Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Carolina (English) No 158
CCCCC AA RRRRR OOOO LL II NN N AA
CC AA A RR R OO O LL II NNN N AA A
CC AA A RRRRR OO O LL II NN N N AA A
CC AAAAAA RR R OO O LL II NN NN AAAAAA
CCCCC AA A RR R OOOO LLLLLL II NN N AA A
STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Faculty of Social Science of Charles University
Smetanovo nabr. 6
110 01 Prague 1
Czech Republic
e-mail: CAROLINA@cuni.cz
tel: (+42 2) 24810804, ext. 252, fax: (+42 2) 24810987
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 158, Friday, May 5, 1995.
EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 26-MAY 3
German President on Private Visit to Havel
German President Roman Herzog met with Czech President Vaclav Havel
Monday at the presidential chateau in Lany. Havel's spokesman, Ladislav
Spacek, said the visit had no connection with the 50th anniversary of
Europe's liberation from Nazism.
Tuesday Herzog took part in a commemoration ceremony at the
National Cemetery in Terezin, laying flowers for the men and women who
were executed during World War II in the Terezin concentration camp. On
this occasion he also declared himself in favor of compensation for
Czech victims of Nazism.
In their talks Monday the two presidents focused on Czech-German
relations. Havel said that talks between politicians and experts from
the two countries should culminate in the adoption of political
declarations by the Czech and German parliaments, saying that they will
no longer concern themselves with issues of the past from a legal and
political standpoint. Martina Vojtechovska/M.V.
Havel on Czech Admission to NATO
President Vaclav Havel voiced his country's willingness to share in
the defense of European values and to accept all of the responsibilities
connected with NATO membership in a speech Thursday to the SHAPEX-95
conference at the NATO Supreme Command headquarters in Mons, Belgium.
Attending the conference as a "special guest," Havel became the
first president of a non-NATO country to address the alliance's annual
meeting.
Prior to his departure, Havel said he could hardly imagine Russia
as a NATO member, but that the more democratic Russia became, the closer
its relations with NATO would be. He also pointed out that Russia was
already a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which has
its own security aims.
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus is expected to discuss the Czech
Republic's admission to NATO in talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton
at the White House on May 4. Vera Vitkova/V.V.
Klaus Comments on Czech-U.S. Relations
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus described relations between the Czech
Republic and the U.S. as very stable in an interview with Czech Radio
before his departure April 30 for a five-day visit to the States. Also
Klaus said he appreciated the U.S. position on the admission of the
Czech Republic to NATO and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development. Tomas Kopecny/T.K.
Leftists Dominate May Day Celebrations
Nearly 10,000 people turned out at Prague's Dzban swimming pool
complex on Monday for the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia's
celebration of International Labor Day.
KSCM chairman Miroslav Grebenicek criticized the current government
for "incompetence and arrogance," describing it as "obsessed with
stealing from the wallets of the socially weakest" and calling for the
restoration of socialism. "The time for our dream is arriving," he said.
Another speaker at the celebration was Bohuslav Chnoupek, onetime
foreign minister of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. During speeches
in which the Communists focused on health care, industry and
agriculture, the crowd, composed mainly of middle-aged people and senior
citizens, chanted slogans such as "What they privatized, we will
nationalize!" and "Stop the lies!"
At about 1 p.m., ultra-leftists of the Anarcho-syndicalist Movement
gathered on Prague's Strelecky ostrov (Sniper's Island) under the
leadership of Andrej Funk and "A-Kontra" editor in chief Jakub Polak.
Some 300 anarchists with red-and-black flags then moved into the
city center for an unauthorized demonstration. They broke windows with
stones at two McDonald's restaurants in downtown Prague. Two police
officers and two anarchists were slightly injured when the police
intervened; seven protesters were detained. The police arrested one of
the anarchists on charges of disturbing the peace and assaulting
a public official. Jiri Chvojka/J.C.
Kozeny May Have Been Foreign Agent, Claims Ex-Interior Minister
Viktor Kozeny, former president of the Harvard investment funds,
which played a major role in the Czech Republic's coupon privatization
program, may have been the "functionary" of a foreign intelligence
service, according to Richard Sacher, who served as Czechoslovakia's
first post-revolution interior minister, from December 1989 to June
1990.
Sacher made this statement Monday on TV Nova, referring to
Kozeny's service as a consultant in the Czechoslovak Ministry of
Interior's technical section in 1991.
Sacher said the only way Kozeny could have been capable of
evaluating the products of the ministry's technical section was if he
were familiar with similar products from other countries. "Given that
intelligence agencies are the only ones who own such technology, the
question is how Kozeny could have acquired this knowledge," the former
interior minister said.
