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Carolina (English) No 173
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STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECH REPUBLIC
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 173, Friday, October 6, 1995.
EVENTS FOR SEPT. 20 - OCT. 4, 1995
Koruna Fully Convertible as of October 1st
Sunday, Oct. 1, the Czech crown (koruna) became a "hard currency,"
as a new law on foreign currency took effect, making the crown fully
convertible.
Under the legislation, adopted by Czech Parliament Sept. 26, goods
and services from other countries can now be paid for directly from bank
accounts in Czech crowns, and there will be no more statutory
restrictions on foreign currency purchases for Czech citizens.
In addition, the Czechs and Slovaks are abandoning the clearing
system of payment for bilateral trade as the Slovak crown also became
convertible on Sunday.
Still, Parliament's decision does not mean that all foreign banks
will accept the Czech currency.
Said Finance Minister Ivan Kocarnik: "With the new foreign currency
law and the convertibility of the Czech crown, the Czech Republic will
become a full-fledged partner of the industrially developed countries."
Marketa Hudkova/M. Smid
Czech Republic on the Way into the EU
The Czech Republic will apply for membership in the European Union
next January (the last country from post-communist Eastern Europe to do
so), Premier Vaclav Klaus said Sept. 22 after a meeting of the
government committee for European integration. He said the government
hoped the country would be an EU member by the end of the decade.
Klaus also voiced his support for the idea of a nationwide
referendum on EU membership, as called for by opposition parties, even
though Parliament rejected the draft of a referendum law Sept. 27.
Petra Rubesova/M. Smid
Ruml Lays Off Chief Inspector at Interior Ministry
Czech Interior Minister Jan Ruml discharged his head of inspection,
Vladimir Nechanicky, along with deputy inspector Petr Faltus and another
four employees, based on suspicions that they leaked classified
information from the file on the investigation of May's police raid at
the "U Holubu" restaurant (see Carolina no. 163).
According to recent reports, the main impetus for the operation was
an anonymous letter allegedly written by the wife of the head of the
squad that carried out the raid.
Deputy Interior Minister Martin Fendrych maintains the raid was
legal and officially approved beforehand. Besides Fendrych, the
Inspection Department had charged three police officials with violating
laws during the operation.
Natasa Hajkova, Barbora Spevakova/M.Smid
Lustrace Extension Now Awaits Havel's Signature
Czech Parliament voted Sept. 27 to extend the country's
internationally criticized "lustrace" (screening) law until the year
2000.
The lustrace law, adopted in October 1991, bans former high-ranking
Communists, secret police agents and members of the People's Militia
from holding posts in state administration and enterprises for a period
of five years.
Also Czech legislators approved an amendment to the law, making it
also applicable to anyone who served in the police or prison
administration.
President Havel is expected to sign the amendment despite his
reservations about the original law, though Havel's spokesman, Ladislav
Spacek, refused to give any hints. "The president will make his position
clear by either signing or not signing the law. Any statement in advance
is out of the question," said Spacek.
A few months ago, when he first heard of Parliament's plans to
extend the law, Havel said he thought the lustrace process should end.
Many members of the Council of Europe's Human Rights Committee, who
subjected the legislation to heavy criticism, share his feelings.
Voting in favor of the amendment, submitted by the Civic Democratic
Party (ODS), were 99 of Parliament's 200 deputies: all of the government
coalition representatives (ODS, ODA, KDU-CSL and KDS), Miroslav
Sladek's Republicans, the Liberal National Socialist Party (LSNS) and
most of the Bohemian and Moravian Union of the Center (CMUS) deputies.
The entire Left Bloc, the Communists and individual members of CMUS and
the Social Democrats voted against it.
Matej Husek/Klara Schirova
Czech Parliament Finally Gets Second Chamber
After more than three years of debate on the need for a second
chamber of Parliament, the members of the Chamber of Deputies
- currently known simply as Czech Parliament - voted Sept. 27 to
establish a Senate.
The new legislation foresees a 200-seat Chamber of Deputies with
proportional representation and an 81-seat Senate using the majority
system.
Senators, who must be at least 40 years of age, will be elected for
a term of six years, with one-third of the body changing on a biannual
basis.
Anyone who wishes to run for the Senate must put up a deposit of
20,000 crowns, which will be returned provided the candidate wins at
least 6 percent of the votes in his or her district. In addition, every
party or coalition fielding candidates for the Senate must come up with
200,000 crowns, which is also returnable.
