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Carolina (English) No 034A
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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 34, Friday, July 3, 1992.
THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK ( from June 24 to 1 July )
Division of functions in the Federal Parliament
In an open vote at the first joint meeting of both chambers of the
Federal Assembly on Thursday, June 25, Michal Kovac (Movement for
a Democratic Slovakia, HZDS) was elected chairman of the Federal
Assembly of the CSFR. First Vice-Chairman was Filip Sedivy (Civic
Democratic Party, ODS). Other vice-chairmen are Vaclav Benda
(Christian-Democratic Party, KDS), Roman Zelenay (HZDS), Jozef Stank
(Party of the Democratic Left, SDL (former Communist Party of
Slovakia)), a Pavel Jajtner (Christian and Democratic Union
- Czechoslovak People's Party, KDU-CSL).
The delegates entrusted the position of chairman of the Chamber of
the People to delegate Vaclav Benda (KDS), Chairwoman Eva Mitrova
represents HZDS. Roman Zelenay, also a member of HZDS, is chairman of
the Chamber of Nations, where Vaclav Perich accepted the function of
vice-chairman for the KDS.
In the forty-member praesidium of the Federal Assembly the greatest
number of seats went to the coaltion ODS - KDS (eleven seats).
Procedure for Electing the President
The joint meeting of the Federal Assembly also adopted the
procedure for electing the president of the CSFR, which, according to
the constitution provides that a candidate who is not elected in one
round may not stand again in the following round. It does not rule out,
however, that an unsuccessful candidate from round one could be
nominated in round three.
The next joint session of the Federal Assembly will take place on
Friday, July 3, when the delegates will elect the president of the CSFR.
Havel's Speech in the Federal Assembly
The conclusion of the first joint session of the Czechoslovak
parliament belonged to Vaclav Havel. The President pointed out in his
speech that the Czech-Slovak federation still exists and that it must
function normally until a definitive decision is reached. Vaclav Havel
will not consider the new Federal government to be a sort of liquidation
commision, but as a fully-fledged government of the CSFR. He welcomed
the fact that the coalition partners negotiating about the future of the
state haved set a date of September 30 for a final decision, since
a state of uncertainty cannot be prolonged indefinitely.
Vaclav Havel said that a referendum was the only constitutional
means for seceeding from the federation. If, however, the highest
representative body finds a different means of dividing the state, and
embodies it in the constitutional system, he was planning -- if he were
still president -- to respect that decision.
"I do not feel the slightest reason to resign anything, to remove
myself from the scene only because somebody is booing me, to capitulate
only because on the horizon is the possibility of defeat, or to abandon
the boat only because it is tipping," said Vaclav Havel, and added, that
he was ready to offer his services wherever there was an interest in
them and wherever he could contribute to the construction of something
new.
Reactions to Havel's Speech
Peter Weiss, Chairman of the SDL, called the president's speech
a psychological preparation of the citizens for a division of the state.
The Chairman of the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA), Jan Kalvoda,
transmitted the support of his party for the main ideas contained in the
speech to V. Havel in a meeting on Friday.
Vit'azoslav Moric (former Chairman of the Slovak National Party
- SNS), quipped that after listening to the president's speech he put on
the record by Olympic "I, I only I," and afterwards leafed through
Ladislav Mnacko's book "Ako chuti moc" (The Taste of Power).
Slovak Government Named
The new Slovak government was named on Wednesday, June 24, in the
Castle in Bratislava.
The government has 14 members (10 from HZDS, 1 from SNS and 3
independents), the Prime Minister if Vladimir Meciar, vice-minister in
charge of Ministry of Control, Roman Kovac, vice-minister in charge of
the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Slovak Republic, Milan Knazko.
L'udovit Cermnal (Slovak National Party) was named to the functions of
Minister of the Economy, Industry, Trade and Tourism. Julius Toth
(Independent) will be the Minister of Finance, and L'ubomir Dolgos will
lead the Ministry for Privatization of State Property. Direction of the
Ministry of the Interior was entrusted to Jozef Tuchyna (Independent).
He was listed as a candidate for the HZDS, but later, at his own
request, was struck off the lists. Minister Jozef Zlocha is in charge of
directing the Slovak Commision for the Environment. Minister of
Agriculture is Peter Vaca, who will simultaneosly direct the Minister of
Forests and Rivers. Minister of Culture Dusan Slobodnik (Independent)
will also head up the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Viliam
Sobon is Minister of Health, and Roman Hofbauer will direct the Ministry
of Transportation and Communications as well as the Ministry of
Construction.
Two women also became ministers: Katarina Tothova (Ministry of
Justice) and Olga Keltosova (Minstry of Work and Social Affairs).
Meciar's cabinet must be presented to the Slovak National Council
by July 6 for its formal approval.
Arguments over balancing the books
Carnogursky's government is handing over to Vladimir Meciar's
cabinet a budget deficit of 270 million crowns, which concerns the
exhaustion of this year's budget. The former premier stated that during
the course of his government a democratic Slovakia and successful
economic reforms had been ensured. The new government had, according to
him, greater support from the population, and thus could carry out
certain unpopular policies.
Vladimir Meciar proclaimed after naming his new cabinet that his
predecessor's government had only existed and was leaving behind
practically nothing good. According to his comments the former
government halted development of state administration, disrupted the
financial system, and basically demoralized the entire administration of
the central organs.
