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Carolina (English) No 196
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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 196, Friday, March 29, 1996.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 20-27)
Queen Elizabeth II in Prague
British Queen Elizabeth II arrived in Prague in the afternoon of
March 27, the first official visit of the head of the British empire to
Bohemia. She was accompanied by her husband, Prince Philip, duke of
Edinburgh.
Her itinerary that day included a meeting with President Vaclav
Havel, a walk across Charles Bridge, and a gala dinner in the Spanish
Hall of the Prague Castle. More than 200 important guests, including
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and Parliament Chairman Milan Uhde, were
present.
Lucie Dvorakova/Andrea Snyder
In Prague, Warren Christopher Supports NATO Expansion
American Secretary of State Warren Christopher voiced his support
for the efforts of central and eastern European countries to join NATO
and the European Union. The Meeting of 12 post-communist national
representatives took place in Prague March 20. At the same time, he
rejected Russian attempts to stop NATO expansion.
Jitka Motejzikova/Andrea Snyder
Physicians Hold Two-Day Strike to Raise Salaries
Physicians' Unions held a strike March 25-6 to protest the
financial crisis in healthcare. The Physicians' Union Club (LOK), which
initiated the strike, told Carolina that 60 per cent to 80 per cent of
state healthcare workers supported the strike. Patient care was not
affected; hospitals operated on weekend schedules.
The strike peaked at the bottom of Prague's Wenceslas Square, with
more than 16,000 Czechs present. In the end, LOK announced a project
called "Gift for the Prime Minister." From March 26-9, irked doctors,
nurses and patients can send Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus gifts that
remind him of problems in the healthcare system. LOK is planning another
protest May 16.
With the exception of the ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS),
which controls the Ministry of Health, political parties supported the
strike. However, many responded negatively to LOK Chairman Dr. David
Rath's political activities. Dr. Rath is running for a parliamentary
seat on the ballot of the Free Democrats-Liberal National Social Party.
Viktorie Reschova/Andrea Snyder
ODA and KDU-CSL Approve Election Platforms
The Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) is convinced social reforms are
not complete, and the goal of transformation must be to create a stable,
civic society. Their election platform also supports establishing
self-administration and lowering taxes.
The Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party
(KDU-CSL), like ODA a partner in the governing coalition, plans to
continue foremost from Christian values. Its program has four
fundemental points: a market economy, individual citizen
responsibilities, sanctity of private ownership, and limiting state
influence. The final versions of the election platforms were approved at
national conferences for both coalition parties, which took place March
23-4 in Prague (ODA) and in Litomysl (KDU-CSL). Both parties expressed
willingness to continue in the extant coalition after elections.
Petr Pabian/Andrea Snyder
What Voters Expect from Their Parties
A March 27 poll in Czech daily Lidove noviny shows that 30 per cent
of ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) voters expect their party to keep
their election promises, while the same belief exists among 25 per cent
of Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) voters and 16 per cent of the
supporters of the Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party
(KDU-CSL). At 4 per cent, supporters of the Communist Party of Bohemia
and Moravia (KSCM) are skeptical, though 31 per cent hope for good
social policy, and 18 per cent for interest in the common people. Czech
Social Democratic Party (CSSD) voters are very similar, 31 per cent
believing in good social policy, and 10 per cent in increased interest
in the common man.
Natasa Hajkova/Andrea Snyder
Businessman Baranek down Three Places on SD-LSNS Ballot
Rudolf Baranek, who banned Romanies (Gypsies) from entering his
hotel (see Carolina 195), was dumped from second to fifth on the Free
Democrats-Liberal National Social Party (SD-LSNS) parliamentary election
ballot by party management. He was placed behind Karel Holomek,
a Romany.
"For us, it's a gesture to the public, that a Romany representative
received the place ahead of him," said Tomas Sokol, vice-chairman of the
party's central council.
Representative of the Movement for Civil Solidarity and Tolerance
Stanislav Penc said the state prosecutor does not see the hanging of for
an anti-Romany ban as a criminal act, but as a misdemeanor. Baranek had
the much-criticized sign removed March 21.