While the Czech Constitution - adopted in 1992, just prior to the
breakup of the Czechoslovak federation - assumed a bicameral
legislature, until now the country has functioned with just the Chamber
of Deputies. As the only legislative body, it cannot be dissolved,
therefore making it impossible to break a deadlock in times of crisis.
The Senate will take over some of the responsibilities that have
been handled by the Chamber of Deputies up until now and also serve to
correct any mistakes the other house of Parliament may make.
The president has the power to set the date for elections to the
Senate, though the prime minister has to approve, a provision that is
expected to stir up debate within the current government coalition.
The last formality that remains to be decided is the home of the new
body, which could also be a sensitive issue given the concentration of
administrative power in Prague.
The Czech Republic is now one of 17 European states with a bicameral
parliament. Radim Wolak/Katerina Zachovalova
Deputies Fail to Agree on Restricting Immunity
Czech Parliament voted Sept. 28 not to adopt an amendment to the
Misdemeanors Act that would have restricted immunity for legislators.
The only deputies who voted in favor of the change were 24 government
coalition members.
In other business, the legislators voted to restrict access to the
Parliament building, allowing only TV crews and two journalists from
each newspaper.
Katerina Zachovalova/K. Zachovalova
New Salaries for Government Officials
Czech Parliament adopted a new law on salaries for government
officials Sept. 26.
The law presents a new system for determining wages, using
coefficients based on the responsibilities and demands of each job. It
will not take effect until after the next elections, scheduled for 1996.
Until then members of Parliament will have access to 29,000 crowns
a month, tax-free, on top of their salaries, as opposed to the 9,000 to
11,000 crowns they are currently allowed.
The monthly salaries of the prime minister and the chair of
Parliament will be hiked from the current 38,500 crowns to 46,600
crowns, while the president's wage will go up from 85,000 to 107,000
crowns. Petr Mrzena/A. Snyder
New System for Parliamentary Interpellations
Czechs watching CT2 last Thursday got their first taste of
parliamentary interpellation, a move intended to satisfy the public's
curiosity about the positions of government ministers on the hot topics
of the day.
In an interpellation ministers are required to answer any question
posed to them by members of Parliament. The ministers generally answer
off the cuff and there is no time limit on their responses.
Thursday's show drew criticism from some corners when the first hour
of questions, which was supposed to feature Premier Vaclav Klaus, found
Deputy Premier Jan Kalvoda in the hot seat instead as Klaus was out of
the country.
Questions focused on the environment, education and social policies.
The opposition Social Democrats called it "a farce" and refused to
take part. Many deputies - including Anna Votavova of the Left Bloc, who
said she would not deliver her interpellation on the handicapped in
a "cabaret atmosphere" - submitted their questions in writing for Klaus
to answer within 30 days.
Katerina Zachovalova/K. Zachovalova
People's Party Votes in Leaders and New Platform
The Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party
(KDU-CSL) once again elected Minister of Agriculture Josef Lux as
chairman at their September congress in Brno.
KDU-CSL members declared their support for the current government
coalition, but decided to run in next year's parliamentary elections on
their own.
Jan Kasal was voted first vice chairman, with the other three
chairmen as follows: Deputy Miroslav Vyborny, Minister for Economic
Competition Stanislav Belehradek, and Defense Minister Vilem Holan. Both
former Defense Minister Antonin Baudys and Deputy Pavel Tollner failed
in their bids for party leadership positions.
Tollner joined KDU-CSL just 12 days befor the congress after he left
the Christian Democratic Party (KDS) to demonstrate his disapproval of
KDS's merger with Vaclav Klaus' Civic Democratic Party (ODS).
Said KDU-CSL member Josef Vacek: "We aim to orient ourselves
towards a social market economy, and of course that means taking
responsibility for the weaker members of society."
Marketa Skodova/A. Snyder
Doctors Call Strike for November 1
The Czech physicians' union LOK decided at its Sept. 21 national
meeting to go on strike for higher wages, as 300 delegates representing
nearly 6,000 members voted to stay home Nov. 1 unless the government
raises salaries.
LOK is calling for wages of 150 crowns per hour, as opposed to the
current 27 to 55 crowns per hour, along with a 100 percent increase in
wage schedules.
