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Carolina (English) No 137
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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 137, Friday, November 18, 1994.
EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 9 to 16)
Mysteries Linger About Lizner Case
Questions still surround the biggest corruption scandal in the Czech
Republic, the arrest of privatization chief Jaroslav Lizner on charges
of accepting an 8 million crown bribe.
The biggest questions are whether Lizner, the head of the Coupon
Privatization Center and Center of Securities, actually took a bribe,
and if so, what he did in return.
Lizner was arrested last week as he left a meeting at the Asia
Restaurant. He had more than 8 million crowns in his briefcase.
Lubos Sotona, director of Trans World International (TWI) director,
suspected of giving Lizner the bribe, said that Lizner promised him to
remove Mlekarna Klatovy from coupon privatization through a technical
manouver. TWI, a food company, is trying to acquire Mlekarna Klatovy,
a diary.
Lizner said the money was first part a payment for him arranging
a deal between TWI and C.S. Fond.
Meanwhile, Tomas Chrz of C.S. Fond said that company representatives
have signed a contract to sell their 40 percent stake in Mlekarna
Klatovy to TWI.
TWI, which sells food to Persian Gulf countries, previously tried to
aquire the diary. TWI won the right to privatize the company, gaining
a 34 percent share for 220 million crowns. But the deal was annulled by
the National Property Fund on concerns that TWI didn't have adequate
funds.
It is still not clear whether Lizner will stand trial. If
investigators cannot assemble sufficient evidence to prove charges of
bribery or abuse of information, Lizner could be free in a few days. In
that case, police will be forced to return the money and the briefcase
to Lizner. Jakub Knezu/Jiri Chvojka
Court Grants Restitution To An Emigrant, A First
The Constitutional Court ruled for the first time November 11 that
that a Czech emigrant is entitled to restitution. The ruling was based
on a November 1 decision by the Constitutional Court in Brno that
restitution for property confiscated after February 25, 1948, applies to
Czech natives who had lost their Czech citizenship.
There will be a three three-year limit for restitution requests for
those who could not ask for property by the original 1991 deadline.
However, since the property in question has already been sold or
privatized in most cases, applicants will have to be given financial
compensation.
The potential number of cases is provoking fears that the Czech
legal system could be overburdened. Martina Krizkova/Jiri Chvojka
Portuguese President Visits Czech Republic
Portuguese President Mario Soares and his wife Maria came to the
Czech Republic for a three-day visit November 3. Soares had visited
Prague before, the first foreign head of state to visit Prague after the
Velvet Revolution.
Soares, who was invited to the Czech Republic by President Vaclav
Havel, also met with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, whom he invited to
Portugal. In conversation, he was interested in the state of Czech
society and the economy.
Soares confirmed the support of his country for including the Czech
Republic in European institutions of which Portugal is a member, such as
the European Union.
At a meeting with journalists, Havel emphasised the similar
development of the two states in ridding themselves of undemocratic
regimes and transforming society.
Soares visited an exhibition of twenty Portuguese naive painters at
the Old Town Hall. Maria Soares visited the most precious monument of
Jewish city - the Old New Synagogue.
Jana Maruskova/Jiri Schneider
Sladek Arrested On Austrian Border
Miroslav Sladek, head of the Union for the Republic - Czechoslovak
Republican Party, was arrested November 11 as he tried to cross the
Austrian border with his family.
Sladek was stopped at the passport control at the Slavonice border
station. The examiner informed Sladek that he was wanted in connection
with disturbances during and after a Republican party rally October 28.
Several people were injured and arrested following clashed between
police, anarchists and right-wing supporters of Sladek.
For several days, Sladek had eluded arrest. He was released the same
day he was arrested. Martina Krizkova/Jiri Chvojka
PEN Club Congress Ends in Prague
Five hundred 500 writers and intellectuals attended the 61th world
congress of PEN Club in Prague from November 6 to 12.
Tolerance was the key theme of the congress. At a Wednesday meeting
in Bethlehem Chapel, Gunter Grass and Ludvik Vaculik discussed where
tolerance ends and indifference begins. According to Grass, the limit of
tolerance is the point at which principles of freedom are endangered. In
contrast, Vaculik claims that tolerance is a state of mind that may
easily slide into indifference toward the problems of an individual.
