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Carolina (English) No 100
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STUDENTS' E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECH REPUBLIC
School of Social Sciences of Charles University
Smetanovo nabr. 6
110 01 Prague 1
Czech Republic
E-mail address: carolina@n.fsv.cuni.cz
Fax: (+422) 24810987
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C A R O L I N A No 100, Thursday, January 6, 1994.
NEWS OF THE PAST WEEKS (DECEMBER 18-JANUARY 5)
President Vaclav Havel Speaks on Civil Society
In an annual New Year's address, President Vaclav Havel shared his
ideas on establishment of Civil Society.
A civil country cannot count on a national program, Havel said.
Instead, it depends on people's understanding and support of the state.
Moreover, because the Czech Republic has made its first steps as an
independent country, it cannot rely only on its name for its existence.
Just as Czechs refer to their country, history and culture, they also
refer to their occupations, political beliefs and families, Havel said.
Prague Prepares for Bill Clinton's Visit
Czech journalists are preparing for the expected visit of U.S.
President Bill Clinton. Clinton is set to arrive at Prague's Ruzyne
Airport January 11, and will leave the next day for Moscow.
During his visit Clinton is meeting with the presidents and prime
ministers of the Visegrad nations -- the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland
and Slovakia. Clinton will spend Tuesday evening with Czech President
Vaclav Havel.
Clinton will visit some of Prague's cultural monuments, like the
Theater on the Balustrade. According to the theater's manager, Clinton
wants to visit the theater where Havel began as an actor.
Czech Republic holds presidium of UN Security Council
Since January 1, the Czech Republic has held the presidium of the
Security Council of the United Nations. Last autumn, the Czech Republic
was voted a member of the Security Council for two years.
The presidium is changed monthly. Karel Koranda is the Czech
ambassador to the United Nations
Vladimir Dlouhy Still Most Liked Among Czechs
Vladimir Dlouhy, minister of industry and trade, is still the most
popular politician among Czechs, maintaining the hold he's had for more
than half a year.
According to November's poll by the Empirical Research Center
(STEM), 87 percent of citizens approve of Dlouhy, a member of the Civic
Democratic Alliance (ODA).
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS),
comes in second with 73 percent approval.
Jiri Dienstbier, the former Czechoslovak minister of foreign
Affairs, and today chairman of the Liberal Democrats (OH) is third most
popular, with 71 percent.
After Dienstbier, follow government members Jan Srasky (ODS), Ivan
Kocarnik (ODS), Jan Kalvoda (ODA) and Josef Zielenice (ODS), all of whom
fall under 70 percent.
Stanislav Belehradek (Christian and Democratic Union- Czechoslovak
Liberal Party) minister of economy control, is the least popular
politician, mainly because 65 percent of citizens have no idea who he
is.
STEM did not evaluate people's views toward President Vaclav Havel,
whom, according to other research, 70 percent of Czechs support.
Most Czech Families Have Carp for Christmas
Fish is a inseparable part of the Czech Christmas Eve dinner table,
with 75 percent of families serving Christmas Eve carp with potato
salad, according to pre-Christmas research by AISA operation. The
research was published in Mlada Fronta Dnes.
Twenty percent of families ate beef with potato salad, and only
a small percentage ate something else.
Rita Klimova Died
Rita Klimova, former Czechoslovak ambassador to the United States,
died December 30 at the age of 62.
She was ambassador in Washington from February, 1990, until
September, 1992. Among other things, she helped in prepare Vaclav
Havel's trip to the United States. In 1991, was awarded the title of
Diplomat of the Year.
Rita Klimova suffered from leukemia for almost three years.
Journalist John Hasek Dies
John Hasek, a Canadian journalist of Czech origin, died January 1 in
Prague's Military Hospital. From the beginning of the conflict in the
former Yugoslavia, he worked with several Czech news organizations,
including Czech Television.
In June, he was badly injured under unknown circumstances in Bosnia.
Unconcious, Hasek was transported by Czech doctors to Prague, and
hospitalized June 30. He never regained conciousness.
Question Marks Around American Teacher, Accused of Molesting Students
An American teacher, D.S., was recently accused by several
fifth-grade students of inappropriatly touching them during the course
of lessons. The 30-year-old American taught at a Prague elementary
school on Olesska Street.
The teacher defends himself, saying that he had no wrongful intent
when in contact with children.
The students' accusation came after the teacher criticized them for
unsuitable behavior, and complained to the school head-mistress.
The American was jailed without charges November 12. He claims other
inmates beat him. He was released December 21, on orders of then Deputy
General Prosecuter Pavel Bret.
The case investigator, Dr. Jindra Drobilkova, concluded that D.S.
commited no crime. But she was removed from the investigation, and the
case was given to the Central-Czech Regional Investigation Office. The
investigator who worked on the case prior to Dr. Drobilkova had also
come to the same conclusion.
D. S. has been in the Czech Republic since May, 1993. He served four
years in the Air Force, and worked for five years as a teacher. Besides
elementary school, he taught business science, economics, business
English, and psychology at the Czech Technical College.
Vaclav Havel Doesn't Pardon Radomir Simunek
Czech President Vaclav Havel has declined to grant a pardon to
a several-time bike cross-country racing champion judged to have caused
a car accident in which three people died.
The district court in Beroun sentenced Radomir Simunek to an
18-month prison term in connection with the 1992 accident. Last July,
Simunek petitioned the president for a pardon, and Havel postponed the
sentence November 30 until Simuneks's request could be processed.
Finding no reason to grant a pardon, Havel denied the request December
19. We descibed the case in Carolina 97.
KULTURA
Prague National Theater Has New Director
On the last day of 1993, Minister of Culture Jindrich Kabat accepted
the resignation of Jindrich Cerny, National Theater director. He also
accepeted Cerny's reccomendation to appoint Jiri Srstek, the
administrative director of the theater, as the new director.
Cerny resigned after being opposed by the Ministry of Culture during
a conflict at the theater. Tension rose about the autonomy of Stavovske
Divadlo, the work of Drama Director Ivan Rajmont, and the new approach
the Ministry of Finance was taking towards the budget of the theater.
Jindrich Cerny had been the director since April 1991.
WEATHER
After snow fell during the Christmas holidays, the New Year brought
a melting thaw.
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Dear Readers,
Today you are receiving the one-hundredth edition of CAROLINA.
Instead of a celebration edition, as would be more appropriate for the
anniversary, this CAROLINA is thinner by almost half from previous. Due
to exam session (January- February), a skeleton crew of two or three
students are preparing each edition. Full editions will return in March.
Please accept our thanks for the support you've shown CAROLINA
during the last year, and for your New Year's wishes. We wish you
health, good luck, and some comfortable hours reading CAROLINA.
We will be sending you CAROLINA in Czech on Thursdays, and in
English on Fridays.
The CAROLINA Staff
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