Shifts will be covered in hospitals and clinics, while physicians
with private practices will hang signs at their offices supporting the
strike. Doctors from all over the country are to gather in the capital
Nov. 1 wearing their white coats, LOK announced.
Throughout the month of November, then, strikers will do their best
to throw administrative obstacles in the way of the Ministry of Health,
for instance sending death certificates and other documents to the
ministry instead of filling them out themselves.
LOK President David Rath said the strike will last until physicians
get sufficient guarantees.
Most reactions to the idea of a doctors' walkout have been negative.
In an interview for Czech TV Premier Vaclav Klaus said the
physicians had committed a foul against themselves, and that he would be
surprised if the strike was supported by doctors nationwide.
Health Ludek Rubas said a strike that harmed patients was
unacceptable and a violation of ethics, and that he refused to negotiate
wages under pressure of a strike.
Rubas said he had no plans to meet with LOK officials, though he is
willing to talk with members of the Chamber of Medicine (LK) and other
organizations representing members of the medical profession. The LK has
sworn to use all the means at its disposal to stop the strike.
Meanwhile doctors at university clinics in Bern and Zurich,
Switzerland, anounced that in the event of a strike they would be
willing to volunteer their services in the Czech Republic Nov. 1.
In a poll of Prague residents by Dema, 60 percent of the respondents
said they believed the doctors' demands were justified, though only 29
percent agreed with a strike. Eighty-six percent of those polled said
they were afraid the strike would harm patients, and nearly half
predicted the strike would have negative consequences for the doctors
themselves. Zora Kasikova and Lucie Chytrackova/A. Snyder
Partnership for Peace Maneuvers in Vyskov
"Cooperative Challenge '95," a military exercise involving 600
soldiers from NATO and the Partnership for Peace, began Sunday on the
grounds of the Czech Army Academy in Vyskov, Moravia. Besides troops
from the six member countries of NATO and the 10 countries participating
in the Partnership for Peace program (Austria, the Czech Republic,
Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and
Sweden), four other countries sent observers, namely Belorussia,
Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania.
Russia refused to take part, citing the recent NATO bombings of the
Serbs in Bosnia.
The Czechs are footing nearly one-third of the cost of the six-day
exercise, expected to reach 21 million crowns.
Jitka Hejtmanova/K. Schirova
800 Students Homeless in Czech Capital
Nearly 800 Charles University students found themselves without
housing at the start of the school year as university officials reacted
to increased enrollment and a lack of dorm rooms by asking all those
within a 100-km radius of Prague to commute.
Many will eventually get the housing they applied for, but at least
100 of them will be forced to choose between a daily commute from their
hometown and renting an apartment on the high-priced Prague market.
Still other students have been given housing in towns nearby the city.
Some have gone so far as to change their home address to increase their
chances of getting a university room.
Charles University Vice Rector Petr Blahus said in an radio
interview that some students had been offered a place to live in Brandys
nad Labem but turned it down.
The School of Economics is even worse off, as 2,000 students are
lacking a place to sleep, and anyone who lives within 170 km of Prague
has to commute.
The total number of homeless students will not be known until Oct.
6, the final deadline for housing applications. David Vozdecky/A. Snyder
Baby Carried to Term in Abdominal Cavity
Nikola, who spent the full nine months of pregnancy in her mother's
abdominal cavity, was born Sept. 26 in Brno, weighing in at a healthy
2.6 kilograms and measuring 49 cm.
FROM SLOVAKIA
State Police Versus Secret Police
Slovak intelligence chief Ivan Lexa has been making things difficult
for investigators in the case of the kidnapping of Michal Kovac Jr., son
of Slovak President Michal Kovac.
On Sept. 21 investigator Peter Vacok demanded that Lexa strip Milan
Lovich, an employee of the Slovak Information Service (SIS), of his
right to silence. Lovich was sighted near the border on the day of the
kidnapping.
In addition Vacok has accused another man of smuggling Kovac out of
the country, and has officially asked Lexa if the man is an SIS
employee.
Lexa has refused to answer questions, instead accusing Vacok of
"organized crime" by forcing SIS members to give false testimony. Vacok
has denied the charges and said he will turn to Parliament and OKO, the
body for monitoring the secret police, unless Lexa complies with his
demands.
Investigator Jaroslav Simunic, who was pulled from the case after
calling for Lexa himself to be stripped of his right of silence, is
continuing the investigation on his own. He says a decision is being
made in the Kovac case as to "whether state terrorism will continue or
not."