Matej Husek/Andrea Snyder
Anti-Drug Campaign Ends in Bankruptcy
The biggest-ever anti-drug campaign Stop Drugs!, initiated by
a group of parliamentary deputies under the leadership of Pavel Severa
(Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party - KDU-CSL) in
1994, ended with multi-million-crown losses. The advertising agencies
MARK/BBDO and Saatchi & Saatchi are demanding the reimbursement of their
claims from the Drop In Foundation.
Drop In collected the money for the campaign on its own bank
account, because the parliamentary group did not possess the legal
authority to do so. According to Drop In representative Jiri Presl, the
foundation collected only 2.6 million crowns, which did not cover the
9.5 million crowns claimed by four advertising agencies. All the
financial means should have been concentrated in the single bank account
of the Drop In Foundation to enable the control of cash-flow.
However, according to some unofficial sources quoted in Czech daily
MF DNES, the Kentaura advertising agency, one of the four which
participated in the campaign, has received about 5 million crowns
directly from sponsors. This ad agency is participating in the election
campaign of the KDU-CSL. The party strongly rejects suggestions that its
election campaign may be financed by the money collected for the
anti-drug campaign. MF DNES said both the Kentaura president and the
relevant sponsors decline to reveal any information about the amount of
money sent directly to Kentaura's bank account.
Marketa Hudkova/Milan Smid
FROM SLOVAKIA
Slovak Parliament Approves Slovak-Hungarian Treaty
A bilateral treaty between Slovakia and Hungary, approved by the
Hungarian Parliament in June, was ratified by the Slovak National
Assembly March 26. The agreement was signed last year by the countries'
prime ministers - Hungary's Gyula Horn and Slovakia's Vladimir Meciar.
Deputies added to the treaty an interpretative amendment, which is
binding only for Slovakia and does not approve collective minority
rights and autonomy. The treaty was approved by a vote of 119-1, while
19 deputies abstained, including the Hungarian delegation, in protest to
continuing persecution of minorities.
Arsen Kocarjan, Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova
Act on Protection of the Republic Approved
The amended Slovak criminal code, which brought a flood of
criticism (see Carolina 195) in Slovakia and abroad, was approved by the
National Assembly March 27 by a 77-to-57 vote.
The most controversial parts include the possibility of
imprisonment for an intent to subvert the republic (e.g., spreading
false information abroad about Slovakia). The opposition considers this
amendment unconstitutional, and, if President Michal Kovac signs the
bill, the opposition plans to take the case to the Constitutional Court.
According to opposition, this act would worsen Slovakia's international
position.
Arsen Kocarjan, Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova
Kidnapping of Michal Kovac Jr. Clears up
The independent commission investigating the kidnapping of Michal
Kovac Jr. has discovered the names of the kidnappers of Slovak
president's son (see Carolina 192).
"It involves five people, two are which are directly suspected of
the kidnapping act, and the others of its organization and
coordination," said commission head Ladislav Pittner. Pittner also said
his commission acquired the names of four other Slovak Information
Service (SIS) officers, who participated in the roadblock in Svaty Jur.
The commission has also some information about the changing of the state
license plates on the Mercedes 208D used last year to bring Kovac to
Austria. "We know when the change took place, who legalized it and also
that the Mercedes was taken apart after the kidnapping in the SIS
garages," said Pittner in Czech daily Lidove noviny.
Matej Husek/Katerina Zachovalova
Vladimir Meciar Leads HZDS Again
The Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) re-elected its
standing chairman, Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar, at its March 24 sixth
congress. As the only candidate, Meciar was supported by all 223
delegates in a secret ballot. The re-elected chairman plans on
transforming the Movement to a political party in 1998.
Klara Schirova, Arsen Kocarjan/Petra Sevcikova
Slovakia Redistricted in Spite of Opposition
The territorial and administrative organization of the Slovak
Republic, according to which the country should be divided into 8
regions and 79 counties, was approved by the Slovak National Assembly
March 22.
Opposition deputies criticized this law, claiming the new division
is the first step in changing the electoral and political system, and
that the government did not respect the requests of minorities.