According to Sacher, Kozeny was allowed to move about freely in the
technical section, even though that was where the ministry produced
top-secret machines in collaboration with the Czech scientific
intelligence service.
"If I were the state attorney," said Sacher, "I would be calling
a hearing with the persons responsible in order to learn who, how and to
what extent they have looked into whether or not Kozeny was the
functionary of a foreign intelligence service."
Social Democrat Stanislav Gross, who serves on Parliament's Defense
and Security Committee, said there were indications that Kozeny may have
worked for a foreign secret service. Said Gross: "I intend to
interpellate Prime Minister Klaus as the coordinator of the secret
services." Stepanka Kucerova/Jiri Chvojka
KAN May Merge With Christian Democrats
The non-parliamentary Club of Engage Non-Communist Party Members
(KAN) approved a partnership pact with the Christian Democratic Party
(KDS) at its congress on Saturday.
The pact, which received support from 90 percent of the delegates
to the congress, is intended to be the first step toward the merger of
the two parties. KAN delegates also charged party leaders with talks on
further integration. There was no discussion of what the new party would
be called.
KAN chairman Emil Dejmek said the KAN-KDS merger congress should
take place by the end of the year. KDS vice chairman Vaclav Benda
expressed satisfaction with the new agreement, calling it the beginning
of a process that in 10 to 15 years should lead to the creation of one
single party at the non-socialist end of the political spectrum.
From Denni Telegraf by Michal Vynohradnyk/Andrea Snyder
Plaque in Memory of Karel Havlicek Borovsky Unveiled in Italy
Czech Parliament Chair Milan Uhde last week unveiled a plaque
dedicated to the memory of Karel Havlicek Borovsky in Brixen, Italy.
The text reads: "In this house, from 1852 to 1854, lived Czech
patriot, journalist, and satirical poet Karel Havlicek Borovsky
(1821-1856), expelled here by the Austrian government, and until his
return to Bohemia accepted with friendship by the the residents of
Brixen. The town of Brixen dedicates this plaque to the memory of
a Czech national hero and a great citizen of Austria."
As it turned out, Havlicek was unable to live in seclusion and bear
the loneliness of a failed politician and author of wonderful
commentaries, Uhde said in his speech. In the house on
Kachlerausstrasse, Havlicek wrote his satirical poems "Tyrol Elegies"
and "The Baptism of St. Vladimir," among others.
The plaque's anti-Habsburg Austria text is written in both German
and Italian. From Mlada fronta Dnes, Lidove noviny and Rude pravo by
Andrea Rihova/Andrea Snyder
Strict Ban on Medication Advertising Created by Mistake
A new law on advertising effectively bans the advertising of
medicines on Czech television and radio. Since April, the Ministry of
Health has been able to assess fines of up to 2 million Kc for
advertising medicine on radio or television. But while such advertising
has yet to disappear from TV screens and the airwaves, no one has been
fined yet, as the ministry believes the new law was created by mistake.
Under the 1966 Press Law, which the new legislation replaces, only
the news and commentary portions of radio and television programming are
considered mass media, and those are the only forums in which
advertising for medicine can appear.
This, however, contradicts the law on radio and television
broadcasting, which states that advertising must be separate from
individual programs.
The Ministry of Health and the Council for Advertising are now
searching for a solution. Martina Krizkova/Andrea Snyder
Education Minister Turns Down Teachers' Petition
Minister of Education Ivan Pilip refused a petition Tuesday signed
by 44,000 Czech teachers and calling for changes in the standards that
govern their profession.
The petition, drawn up by a committee of teachers from Zlin and
Breclav, calls for a new law that would raise pay scales by as much as
100 percent, institute regular cost-of-living adjustments, and place
teachers in the same professional category as state employees.
The minister said he would not negotiate with a pressure group that
did not represent teachers as a whole. Petr Hosek/Andrea Snyder
Charles University Swamped With Applications
Some 35,400 potential students have applied to Charles University
(UK) for full-time studies for the 1995-96 school year, with another
1,000 applicants for its other programs. However, due to a lack of
finances, qualified workers, and building space, the university has room
for only 6,000 new students next year.
The Faculty of Law attracted the most interest (of 6,500 candidates
probably 660 will be accepted), followed by the Pedagogical Faculty
(6,120 applicants, 950 spaces), and the Faculty of Social Sciences
(2,800 potential students, 350 places). Next comes the Faculty of
Natural Sciences with 2,600 applicants - come September, probably 530 of
them will begin studies there.