Particular attention was paid to the activities of the Committee for
Imprisoned Writers, established by the PEN Club in 1960. The aim of this
committee is to prevent human right violations and to gain the release
of writers jailed on account of political or religious beliefs. The
Committee for Imprisoned Writers approved numerous resolutions regarding
writers in some countries of Africa, Asia and South America.
In course of the congress, the Karel Capek Prize was awarded for
the first time. Grass shared the prize with Philip Roth. The prize comes
with a statue of by Vladimir Preclik and 200,000 crowns.
The next world congress of the PEN Club will take place in 1995 in
Australia. Tereza Hadravova and Karolina Polakova/Vera Vitkova
Arthur Miller Meets with Students
The position of writers in the world was the key issue of a debate
with five American writers at the Department of Arts of Charles
University in Prague on November 10. This meeting was one of the
numerous events associated with the 61th congress of PEN Club.
Reading from his best-known play, "Death of a Salesman," Arthur
Miller commenced the meeting. The four other writers and PEN Club
members, Rose Styron, a poet and Amnesty International activist, Diane
Johnson, a prose writer and University of California Davis professor,
and poets James Ragan and Yusef Komonyakaa also presented extracts from
their works.
Replying the questions of sudents, James Ragan called the present
world as the "CNN news century" in which one loses his own opinion.
Therefore, writers should be the challenging force indicating injustice
in the society. Miller added that a writer must reject generally
acknowledged models.
"Writers become writers because they don't feel like parts of this
society," he said. "In fact, they are aliens."
According to these literati, the greatest Czech contribution to the
world literature are the works of Franz Kafka, as well as the poems of
Jaroslav Seifert and Vladimir Holan. Vera Vitkova
Three Out of Four Will Vote
Three-fourths of eligible voters will cast ballots in municipal
elections this weekend, according to a poll from the IVVM research
group.
The poll, conducted October 21-26 showed that 74 percent plan to
vote, 16 percent said they wouldn't and the rest were unaware of the
elections.
Interest in the elections is higher in villages and smaller towns
than in bigger towns and large cities.
Martina Vojtechovska/Eftychia Damianidou
Praguers, Other Czechs Rely on Different Media
A study by Media Project 94, conducted by AISA and GFK research
firms, shows different preferences for media between Prague and the rest
of the Czech Republic.
The most popular media are:
Daily Newspapers: Czech Republic: Blesk 17 percent, Mlada Fronta
Dnes 16 percent, Rude Pravo 12 percent. Prague: Mlada Fronta Dnes 25
percent, Vecernik Praha 21 percent, Blesk 19 percent.
Television: Czech Republic: Nova 66 percent, CT1 40 percent, CT2 6
percent. Prague: Nova 58 percent, CT1 40 percent, Premiera 15 percent.
Radio Stations: Czech Republic: CRo Radiojournal 17 percent, 2. CRo
Prague 11 percent, Frequency 1 10 percent. Prague: Radio Country 17
percent, CRo Praha 14 percent, CRo Radiojournal 11 percent.
Tomas Kopecny/Eftychia Damianidou
German Firm Buys Interest in Mlada Fronta Dnes
A German firm has become the majority owner of Mlada Fronta Dnes,
the most popular serious newspaper in the Czech Republic.
Rheinisch-Bergische Druckerei und Verlagsgesselschaft mbH purchased
the interest, which is just over 50 percent, from the French Hersant
group.
Hersant had begun investing in 1990 in newspaper printing works in
Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. He sold the newspaper to pay debts.
Andrea Rihova/Eftychia Damianidou
Prague Metro Adds Five Kilometers
Five new Metro stations opened on the B line in the southwest part
of Prague November 11, and the line was extended five kilometers. The
new stations come after Nove Butovice. The new end station is Zlicin.
The new stations were completed under the leadership of Prime
Minister Vaclav Klaus, Prague Mayor Jan Koukal and Transportation
Minister Jan Stransky, all of the Civic Democratic Party. Other parties
have accused the Civic Democrats of unfairly claiming responsibility for
the metro just before municipal elections.