Klara Schirova/Petra Sevcikova
ECONOMY
GDP Increased by 4.8 Per Cent in 1995
The 1995 Czech gross domestic product was 431.1 billion crowns,
4.8 per cent more than in 1994, according to the Czech Statistics
Office. The real increase is higher than November's 4.1-per-cent
estimate, but lower than January's prognosis of 5.2 per cent. Economic
growth last year was influenced primarily by investment and private
consumption (240.4 billion crowns).
Lucie Dvorakova/Petra Sevcikova
Pipeline from Ingolstadt Running
Operation of the Czech section of the oil pipeline from Ingolstadt,
Germany, was officially inaugurated March 25 in Nelahozeves nad Vltavou.
Total expenses for building the 345-km (207-mile) pipeline came to about
14 billion crowns. The Czech Republic thus ends its dependence on the
Russian Druzba pipeline.
Lucie Dvorakova/Petra Sevcikova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from March 29)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 21.394
Belgium 100 BEF 89.626
Great Britain 1 GBP 41.529
Denmark 1 DKK 4.771
Finland 1 FIM 5.878
France 1 FRF 5.397
Ireland 1 IEP 42.795
Italy 1000 ITL 17.337
Japan 100 JPY 25.655
Canada 1 CAD 20.057
Luxembourg 100 LUF 89.626
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.461
Norway 1 NOK 4.237
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.533
Portugal 100 PTE 17.828
Austria 1 ATS 2.620
Greece 100 GRD 11.308
Slovakia 100 SKK 90.598
Germany 1 DEM 18.423
Spain 100 ESP 21.903
Sweden 1 SEK 4.097
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.811
USA 1 USD 27.349
ECU 1 XEU 34.211
SDR 1 XDR 39.874
CULTURE
Thalie Awards Handed out 3rd Time
The prestigious Thalie awards were presented by the Actors'
Association March 23 in Prague's National Theater. The moderator was one
of last year's winners, National Theater actor Vaclav Postranecky.
The best singer trophy was taken home by Yveta Bartosova, who
played Liza Doolittle in the musical My Fair Lady, staged by the Karlin
Music Theater. The award for best male singer went to Ludek Vale of the
National Theater, for the role of Chrudos in Libuse.
In the dance category, both awards were won by members of Prague's
Chamber Ballet, Marketa Plzakova and Petr Kolar.
The highest acting awards ended up in Brno. The year's best actress
was Zdena Herfortova, for the main role in English Elizabeth (Alzbeta
anglicka), while best actor was her collegue, Jaroslav Dufek, for his
turn in Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov.
Lifetime achievement awards went to opera singer Karel Kalas,
dancer Olga Skalova and actor Radovan Lukavsky.
The Collegium Thalie award was also given for the first time,
received in memoriam by singer Eduard Haken.
Natasa Hajkova/Petra Sevcikova
State Opera Becomes Metropolitan
Prague State Opera Director Eva Randova, Culture Minister Pavel
Tigrid and Prague Mayor Jan Koukal agreed March 25 that the State Opera,
today supervised by the Ministry of Culture, will be financed by the
city from 1998. The reconstuction of the Opera's building, to take
another three years, will be taken care of by the state.
Alida Kassymova/Petra Sevcikova
Authors of Howl and Einstein on the Beach Meet in Prague
American musical minimalist Philip Glass and beatnik poet Allen
Ginsberg came together at Glass's performance in Prague's Archa Theatre
March 25-6. During his solo piano concert, Glass played excerpts from
Mad Rush, Metamorphoses and Einstein on the Beach, among other pieces.
With improvisation he accompanied Ginsberg's recital, which included
extracts from his poems On the Cremation of Chogyam Trungpa, Vidyadhara,
Song and the Wichita Vortex Sutra, accompanied also by the poet's wild
gesticulations.
Both artists are greatly influenced by eastern cultures, especially
Buddhism. Ginsberg said at the March 25 performance he and Glass were
Buddhists, and had played together many times, mainly at benefit
concerts for various meditation centers.
While this was Glass' first visit to Bohemia, Ginsberg has visited
Prague a few times already. His most notorious visit is connected with
1965, when the poet was declared the King of May (a traditional student
celebration of the month of May) by students, and for his scandalous
behavior was expelled from the country by the head of the state
immediately after the celebration. To Czech audiences, Glass is best
known as the composerof the music for the Koyaanisquatsi and Powaqqatsi
films, while translator Jan Zabrana introduced Ginsberg's poems here for
the first time in the 50's.
