bratislava. The first prize was awarded to the
Ukrainian experiment "Gloomy Morning". Alain Robbe-Grillet who
was also present at the festival, assisted at a retrospect of his
work. The festival was also in Prague since December 7.
ECONOMY
Fourth Round of the Coupon Privatisation Over
Shares sold better in the fourth round than in the third
one. 37.2 per cent of the shares for sale were sold in comparison
to 24.5 per cent from the last round.
Thirty six privatisation funds of investment have already
invested all their points and twenty two of the funds have no
more than 100 points any longer. In possession of holders of the
coupons of investment (people who take part in the privatisation)
there is still 330 000 000 points (220 000 000 in the Czech
Republic, 110 000 000 in the Slovak republic.)
Over-all demand for the fifth round is 620 000 000 points if
investment.
Fight for Rescue of Skoda Plzen, Czech Biggest Machine Enterprise
Sale of the disputable 60 engines was the main topic of the
top-management's negotiations with the Central Director of
Czechoslovakian State Railways (CSR). Skoda prefers selling the
engines to a leasing society which would gain her spot cash, and
CSR would have a possibility to pay the goods in instalments for
several years. Preliminary consideration that the leasing society
woulp pay to Skoda 1 100 000 000 crown and CSR 1 400 000 000 in
instalments has not been made into contract yet. The talks should
continue on December 9.
Skoda's management has also negotiated with the management
of the Commercial Bank of the issue of obligations, which should
assure to Skoda capital ready cash 1 600 000 000 crowns.
The troubles of the Pilsen's enterprise were at issue in
Carolina n. 42.
New Rates of Car Insurance
The rates of insurance will rise since January 1, 1993 at
some kinds of motor vehicles. According to the announcement of
the Czech Ministry of Finance the new yearly rates of insurance
will be 624 for Kcs for car up to 3500 kg in weight and with the
contents of the cyplinderup to 2000 cubic metres. Contents above
2000 cubic metres will be charged with 1992 Kcs. The average
monthly wage in Czechoslovakia is about 4300 Kcs.
Foreign motor vehicles are not effected by this change.
More Expensive Livelihood
Living expenses of households in the Czech Republic
increased in the past ten months by 9.8 per cent this year in
comparison to 12.7 per cent from last year's survey. During this
October, food prices rose the most by 3.4 per cent.
SPORT
In the 25th round of the federal hockey league both leading
teams lost 4:3 - Ceske Budejovice succumbed on ice to Prague's
Sparta, and Litvinov in the end gave in to Slovak Poprad in a
well started match. The most interesting result of the round is
the overwhelming victory of Pardubice above Vitkovice 7:2.
Pardubice thus succeeded to the next-to-last place, the last
Pilsen is behind by two points. The sequence of the teams in the
head of the chart remains intact (first Litvinov 33 points,
second Ceske Budejovice 29 bodu), only their advantage decreased
- third Zlin 28 points, fourth Kladno 27 points. One more round
is due till the end of the basic part of the league.
Football League
Contest between Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Praha for
suviving in the head of the chart was won by Sparta having beaten
Slovan 3:0. The third place is occupied by Dunajska Streda after
a huge victory over Bohemians Praha 5:0. The fourth is Slavia
Praha which drew Inter Bratislava 0:0. Dukla Praha continues to
occupy last place with only 8 points.
WEATHER
According to a piece of weather-lore, St. Nicolas (December
6) brings frost and snow. This year the folk wisdom confirmed
itself at least partly - Southern Moravia got some snow with
rain, ski-centres of Nothern Moravian Mountains Jeseniky announce
up to 50 centimetres of snow. Daily temperatures keep narrowly
above the freezing point, nightly sink up to 7 degrees below zero
when the sky is clear.
EXCHANGE RATE of the Czechoslovak Crown
purchase sale
USA 1USD 27.73 29.13
FRG 1DEM 17.75 18.67
GB 1GBP 42.97 46.11
CAN 1CAD 21.34 22.90
FRA 1FRF 5.18 5.50
AUT 1ATS 2.51 2.63
The rates are as of November 26, 1992.
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