Meanwhile, an unnamed Austrian politician put up the 1 million
schilling bail to free Kovac Jr. from jail Monday after 32 days.
Kovac's passport is being held by the Austrians until German officials
question him on charges of involvement in financial fraud at the
Bratislava company Technopol. Petr Pabian and Lucie Dvorakova/A. Snyder
Slovak Unions Gather to Protest
For the first time since November 1989, Slovak trade union members
gathered at SNP square in Bratislava to protest the government's social
policies.
Alojz Englis, president of the Trade Union Confederation, said the
demonstration had no political subtext, and that it was mainly to
protest increasing public transportation costs and the termination of
discounts in fare.
Before a crowd of 15,000, union leaders proposed increases in the
minimum wage and tax deductions. Also the demonstrators voiced
dissatisfaction with the government's privatization policies, especially
with the fact that the National Property Fund is selling businesses for
low prices to a small, select group of people, and not including
employees in privatization. Darina Coufalova/A. Snyder
BUSINESS/ECONOMICS
Gas and Electricity Prices to Remain Steady for Now
Minister of Industry and Trade Vladimir Dlouhy announced last Friday
that the price of energy - in particular gas and electricity for
households - would not change more than the government planned until
mid-1996.
The current government plan assumes a price increase of 12 to 15
percent starting June 1, 1996. The price of heat, which was raised in
September, should remain unchanged.
Dlouhy said the government would decide if further price increases
were necessary before elections next year. Power companies and
environmentalists are calling for more rapid rises to bring the price of
gas and electricity for individual consumers closer to the wholesale
price, which they say would reduce waste and excessive consumption.
"When determining new rates we have to take into account the social
acceptability of price increases, and (that includes) special prices for
certain groups of the population," said Dlouhy. "Still everyone has to
realize that the transition to ecological energy sources will not come
for free." Alice Ticha/A. Ticha
Businessmen Establish Regional Coop Loan Company
A group of 34 businessmen from the Pribram region established last
week the Entrepreneurial Regional Cooperative Savings and Loan
Association with basic assets of 1,020,000 crowns - 35,000 crowns from
each member.
This association, based on legislation adopted in April of this
year, harks back to similar companies that existed in Czechoslovakia
between World War I and World War II.
Marketa Skodova/A. Ticha
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from Oct.6)
Checks Cash
country buy sell middle buy sell middle
Australia 1 AUD 20.092 20.294 20.193 19.12 21.26 20.19
Belgium 100 BEF 89.568 90.468 90.018 87.32 92.72 90.02
Great Britain 1 GBP 41.876 42.296 42.086 40.67 43.51 42.09
Danemark 1 DKK 4.747 4.795 4.771 4.57 4.97 4.77
Finland 1 FIM 6.133 6.195 6.164 5.96 6.36 6.16
France 1 FRF 5.321 5.375 5.348 5.15 5.55 5.35
Ireland 1 IEP 42.693 43.123 42.908 40.91 44.91 42.91
Italy 1000 ITL 16.388 16.552 16.470 15.70 17.24 16.47
Japan 100 JPY 26.209 26.473 26.341 25.04 27.64 26.34
Canada 1 CAD 19.799 19.997 19.898 19.01 20.79 19.90
Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.568 90.468 90.018 87.02 93.02 90.02
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.449 16.615 16.532 16.05 17.01 16.53
Norway 1 NOK 4.193 4.235 4.214 4.06 4.36 4.21
New Zealand 1 NZD 17.444 17.620 17.532 16.78 18.28 17.53
Portugal 100 PTE 17.582 17.758 17.670 16.49 18.85 17.67
Austria 1 ATS 2.617 2.643 2.630 2.57 2.69 2.63
Greece 100 GRD 11.280 11.394 11.337 10.63 12.05 11.34
Germany 1 DEM 18.417 18.603 18.510 18.05 18.97 18.51
Spain 100 ESP 21.346 21.560 21.453 20.45 22.45 21.45
Sweden 1 SEK 3.804 3.842 3.823 3.66 3.98 3.82
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.898 23.128 23.013 22.51 23.51 23.01
USA 1 USD 26.458 26.724 26.591 25.89 27.29 26.59
EMS-ECU 1 XEU 34.065 34.407 34.236 -- -- --
MMF-ZPC-SDR 1 XDR 39.478 39.874 39.676 -- -- --
CULTURE
Jazzman Dies
Gustav Brom died of a heart attack in Brno Sept. 25. He was one of
the greatest jazz musicians in the Czech lands, and thanks to his
passion for music Brno became a renowned jazz center, visited by artists
from many countries.
