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Carolina (English) No 113
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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
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 113, Friday, April 8, 1994.
EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 30 - April 6)
Premier Vaclav Klaus Exacts Debts in Moscow
By the end of May, the Czech Republic and Russia will sign
a contract concerning Russian debt repayment, according to officials.
Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and his Russian counterpart Viktor
Cernomyrdin reached the decision during Klaus' visit to Moscow April
4-5. Russia owes the Czech state about three million dollars, and nearly
400 million dollars to businesses.
The debts are to be paid not only with goods and money, but also
through Czech firms taking part in Russian privatization. Klaus said he
doesn't expect immediate payment, but appreciates Russia's official
recognition of the debt. Both countries will also soon close an
agreement on long-term supplies of Russian oil and earth gas to the
Czech Republic. Pavel P./Andrea
Chairman SPD Rudolf Scharping in Prague
Rudolf Scharping, chairman of the German Social Democrats (SPD) and
their candidate for the chancellor, flew to Prague April 5 for
a two-day visit.
In Prague's Rudolfinum, he spoke on the theme of European
integration in the 1990's. Concerning relations with the Czechs,
Scharping said Germany had been neither so closely, nor for such a long
time, connected to any other nation.
He said that the symbiosis of the two nations was destroyed in this
century, and now it's time to resolve that, just as Germany resolved its
relations with its western neighbors.
At the same time, he also said he favored including the Sudeten
Germans in the Czech-German dialogue, and using their economic strength
to invest into the Czech Republic. According to Scharping, German Social
Democrats are for a liberal gesture of compensation of Czech victims of
Nazism. Czech Television covered the speech in its Wednesday evening
news.
Rudolf Scharping met with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus on Tuesday,
and with President Vaclav Havel, Foreign Minister Josef Zielienec, and
the chairman of the Czech Social Democrats, Milos Zeman.
Honza K./Andre
Czech soldier in Croatia injured by landmine
A Czech member of the UN forces in Croatia was injured when
a landmine exploded near the UN base in Teslingrad on March 27.
Platoon officer Milan Hrachovec was transported to a Zagreb
hospital, where he underwent two operations. Doctors there later said
that his leg should be saved. Hrachovec will be transported to the
Central Army Hospital in Prague this week. Clara/Clara
"Child in Distress" aims to aid Bosnian children
"It's not enough to save the children's lives. The biggest problems
come when the war in Bosnia is over. Children will have it worst." These
words begin the spot on Czech television announcing a collection which
began this week to help suffering Bosnian children.
The project is similar to one launched in the Czech Republic last
October. SOS Sarajevo, organized by journalists from the Czech daily
Lidove Noviny, Czech Television and Czech Radio and the Center for
Independent Journalism in Prague, was named by UN workers as one of the
most successful, said Simon Panek of Lidove Noviny, a member of staff of
the journalism team Epicentrum during a press conference last week.
The aim of SOS Sarajevo was to help to the inhabitants of Sarajevo
during the winter period. During several weeks more than 28 million
crowns were donated to a bank account, with another three milLion
donated by the Council of Prague. The money was used to buy 19,000
pieces of blankets, candles, shoes, warm clothing and basic foodstuffs.
Everything was requested by the UN agencies.
Supplies of medicine from the Czech Republic were among the first
such donations at the beginning of the war. Bosnian doctors used the
medicine as an example for similar supplies in the future. Most supplies
were used in Sarajevo, with smaller portions going to eastern Bosnian
enclaves and sections of Mostar. Blankets, warm clothing and food were
divided between refugees by the UN High Committee.
Some time later Slovak journalists joined the Czech journalists'
initiative. According to one journalist the group gathered gathered 10
million crowns worth of donations in Slovakia. It was used to buy
medicine, food, childrens shoes, candles and bandage material.
Katerina/Clara
Trade Union Chief Wins Over TV Audience
In the 111th edition of CAROLINA we referred to the trade union
demonstration, which took place in Prague on March 22. About 40,000
people took part in the demonstration, the largest anti-government rally
since the political changes of November, 1989. The demonstration was
also a topic of the Arena debate program broadcast by Czech Television
April 3.