The new length of metro cost 4 billion crowns.
Shah Muhammad/Eftychia Damiandidou
FROM SLOVAKIA
Vladimir Meciar Is Not Going To Form a Minority Government
The Party of the Democratic Left formally withdrew from negotiations
with the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), the winner of Slovak
elections. Thus the leader of HZDS, Vladimir Meciar, lost the last
remaining partner outside the parliamentary coalition.
According to Meciar, the parliamentary grouping is not sufficient to
form the new Slovak government. But he rejects establishing a minority
government. Michal Vynohradnyk/ Vera Vitkova
Slovak Press Agency Accused of Being Party Tool
On November 11 the daily newspapers LeMonde and Nezavisimaja Gazeta
reported that news issued by Press Agency of Slovak Republic (TASR) are
checked by the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, and that the Movement
influences the work of Slovak radio and television.
The director of TASR, Ivan Melichercik, rejected the charge and
said he hadn't had any any political pressure in seven months on the
job. Michal Vynohradnyk/Martina Vojtechovska
ECONOMY
Coupon Privatization Finishes
On November 14, the sixth round finished the process of coupon
privatization in the Czech Republic. Every adult in the country could
buy a coupon booklet for 1000 crowns, then use the coupons to select
factories and firms or investment funds.
The process privatized property worth 340 billion crowns.
The privatization process has been held up as a model to other
post-communist countries. In 1992, only 20 percent of the economy was in
private hands. That number has grown to 80 percent today.
More than 6 million people were involved in the privatization,
making the Czech Republic the world's leader in per capita stock
ownership, with 70 percent holding shares.
Petr Hosek/Martina Vojtechovska
CULTURE
Jewish Museum in Prague No Longer in State Possesion
The State Jewish Museum has been renamed the Jewish Museum. Along
with the state, the new museum's founders are the Federation of Jewish
Parishes and the Prague Jewish Parish. Property of the former State
Jewish Museum passed to new institution by a gift. According to Ladislav
Spacek, spokesman of president, this means that "only the museum
changed, but the collections stay in the same place".
The new museum opened October 1. Director Leo Pavlat answered
questions about it:
Q: Will these changes be visible? Can visitors feel them?
A: No, they can't feel them externally. We have a little bit
different plans than State Jewish museum did. For example, we want
create a separate exposition, "The History of Czech and Moravian Jews".
We are concentrating on permanent exhibitions as we don't have rooms for
single exactions . All we have, will be at the permanent exhibition's
disposal. In cooperation with the Israeli embassy and other partners we
are planing a big exhibition, "The Old Testament in Art".
Q: Where does the museum get its funds?
A: Our main resource is admissions, business activity and to
a limited extent small presents, for example from tourists. There is no
sponsor for the time being. These funds are not enough for bigger
reconstruction projects, so we want intensify contacts with foreign
countries and gain funds perhaps with the support of foundations. We
don't get any money from the state. The museum was self-sufficient in
the past. Even though it was under the city council, it gave a certain
financial amount to the town.
Q: And what about other restitution of Jewish property?
A: I can answer this question only as a director of Jewish museum.
Restitutions in the real sense of the word don't exist. Even in case of
the museum it's not actually a restitution, the state gave the
collections. But it was the easiset way to give back property.
Jindrich Jirasek, Karolina Polakova/Martina Vojtechovska
New Czech Comedy "Thanks for Each New Morning" Premieres
The new Milan Steindler film, "Thanks For Each New Morning", had its
premiere this weak in Prague. The film, described as "a bitter comedy,"
tells the story of a big Ukrainian race and the relationship between
a despotic father and his daughter.
Ivana Chylkova, who starred in "The Time of Servants", and the
Polish actor Franciszek Pieczka star in this film, which was written by
Halina Pawlowska screenplay.
"Thanks For Each New Morning" is the second collaboration of
Pawlowska and Steindler. Their first was the comedy "Return To The
Grave," with Steindler in the lead role. Jindrich Jirasek/Mirek Langer
Architectural Gem of Czech Cubism Reopens
The reopening of an important building of Czech cubism after its
reconstruction, The House of the Black Madonna, was a great social
event.