Approximately 1,200 would-be students have applied to each of UK's
other 11 faculties. The five medical faculties in Prague, Plzen and
Hradec Kralove will accept around 1,200 students, the Pharmacological
Faculty in Hradec Kralove about 230, the Faculty of Physical Fitness and
Sport 320, the Mathematics-Physics Faculty around 500, the Catholic
Theological Faculty 130, the Hussite Theological Faculty 60, and the
Evangelical Faculty will take 90 students.
All of these numbers are approximate, because the entrance exams
have yet to be held.
Karolina Polakova and Tereza Hadrova/Andrea Snyder
Minister of Defense Speaks With Future Journalists
Minister of Defense Vilem Holan met with students at Charles
University's Faculty of Social Sciences last week for an informal
discussion with the aim of recruiting students to come work for the
ministry's information department when they graduate.
During an informal discussion on the problems of the Czech Army,
Carolina asked about the ministry's bad reputation and why it has not
hired a public relations agency to improve its image. Holan answered
that there was not enough money for that.
The defense minister also talked about the army's future, saying
his goals included a new personnel policy, the merger of two of the
current three military colleges into one, a new legal status for the
military, expanded cooperation with NATO in preparation for admission to
the alliance, and improved discipline among the soldiers.
The students were interested in how to get rid of hazing in the
army, the proposed shortening of obligatory military service, and the
professionalization of the armed forces. Holan said he was not expecting
full professionalization, but that obligatory military service would
probably be shortened by the end of the century.
Jirka Schneider/Katerina Rus
Olga Havlova and Petra Buzkova Most Noticeable Czech Women
A public opinion poll by AISA last month showed Olga Havlova,
President Havel's wife, and Petra Buzkova, vice chair of the Social
Democrats and member of Czech Parliament, as the most prominent women in
the Czech Republic.
Twenty percent of the respondents listed Havlova first, while 19
percent named Buzkova.
Following them were the actresses Ivana Chylkova, Jirina Bohdalova
(each with 4 percent) and Prime Minister Klaus' wife, Livia Klausova.
Muhammed Shah/Katerina Rus
NEWS IN BRIEF
* According to the U.S. Embassy in Prague, starting May 1 the validity
of tourist visas to the U.S. for Czechs will be extended to 10 years
(from the current two). Business visas, too, will be extended to 10
years (from the current one).
* Representatives of the Christian Democratic Youth made a show of
smoking in the Third Courtyard of Prague Castle to protest Parliament's
adoption of an amendment to the law on alcoholism, smoking and drug use.
In a letter to President Havel, who is a heavy smoker himself, the asked
him not to sign the strict legislation, which restricts smoking in
public.
* Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec left April 27 for a 10-day visit to
Latin America.
* A memorial to Karel and Josef Capek, sculpted by Pavel Opocensky, was
unveiled Saturday on Prague's namesti Miru (Peace Square).
Tomas Kopecny, Martina Krizikova and Jirka Schneider/ /Eftychia
Damianidou
FROM SLOVAKIA
Slovaks Won't Recognize Debts From Czechoslovak Bank Split
Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar announced last Friday that
Slovakia would never recognize the 24 billion crown debt that resulted
from the split of the Czechoslovak State Bank (SBCS) and the split of
the Czechoslovak crown into separate Czech and Slovak currencies.
Meciar made this statement during a discussion with Slovak students
at the university in Zvolen.
He also rejected the Czechs' demands for the revaluation of the
Slovak crown in clearing trade between the two countries. Meciar
described this as an obstacle for his meeting with Czech Prime Minister
Vaclav Klaus later this month. Lukas Zentel/Eftychia Damianidou
BUSINESS/ECONOMICS
Czechs Back in Debt on Clearing Trade With Slovaks
The Czech Republic overdrew its clearing account for trade with
Slovakia by a record 163.4 million ECUs in April.
Czech National Bank spokesman Martin Svehla told Carolina that the
Czechs have an upper limit of 130 million ECUs (about 4.5 billion
crowns). "This sum (roughly $217 million US) will now have to be paid to
Slovakia in dollars or marks, whichever the Slovaks prefer," Svehla
said.
This is the 10th time the Czechs have exceeded the 130 million ECU
limit since the Czechoslovak crown (Kcs) split into the Slovak (Sk) and
Czech crown (Kc) in early 1993.
In February Czech Finance Minister Ivan Kocarnik told the Slovaks
that this would be the last year of trade using the clearing system,
adding that he considered the 5-percent variation in the Slovak crown's
exchange rate a discriminatory obstacle to Czech imports.
