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Carolina (English) No 099
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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 99, Friday, December 17, 1993.
THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEK (9- 16 DECEMBER)
Czechs React to Russian Elections
Czech politicians have been unnerved by the success of the extreme
right in Russia's parliamentary elections December 12, in which Vladimir
Zirinovsky's Liberal Democratic Party captured about 24 percent of the
vote, compared to 15 percent for the pro-reform party of Yegor Gaidar,
Russia's Choice.
The results of the elections are unfortunate for the Czech
Republic, said Peter Cermak, executive vice-chairman of the Civic
Democratic Party.
"We are going to watch the general development of this situation
closely," said Cermak. "It is on the same level as if (Miroslav) Sladek,
deputy of the Czech Republican Party, won the elections."
Vaclav Klaus, minister of Finance, and the Civic Democratic Party
(ODS) are really anxious by the longtime trend in Russia. He is less
scheptistic of the statments of Russian extreme right(wind) politics,
who successed in Russian Parliamentary elections on December 12. Klaus
said (to the Czech Press) that returning to the past isn't possible for
Russia and each government that emerges to the Russian Elections has to
get along with the contemporary interior conditions and country's
possibilities. Also to be able to understand the politically changed
situation.
Francois Mitterrand Visits Czech Republic
French President Francois Mitterrand visited Prague December 9 for
a meeting that echoed one five years earlier. Mitterrand met with
a group active as dissidents before the November revolution, just as he
had in 1988.
Mitterrand's dinner partners at the French Embassy included
now-president Vaclav Havel, former foreign affairs minister Jiri
Dienstbier, Father Vaclav Maly and Rudolf Battek. They discussed the
attitude of the Czech Republic toward the European Committee and
becoming a NATO member.
After the dinner, Mitterrand also met with Prime Minister Vaclav
Klaus to discuss developments in Russia. After that, Havel and
Mitterrand celebrated the re-opening of the French Institute, which
Ernest Denis established in 1920. Mitterrand ended his visit December
16 to go to Brussels, where the European Committee was meeting.
Christian Democrats Change Leadership
Ivan Pilip, deputy minister of education, has become the new
chairman of the Christian Democratic Party (KDS), a member of the
governing coalition. He replaces Vaclav Benda, a dissident under the
former regime. The changes were made at a party meeting December 12 in
Olomouc.
The 30-year-old Pilip is known for his ideas on changing the
party's image. He distinguishes himself from Benda by advocating a more
distant stance from the Civic Democratic Party (ODA), the senior party
in the governing coalition. ODS and KSD joined formed a coalition before
the 1992 parliamentary elections.
Pilip said the party's future involves continued cooperation with
ODS, but added that it should contest the next elections as an
independent party.
Pilip sees distance growing between the two parties, mainly on the
issue of church property restitution.
Some delegates criticized the new chairman for being more
interested in demonstrating his own beliefs. Benda, who will become
KDS's vice- chairman, expressed his dissapointment in the elections
results, but said he is ready to co-operate with Pilip.
Benda and Pilip are being supported by equal numbers of supporters
which most participants say means a guarantee of KDS's stability.
Havel Appears in Court
President Vaclav Havel returned to the courtroom as a defendent,
but this time his accusers were not communist authorities, but former
fellow dissidents.
Petr Cibulka and Lubos Vydra faced Havel in the Prague city court
December 14. Cibulka and Vydra are editors of a regional anti-communist
paper, Uncensored News, which had published lists of alleged
collaborators with the Communist secret police.
Havel told the Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza in May that publishing
the lists was an act which caused many human tragedies. The Uncensored
News editors than began defamation proceedings, alleging that Havel was
damaging their reputations by attacking them.
At the trial Tuesday, Havel extended his attack, saying that the
lists may be forged documents. He accused Uncensored News of being
a sewer of lies and anger, and both editors of being self-appointed
judges and continuing the communist tradition of hate and total
opposition to the law.
Cibulka testified that they proceeded to publish the lists after
learning that the current government, in their view, is filling the
political and economic stuctures with former communists, and in the
process calling Havel a "swine" and a "bastard". Cibulka refused to name
his sources, but maintained that they that they were absolutly
trustworthy.
The hearing was adjourned indefinitely, when the plaintiffs charged
that the judge, JUDr. R. Vostrejsova, was partial.
Deputy Prosecutor Ondrej Smelhaus suggested Wednesday that Petr
Cibulka be tried for insulting the republic and its representatives.
According to a recently passed law, courts could sentence people to two
years in jail for such an offense.
Representatives of the Confederation of Political Prisoners, which
is close to Uncensored News, said that Petr Cibulka's conduct was very
unfortunate.
Second Wave of Coupon Privatization Registration Finishes
Wednesday was the last day for Czechs to register their coupon
books for the second wave of privatization. Slightly more people
registered for this round than in the previous round, 6.07 million
compare to 5.97 million.
This means more people will have shares in less property, because
shares in the second wave are valued at 150 billion crowns, about half
the value of the first round.
Registered coupon book holders can participate in the fore-round
from December 15, and invest their points into one of 353 investment or
share funds. The end of the fore-round is predicted for February, and
the first booking round could start at the beginning of March.