The house is now being used by the Czech Museum of Fine Arts, mainly
as an exhibition space. The opening of the house coincided with the
opening of exhibitions.
In two stories of the house is an exhibition of collages by Czech
poet and artist Jiri Kolar. Another story is devoted to Italian
Futurism, with works of Umbero Boccioni, Fortunato Depero and Giacomo
Balla. The two top stories of the house offer an opportunity to learn
about Czech cubism in painting, sculpture, architecture and other
applied arts, with pictures by Emil Filla, Josef Capek, Vaclav Spala and
Bohumil Kubista are on display. The exposition also presents the works
of graphic artists and architects Josef Gocar, Josef Chochol, Pavel
Janak and others.
The House of the Black Madonna was designed by Gocar and built in
1911 and 1912. Gocar designed his six-story building to fit in the heart
of Prague's historical district.
During the First Republic (1918-1938), the house served as
a shopping center and cafe. After the Second World War, the building was
used for government offices.
Now, a restaurant on the first floor will soon be joined by shops,
said Dr. Jan Sekera, director of the museum.
Czech cubism was a unique art movement. Although based on the French
cubism of George Braque and Pablo Picasso, it developed in an different
environment, reflecting a more pessimistic view. Czech cubism was also
the only cubist movement to develop architectural form.
Martin Kupka/Jirka Schneider
SPORT
Czech Republic Draws with Netherlands in Euro 96 Qualification
The Czech football team drew 0:0 with the Netherlands in their third
qualification match in the Euro 96 tournament group. The match was
played in Rotterdam before 42,000 Dutch fans disappointed that their
players Bergkamp, Overmars and R. de Boer couldn't play.
The Dutch controlled the game throughout, but Czech defenses, and
excellent play by the goaltender Srnicek, prevented a Dutch goal.
The Czech team is in second place in its division.
The Czech junior team tied 2:2 with the Netherlands in
a qualification match for the junior world championships. The junior
team is in first place. Jiri Trunecka/Mirek Langer
Results of the 17th and 18th Rounds of Hockey Extraleague
17th round: Vsetin - Kladno 8:3, Ceske Budejovice - Vitkovice 2:4,
Slavia Prague - Plzen 2:2, Litvinov - Jihlava 6:3. Olomouc - Zlin 3:3.
The Pardubice - Sparta Prague match was rescheduled to November 27.
18th round: Zlin - Pardubice 2:4, Jihlava - Olomouc 2:5, Kladno
- Vitkovice 9:1, Plzen - Vsetin 1:3, Sparta Prague - Slavia Prague 3:4,
Ceske Budejovice - Litvinov 3:4. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
HC Olomouc Proceeds in European Champions Cup
HC Olomouc, the reigning Czech hockey champion, advanced to the
final group of the European Champions Cup. From November 26 to 30, they
will face Russia's Lada Togliatti, Bylorus' Tirali Minsk, Germany's
Maddogs Munich, Sweden's Malmo FF and Slovakia's Dukla Trencin. The
matches will take place in Turku, Finland. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
Czech Hockey-Player Sets German League Record
Josef Dopita, a former HC Olomouc hockey player now playing forward
for the Berlin Eisbaren, scored six goals in a German League
game against Augsburg. He scored four of the goals in only 14 minutes, a
record in the German league. The flurry of goals raises his season total
to 14, third in the scorer's table. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
Three Czech Wins in First Czech Skate
Radka Kovarikova a Rene Novotny won for sport couples and Katerina
Mrazova and Martin Simecek won for dance couples in the first Czech
Skate in Vitkovice. Lenka Kulovana took the third Czech first place,
with the women's title.
Novotny's win came despite problems with his skate-lace in the free
program. The program culminated in an exhibition November 6 featuring
Petr Barna, European champion in 1992.
Organizers of Czech Skate hope the event will become a part of the
figure skating World Cup. Mirek Langer
WEATHER
The weather in the Czech Republic was steady, with snow in the
northern mountains, and cloudy and rainy conditions in the rest of the
country. Temperatures at night were between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius,
with day temperatures between 6 and 10. Eftychia Damianidou
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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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 137, Friday, November 18, 1994.
EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 9 to 16)
Mysteries Linger About Lizner Case
Questions still surround the biggest corruption scandal in the Czech
Republic, the arrest of privatization chief Jaroslav Lizner on charges
of accepting an 8 million crown bribe.
The biggest questions are whether Lizner, the head of the Coupon
Privatization Center and Center of Securities, actually took a bribe,
and if so, what he did in return.
Lizner was arrested last week as he left a meeting at the Asia
Restaurant. He had more than 8 million crowns in his briefcase.
Lubos Sotona, director of Trans World International (TWI) director,
suspected of giving Lizner the bribe, said that Lizner promised him to
remove Mlekarna Klatovy from coupon privatization through a technical
manouver. TWI, a food company, is trying to acquire Mlekarna Klatovy,
a diary.
Lizner said the money was first part a payment for him arranging
a deal between TWI and C.S. Fond.
Meanwhile, Tomas Chrz of C.S. Fond said that company representatives
have signed a contract to sell their 40 percent stake in Mlekarna
Klatovy to TWI.
TWI, which sells food to Persian Gulf countries, previously tried to
aquire the diary. TWI won the right to privatize the company, gaining
a 34 percent share for 220 million crowns. But the deal was annulled by
the National Property Fund on concerns that TWI didn't have adequate
funds.
It is still not clear whether Lizner will stand trial. If
investigators cannot assemble sufficient evidence to prove charges of
bribery or abuse of information, Lizner could be free in a few days. In
that case, police will be forced to return the money and the briefcase
to Lizner. Jakub Knezu/Jiri Chvojka
Court Grants Restitution To An Emigrant, A First
The Constitutional Court ruled for the first time November 11 that
that a Czech emigrant is entitled to restitution. The ruling was based
on a November 1 decision by the Constitutional Court in Brno that
restitution for property confiscated after February 25, 1948, applies to
Czech natives who had lost their Czech citizenship.
There will be a three three-year limit for restitution requests for
those who could not ask for property by the original 1991 deadline.
However, since the property in question has already been sold or
privatized in most cases, applicants will have to be given financial
compensation.
The potential number of cases is provoking fears that the Czech
legal system could be overburdened. Martina Krizkova/Jiri Chvojka
Portuguese President Visits Czech Republic
Portuguese President Mario Soares and his wife Maria came to the
Czech Republic for a three-day visit November 3. Soares had visited
Prague before, the first foreign head of state to visit Prague after the
Velvet Revolution.
Soares, who was invited to the Czech Republic by President Vaclav
Havel, also met with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, whom he invited to
Portugal. In conversation, he was interested in the state of Czech
society and the economy.
Soares confirmed the support of his country for including the Czech
Republic in European institutions of which Portugal is a member, such as
the European Union.
At a meeting with journalists, Havel emphasised the similar
development of the two states in ridding themselves of undemocratic
regimes and transforming society.
Soares visited an exhibition of twenty Portuguese naive painters at
the Old Town Hall. Maria Soares visited the most precious monument of
Jewish city - the Old New Synagogue.
Jana Maruskova/Jiri Schneider
Sladek Arrested On Austrian Border
Miroslav Sladek, head of the Union for the Republic - Czechoslovak
Republican Party, was arrested November 11 as he tried to cross the
Austrian border with his family.
Sladek was stopped at the passport control at the Slavonice border
station. The examiner informed Sladek that he was wanted in connection
with disturbances during and after a Republican party rally October 28.
Several people were injured and arrested following clashed between
police, anarchists and right-wing supporters of Sladek.
For several days, Sladek had eluded arrest. He was released the same
day he was arrested. Martina Krizkova/Jiri Chvojka
PEN Club Congress Ends in Prague
Five hundred 500 writers and intellectuals attended the 61th world
congress of PEN Club in Prague from November 6 to 12.
Tolerance was the key theme of the congress. At a Wednesday meeting
in Bethlehem Chapel, Gunter Grass and Ludvik Vaculik discussed where
tolerance ends and indifference begins. According to Grass, the limit of
tolerance is the point at which principles of freedom are endangered. In
contrast, Vaculik claims that tolerance is a state of mind that may
easily slide into indifference toward the problems of an individual.