Richard Falbr, vice-chairman of the Czech-Moravian Chamber of Union
Federations (CMKOS) said the demonstration was successful. He rejected
suggestions that the demonstration was merely an attempt by union
leaders to grab the spotlight, and said the unions won't avoid future
demonstrations.
Falbr emerged a winner in a live audience opinion research
(conducted by telephone); he persuaded the viewers that this action was
legitimate and not, as some politicians claimed, only a performance by
a small group of extremists.
Vladimir Petrus, chairman of CMKOS refused the invitation to Arena
and on April 6 canceled his run for the chairman's seat. Instead, Falbr
will appear on the candidate list during the weekend's trade union
congress. Honza/Sofi
Fascist Skinheads are More Active in the Czech Republic
Czech skinheads plan to meet in Hradec Kralove April 23 to celebrate
the 105th anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birth, and according to Social
Democratic deputy Zdenek Trojan, meeting organizers spread leaflets
telling skinheads to bring weapons in case of violent clashes.
The Movement of Civic Solidarity and Tolerance (HOST), established
in reaction to increasing brutality and organizing by racist groups,
stated that a March concert of skinhead-oriented bands in Prague served
as preparation for this coming event.
A member of the National Fascist Community, Michal Prochazka,
organized the March concert and a meeting of about 500 neo-Nazis and
skinheads from the entire republic in the Karlin restaurant
U Zabranskych.
During the concert Nova TV reporters and Blesk photographers were
assaulted.
Skinheads saluted "Heil Hitler", and shouted "Sieg Heil!" and
"Gypsies get out" both in the hall and later in streets and subways.
Police did not take any action, and responded to later criticism saying
that no disturbance of the public order occurred and the event was
a private party for invited persons only.
The same day as the concert, four skinheads attacked two Arab
students in Prague 6 and a group of approximately 10 skinheads broke
into the Ostrava apartments of two Gypsy families. In the Ostrava case,
a 37-year-old man and his 17-year-old daughter were attacked. Six people
were arrested in the incident.
The tame police response drew heavy criticism. The Czech press gave
significant coverage to the March events, and President Vaclav Havel, in
his weekly radio commentary, called the lack of police intervention
a failure.
"Nobody is allowed to shout "Heil Hitler" in this country. There are
several laws that make it a crime," Havel said.
Interior Minister Jan Ruml called for strong police response to all
signs of extremism, especially against those supporting racism and
fascism. Police President Stanislav Novotny ordered his district police
presidents to adopt measures to eliminate signs of extremism.
On March 31, Prague Police arrested two skins on suspicion of
violating the law against supporting movements leading to a restriction
of people's rigths and freedoms. Police identified the two through
videotape recorded at the Karlin restaurant by a TV Nova cameraman.
The Movement of Civil Solidarity and Tolerance keeps records of
nearly 200 bias-motivated attacks in the Czech Republic since 1990.
Events of the kind like March 19 were often followed by violent acts,
according to a HOST information bulletin, but ultra-right participants
of the meetings were rarely exposed to criminal penalties in accordance
with laws about supporting fascism or racial, national or religious
defamation. Filip/Zbynek
Forum of European Journalism Students
On March 30, the meeting of journalism students in Prague finished.
About 130 young people from 30 countries attended this meeting.
The meeting was organized under the patronage of the Faculty of
Social Sciences of the Charles University (FSV UK), the Czech
Republic's Journalism Syndicate and the Czech Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.
All participants had a chance to hear speeches on the theme "Media
and Manipulation." Speakers included Vaclav Belohradsky, professor of
the Trieste University, Denis McQuail, professor of the Amsterdam's
University, David Krajicek from the Columbia University Graduate School
of Journalism, Michal Cernousek from the FSV UK, and Jeremy Tunstall,
professor from the London's City University.
