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Carolina (English) No 090
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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.cs
Fax: (+422) 231 7391
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 90, Thursday, October 14, 1993.
FROM THE EVENTS OF RECENT DAYS (October 6-14)
Havel Speaks on Czech Republic joining NATO
Czech President Vaclav Havel said the Czech Republic "naturally
shares all the values defended by NATO," and supports "all the basic
values of Euro-american civilization."
The October 12 speech to parliament outlined the reasons for the
Czech Republic possibly becoming a member of the NATO, according to the
daily Svobodne Slovo.
Havel said that if NATO is to remain functional, it cannot be
opened to all at once. "Europe does not need a NATO boundless, vast,
inflexible, motley and therefore unstable," Havel said. This does not
mean, however, that the gates of NATO should remain closed to
post-communist countries building their new democracies and market
economies, Havel said.
"Membership in NATO is not only a ticket to take shelter under
a protective umbrella held by someone else but also a commitment, an
application for freedom and democracy and a willingness to make
sacrifices to their protection," Havel said.
Responses to the speech varied. While Jaroslav Ortman of the Left
Bloc is firmly against the Czech Republic joining any military grouping,
Pavel Hirs, chief of the National Socialist Liberal Party, said that
NATO now has a chance to create a stable Europe.
Czech Minister of Defence Antonin Baudys refused to discuss the
speech of because he was not consulted in advance.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Josef Zieleniec emphasized that no
alliance can guarantee freedom of the Czech Republic and that its
citizens must be prepared to defend it at any time. However, he also
declined to comment on the speech, saying he needed to "better
familiarize myself with the address."
Age of Child Now Sets Amount of Allowance
After stormy debate, the Chamber of Deputies passed a government
proposal changing the system of allowance for children on October 13.
Before, the goverment paid 310 crowns for one child, 870 for two,
1,510 for three and 2,120 for four, increasing by 450 for each child.
Under the new law, the Czech goverment will pay 340 crowns for children
age 1-6, 380 for children 6-10, 450 for age 10-15, and 490 for every
child older than 15.
In most cases, this represents an increase in the allowance.
However, if the former system is more advantageous for a family with
more small children, it can be preserved.
This new system will be valid until the end of 1994. After that,
the Czech Goverment wants to propose a new way of paying the child
allowance according to each case.
Another Argument of the Republicans with Vaclav Havel - This Time About
the Celebration of October 28th.
"All right, let him come there...in the dark", said Miroslav
Sladek, chief of the far-right Republican Party at a press conference on
October 7, addressing his words to Czech President Vaclav Havel. "But we
reserved this place and whoever else comes there violates the law and we
will enter an action against him."
This is the latest flap between Havel and the Republicans, and it
concerns celebrations under the statue of St. Wenceslas on Wenceslas
Square. On July 21, the Republicans announced their intention to
organize a celebration on October 28, the date Czechoslovakia was
founded in 1918.
According to a 1990 law, whoever announces his intention to
organize a celebration first has the chosen area at his disposal. When
Havel expressed his wish to lay a wreath of flowers in front of the
statue of St. Wenceslas the on-going feud re-emerged.
"No one, not even Mr. Sladek, will prevent me or anyone else from
visiting this place," Havel said during a live broadcast on Czech radio.
Presidential spokesman Ladislav Spacek told Mlada Fronta Dnes that
Havel will be joined by Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and Milan Uhde,
chairman of the Czech Parliament.
Spacek did not deny that the official goverment celebration might
take place October 27. During an October 10 press conference, Vaclav
Klaus and Prague Town Mayor Jan Koukal said that in the future it will
be necessary to adjust the law.
Validity of Travel Dokuments
Citizens carrying old Czechoslovak passports can have until the end of
1994 to have them converted, free of charge, to Czech Republic passports. This
will ensure validity after Jan. 1, 1995, when it will no longer be possible to
travel abroad with unmarked passports.
Each person, or his legal representative, must present his own
application for the newly-marked travel dokuments. He must be able to prove
Czech citizenship, as marked in either his citizen's, or old travel passports.
Stricter Regulations for Premature Retirement
The Czech government approved a new law concerning early retirement at
an October 6 meeting. People finishing 25 years of work, due to retire in 2
years, will be eligible to collect pensions. The appplicant must be registered
half-a-year as unemployed at a labor office. For a maximum of two years,
retirees would collect 300-500 crowns less than a normal pension. This applies to men over 60, and childless women of more than 55
years.
Customarily, world-wide procedure dictates that in collecting early
retirement the pensioneer receives a slightly lower payment. Some
professionals are angry with the government's law. In their opinion, it would
prove most advantageous for the state to pay early retirement to the
unemployed, and to help re-adjust younger workers.
Obtaining Czech Citizenship To Be Easier
Parliament ammended the state citizenship law October 12, simplifying for
certain groups of residents, the process of obtaining Czech citizenship.