Particular attention was paid to the activities of the Committee for
Imprisoned Writers, established by the PEN Club in 1960. The aim of this
committee is to prevent human right violations and to gain the release
of writers jailed on account of political or religious beliefs. The
Committee for Imprisoned Writers approved numerous resolutions regarding
writers in some countries of Africa, Asia and South America.
In course of the congress, the Karel Capek Prize was awarded for
the first time. Grass shared the prize with Philip Roth. The prize comes
with a statue of by Vladimir Preclik and 200,000 crowns.
The next world congress of the PEN Club will take place in 1995 in
Australia. Tereza Hadravova and Karolina Polakova/Vera Vitkova
Arthur Miller Meets with Students
The position of writers in the world was the key issue of a debate
with five American writers at the Department of Arts of Charles
University in Prague on November 10. This meeting was one of the
numerous events associated with the 61th congress of PEN Club.
Reading from his best-known play, "Death of a Salesman," Arthur
Miller commenced the meeting. The four other writers and PEN Club
members, Rose Styron, a poet and Amnesty International activist, Diane
Johnson, a prose writer and University of California Davis professor,
and poets James Ragan and Yusef Komonyakaa also presented extracts from
their works.
Replying the questions of sudents, James Ragan called the present
world as the "CNN news century" in which one loses his own opinion.
Therefore, writers should be the challenging force indicating injustice
in the society. Miller added that a writer must reject generally
acknowledged models.
"Writers become writers because they don't feel like parts of this
society," he said. "In fact, they are aliens."
According to these literati, the greatest Czech contribution to the
world literature are the works of Franz Kafka, as well as the poems of
Jaroslav Seifert and Vladimir Holan. Vera Vitkova
Three Out of Four Will Vote
Three-fourths of eligible voters will cast ballots in municipal
elections this weekend, according to a poll from the IVVM research
group.
The poll, conducted October 21-26 showed that 74 percent plan to
vote, 16 percent said they wouldn't and the rest were unaware of the
elections.
Interest in the elections is higher in villages and smaller towns
than in bigger towns and large cities.
Martina Vojtechovska/Eftychia Damianidou
Praguers, Other Czechs Rely on Different Media
A study by Media Project 94, conducted by AISA and GFK research
firms, shows different preferences for media between Prague and the rest
of the Czech Republic.
The most popular media are:
Daily Newspapers: Czech Republic: Blesk 17 percent, Mlada Fronta
Dnes 16 percent, Rude Pravo 12 percent. Prague: Mlada Fronta Dnes 25
percent, Vecernik Praha 21 percent, Blesk 19 percent.
Television: Czech Republic: Nova 66 percent, CT1 40 percent, CT2 6
percent. Prague: Nova 58 percent, CT1 40 percent, Premiera 15 percent.
Radio Stations: Czech Republic: CRo Radiojournal 17 percent, 2. CRo
Prague 11 percent, Frequency 1 10 percent. Prague: Radio Country 17
percent, CRo Praha 14 percent, CRo Radiojournal 11 percent.
Tomas Kopecny/Eftychia Damianidou
German Firm Buys Interest in Mlada Fronta Dnes
A German firm has become the majority owner of Mlada Fronta Dnes,
the most popular serious newspaper in the Czech Republic.
Rheinisch-Bergische Druckerei und Verlagsgesselschaft mbH purchased
the interest, which is just over 50 percent, from the French Hersant
group.
Hersant had begun investing in 1990 in newspaper printing works in
Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. He sold the newspaper to pay debts.
Andrea Rihova/Eftychia Damianidou
Prague Metro Adds Five Kilometers
Five new Metro stations opened on the B line in the southwest part
of Prague November 11, and the line was extended five kilometers. The
new stations come after Nove Butovice. The new end station is Zlicin.
The new stations were completed under the leadership of Prime
Minister Vaclav Klaus, Prague Mayor Jan Koukal and Transportation
Minister Jan Stransky, all of the Civic Democratic Party. Other parties
have accused the Civic Democrats of unfairly claiming responsibility for
the metro just before municipal elections.
