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Carolina (English) No 204
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STUDENTS' 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 204, Friday, May 24, 1996.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (May 15 - 22)
PRE-ELECTION SERVICE
(Czech Parliamentary elections will take place May 31-June 1)
***
ODS Leads CSSD by Less Than 4 Per Cent
Even though pre-election polls from the Institute for Public
Opinion Research (IVVM) and the Center for Empirical Research (STEM),
have shown the ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) leading by 21.8 per
cent (IVVM) and or 24 per cent (STEM), ODS leaders are convinced many
more voters will support them in the voting booth. ODS spokeswoman, Jana
Petrova said, "We are counting on a margin of 30 per cent or more."
According to IVVM, the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) has
risen in favor by 17.7 per cent, while STEM notes a fall in comparison
to previous results, to 19.3 per cent. The Social Democrats expect to
garner 25 per cent of the voter turnout. IVVM Director Eliska Rendlova
said ODS will win votes even from voters of other parties, but that the
same can be expected for the Social Democrats.
IVVM showed a decrease to 7.1 per cent in support for the Christian
Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party, while STEM noted an
increase to 8.7 per cent. The Civic Democratic Alliance has, according
to STEM, grown in voter status to 9.1 per cent, while IVVM marks a fall
to 5.8 per cent. IVVM shows the Czech-Moravian Communist Party having
improved to 7.3 per cent, and by STEM to 10.3 per cent. The far-right
Association for the Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party has gained
support, noted by STEM at 7.1 per cent and IVVM at 5.8 per cent.
Twenty parties registered, and 16 of them managed to put together
the district registration fees required by law. All polls show only six
parties being supported by 5 per cent of the voting population, the
condition for entering Parliament.
Perhaps the inconsistencies between STEM and IVVM are caused by the
fact that IVVM for the first time only provided respondents with a list
of parties going into elections, and not all parties in existence.
(After deadline: Ratios of voter preference for the top two parties
are confirmed by other polling agencies - Factum shows a 4 per cent lead
for ODS, and DEMA slightly less than 3 per cent).
Matej Husek/Andrea Snyder
Wages Will Double in Four Years, Says Klaus
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus proclaimed May 14 that, if his Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) is again victorious in elections, average
salaries will double in the next four years, taxes will decrease and
inflation will constantly decline. Klaus believes it realistic that the
average wage, which reached 8,400 crowns per month last year, will
double by the year 2000 or climb to a maximum of 20,000 crowns.
Czech Social Democratic Party Chairman Milos Zeman, the prime
minister's biggest rival in the elections, labeled these promises cheap.
"I believe that under the current ODS economic policy this is not
possible, because thanks to this policy our industrial production is
still 24 per cent lower than in 1990," Zeman said to daily MF DNES.
"It is an optimistic prognosis, but not at all impossible,"
commented on the prime minister's words Jiri Jonas, Czech delegate to
the International Monetary Fund.
Czech Statistical Bureau deputy chairman Ivan Sujan confirmed
Klaus' estimate. "My prognosis would be that the average monthly wage
will be over 16,000 crowns at the end of century," said Sujan.
Trade union leaders admit wages could double, but they say such
a development would cause heavy job losses. "An increase in the average
wage to 20,000 crowns would mean that almost one-fourth of the
working-age population would be without a e job," Czech-Moravian Chamber
of Trade Union Deputy Chairman Milan Stech said.
Darina Coufalova/Petra Sevcikova
SD-LSNS Probably to Go into Election as Coalition
The Election Commission refused May 16 to change its
three-week-old decision, meaning the Free Democrats-Liberal Social
National Party (SD-LSNS) is still a coalition with the Party of
Entrepreneurs, Small Businessmen and Farmers. That means SD-LSNS has to
gain at least 7 per cent of votes in the elections in order to gain any
seats in Parliament. A party needs to tally 5 per cent of votes to get
in.
The argument between the Election Commission and SD-LSNS can be
decided now only by the Supreme Court, which is due to decide this case
three days before the elections begin.