Slovak Deputy Premier Sergej Kozlik said a new payment system with
a maximum 2-percent variation should take effect starting July 1 of this
year.
The exact form of payments remains to be decided at the meeting
between Czech and Slovak prime ministers Vaclav Klaus and Vladimir
Meciar, scheduled to take place this month.
Petr Hosek/Martina Vojtechovska
Exchange Rates of the Czech National Bank (as of May 5)
Checks Cash
country buy sell middle buy sell
Great Britain 1 GPB 41.495 41.913 41.704 40.28 43.12
France 1 FRF 5.245 5.297 5.271 5.07 5.47
Italy 1000 ITL 15.413 15.567 15.490 14.72 16.26
Japan 100 JPY 30.579 30.887 30.733 29.43 32.03
Canada 1 CAD 18.826 19.016 18.921 18.03 19.81
Austria 1 ATS 2.653 2.679 2.666 2.61 2.73
Germany 1 DEM 18.667 18.855 18.761 18.30 19.22
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.616 22.844 22.730 22.23 23.23
USA 1 USD 25.659 25.917 25.788 25.09 26.49
Slovakia 1 XCU -- -- 34.362 -- --
CULTURE
Director of Modern Art Museum Dismissed
National Gallery chief Martin Zlatohlavek dismissed Trade Fair
Palace (Veletrzni palac) director Jiri Sevcik from his post on Tuesday,
citing differences over the reconstruction of the palace, which is to
house the Czech Museum of Modern Art.
Minister of Culture Pavel Tigrid backed Zlatohlavek in his
decision.
According to the original plans, the Modern Art Museum was to open
in September of this year with the Biennale show from the Whitney Museum
in New York City. But given that Joe Williams, the coordinator of this
exhibition, was relieved from his post along with Sevcik, it now seems
likely that Czech art lovers will be disappointed.
Sevcik's proposal was to complete the reconstruction in two phases,
with the gallery space to be readied first, using funds from the state.
The other rooms, then, were to be finished in 1996 with the money coming
from private sources.
Miroslav Masak, who designed the reconstruction, agrees with
Sevcik's plan as a feasible one. But Zlatohlavek has decided to hold
a tender, with the project going to the firm that can have the entire
building ready to use by the end of this year.
Martin Kupka/Martina Vojtechovska
The Most Requested Songs on Czech Radio
"Over My Shoulder" by Mike & the Mechanics is the most requested
song on Czech radio stations. The most recent rankings compiled by the
Foundation for the Support of Czech Music look good for the Czechs, who
placed four songs in the Top 10: "Sen" ("Dream") by Lucie took second,
"Hrobar" ("Gravedigger") by Premier took third, "Amsterdam" by Ilona
Csakova finished fourth, and "Sametova" ("Velvet") by Zluty pes took
seventh. Tomas Kopecny/T.K.
"Paint War" Is This Year's 14th Czech Movie
"Valka barev" ("Paint War"), the latest film by director Filip
Renc, premiered Thursday at Blanik cinema on Prague's Wenceslas Square.
Story: The hero is a photographer named Ondrej who is also
interested in flying lightweight planes. On one of his flights he
witnesses a murder near a luxury villa, and as he photographs it he is
spotted by weapons dealer Waltr Rychman (played by Tomas Hanak). Ondrej
and his girlfriend Viktorka run into Rychman at a discotheque. Rychman
wants the negative, but it has been ruined. Eventually Ondrej learns
that what he saw was not a murder but a paint ball game. But he also
finds out that Viktorka, who claims to love him, is actually in on
Rychman's intrigues against him. And at the end of the movie Ondrej
becomes witness to a real murder.
Compensating for the movie's weak plot are the graphic animations
of Milos Kohout and the music by Ondrej Soukup. Tomas Kopecny/T.K.
"The Final Postponement" at Cinemas
"Posledni presun" ("The Final Postponement"), the first motion
picture by Krystof Hanzlik, premiered May 1 in the Prague cinema
U Hradeb. Besides directing the film, Hanzlik also wrote the screenplay.
Working with him were Jaroslav Brabec, the popular director of
photography, and actor Jiri Bartoska as the movie's hero.
"Postponement" is the first film by Anet Pictures in association
with Petr Koliha's team from Czech Television, and is also the first
Czech film to be edited digitally.
Acting alongside Bartoska are Ladislav Mrkvicka, Sandra Novakova
and Zbynek Fric. The story is set in the near future, in an underground
community where a few individuals are hiding from evacuation.