The change mainly affects Slovak citizens permanently living in the Czech
Republic, and those who were born before Dec. 12, 1939, in Slovakia, but have
at least one Czech-born parent. The new law shortens the drawn-out
administrative procedure for elderly citizens.
Newly covered by the law are adopted children. Children placed in the
Czech Republic are entitled to Czech citizenship if at least one of their
adoptive parents is a Czech citizen. Other children keep their original
citizenship until age 15, when they can legally choose a new nationality.
Some criminals from Slovakia get a break under the new law. While serving
prison time, they complete the five-year requisite term on Czech soil, and
after release, obtain citizenship upon application. Another unanswered
question lies in the so-called Volin Czechs. These are people, who over 80
years ago moved to a town called Volin, near Chernobyl, in the Ukraine. Though
their language is nearly a century old, they have remained in their traditions
and beliefs steadfastly Czech. Now, because of the recent nuclear disaster,
they are coming back, and the government must make a decision about
catagorizing their citizenship.
Czech Relationships With Their Country
A new study shows that 29 percent of Czech citizens were ashamed of their
nationality. However, than a fourth, 27 percent, were proud of their country.
These were the results of an investigation run in September by the Research
Institute of Public Opinion (RIPO).
The survey included 763 respondents 15 years or older.
According to the survey, interaction with foreigners humbled 4 percent of
citizens. The same percent was ashamed of robbery of foreigners and when
comparing lifestyles.
Seven percent felt pride in Czech sports accomplishments, six percent in
relation with the independence of the republic, and a like amount for personal
reasons.
Three percent of Czechs feel pride regardless of problems.
Compared to the 1992 RIPO survey, feelings of shame have fallen from 45
percent to 29 percent.
FROM SLOVAKIA
Czech MPs in Slovakia
A delegation of the Czech Parliament led by Speaker Milan Uhde paid an
official visit to the Slovak Republic October 10, the first such visit by
Czech parliamentarians.
They met in the Slovak National Council in Bratislava, where Uhde met
with representatives of the Slovak Parliament. In the afternoon, the
delegation met Slovak President Michel Kovac.
The main themes of discussion were about amending the payment agreement
between the two republics and the work of the border commission. Chairman of
the Slovak National Council, Ivan Gasparovic, touched upon problems of dual
citizenship, but the Czech side opposed such proposals.
International jazz festival
Prague's annual international winter jazz festival is being readied
by Czech musical agencies Pragoconcert and Arta and also by renowned
musical critics.
The festival will be November 5-7. Although the schedule conflicts
with a more famous jazz show in Maastricht, Belgium, a number of
musicians opted for the Prague event.
The festival, in the famous Lucerna Hall, will feature, in addition
to many Czech jazzmen, the famous Ornette Coleman, the 63-year-old
founder of free jazz. Coleman's group includes guitarist Mike Stern and
trumpeter Lester Bowie accompaniment.
The budget for the festival grew to 3.5 million Czech crowns due to
higher transportation and lodging expenses and royalties. Ten sponsor's
helped with expenses. The festival, hosted by Czech Republic Prime
Minister Vaclav Klaus, is open to jazz enthusiasts world wide.
Ota Sklencka died
Ota Sklencka, an actor with the Theater in Vinohrady and member of Prague's City Theatres and the Realistic Theater, died October
10 at the age of 73.
Exchange Rates of CR National Bank (price rates)
buy sell
Britan GBP 42,10 44,94
France FRF 4,88 5,28
Canada CAD 20,60 22,38
Austria ATS 2,48 2,60
Germany DEM 17,38 18,30
USA USD 27,85 29,25
The exchange rates are valid since October 14.
SPORT
Pardubice Steeplechase held without disruption
The winner of the 103rd Pardubice Great Steeplechase in Pardubice
was the brown 9-years-old Rigoletto with his rider Stencl. Rigoletto,
the only horse to cross the finish line in the October 10 race, netted
a 500,000 crown prize for his owners.
Unlike last year's violent clashes between animal rights
demonstrators and police, this year's event was peaceful.
A demonstration before the drew 1,000 people, mainly from the Czech
Republic, Slovakia and Austria. SOS Animal Foundation delegate Petr
Bergmann gave an appeal on animal abuse to Agriculture Minister Josef
Lux, and asked for an end to the Great Pardubice Race and racing sports
in general.
Due to the withdrawal of four horses, two by the veterinary
commission for medical reasons, only nine horses started the race. This
year's course was modified according to demands of the the World's
Animal Protection organization and the Czech Animal Protection
committee. Still, six horses didn pass the hurdles. A number of horses
were blocked when the Russian horse Dogovor with Truscenkem failed to
pass.
The audience's applause and the fair-play prize were given to the
rider Matysik for dismounting his injured horse Farada 150 meters before
the finish line.
FORECAST
Winter is playing games with us. In spite of earlier cold October
weather, temperatures between 16- and 20-degrees celsius returned.
Occasionaly a little rain surprises, but most of the time Prague has
sunshine and light clouds, like the idyllic photographs of Karel Plicky.
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