Klara Schirova/Klara Schirova
Photographer Sudek Returns to His Beloved Summer House after 20 Years
The retrospective exhibition of one of the most famous Czech
phtographers, Josef Sudek, in the Queen Anne Summer Palace will continue
till June 9. The largest exhibition of Sudek's works in the last quarter
of a century, realized in the year of the 100th anniversary of his birth
and the 20th anniversary of his death, carries the title A Rose for
Josef Sudek. The Prague Castle Board and the Prague Museum of Applied
Arts are its patrons.
Only historians remember the times when Sudek set up his own
exhibitions. The most legendary exhibit remains the show in Prague's
Museum of Applied Arts and in Brno's Moravian Gallery in the year 1976
that allowed visitors to see a broad cross-section of Sudek's works
through time. Jan Mlcoch, curator of this year's exhibition, let himself
be inspired by this approach and chose 189 pictures from Sudek's works,
which number almost 27,000 negatives and 20,000 positives.
The exhibit sparkles with richness - the earliest photographs are
dated to the times after World War II, in which Sudek lost his hand, and
the most recent photos were taken in the 70's. Well-known still-lifes
with eggs and glasses with water alternate with melancholic views of
Sudek's little garden and sad, panoramic photos of Prague's outksirts.
Mysterious portraits of ladies and Sudek's friends, pictures of the
Prague Castle gardens and palaces (Sudek's favourite places) appear
there as well. The exhibiting of Sudek's own prints, which create an
entirely different atmosphere through their tenderness and patina, have
the effect of interesting artifacts. Two other current exhibitions of
Sudek's photographs, in the Paideia Gallery and in his former home on
Uvoz Street, as well as the publishing of a Sudek biography by Anna
Farova, are proof that the city has not forgotten its master. However,
the works of this genuine representative of Czech photography still have
no permanent exhibition space.
Klara Schirova/Klara Schirova
Laura And Her Tigers Celebrate 10-Year Anniversary
The well known, rock big band Laura And Her Tigers (Laura a jeji
tygri) from Most celebrated its 10th birthday with three days of
concerts in Prague's Lucerna Music Bar, March 21-3. Films presenting
this band's history were screened before the beginning of each concert.
At the last concert, the band debuted its new album, We Will Sway Out
the Idols (Vyklatime modly).
The Slovak band Without Rhyme or Reason (Bez ladu a skladu), Vera
Bila and her band Kale and the Prague group One Hundred Animals (Sto
zvirat) were guest performers at the shows.
The band had its first performance January 15, 1986, in Most. The
band's name derives from the book Tracy's Tiger, by William Saroyan.
Laura and Her Tigers became one of the most famous bands of the "Czech
new wave," thanks to their image (greased hair, dark glasses, black
suits and white shirts) and to musically and visually choreographed
performances. The band has produced six albums, including one
compilation. Bass player Karel Sucha is the head songwriter and
lyricist.
Matej Bartosek/Jitka Motejzikova
SPORT
Friendly before the Championship: Czechs - Turks 3-0
The Czech national soccer team defeated another European
Championship participant, Turkey, 3-0 in a preparatory match for the
European Soccer Championship. Despite the absence of several key players
(Berger, Frydek, Nemec), the Czech team performed well, and two goals,
scored by Kuka and Suchoparek, were a fair reflection of the play.
Jiri Trunecka/Milan Smid
Czech Junior Soccer Team Out of Atlanta Games
The defeat of the Czech national junior soccer team by Spain in the
quarterfinal of the European Soccer Junior Championship 1-2 means not
only the end for the Czech lads in that tournament, but also the end of
hopes for the Czech participation in the soccer tournament of the
summer's Olympic Games in Atlanta. The Czech team lost the first match
in Granada 1-2 and retained some hope for the return match in Prague.
However, two goals scored by Real Madrid's Raul in the last 20 minutes
of the game let down the audience at Strahov Stadium.