In his 55 years as bandleader Brom's biggest hits were "Sneni ve
dvou" ("Dreaming in Pairs"), "Matinee," "Adela" and the "Vitamin
Charleston." He was also known for the television series "Kapela na
cestach" ("Band on the Road"), a collaboration between Brom and his
longtime friend Vladimir Skutina.
"Muj zivot s kapelou" ("My Life With the Band"), Brom's
autobiography, was published last year.
Jitka Motejzikova/A. Snyder
Cimrman Takes the Stage for the 7,000th Time
The Theater of Jara Cimrman, the fictious turn-of-the-century Czech
genius, staged its 7,000th performance in Prague on Friday, Oct. 29.
It was exactly 29 years ago that Czechs first heard the name of Jara
Cimrman on Radio Prague. Since then tens of thousands of Czechs have
laughed at the adventures of this persecuted inventor.
This year probably would have been Cimrman's 100th birthday,
although the Cimrmanology community is divided on this issue.
Marking the anniversary was the premiere of the ensemble's latest
play, "Zaskok" ("The Stand-in").
While director Ladislav Smoljak, one of the most famous researchers
on Cimrman's works, declined to say how many more thousands of
performances there will be to celebrate, we can only hope this
millennium is not the last.
If things should not go well, however, keep in mind one of
Cimrman's favorite sayings: "It doesn't have to rain, just a drip is
enough." Zbynek Vicar/Petr Kadlec
SPORTS
Litvinov Leads in Extraleague Ice Hockey
The North Bohemian skaters of Litvinov haved seized the no. 1 spot
in the Czech hockey Extraleague with 16 points. At this point the league
appears to be dominated by four squads: besides Litvinov, Vsetin, Sparta
and, to the surprise of some, Ceske Budejovice.
Meanwhile, after an impressive start Slavia has slipped to ninth
place, league newcomers Trinec are holding their own, and Kladno is
turning in a disappointing performance after last season's showing.
David Sprincl/A. Zucker
Last Year's Champions Sparta Out Front Again in Soccer
Nine matches into the season Praha Sparta is sitting atop the first
league in soccer, ahead of Liberec and Cheb.
Praha Slavia and Hradec Kralove, representing the Czechs in European
cup competition, are having a hard go of it in league play. Slavia is
wallowing in the bottom half of the standings, while Hradec is bringing
up the rear along with Zlin and the two first-league additions this
year, Opava and Uherske Hradiste. David Sprincl/A. Zucker
Czech Squads Advance in Second Round of Cup Action
Sparta, Slavia and Hradec Kralove all emerged victorious from the
first round of cup competition in European soccer.
After losing 1-0 at home, Sparta came back to defeat Sikeborg of
Norway 2-1 on foreign turf, advancing to round two of the UEFA Cup.
Also in UEFA Cup play, Slavia beat Freiburg 2-1 away from home, then
came back to Prague and played to a 0-0 tie.
And in the Cup Winners' Cup, Hradec Kralove trounced Copenhagen 5-0
at home, then traveled to Denmark, where they played to a 2-2 tie.
Second-round match-ups are as follows: Sparta Praha vs. Zimbrau
Kishinev; Slavia Praha vs. FC Lugano; and Hradec Kralove vs. Dynamo
Moscow. Karel Bartek/A. Zucker
Sports in Brief
* In soccer, the Czechs advanced in European Championship play,
defeating Norway 2-0. Next they face Belarus.
* In Davis Cup action, Korda, Ulihrach, Vacek and Suk kept the Czech
squad alive with a win over Zimbabwe, 4-1.
* In the second qualification match for the European championships in
team handball, the Czechs - minus three starters who play in the German
league - tied Macedonia 27-27, after trouncing them by 17 goals Sept.
27. Michal Kubal, Adam Kotalik/A. Zucker
WEATHER
While a little inconsistent, the weather has improved in the last
two weeks, temperatures rising as high as 18 to 22 degrees Celsius,
tempting the residents to take walks on Petrin Hill and stroll the
beautiful streets of downtown. Mushroom hunters especially are happy, as
a jam-packed basket is virtually guaranteed these days.
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