Daniela Coufalova/Petra Sevcikova
Havel Comes Down on Republicans
President Vaclav Havel said the behaviour of the Republicans, who
are pasting pictures of their leader, Miroslav Sladek, over ODA posters
is unsuitable and impolite. In his weekly Sunday radio program "Talks
from Lany" (Hovory z Lan), the president asked "If they are behaving so
immorally and rudely during the election campaign, then how will they
behave in Parliament, how would they behave if they were in power?"
Marketa Hudkova/Andrea Snyder
Many Artists Support Political Parties in Election Campaign
Governing coalition members Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Civic
Democratic Alliance (ODA) have been using popular rock and movie stars
in their election campaigns.
All the singers performing at ODA rallies, including rocker
Vladimir Misik, or folk singers Vladimir Merta and Jaroslav Hutka are
paid for their support. On the other hand, those who sing for ODS are
paid only in some cases. According to the information published in the
media, those paid are only those actors who appear in TV party videos
(comedian Bolek Polivka, entertainer Ondrej Havelka) and singers who
participated in the large-scale concert at Prague's Eden Stadium. Singer
Lucie Bila gave up her paycheck for an interview, expressing her support
for ODS, published in party's election magazine together with many other
interviews including actors Marek Vasut, Pavel Zednicek and Jan
Hrusinsky.
Although some artists are paid for their appearance in election
campaign, ODA and ODS leaders are convinced the performers support their
parties policies, as well.
"It reminds me a little bit of those silly expressions of
brotherhood between the Communist Party and artists, which were
sometimes organized by the previous regime," said President Vaclav Havel
about artist participation in campaigns, in the May 22 edition of daily
MF DNES.
Michaela Vysoudilova/Petra Sevcikova
***
Yitzhak Rabin in Photographs
Visitors can view a photographic exhibition entitled "Yitzhak Rabin
1922-1995" at the Old King's Palace at the Prague Castle until June 9.
The former Israeli prime minister and Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
who was murdered last November 5, is caught in more than 100 mostly
journalistic photos in tension-filled situations at political
negotiations and relaxing. Rabin's widow Lea opened the exhibition,
which was attended by President Vaclav Havel May 14.
The photos show Rabin meeting with PLO Chief Yasser Arafat, at
military exercises or in battle, and at a market talking to citizens or
painting peace pictures. Pictures depicting the atmosphere in Israel the
night after his assasanation are also being exhibited. Although the
politician was carefully followed his whole life, at the moment of his
assassination no photographer took a picture - they were already
somewhere else.
Zora Kasikova/Andrea Snyder
Theresienstadt Ceremony Cut Short
Nearly 500 people gathered May 19 at the National Cemetery at
Theresienstadt (Terezin) in memory of the suffering and deaths of those
who passed through the Theresienstadt ghetto, and the concentration
camps at Litomerice and Little Fortress. However, the ceremony was cut
short by an anonymous phone call, saying that a bomb had been planted at
the Theresienstadt Memorial. The police quickly cleared and searched the
site, but nothing was found and the area was later re-opened.
Marketa Hudkova/Andrea Snyder
Josef Svejcar Hits 99
Josef Svejcar, the founder of Czech pediatrics, celebrated his
99th birthday May 20. He worked in Slovakia from 1919 to 1930, then
after WWII served as head of the first childrens' clinic at the Charles
University Hospital in Prague. His main areas of concern were were
childrens' tuberculsis, bacterial infections and the nutrition of
breast-feeding. He still speaks on the neccessity of maternal love in
human development.
Michaela Vysoudilova/Andrea Snyder
Penal Code Amendments Include Passage about Legalization of Euthanasia
The proposed amended Penal Code allows the possibility of the
existence of a law determining conditions by which it would be possible
to give agreement to medical intervention including euthanasia. The
amendments should also guarantee immunity for those who intervened. The
amended penal code was prepared by the Office of the Minister of Justice
and made public May 17.
According to current Czech laws, doctors who carry out euthanasia
are subject to possible prison sentences, as they are in the vast
majority of countries. It is also forbidden by the ethical code of the
physicians' chamber.
Justice Minister Jiri Novak said he is counting on "a massive
discussion around the problem," but time for such a discussion has come,
he said.
Early reactions from medical and church circles have been negative.
