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Carolina (English) No 143
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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
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C A R O L I N A No 143, Friday, January 13, 1995.
EVENTS FOR THE WEEKS DEC. 21, 1994 - JAN. 11, 1995
Havel Pushes for Creation of Senate in New Year's Speech
Czech President Vaclav Havel in his annual address of Jan. 1 called
on the Chamber of Deputies to adopt a law enabling the election of
a second chamber of Parliament, the Senate, as stipulated by the Czech
Constitution.
Saying he sensed a general lack of respect for the constitution,
Havel stressed that unqualified respect for the law of the land was the
basic prerequisite for the existence of rule of law and a civil society
in which all citizens recognize the freedom and rights of others.
He also called on members of Parliament to adopt legislation for the
creation of higher-level administrative units (departments, regions or
provinces) to supplement the current centralized system, a step that is
also called for in the Czech Constitution.
In another part of his speech, the President said that a market
economy alone was not enough to solve every problem, and that there were
areas in which it was necessary for the state to intervene. The role of
the state, he said, should be to delineate the rules and determine the
direction in which society should be moving.
Havel further discussed the need for the Czech Republic to enter
European institutions, and stressed more intensive contacts with Germany
in particular.
The President also evaluated the positions of the industrialized
states of the West on the question of a united Europe, saying that as a
rule they attach top priority to their own interests. Only after that do
they devote attention to the observance of human and civil rights in
other parts of Europe, he said, adding, "The ceaseless suffering of the
Bosnian population and the inability of the international community to
help them places a harsh mirror before all politicians, and their smiles
for the camera cannot mask their shame."
After Havel's speech was broadcast, as every year, on Czech TV, a
state-owned channel, the private station TV Nova interviewed Premier
Vaclav Klaus for his reaction.
Klaus chose to focus on the positive achievements of the last year
as opposed to predictions for the future. He cited reform of the social
system as the government's top priority for 1995, and said that benefits
from the state should be available only for those who are truly in need.
The Premier agreed with Havel that the Czech Republic needs to enter
the European Union, but said he did not feel that elections to the
Senate were a real issue. Martin Kupka/Jiri Chvojka
Czech Politicians Discuss the Downsides of 1994
In a talk show titled "7 or Seven Days", broadcast on TV Nova on
Jan. 1, 1995, Czech political party leaders voiced their opinions of
what was positive and negative for 1994. Here we take a look at what
they said were the negative developments of last year.
Jan Kalvoda, chairman of the Civic Democratic Alliance, a member of
the government coalition, said he was disappointed by the number of lost
opportunities, and in particular the lack of interest in civil society.
Vaclav Benda, vice chairman of the Christian Democratic Party,
another member of the government coalition, said he was upset by
corruption, economic crime, and "pressure (on the government) by
monopoly, poorly transformed post-Communist lobby groups".
Milos Zeman, chairman of the Social Democrats, an opposition party,
said he was disturbed by government proposals for new retirement laws.
The drop in the standard of living, the Czech Republic's aspirations
to join NATO, the visit of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet to
the Czech Republic, and several statements by President Havel were the
main complaints of Miroslav Grebenicek, head of the opposition Communist
Party of Bohemia and Moravia.
Josef Krejsa of the extreme right-wing Assembly for the
Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party, an opposition party, said he saw
nothing positive at all in 1994, and that he was expecting Havel to
resign as president. Michal Vynohradnyk/Jiri Chvojka
Havel Calls for Stop to Fighting in Chechnya
Czech President Vaclav Havel appealed Jan. 4 to his Russian
counterpart, Boris Yeltsin, to put an immediate end to the Chechen war
and initiate diplomatic negotiations.
In a message conveyed on Wednesday to the Russian ambassador in
Prague by the director of the President's Office, Lubos Dobrovsky, Havel
said the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe should
address the situation in Chechnya. Michal Vynohradnyk/Alex Zucker
500,000 Union Workers Take Part in Pre-Christmas Strike
Some half a million trade union members took part in a 15-minute
strike called by union leaders on Wednesday, Dec. 21, to protest
government-submitted legislation raising the retirement age.
Most union members, however, chose to protest the proposal for new
laws via symbols, wearing colored ribbons and signing petitions rather
than stopping work.
The trade unions are calling for a change in the law on retirement
insurance and its removal from the state budget. Currently the
retirement age is 60 for men and 54 to 57 for women depending on the
number of children they have. Michal Vynohradnyk/Alex Zucker
New Passports a Must as of New Year
As of Jan. 1, 1995, Czech citizens must have either a new passport
with the symbols of the Czech Republic or a sticker with the symbols on
the cover of their old Czechoslovak passports in order to travel abroad.
Czechs traveling to Slovakia still need only a valid official ID.