Along with the speeches attendants had the opportunity to visit
press agencies, television and radio stations, and foreign and Czech
newspapers and magazines. Martin/Sofi
New Monthly Supplement Of Lidove Noviny Appears
On March 29, after an agreement between Czech daily Lidove Noviny,
the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza, Hungarian Magyar Hirlap and Slovak Sme, the
first edition of a supplement to the newspapers was published. The
supplement will cover the four Visegrad countries and carry opinions on
the theme of Central Europe. Clara/Clara
Millions for Nature
More than 60 million Czech crowns will be spent in the Czech
Republic for the next three years to maintain and develop of the variety
of its environment, said Ales Sulc, deputy minister of environmental
affairs, at a press conference March 30.
The money comes from International Bank for Renovation and
Development (BERD), which will provide the Czech Republic a grant of
1.5 million U.S. dollars.
According to Sulc, the funds will be used for the protection of
virgin forests in the Sumava's National Park, alpine meadows in the
Krkonose National Park and wetlands and waterworks near Palava
- a region around the rivers Dyje and Morava.
Advisory and information centers will be established in the affected
areas. A part of the amount - about 100,000 dollars - will be spent for
non-governmental environmental organizations, which will be able to
compete for smaller grants.
August Schumacher, representative of the bank, said similar programs
will be organized in four other European countries. For example, the
Krkonose project will be done in co-operation with Poland, and the
Palava project with Slovakia. The five countries will have until the end
of 1996 to spend a total of 7 million dollars.
"In Geneva, it was decided last week that another 2 million dollars
will be provided for similar programs," Schumacher said.
Zita/Sofi
Democratic Union - A New Party - Forms in Czech Republic
Over the last few weeks the Czech press (and especially Cesky denik)
has devoted a large amount of space to covering a new political party
- the Democratic Union (DEU).
The party was founded by Josef Kudlacek, editor of Cesky denik and
the advertising magazine Annonce, who said he was reacting to an appeal
by Antonin Belohloubek. Belohloubek, a member of KAN, warned against
a possible victory of left-wing parties in the Czech Republic in
upcoming elections, as happened in Poland in 1993.
Kudlacek's Cesky denik has long criticized the Civic Democratic
Party for allegedly breaking campaign promises, diverging from rightist
position and being inconsistent in dealing with former top communists.
In October 1993, Kudlacek announced his intention to set-up a new,
clearly conservative, right-wing party. This February 1 was a first
meeting of the Initiative for Unifying Rightist Powers in the Czech
Republic. The main coordinators of establishing the new party were Alena
Hromadkova and Milan Hulik. They, acting as the DEU preparation
commitee, now organize meetings of representatives of the group with
members of the public in the largest Czech cities.
But transformating the initiative into a registered political party
has not come off without a hitch. In March, the Interior Ministry
rejected DEU's registration attempt because of inaccuracies and
incomplete applications.
The new party, which organizers say will stand to the right of the
Civic Democratic Party of Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, will not accept
former communists as members. Filip/Zbynek
ECONOMY
EXCHAGE RATES OF THE CZECH NATIONAL BANK (valid from April 7)
CHECKS CASH
country Buy Sell Middle Buy Sell
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Australia 1 AUD 20.915 21.125 21.020 19.95 22.09
Belgium 100 BEF 84.040 84.884 84.462 81.76 87.16
Great Britain 1 GBP 43.548 43.986 43.767 42.35 45.19
Denmark 1 DKK 4.421 4.465 4.443 4.24 4.64
Finland 1 FIM 5.349 5.403 5.376 4.88 5.88
France 1 FRF 5.067 5.117 5.092 4.89 5.29
Ireland 1 IEP 41.897 42.319 42.108 40.11 44.11
Italy 1000 ITL 17.871 18.051 17.961 17.19 18.73
Japan 100 JPY 28.332 28.616 28.474 27.17 29.77
Canada 1 CAD 21.446 21.662 21.554 20.66 22.44
Luxemburg 100 LUF 84.040 84.884 84.462 81.46 87.46
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.419 15.573 15.496 15.02 15.98
Norway 1 NOK 3.994 4.034 4.014 3.86 4.16
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.782 16.950 16.866 16.12 17.62
Portugal 100 PTE 17.074 17.246 17.160 15.98 18.34
Austria 1 ATS 2.461 2.485 2.473 2.41 2.53
Greece 100 GRD 11.792 11.910 11.851 11.14 12.56
Germany 1 DEM 17.308 17.482 17.395 16.94 17.86
Spain 100 ESP 21.405 21.621 21.513 20.51 22.51
Sweden 1 SEK 3.726 3.764 3.745 3.59 3.91
Switzerland 1 CHF 20.520 20.726 20.623 20.12 21.12
USA 1 USD 29.649 29.947 29.798 29.10 30.50
EC-ECU 1 XEU 33.370 33.706 33.538 -- --
IMF-SDR 1 XDR 41.674 42.092 41.883 -- --
Slovakia 1 XCU -- -- 33.538 -- --
CULTURE
Bohumil Hrabal turns 80
Bohumil Hrabal, an important Czech novelist, poet, and screen-play
writer celebrated his eightieth birthday last week.