The new length of metro cost 4 billion crowns.
Shah Muhammad/Eftychia Damiandidou
FROM SLOVAKIA
Vladimir Meciar Is Not Going To Form a Minority Government
The Party of the Democratic Left formally withdrew from negotiations
with the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), the winner of Slovak
elections. Thus the leader of HZDS, Vladimir Meciar, lost the last
remaining partner outside the parliamentary coalition.
According to Meciar, the parliamentary grouping is not sufficient to
form the new Slovak government. But he rejects establishing a minority
government. Michal Vynohradnyk/ Vera Vitkova
Slovak Press Agency Accused of Being Party Tool
On November 11 the daily newspapers LeMonde and Nezavisimaja Gazeta
reported that news issued by Press Agency of Slovak Republic (TASR) are
checked by the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, and that the Movement
influences the work of Slovak radio and television.
The director of TASR, Ivan Melichercik, rejected the charge and
said he hadn't had any any political pressure in seven months on the
job. Michal Vynohradnyk/Martina Vojtechovska
ECONOMY
Coupon Privatization Finishes
On November 14, the sixth round finished the process of coupon
privatization in the Czech Republic. Every adult in the country could
buy a coupon booklet for 1000 crowns, then use the coupons to select
factories and firms or investment funds.
The process privatized property worth 340 billion crowns.
The privatization process has been held up as a model to other
post-communist countries. In 1992, only 20 percent of the economy was in
private hands. That number has grown to 80 percent today.
More than 6 million people were involved in the privatization,
making the Czech Republic the world's leader in per capita stock
ownership, with 70 percent holding shares.
Petr Hosek/Martina Vojtechovska
CULTURE
Jewish Museum in Prague No Longer in State Possesion
The State Jewish Museum has been renamed the Jewish Museum. Along
with the state, the new museum's founders are the Federation of Jewish
Parishes and the Prague Jewish Parish. Property of the former State
Jewish Museum passed to new institution by a gift. According to Ladislav
Spacek, spokesman of president, this means that "only the museum
changed, but the collections stay in the same place".
The new museum opened October 1. Director Leo Pavlat answered
questions about it:
Q: Will these changes be visible? Can visitors feel them?
A: No, they can't feel them externally. We have a little bit
different plans than State Jewish museum did. For example, we want
create a separate exposition, "The History of Czech and Moravian Jews".
We are concentrating on permanent exhibitions as we don't have rooms for
single exactions . All we have, will be at the permanent exhibition's
disposal. In cooperation with the Israeli embassy and other partners we
are planing a big exhibition, "The Old Testament in Art".
Q: Where does the museum get its funds?
A: Our main resource is admissions, business activity and to
a limited extent small presents, for example from tourists. There is no
sponsor for the time being. These funds are not enough for bigger
reconstruction projects, so we want intensify contacts with foreign
countries and gain funds perhaps with the support of foundations. We
don't get any money from the state. The museum was self-sufficient in
the past. Even though it was under the city council, it gave a certain
financial amount to the town.
Q: And what about other restitution of Jewish property?
A: I can answer this question only as a director of Jewish museum.
Restitutions in the real sense of the word don't exist. Even in case of
the museum it's not actually a restitution, the state gave the
collections. But it was the easiset way to give back property.
Jindrich Jirasek, Karolina Polakova/Martina Vojtechovska
New Czech Comedy "Thanks for Each New Morning" Premieres
The new Milan Steindler film, "Thanks For Each New Morning", had its
premiere this weak in Prague. The film, described as "a bitter comedy,"
tells the story of a big Ukrainian race and the relationship between
a despotic father and his daughter.
Ivana Chylkova, who starred in "The Time of Servants", and the
Polish actor Franciszek Pieczka star in this film, which was written by
Halina Pawlowska screenplay.
"Thanks For Each New Morning" is the second collaboration of
Pawlowska and Steindler. Their first was the comedy "Return To The
Grave," with Steindler in the lead role. Jindrich Jirasek/Mirek Langer
Architectural Gem of Czech Cubism Reopens
The reopening of an important building of Czech cubism after its
reconstruction, The House of the Black Madonna, was a great social
event.