Czechoslovakia split into two independent countries, the Czech Republic
and Slovakia, on Jan. 1, 1993. Rudolf Cernik/Alex Zucker
ECONOMY
1994 Budget Finishes With Large Surplus
The Czech Republic ended the year with a budget surplus of 11.2
billion Kc, according to Finance Minister Ivan Kocarnik. The reason for
last year's record surplus, said Premier Vaclav Klaus, was a slowdown in
expenditures in November and December of 1994. Petr Hosek/Alex Zucker
Average Wages Again Increase
The average monthly wage in the Czech Republic rose over the first
nine months of 1994 to 6,889 Kc, an increase of 588 Kc over 1993. People
living in Prague earn an average of up to 20 percent more than other
Czechs, but they also pay more for most goods. Petr Hosek/Alex Zucker
1994 Inflation in Line With Government Expectations
The Czech Republic's average annual inflation rate has come to a
halt at 10 percent, in accordance with the predictions of government and
central bank officials.
The cost of services rose more over the last 12 months than any
other sector, with customers paying an average of 14 percent more in
1994 than they did the previous year. Meanwhile the overall rate of
inflation was slowed thanks to an increase of just 7 percent in the cost
of industrial goods. Petr Hosek/Alex Zucker
SPT Telecom Removes Head of Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of SPT Telecom, the monopoly operator of the
Czech Republic's telecommunications system, recalled Jiri Makovec as
chairman of the board on Dec. 30. It is not yet known if Makovec will
remain in his post as general manager. That decision rests with Minister
of Economics Karel Dyba.
Czech Privatization Minister Jiri Skalicky said the government would
make an effort to achieve a complete turnover in company management.
"That would be the logical outcome of this case," he said.
Skalicky cited inappropriate actions on the part of SPT Telecom
managers as the main reason for Makovec's removal. In particular, he
said, the company was issuing telephone lines based on priorities which
they kept secret. Further, according to the minister, Makovec refused to
allow smaller companies to compete for local telephone networks, which
led to delays in setting conditions for investment from abroad.
Makovec has not yet issued any statement on his dismissal. He
remains at the head of the company for the time being, but the SPT Board
of Directors is planning to review some of his decisions.
Petr Hosek/Jiri Chvojka
EXCHANGE RATES OF THE CZECH NATIONAL BANK (valid from Jan. 13)
Checks Cash
country buy sell middle buy sell
Great Britain 1 GPB 43.133 43.567 43.350 41.93 44.77
France 1 FRF 5.208 5.260 5.234 5.03 5.43
Japan 100 JPY 27.750 28.028 27.889 26.59 29.19
Canada 1 CAD 19.524 19.720 19.622 18.73 20.51
Austria 1 ATS 2.556 2.582 2.569 2.51 2.63
Germany 1 DEM 17.981 18.161 18.071 17.61 18.53
Switzerland 1 CHF 21.423 21.639 21.531 21.03 22.03
USA 1 USD 27.675 27.953 27.814 27.11 28.51
Slovakia 1 XCU -- -- 34.222 -- --
CULTURE
Poet Ivan Divis's prose work Theory of Reliability (Teorie
spolehlivosti), published by Torst, was chosen Book of the Year for
1994 by Czech cultural personalities in a poll by the daily Lidove
noviny. Thirty-two-year-old Jachym Topol took second place with his
debut novel, Sister (Sestra), published by Atlantis. Tied for third were
Zdenek Hedvabny's study Alfred Radok, and Michal Viewegh's popular The
Education of Girls in the Czech Lands (Vychova divek v Cechach).
Michal Vynohradnyk/Alex Zucker
SPORTS
Pavel Kuka Named Best Bohemian Kicker for 1994
Pavel Kuka, who plays as a striker for I. FC Kaiserslautern in
Germany, was announced as 1994's best soccer player in a poll of soccer
experts and journalists. In second place was Jiri Nemec, followed by
goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek. Rudolf Cernik/Jiri Chvojka
Cyclocrosser Simunek Repeats as Czech Champion
Three-time cyclocross world champion Radomir Simunek took the Czech
championship for the fifth time Jan. 8 in Plzen, western Bohemia,
successfully defending his 1994 title. Pavel Elsnic rode to a
second-place finish, followed by Ondrej Lukes. The season finale comes
at the end of January, with the world championship in Switzerland.
Rudolf Cernik/Jiri Chvojka
More NHL Stars Join Czech League
The Czech Extra League continued its play in ice hockey following
the Christmas break with additional Czech stars from the NHL, which has
yet to start play for this season.
Starting in the nets for Pardubice was Dominik Hasek, winner of last
year's Vezina Trophy as best goalie in the NHL. 1992 top draft pick
Roman Hamrlik and Stanley Cup winner Petr Klima skated for Zlin.
Round 29 results: Olomouc-Jihlava 3:2, Pardubice-Zlin 5:4,
Slavia Praha-Sparta Praha 1:4, Litvinov-Ceske Budejovice 3:5,
Vitkovice-Kladno 2:7, Vsetin-Plzen 3:4.
Round 30: Ceske Budejovice-Kladno 5:3, Sparta Praha-Vsetin 5:4,
Vitkovice-Plzen 4:1, Zlin-Slavia Praha 3:5, Jihlava-Pardubice 2:6,
Litvinov-Olomouc 3:5. Rudolf Cernik/Jiri Chvojka
WEATHER
In the end the Czech Republic got a white Christmas, with
temperatures of less than -10 Celsius over the New Year. Temperatures in
the second week of January remained near the freezing point, with rain
one day, snow the next (while there is plenty of snow in the mountains,
Prague has so far had nothing but flurries).
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