The writer was born March 28, 1914 in Brno but spent his youth in
Nymburk. After high school he traveled to Prague to study law, but never
worked as a lawyer. After the universities were closed in 1939, he tried
a variety of jobs: he worked in a brewery, as an officer, a railway
worker, a train dispatcher, a salesman, an insurance agent, a waiter,
and a theater scene-shifter.
Most of those jobs are reflected in his writing, which has been his
sole occupation since 1963. His work includes almost thirty titles, some
of which have been translated into English. Several of the novels were
made into successful films. One, Closely Watched Trains, won the
American film award Oscar for best foreign picture. Other of his novels
have been made into plays.
Bohumil Hrabal created a special style of his own - he puts
sentences one after the other, divided only by commas, to create
unusually long compound sentences. The novel "I Served To the King of
England" is written as one long sentence.
Hrabal's writings have recently been published in the Collected
Works. Readers will soon have the possibility to read even those books
previously unpublished. Zuzana/Zuzana
Movie Akumulator 1
A long-awaited movie by the director Jan Sverak, Akumulator 1, saw
its gala premiere last week in Prague. Czech President Vaclav Havel took
part in the opening.
The name of the film -- Akumulator 1 -- refers ironically to
successful American movies such as Terminator or Predator. If the hero
of American movies is a muscled wrestler, it is just opposite in
Akumulator 1. The main hero - Olda (played by Petr Forman, son of
Czech-American filmmaker Milos Forman) is a weak young man lacking
energy. He is deprived of it by the TV screen and Olda has to fight with
it.
Akumulator 1 is a film full of energy that people gain and lose.
Director Jan Sverak (who directed the nostalgic look at the post-war
era, Obecna skola, an Oscar nominee) shot the movie with the perfection
of an American action filmmaker, but his sources were the traditions of
Czech comedy. His film signals a new direction in Czech cinematography.
Pavel B./Zbynek
SPORT
Pardubice and Oloumoc in the Final Hockey Extraleague
The fifth and final meeting in Pardubice between the home team and
Sparta Prague finished 2:1, with Pardubice winning the Czech Hockey
Extraleague after overtime shots.
Olomouc, which lost the first two play-off matches, saved its hopes
to be a finalist with two victories at home over Kladno.
On April 5, the finalists met on Pardubice's ice for the first game
of the three round series. As has become traditional with the play-off,
the three round free penalty shots were needed to bring Pardubice to
victory. In the second meeting in Pardubice Oloumoc won with a 2:1 score
after the three round free penalty shots.
In the competition to join the Hockey's Extraligue Vsetin leads with
6 points, Hradec Kralove trails with 4, and Slavie Praha and Jindrichuv
Hradec have 3. Martin/Sofi
WEATHER
If in our previous weather broadcasts we referred to the prognosis
"March- under the stove we hide", but the folk wisdom appears to apply
as well for the first week of April.
The weather is cold again, with morning temperatures near freezing.