Jiri Trunecka/Milan Smid
Soccer League: Sparta - Slavia 3-1
In the main attraction of the 21st round, the Sparta team kept
alive a chance to attack the top position of Slavia by defeating them
3-1. However, Slavia is still firmly on the top with a five-point lead.
Results of the 21st round: Sparta-Slavia 3-1, Viktoria Zizkov
- Olomouc 1-2, Jablonec - Hradec Kralove 4-2, Uherske Hradiste - Boby
Brno 1-3, Cheb - Liberec 4-0, Opava - Zlin 3-2, Plzen - Drnovice 1-1,
Ceske Budejovice - Ostrava 1-0
Make-up from the 19th round: Opava - Liberec 0-0
Make-up from the 20th round: Brno - Zlin 1-1.
Standings after 21 rounds (5 matches still unplayed): 1. Slavia 43
(-1); 2. Sparta 38; 3. Jablonec 38; 4. Olomouc 37 (-1); 5.Drnovice 36;
6. Opava 31; 7. Plzen 29 (-1); 8. Liberec 29 (-1); 9. Ceske Budejovice
28 (-1); 10. Cheb 27; 11. Viktoria Zizkov 25 (-2); 12. Boby Brno 24
(-1); 13.Banik Ostrava 19 (-1); 14. Zlin 16; 15. Hradec Kralove 15; 16.
Uherske Hradiste 13 (-1).
Matej Bartosek/Milan Smid
Vsetin Is Hockey Extraleague Champion Again
With the exception of the first-game 1-2 defeat at home, the road
to the victory for the last year's champion, Vsetin, has been very
straight. Vsetin showed its distinct superiority in the following three
matches of the final duel with Litvinov (8-1 in Vsetin, March 22, 6-1
and 4-1 in Litvinov, March 25-26), and reached the decisive victory at
home by beating Litvinov 2-1 March 28. The final result in the
best-of-seven series: 4-1.
In the tournament of the four teams battling to break into next
year's extraleague, Opava will return to the extraleague after 36 years,
and Pardubice will probably remain in the extraleague, although the
tournament is not yet complete.
Petra Rubesova/Milan Smid
WEATHER
Last week's weather report implied the arrival of spring, but the
question "who knows for how long" posed there proved to be more than
far-sighted. Cloudy skies, occasional cloudbursts - in the form of snow
March 27 - and temperatures barely above freezing confirmed that winter
does not wish to surrender.
Lida Truneckova/Michael Bluhm
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WHO'S WHO IN CAROLINA (Part Five)
I only speak when spoken to. A small Tic-tac (orange) factory would
survive on my business. I suffer in tight pants. I never tried
psychodelic mushrooms and I don't need to go to the dentist. My soul is
a merry menhir.
Jakub Konecny
In an effort to give you the most objective picture of myself, I have
decided to use written sources characterizing my ego, specifically those
written by people definitively unbiased to my person (doctors,
teachers). I am messy, I talk back and I do not do my homework, but I am
also diligent, complimented, three times accepted and once taken into
the care, my liver is somewhat hardened, numerous early hardenings, I am
male and I also have been innoculated eight times.
Radim Wolak
I am Petra Sevcikova, I was born in 1977, and I have all the luck and
bad luck you need in life. My character was put together by sports, so
I am stubborn and do not retreat. I am a very demanding person: to be
happy I have to be surrounded by people that have something to say, are
honest, nice, funny, tolerant and spontaneous. I do not ask young
gentlemen to bring me flowers... I ask them for chocolate candies.
According to Forrest Gump, life is like a box of chocolates, you never
know what filling you get, so I also go through life with curiosity and
searching for new explorations. I have studied in the US for a year,
where I picked up a strange dialect. My plans for the future are the
following: get the best education possible, become a good person and
a professional in the media sphere.
sevcikov@fsv.cuni.cz
My life began with birth, which is rather common. Since then it has
progressed 19 years in a pretty common way. Well, what can I tell you,
the usual family and school stories... Of course a good upbringing and
family background...and problems do crop up (periodically)... I'm
healthy, my friends have not left me yet, I have: a beautiful female
dog, two boxes of books to read, not enough time and many resolutions.
I like: spinach, movies, coffee with cream and spring air. Just nice
things...I wish you well!
Katerina Zachovalova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
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