Jakub Knezu/Eftychia Damianidou
SPORTS
Czech Skaters to Meet Russia in World Quarterfinals
After uninspired play in their opening round group, the Czech
hockey players reached the quarterfinals at the world championships in
Sweden.
Following a 4-2 loss to the U.S., Czech coach Ludek Bukac went with
his strategy of changing goalkeepers, putting Roman Cechmanek in the
nets after Roman Turek and Petr Briza.
Norway was the Czechs' next opponent. Though the Czechs seemed to
have clear sailing to a win at the outset, with a goal from Pavel Janku
in the first minute of play, the match soon turned dramatic. After going
ahead 2-0, the Czechs gave up an unnecessary goal and began to get
worried. In the end, Radek Belohlav from Ceske Budejovice made the final
score 3-1.
The Swedes, skating on home ice, were the Czech Republic's last
opponents. With Roman Turek back in goal, the Czechs got off to a good
start, leading 1-0 after the first period on Otakar Vejvoda's goal. Bad
play in the second period, however, determined the final outcome, as the
Swedes scored twice and went on to win 2-1.
This loss placed the Czechs fourth in their opening round group, so
they now meet Russia in the quarterfinals.
Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
Only Seven Rounds Left in First Football League
Following a break for play by the Czech national team, the first
football league went on with its 23rd round. No important changes took
place in the standings.
Top-ranked Slavia Praha defeated Drnovice, an excellent side this
spring, 2-0, while second-place Sparta Praha came away from Plzen with
three important points after a 1-0 win. After an eight-game winning
streak, Ceske Budejovice fell to Brno, still ranked third in the
standings. Meanwhile, in the north Bohemian derby, Liberec was more
successful, defeating Jablonec 2-1. Viktoria Zizkov and Union Cheb got
their first spring wins in their home stadiums.
Results: Slavia Praha - Petra Drnovice 2:0, Viktoria Plzen - Sparta
Praha 0:1, Boby Brno - Ceske Budejovice 3:0, Viktoria Zizkov - Sigma
Olomouc 2:0, Slovan Liberec - FK Jablonec 2:1, Union Cheb - Svarc
Benesov 4:0, Svit Zlin - Bohemians Praha 0:0, Hradec Kralove - Banik
Ostrava 4:0. Rudolf Cernik/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* The Czech Republic defeated Russia 2-0 on goals by Jiri Kucera and
Otakar Vejvoda goals in the world championship quarterfinals Wednesday.
The Czechs meet Finland in the semifinals Friday evening.
* Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins was awarded the Art Ross
Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, the first European ever to
receive the honor. Jagr had 70 points (32 goals and 38 assists) in the
1994-95 regular season.
* Slovak skater Peter Bondra scored 34 goals to lead all scorers in the
NHL regular season.
* Czech champion Fox finished 22nd in the European duathlon
championships in Veszprem, Hungary. Seidl was shooting for the title but
did not even finish the run.
* Martin Koloc in his SISU truck leads the European championship series
after two weekend wins in Dijon, France.
* World runner-up Josef Dressler became Czech cyclotrial champion for
this year. Mirek Langer/M.L.
WEATHER
More than 100 years ago (May 3, 1850) at the Prague Clementinum
they measured the lowest temperature ever for that day: -0.4 degrees
Celsius. Probably this year's weather will not break the record, as
after cold mornings, daytime temperatures are now hovering around 15 to
18 degrees. Martina Krizkova/Mirek Langer
P.S.
We are sorry you probably got the Vicemiss 95 K. Kasalova's
picture. It happened because we had (really small) problems with sending
Miss-photos. You can understand it as an example what you can get. If
you want to have photo(s) of our most beautiful girls, write to
Carolina@cuni.cz.
All who already sent their messages will get photos they want.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The
subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. Send them
please to the address:
CAROLINA@cuni.cz
To subscribe to CAROLINA news you send an e-mail message to the address
LISTSERV@earn.cvut.cz
The text of message for subscription of the English version must be:
SUBSCRIBE CAR-ENG First name Last name
or for the Czech version
SUBSCRIBE CAR-CS First name Last name
To delete your subscription from the list of subscribers you send
the following message to the address LISTSERV@earn.cvut.cz:
SIGNOFF CAR-ENG or SIGNOFF CAR-CS
We ask you not to send automatic replies to our list. You can
temporalily stop receiving of Carolina by sending the command:
SET CAR-ENG NOMAIL
All Listserve commands should be sent to the address:
LISTSERV@earn.cvut.cz
Please, don't send commands SUB, SIGNOFF, NOMAIL etc to the address
CAR-CS@earn.cvut.cz or CAR-ENG@earn.cvut.cz!
