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Carolina (English) No 167
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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 167, Thursday, July 13, 1995.
EVENTS FOR THE WEEKS JUNE 29-JULY 5 and JULY 6-12
King of Spain Visits Prague and Litomysl
Spanish King Juan Carlos I is visiting the Czech Republic this
week. President Havel awarded the king the Order of the White Lion, the
Czech Republic's highest distinction.
Also Juan Carlos and his wife took a trip to Litomysl, birthplace
of Czech composer Bedrich Smetana. Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
New Retirement Law
Under a law adopted June 30, Czechs will be leaving the workforce
later. The retirement age will rise gradually until 2007, when men will
retire at 62 and women without children at 61. Women with children will
retire between the ages of 53 and 57, depending on the number of
children they have. Previously men retired at 60 and women at 57.
Jan Jirak/Andrea Snyder
Sculptor Opocensky Acquitted in Skinhead Stabbing
Prague's High Court acquitted Pavel Opocensky, who previously
received a three-year sentence from a lower court for the killing of
a 17-year-old skinhead in 1991. The court ruled that Opocensky had acted
in self-defense. Jan Jirak/Andrea Snyder
Tragic Bus Accident in Slovakia
A Czech tour bus from Pardubice filled with passengers crashed on
its way to the High Tatras near the Slovak town of Zilina. Sixteen
people died on the spot, many more were seriously injured. The cause of
the accident is not yet entirely clear, but the bus went off the road at
high speed and careened down a slope. Jan Jirak/Andrea Snyder
Ecumenical Service Commemorates 580th Anniversary of Hus' Death
An ecumenical service was held at Prague's Bethehem Chapel July 6
to commemorate the death of Protestant reformer Jan Hus. Along with
officials of the reform churches, Miroslav Vlk, the Czech cardinal of
the Roman Catholic church, also took part in the service.
Jan Hus was burned at the stake on the bank of Bodensee in the
German town of Konstanz in 1415 for his efforts at reform and his biting
criticism of Church officials.
While President Havel said he would welcome Hus' rehabilitation by
the Catholic Church, in an interview with Czech Television, Vlk said the
Church was not planning on it. Jan Jirak/Andrea Snyder
FROM SLOVAKIA
Pope Visits Slovakia
Pope John Paul II paid a visit to Slovakia June 30 to July 3.
During his four-day visit, he canonized Marek Krizan, Melichar Grodzicky
and Stefan Pongrac. At masses in Bratislava and Levoca he stressed the
need for friendly relations between Slovaks and Hungarians.
Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
Tourists to Slovakia Need to Bring Dollars Along
Slovak Parliament adopted a measure requiring foreigners to have
15 dollars for every day they plan to spend in the country. Anyone who
does not risks expulsion. Officials at the Slovak Embassy in Prague said
that as far as they knew, no Czech citizen had been expelled from the
Slovak Republic under this new regulation. Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
BUSINESS/ECONOMICS
Government Puts an End to Wage Regulation
The Czech government decided at a July 12 Cabinet session to
abolish its policy of wage regulation, which up until now allowed
salaries to rise at the same pace as inflation plus 5 percent.
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus said the move would have primarily
a psychological effect, and that it would not have a direct influence on
rising inflation and unemployment. Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
Dutch-Swiss Venture to Work with SPT Telecom
On June 28 the Czech government selected TelSource, a Dutch-Swiss
consortium, as the strategic partner for the Czech Republic's
telecommunications monopoly SPT Telecom. TelSource will pay 37.7 billion
crowns for a 27 percent share in the company. Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
IOC Enters Czech Refineries for 173 Million
The International Oil Consortium (IOC), made up of Agip, Conoco and
Shell, purchased for 173 million dollars a 49 percent share in the oil
refineries of Litvinov and Kralupy nad Vltavou. The remaining 51 percent
goes to Unipetrol, a Czech company. Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
Exchange Rates at Czech National Bank (June 30, 1995)
CHECKS CASH
COUNTRY BUY SELL MIDDLE BUY SELL
Great Britain 1 GPB 41,518 41,963 41,727 40,31 43,15
France 1 FRF 5,335 5,389 5,362 5,16 5,56
Italy 1000 ITL 16,090 16,252 16,171 15,40 16,94
Japan 100 JPY 29,793 30,093 29,943 28,64 31,24
Canada 1 CAD 18.795 18.983 18.889 18.00 19.78
Austria 1 ATS 2,639 2,665 2,652 2,59 2,71
Germany 1 DEM 18,557 18,743 18,650 18,19 19,11
Switzerland 1 CHF 22,273 22,497 22,385 21,89 22,89
USA 1 USD 26,066 26,328 26,197 25,50 26,90
Slovakia 1 XCU -- -- 34,596 -- --
CULTURE
International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary
The 30th international film festival in Karlovy Vary opened June
30. In spite of organizational problems (as described in past
Carolinas), many important people from the world of film turned out for
the festival, including Mia Farrow and Gina Lollobrigida. "Jizda" ("The
Ride"), a Czech film by Jan Sverak, won the top prize.