SUPPLEMENT - WHO'S WHO ON CAROLINA'S EDITING STAFF /THIRD PART/
Fatema Nazari: I was born in 1970 in Takhar, Afghanistan. My family --
my father, four brothers, and two sisters -- live in Afghanistan. My
mother died while I was in high school. I came to Czechoslovakia in
1988 to study economics, a subject chosen not by me, but by my country.
During the past few years, I've had health problems (I had a kidney
transplant). I began my journalism studies at FSV UK at age 24. I like
to read, hand work interests me - I embroider traditional Afghan
patterns in the old ways on tableclothes and pillows. One day, I would
like to be an established person.
Andrea Snyder: Born in Tecumseh, Michigan, USA in 1974, I listened
enraptured as my mother read me Czech fairy tales, and father Laura
Ingalls Wilder stories, until I learned to read on my own. Originally,
I wanted to be a librarian, writer, do international relations, and
finally journalism. Having always wanted to be an exchange student,
I had a chance to study at a language preparation school in what was
then Czechoslovakia. After passing my entrance exams last June,
I decided to continue my studies in the Czech Republic. Before returning
home, I would like to get a Bachelors. The problem is, that because
Charles University is not registered with the US Department of
Education, I am not eligible for a student loan, and I won't ask my
parents for the tuition. If you know of any grants or scholarships,
I would be highly appreciative if you could contact me. Besides school,
I translate and interpret - mainly for journalists, write for the Prague
Post. I also help translate Carolina.
Aram Sahinjan: I'm not sure if you'd like me, if I told you about
myself. So, I'll only tell you this: I'm Armenian, I was born in 1976 in
Jervan, I completed my first year of journalism studies at home. From
last year, I live with my older sister and parents in Prague. I'm
a freshman journalism student here at FSV UK, and I like the profession.
I like classical music and film-making.
Ross Daly: I'm the editor of the English version of Carolina, I'm 31
years old. I coordinate a journalism project between Charles University
and Columbia University, and work as a free-lance reporter, including
for Newsday in New York. This year, I'm teaching a course focusing on
international news reporting. I'm interested in Central European
history, and like reading history. I enjoy theater and music, and
introducing Czech friends to strange and exotic spices brought from
home. Mexican cuisine, I can report, is a bit hit with the Czechs.
Milan Smid, Assistant Professor, 50 years old:
1965 - starts his study at the Faculty of Adult Education and
Journalism, Charles University
1970 - M.A. degree at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Journalism,
Charles University
1985 - external lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism, Charles
University
1990 - member of staff at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles
University.
Please do not miss the point - there were not four, but only one school,
just the name has changed from time to time together with the politics
and the regimes.
1970-1990 - 20 years in the Czechoslovak TV, most of the time the buyer
and dramaturgist of foreign programmes.
At Carolina responsible for the "computer affairs", together with Vaclav
Trojan (founding father of Carolina).
Ludmila Truneckova, editor of the Czech edition, expert assistant: I am
married, I have three sons (Jiri 21, Michal 17, Ondrej 11). I specialize
in agency journalism. I was born in sign Leo but I am an owl really.
I love sleeping and I hate waking up. It is worth sleeping five more
minutes in the morning.
The nearly three-year-old Carolina has already become a part of my
family. I have given her the name and I am the witness in the editing
office. I addressed the students in October 91 and about 10 freshmen
were meeting througout the year at one computer, apart from all their
studying duties. The idea of Vaclav Trojan was accepted. This year we
have a Carolina-seminar, which I lead, of the team introduced to you
(Who is who). Today we have better conditions - the editing room is
supplied with six computers and on the timetable blocks out six hours
for us, which is never quite enough. On Wednesday we prepare the Czech
version of Carolina in two groups, on Thursday we edit and transmit and
on Friday we prepare and transmit the English version. The students will
get credit as a reward and, I hope, the feeling that our work has some
sense (as we can see from your reactions, for which we thank you).
ad Who is who in last Carolina edition:
Thank you to all who have written me back. The E- mail was damaged
due to faults in faculty network and some of the messages were erased.
I will write you back with pleasure if the second connection is
succesful.
Few accidents in network I hoping, Radim PROCHAZK@N.FSV.CUNI.CZ.
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