Matej Husek/Andrea Snyder
Disposal Containers for Out-Dated Drugs
The Meditep company has installed special containers in Ceske
Budejovice for the disposal of expired medicine, which poses a serious
environmental problem. Also, the local city hall will save money that
would have been spent on cleaning up medical waste.
Plastic disposal containers can be found in most drug stores in the
center of town. A narrow opening and lock are to ensure safety from
children and drug addicts. Meditep will regularly collect the waste and
dispose of it. The town hall believes other towns can use its solution
as well.
Marketa Hudkova/Andrea Snyder
FROM SLOVAKIA
Kovac Jr. Kidnap Case Put Off
Jozef Ciz, investigator of the Slovak president's son Michal Kovac
Jr.'s kidnapping, decided to deactivate the investigation May 20. As
a reason he cited the lack of evidence, which would make criminal
proceedings ting of penalt process against concrete persons make
possible. The investigation can go on, if there are some new facts.
According to Czech daily MF DNES, Ciz's step is the logical
extension of his effort to prove there was no kidnapping, and that Kovac
Jr. planned the episode as a way to avoid interrogation because of the
Technopol case (the Slovak firm might have lost 2.3 million USD during
in various frauds). The investigator's opinion is shared by the ruling
circles that the Slovak president was also involved in "the
selfkidnapping" and the goal of the act was the discrediting of the
country and the secret service.
Before Ciz, the kidnapping was investigated by Jaroslav Simunic and
Petr Vacok. They both came to the conclusion that Kovac Jr. was
kidnapped by the Slovak information service - Vacok on the basis of
gathered evidence had prepared a proposal to charge two secret service
agents. Under a direct order from Attorney General Milan Valo the
charges had to be stopped. Like Simunic, Vacok was also recalled from
the case.
Marketa Skodova/Jitka Hejtmanova
Interior Minister Hudek Keeps Job
A recording of a telephone conversation between Slovak Interior
Minister Ludovit Hudek and Slovak Information Service head Ivan Lexa, in
which the two agree on recalling Peter Vacok (see above article), was
made public. Vacok was recalled October 17, the day after the
conversation took place. In the interview, which experts consider
undoubtedly authentic, Lexa demands the recalling of Vacok, and was then
assured by Hudek that after consulting allegedly with Premier Vladimir
Meciar, the recall was secure.
Hudek immediately admitted the authenticity of the recording, but
then questioned May 15 whether the voice was his. Hudek had confirmed
the accuracy of the recording before its publication to the directors of
Twist Radio. Lexa claims he does not remember the conversation with
Hudek. The government has not commented on the issue.
According to opposition Parliament deputy Milan Knazko, the
recording is prove that the ways of the mafia rule Slovakia (the
conversation included obscene expressions).
Opposition Parliament deputies May 16, banging on their desks,
demanded Hudek's removal. The opposition proposal to discuss removing
Hudek was surprisingly approved.
After deadline: Parliament rejected a vote of no confidence in
Hudek May 23.
Marketa Skodova/Michael Bluhm
Remias' Parents Claim Son Murdered by Secret Police
The parents of 26-year-old Robert Remias, who died April 24 when
his car exploded, claim their son was murdered by the secret police.
They say that the head of the Slovak Secret Service (SIS) Ivan Lexa and
Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar are directly responsible for the death of
their son. Remias' parents were published in the Bratislava press May
18 as begging all Slovak citizens and Christians not to allow priests
Pavel Flajzik and Jan Krstitel Balasz and reporter Peter Toth to be
followed by the government. Meciar filed charges against them for openly
accusing SIS and the government or carrying responsibility for Remias'
death.
Remias had been the best friend of Oskar Fegyeresz, who was a star
witness in the case of the kidnapping of Michal Kovac, Jr.(see above).
For a long time, Remias had been the only link between Fegyeresz and the
press. After admitting his part in the kidnapping, Fegyeresz named Lexa
as having participated in its organization. Remias was one of the few
people, who knew where the former agent, pardoned by the president, is
hiding. Some claim Remias' death was a warning to all witnesses.