Candidates for the Federal Government
Vaclav Klaus informed Vladimir Meciar of the names of five
candidates nominated by the council of the ODS for the federal
government. Jan Strasky will be the candidate for the function of
premier (a former vice-chairman of the government of the Czech
Republic), for the position of Vice-Chairman, Miroslav Macek
(vice-chairman of the ODS) and Antonin Baudys (until now vice-chairman
of the government of the Czech Republic for KDU - CSL). ODS suggests
Petr Cermak (vice-chairman of ODS) for the post of Minister of the
Interior, and for the Minister of Finance, Jan Klak (until now deputy
ministry of finance for the CSFR).
Vladimir Meciar has no serious reservations about the nominated
persons. The names of the five candidates of HZDS have not been revealed
yet, but there is talk of Rudolf Filkus being one of them.
The federal government of Marian Calfa submitted its resignation of
Friday, June 26. President Havel accepted the resignation and at the
same time entrusted the government with the job of carrying out its
functions until the naming of a new federal government.
Struggle over the Praesidium of the Czech Parliament
Confusion has arisen over the makeup of the Praesidium of the Czech
National Council (CNR). According to the suggestions of the victorious
ODS, it should take 13 of the 25 seats on the Praesidium. 3 seats were
reserved for the KDU - CSL and for the ODA, respectively, and the
remaining 6 seats were to be divided among the parties of the so-called
democratic opposition (Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party - CSSD, and
the Movement for Self-Governing Democracy - Society for Moravia and
Silesia - HSD - SMS). Left out of the game were supposed to be the
communists' Left Bloc and the radical Republicans.
The chairman of the HSD - SMS, Jan Krycer, stated in a conversation
for Cesky denik that he could understand the ODS suggestion, but that he
feared that this step "is not very democratic, even if it concerns the
Left Bloc and the Republicans, whom I do not admire in any way." The
state convention of the HDS - SMS also supported proportional
representation in the praesidium.
The chair of the club of CSSD, Petra Buzkova, said: "It is not
possible that a party does not have a right to a place in the
praesidium."
Even the right-wing coalition partners were not too excited about
the ODS suggestion, KDU - CSL and ODA had reservations about the
excessive number of seats which the ODS claimed in the Praesidium of the
CNR.
Chairman of the ODA, Jan Kalvoda, at a meeting with President
Vaclav Havel, finally expressed willingness to take "only" three seats
in the praesidium (the same as the KDU - CSL) in the intersts of the
functioning of the Czech Parliament.
Constitutive Meeting of the Czech National Council
Negotiations among the Czech parliamentary parties about the
composition of the praesidium of the CNR had not concluded before the
constitutive meeting of the Czech assembly, which met on Monday, June
29.
Mlada fronta Dnes for Tuesday cites Jaroslav Ortman (Communist
Party of Bohemia and Moravia, KSCM), who stated, "the makeup of the CNR
is the result of democratic elections, and the composition of the
praesidium should correspond to it."
Election of the praesidium of the CNR by the plenum was postponed.
In a secret vote, the candidate nominated by the right-wing
coalition for the function of Chairman of the CNR, Milan Uhde, failed to
win election (in the last Czech government he was Minister of Culture).
Vice-chairman of ODS, Petr Cermak said, in a conversation with reporters
after the announcement of the results of the vote, that the ODS's club
would stick by the candidature of M. Uhde, and emphasized that his club
will attempt to negotiate with other parliamentary clubs.
Who Will Be in the Czech Government?
According to unofficial information from circles close to the
former Czech Premier, Petr Pithart, the government of the Czech Republic
will submit its resignation on Thursday, July 2.
In the meantime, the names of several contestants for certain
ministries have been made public: Chairman Vaclav Klaus of the ODS will
be the candidate for premier of the republic. Jan Ruml (from the same
party) will obviously be given the post of Minister of the Interior. The
much-criticized Minister of Education, Petr Vopenka (KDS), who was
rejected by the ODS, will be replaced by a Roman Catholic priest and
professor at the Pedagogical Faculty of the Charles University, Petr
Pit'ha (KDS). He is well-known for his suspicion of liberal education.
Milan Uhde (Minister of Culture, ODS), resigned a few days ago in
order to be elected chairman of the CNR.
The Ministry of Privatization and Management of State Property will
be left by Tomas Jezek (ODA). "Vaclav Klaus will accept in the position
of Minister of Privatization anyone else than me," he said, referring
probably to the conflict during the beginning of the coupon
privatization.
J. Vodicka (ODS) will run for the Minster of Labor and Social
Affairs. And for the Ministry of the Environment the KDS has nominated
two candidates: F. Benda and J. Musil.
Results of the First Round of Coupon Privatization
During the last week the results of the first round of the first
wave of coupon privatization were announced. 299.4 million shares were
offered, representing the capital of 1491 companies altogether.
From this entire offering approximately 30% was sold in the first
round, of which about two thirds is represented by investment funds.
CULTURE SECTION
Victory of The Black Byrons
The festival of Czech movie comedies ended on Tuesday June 28 in
Nove Mesto nad Metuji (Eastern Bohemia). The Black Byrons, film based
upon famous book of M. Svandrlik was awarded the 1st prize. The story
took place in early fifties in army troop of outsiders prosecuted by
communist regime. The dark side of life of the so-called Black Byrons
(discussed also for instance in Kundera's novel The Joke) is in the
picture directed by Z. Sirovy tranformed into humorous note parodizing
the stupidity of officers.
WEATHER FORECAST
There is a suuny summer weather now in Czechoslovakia. Clear days,
high temperature up to 30 degrees Celsius. Occasional storms expected.
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This issue was translated with help of Hugh Agnew, GWU, Washington
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