Retirement Age May Rise
Men and women, who are to retire in 2006, may be retiring two and
four years later, respectively. The changes are included in a law on
retirement insurance proposed by the Czech government December 15.
The government will propose major changes from January 1995. From
this coming year, the retirement deadline should be raised four months
for women, and two months for men every year. By 2006, retirement age
for women will increase from 57 to 61, and for men from 60 to 62.
1995 will also be the borderline for retirement benefits, because
from January 1995, the benefits would be related to the amount of social
security payments made by the working citizen, which means that the
retirement benefits will have no upper limit, as they do now.
For example, a successful businesswoman, 50-years-old, could today
expect to make a claim for benefits in seven years, for a maximum
benefit of 3,800 crowns. Under the proposal, she would be able to make
her claim one year, eight months later, but her benefits would not be
limited.
Lack of Eggs in the Czech Republic
There is a lack of eggs in the Czech Republic, and the government
is going to reduce egg production, said Karel Dyba, economics minister
in the December 15 edition of Mlada Fronta Dnes.
The price of eggs in the domestic market will rise during the
coming Christmas celebrations, according to egg and Christmas products
merchants. Some vendors are importing eggs from Western Europe, mainly
from Germany, for more than 3 Czech crowns an egg.
The price of eggs was still 2.50 Czech crowns on December 13 in the
East Czech Republic and in West Moravia, near the Polish border, where
eggs are three-to-four times as expensive. One day later the price of
eggs jumped to 6.50 Czech crowns.
EKONOMIKA
Investment Bank and Post Bank Will Merge January 1
A merger of the Investment and Post Banks, announced in October,
will become valid January 1. The merger was approved by CNB and by an
exceptional plenary session of share holders of the Investment Bank.
The new bank will be called The Investment and Post Bank and its
basic capital will be 2.068 billion crowns, making it the third largest
bank in the country behind Commercial Bank and Czech Savings Bank. IPB
will have the largest number of branches, with 3,590.
The New bank will focus on providing investment banking and services
to households and enterpreneurs, according to bank officials, who hope
the merger will lead to lower credit prices.
New 5,000 Banknote in Circulation
The Czech National Bank (CNB) issued a new bill December 15,
a 5,000 crown bill, the highest in circulation.
According to a bank spokesman, the 5,000-crown bill is only supposed
to be used for large cash transactions, not for everyday shopping.
The new banknote is larger than the others. On the front, the first
Czechoslovak president, Tomas Garrique Masaryk, is portrayed and on the
reverse is a group of well-known Prague Gothic and Baroque buildings.
The predominate color of the banknote is grey and the complementary
color is pink. The entire issue of new banknotes will be finished next
year, when 2,000- and 20,000-crown bills will come out.
News from the Stock Market
After some record sums in previous weeks, action at the Prague's
Stock Exchange was fairly peacful. During the last two sessions, the
volume of transactions reached 565 million crowns, 408.5 million on
Tuesday and 156 million on Thursday.
Thursday's sleepy atmosphere was shown by automated transactions of
116 million crowns being three time higher than transactions between
direct participants, at 39 million crowns.
A high price was hit by the Czech Savings Bank, with shares rising
to 6,655 crowns on 15.8 million crowns transactions, the second highest
volume on the central market. Highest volume was again shares in the
electrical company CEZ, with deals totaling 27 million crowns.
Eight direct transactions with six issues took place last week.
Tuesday's session saw a rise of stocks and shares of banks, with
gains by Commercial Bank, Czech Savins Bank and Trade Finance Bank.
Tuesday's transactions saw of which 169 million crowns traded on the
automated system, and the record number of 365 shares sold. The highest
volume stock, as ever, was CEZ, with 36.7 million shares traded. Shares
of Czech Savings Bank, Commercial Bank and Savings Privatization Fund
also topped volume of 10 million crowns. These three institutions,
together with Trade Finance Bank, also created the core of the last
week's direct transactions beween the participants of the Stock
Exchange.
Due to computer installation, the last term for transactions with
stocks and shares was December. 16.
Exchange Rates of the Czech National Bank (valid from December 16)
CASH CHECKS
Buy Sell Buy Sell Middle
EMS-ECU 1XEU - - 33,419 33,755 33,587
France 1FRF 4,89 5,29 5,O64 5,114 5,089
Italy 1 000ITL 16,84 18,38 17,525 17,701 17,613
Japan 100JPY 25,92 28,52 27,079 27,351 27,215
Canada 1CAD 21,49 23,27 22,269 22,493 22,381
Neatherlands 1NLG 15,05 16,01 15,449 15,605 15,527
Austria 1ATS 2,42 2,53 2,463 2,487 2,475
Germany 1DEM 16,95 17,87 17,322 17,496 17,409
Switzerland 1CHF 19,79 20,79 20,184 20,386 20,285
USA 1USD 29,06 30,46 29,608 29,906 29,757
Great Britain 1GBP 42,90 45,74 44,093 44,537 44,315
CZECH AND SLOVAK CASH EXCHANGE RATES
Slovak crown in Czech Republic Czech crown in Slovakia
Bank / 100 Sk Buy Sell Bank / 100 CEK Buy Sell
Cs.obchodni banka 88,00 92,00 Cs.obchodna banka 107,00 113,00
Ceska sporitelna 82,00 86,00 VUB 110,00 120,00
Komercni banka 77,00 81,00 Slovenska statna
Investicni banka 82,00 86,00 sporitelna 114,00 120,00
Coopbanka 77,00 82,00 COOPbanka 113,00 117,00
CULTURAL NEWS
Czech Philharmonic Performs Dvorak's "New World" Symphony On 100th
Anniversary of its New York Debut
On Saturday, the Czech Philharmonic performed the most renowned and
the most played piece of Czech classical music - Dvorak's Ninth Symphony
- at Prague's Rudolfinum. The symphony, inspired by Dvoraks visit to
America, debuted 100 years ago in New York City.