The house is now being used by the Czech Museum of Fine Arts, mainly
as an exhibition space. The opening of the house coincided with the
opening of exhibitions.
In two stories of the house is an exhibition of collages by Czech
poet and artist Jiri Kolar. Another story is devoted to Italian
Futurism, with works of Umbero Boccioni, Fortunato Depero and Giacomo
Balla. The two top stories of the house offer an opportunity to learn
about Czech cubism in painting, sculpture, architecture and other
applied arts, with pictures by Emil Filla, Josef Capek, Vaclav Spala and
Bohumil Kubista are on display. The exposition also presents the works
of graphic artists and architects Josef Gocar, Josef Chochol, Pavel
Janak and others.
The House of the Black Madonna was designed by Gocar and built in
1911 and 1912. Gocar designed his six-story building to fit in the heart
of Prague's historical district.
During the First Republic (1918-1938), the house served as
a shopping center and cafe. After the Second World War, the building was
used for government offices.
Now, a restaurant on the first floor will soon be joined by shops,
said Dr. Jan Sekera, director of the museum.
Czech cubism was a unique art movement. Although based on the French
cubism of George Braque and Pablo Picasso, it developed in an different
environment, reflecting a more pessimistic view. Czech cubism was also
the only cubist movement to develop architectural form.
Martin Kupka/Jirka Schneider
SPORT
Czech Republic Draws with Netherlands in Euro 96 Qualification
The Czech football team drew 0:0 with the Netherlands in their third
qualification match in the Euro 96 tournament group. The match was
played in Rotterdam before 42,000 Dutch fans disappointed that their
players Bergkamp, Overmars and R. de Boer couldn't play.
The Dutch controlled the game throughout, but Czech defenses, and
excellent play by the goaltender Srnicek, prevented a Dutch goal.
The Czech team is in second place in its division.
The Czech junior team tied 2:2 with the Netherlands in
a qualification match for the junior world championships. The junior
team is in first place. Jiri Trunecka/Mirek Langer
Results of the 17th and 18th Rounds of Hockey Extraleague
17th round: Vsetin - Kladno 8:3, Ceske Budejovice - Vitkovice 2:4,
Slavia Prague - Plzen 2:2, Litvinov - Jihlava 6:3. Olomouc - Zlin 3:3.
The Pardubice - Sparta Prague match was rescheduled to November 27.
18th round: Zlin - Pardubice 2:4, Jihlava - Olomouc 2:5, Kladno
- Vitkovice 9:1, Plzen - Vsetin 1:3, Sparta Prague - Slavia Prague 3:4,
Ceske Budejovice - Litvinov 3:4. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
HC Olomouc Proceeds in European Champions Cup
HC Olomouc, the reigning Czech hockey champion, advanced to the
final group of the European Champions Cup. From November 26 to 30, they
will face Russia's Lada Togliatti, Bylorus' Tirali Minsk, Germany's
Maddogs Munich, Sweden's Malmo FF and Slovakia's Dukla Trencin. The
matches will take place in Turku, Finland. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
Czech Hockey-Player Sets German League Record
Josef Dopita, a former HC Olomouc hockey player now playing forward
for the Berlin Eisbaren, scored six goals in a German League
game against Augsburg. He scored four of the goals in only 14 minutes, a
record in the German league. The flurry of goals raises his season total
to 14, third in the scorer's table. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer
Three Czech Wins in First Czech Skate
Radka Kovarikova a Rene Novotny won for sport couples and Katerina
Mrazova and Martin Simecek won for dance couples in the first Czech
Skate in Vitkovice. Lenka Kulovana took the third Czech first place,
with the women's title.
Novotny's win came despite problems with his skate-lace in the free
program. The program culminated in an exhibition November 6 featuring
Petr Barna, European champion in 1992.
Organizers of Czech Skate hope the event will become a part of the
figure skating World Cup. Mirek Langer
WEATHER
The weather in the Czech Republic was steady, with snow in the
northern mountains, and cloudy and rainy conditions in the rest of the
country. Temperatures at night were between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius,
with day temperatures between 6 and 10. Eftychia Damianidou
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