Jan Jirak/Andrea Snyder
Zdenek Kosler Dies
Czech conductor Zdenek Kosler died at the age of 67 on Sunday, July
2. He served many years as both conductor of the Czech Philharmonic
Orchestra and director of the National Theater's operatic ensemble. He
is most famous for his interpretations of Smetana, Dvorak, Janacek and
Mozart. Jan Jirak/Andrea Snyder
CULTURE IN BRIEF
* A 10-meter-tall statue of Michael Jackson was unveiled Wednesday, July
12, at the Prague Fairgrounds, along with similar statues in London,
Paris and other European cities, as part of the promotional campaign for
Jackson's latest album "HIStory".
* R.E.M. failed to take the stage in Prague yet again, as they had to
call off their July 12 concert due to the hospitalization of bass player
Mike Mills with stomach problems. They canceled their first show in
March after drummer Bill Berry had an aneurysm in Switzerland.
* After two years in the making, the Czech comedy "Divoke pivo" ("Wild
Beer"), directed by Zdenek Muchna, is now showing in movie theaters.
Tomas Kopecny/Andrea Snyder
SPORTS
Hasek Takes Vezina Trophy for Second Time Straight
Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres won the Vezina Trophy as the
National Hockey League's best goalkeeper for the second season in a row,
becoming, after Patrick Roy of the Montreal Canadiens, the second player
in NHL history to do so.
One other Czech player who took home an award from the trophy
balloting, the results of which were announced July 7, was forward
Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who received the Art Ross
Trophy as the NHL's top point-getter.
Both Hasek and Jagr were also nominated for the Hart Memorial
Trophy as the league's most valuable player, but the award went to
Philadelphia Flyers center Eric Lindros. Mirek Langer/Alex Zucker
Soccer Scandal Remains Up in the Air
The landslide of accusations loosed against first-league soccer
officials last month by former Benesov club owner Miroslav Svarc (see
Carolina no. 166) has yet to result in any formal charges.
Two referees who were demoted to the second league in the wake of
the accusations reacted in turn by accusing league officials, then left
the country in a hurry "on vacation," claiming that they had been
threatened with physical violence by anonymous phone callers. Despite
the flurry of charges filling the air, it appears that no investigation
would be able to produce enough evidence to indict anyone.
Meanwhile, league referees had a meeting with club officials and
both sides now say their confidence in one another has been restored.
While the newly appointed chairman of the referee committee, Zdenek
Vales, has indicated that the two demoted referees may be allowed to
return to the first league, Football Association President Frantisek
Chvalovsky says it will not happen. Mirek Langer/Alex Zucker
NBA May Get Its First Czech
The National Basketball Association's Charlotte Hornets selected
Czech basketball player Jiri Zidek as the no. 22 pick in the first round
of this year's draft, giving him a good chance to become Bohemia's first
representative in the world's top league. Mirek Langer/Alex Zucker
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Jana Novotna turned in a fine performance at this year's Wimbledon
tennis tournament, reaching the semifinals in singles play and taking
the title in women's doubles with her partner Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
* Meanwhile, the Czech-born Martina Navratilova won her 19th trophy on
the lawns of Wimbledon, this year in mixed doubles with Jonathan Stark.
* Pole vaulter Daniela Bartova moved the women's world record higher yet
again, clearing 4.15 meters at the Czech championships in Ostrava.
* UEFA made its final decisions on the Czech entrants in this year's cup
tournaments: Sparta Praha and Slavia Praha will play for the UEFA Cup,
while Hradec Kralove will vie for the Cup Winners' Cup. The draw for the
qualification matches pits Sparta against Galatasaray Istanbul, Slavia
versus Sturm Graz, and Hradec Kralove against Vaduz.
* Grubba of Poland took first place at the Plzen exhibition table tennis
tournament, beating out Saive of Belgium and Swedes Persson and Waldner.
* The Czech laxers made use of their home-field advantage to win second
place in the European lacrosse championships.
* Vaclav Charouz followed up last year's victory in the race to the top
of Pike's Peak with a seventh-place finish this year, while in Argentina
the Skoda factory team brought home a fourth place and a sixth place
overall, with wins in their classes. Mirek Langer/Alex Zucker
WEATHER
"Bohemia the beautiful, Bohemia of mine, why must you be so damn hot all
the time?" That's the tune we've been singing here at Carolina for the
last week or two. Temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius in the shade have
the denizens of Prague seeking refuge in the deepest darkest corners of
their local pubs to cool their noses in the soothing foam. But it takes
more than one beer to do the trick, because even after sunset the
mercury doesn't drop below 20. Tonight, though, there may be showers.
Jan Jirak & Tomas Kopecny/Alex Zucker
So here's wishing you a little bit of shade, an ice-cold beer, and
we'll see you again in two weeks.
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