The Czech Philharmonic was led by legendary Czech conductor Vaclav
Neumann and the show was transmitted live on television. President
Vaclav and Olga Havel and government ministers attended.
FEBIOFEST 1993
The first Prague festival of non-commercial cinematography,
FEBIOFEST, began December 13. The show is organized by documentary films
studio FEBIO, well-known producers of the television shows "GEN" and
"Ceska soda".
During the festival a selection of the most succsessful projects of
FEBIO, studio Kratky film and a sample of Prague's Film Music Arts
Academy student projects will be shown. The festival will also show
successful films that couldn't be seen by the public in the Czech
cinema, such as the last film of Danish director Lars von Trier Europe,
who won the prize for editing at the Cannes Festival in 1992.
The festival, which continues until December 18, has met with
enthusiastic response from the audience, which shows continuing interest
in such kind of cinematography.
SPORT
Javelin thrower Jan Zelezny Named King of the Year
The 27 year old world record holder and World Champion Jan Zelezny
was named best sportsman of the Czech Republic for 1993 Wednesday in
Prague's hotel Praha
Jan Zelezny this year took part in 14 contests of Grand Prix series,
winning 13.
He won the polling for the award, with 149 out of 154 journalists
putting him in first place. In second was ski jumper, silver and bronze
medal world championship Jaroslav Sakala, and third, Vaclav Chalupa,
a rower who won the silver medal at this year's world championship on
skiff.
Among the teams, first was the team of ski jumpers, Jaroslav Sakala,
Frantisek Jez, Jiri Parma and a Slovak, Martin Svagerko, which won the
silver medal in this year's world championship in Falun. Second place
went to the silver medal volleyball team from the Championship of
Europe, representing the Czech and Slovak republics, and the third place
occupied bronze medal holders from this year's hockey world
championship.
The event was organized by the Club of Sport Journalists together
with daily "Sport".
Ceske Budejovice spending winter leading the extra league
Before a winter break caused by Christmas, New Year's and the
international tournament "Izvestije Prize" in Moscow, Sparta Praha
showed improving form shape and easily beat Plzen, and Jindrichuv Hradec
beat Vitkovice for the first time in history.
Kladno lost its match with Sparta Praha, giving it only one point in
the last four matches.
Ceske Budejovice leads the league, a lead extended with a win over
last-place Jindrichuv Hradec. In second is Kladno, followed by
third-place Sparta. Novice teams Hradec Kralove and Jindrichuv Hradec
trail the league.
31st round (December 10): Jihlava-Pardubice 0:2, Kladno-Litvinov
3:7, Sparta-Plzen 8:3, Olomouc-Zlin 2:2, Jindrichuv Hradec-Vitkovice
3:2 and Hradec Kralove-C. Budejovice 4:2.
32nd round (December 12) : Kladno-Sparta 2:5, Vitkovice-Olomouc
2:2, Litvinov-Zlin 3:6, Pardubice-Hradec Kralove 2:0, Plzen-Jihlava 3:0
and C. Budejovice-Jindrichuv Hradec 4:1.
20th round (December 14 - postponed) : Plzen-Sparta 5:3.
WEATHER
Strongs wind of almost 120 kilometers per hour last Tuesday damaged
a Boeing 737 at Prague's Ruzyne airport. The wind also knocked down
several chimneys, tore out some trees and broke some window glasses.
This week there was occasional sunshine, broken with rain and snow
showers. High temperatures were between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius and low
temperatures between from 2 above and 2 degrees Celsius below zero.
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Dear readers,
We apologize for mistakenly sending an older edition of
CAROLINA (Number 66) last week. We would also like to inform you that
the symbol CS in our electronic mail address will not be valid after the
end of 1993; the new designation is CZ. Until the end of this year, you
can use both address:
Carolina@n.fsv.cuni.cs
or
Carolina@n.fsv.cuni.cz
From the new year, only the new address is valid. This is one of the
technical effects of the split of Czechoslovakia.
Thank you for your uderstanding!
x x
x"x MERRY CHRISTMAS, dear readers! x"x
x"""x WITH CAROLINA (Number 100) again x"""x
x"""""x on Thursday, January 6th, 1994. x"""""x
" "
Your editors.
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