The official police version says Remias' car began to burn as
a result to a problem in the fuel system. "We challenge Meciar, Lexa,
Hudek and the Slovak government to charge our murdered son, as well,
because, shortly before he was killed he said exactly these words: 'If
they touch my life, then the murderers are Meciar, Lexa and their
followers,'" said his parents.
As noted in even the Czech press, representatives of the opposition
Christian Democrats Frantisek Miklosko and Jan Carnogursky are calling
the death a political murder.
Marketa Skodova/Andrea Snyder
Successful Film Festival in Banska Bystrica
The Premiere of the Slovak movie Jaskuv sen (Jaska's dream) was on
May 18 the last screening of the second international Film Festival of
Film Clubs in Banska Bystrica. According to experts, a festival of such
thematic focus and of a such rich variety is unique in Europe.
Among the participants present at the festival were, among others,
Czechs Radim Spacek and Karel Kachyna (five of his movies were shown
there), Frenchman Claude Lelouch, Ukrainian Russian Kirs Maratova,
German director of Slovak origin Juraj Herz and one of the most famous
Slovak emigrees - documentary maker George J. Torok.
Marketa Skodova/Milan Smid
ECONOMY
Commercial Court Freezes Stehlik's Ownership Rights in Poldi Ocel
The Prague District Commercial Court issued a restraining order to
Vladimir Stehlik, the co-owner of Poldi Ocel Kladno steelworks, who is
thus prohibited to manipulate with his majority share in the company.
"By its decision the court admitted the urgent state interest in
preventing the transfer of Bohemia Art's share in Poldi. We are waiting
with tension for another court decision that would confirm our decision
to cancel the contract on the sale of the steel mill, and that would
compel Stehlik to leave," said Chairman of the National Property Fund
Roman Ceska. Poldi Ocel appealed the decision.
According to Borivoj Vagner, the bankrupcy administrator of Holding
Company Kladno, the situation in Poldi Ocel is extremely serious, and
the bankrupcy procedure would help to improve it. Daily Denni Telegraf
quoted Vagner's belief that the Commercial Court will approve the
Holding's suggestion to invalidate the results of open competition where
Stehlik's Bohemia Art won.
On May 20 Poldi Ocel paid 4.5 million Czech crowns as a delayed
payment for the second part of its May energy bill to the Kladno Energy
Center ECK. If the bill were not paid, the ECK would stop the energy
supply. Nevertheless, since May 17, Poldi has asked for only 6 megawatt
of power as the technological minimum necessary for finishing products.
Marketa Skodova/Milan Smid
Agricultural Import from EU Countries Exceeds Export by 13 Billion CZK
In spite of the fact that half of the Czech agrarian export went to
EU states last year, the import from the EU exceeded export by about 13
billion Czech crowns. "What matters is the active balance in trade with
the products that we know to produce. In the import side there are
mostly products we don't know how to make at home," told daily MF DNES
Minister of Agriculture Josef Lux.
The agriculture circles comment the recent pre-election promise of
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus to limit the import of EU subsidized food to
the Czech Republic. "We want of course to cut down the almost
13-billion-crown deficit of agricultural trade with the EU, but the ban
on the import is no solution. On the contrary we need better state
support for our producers to enable them to increase exports," said Jan
Sedmidubsky, secretary of the Czech-Moravian Union of Agriculture
Cooperatives.
Marketa Skodova/Milan Smid
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from May 24)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 21.979
Belgium 100 BEF 87.393
Great Britain 1 GBP 41.860
Denmark 1 DKK 4.654
Finland 1 FIM 5.829
France 1 FRF 5.306
Ireland 1 IEP 43.182
Italy 1000 ITL 17.764
Japan 100 JPY 25.960
Canada 1 CAD 20.251
Luxemburg 100 LUF 87.393
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.062
Norway 1 NOK 4.195
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.952
Portugal 100 PTE 17.511
Austria 1 ATS 2.554
Greece 100 GRD 11.367
Slovakia 100 SKK 89.028
Germany 1 DEM 17.958
Spain 100 ESP 21.564
Sweden 1 SEK 4.052
Switzerland 1 CHF 21.881
USA 1 USD 27.739
ECU 1 XEU 33.945
SDR 1 XDR 39.938
CULTURE
Ljuba Hermanova Died
Actress and singer Ljuba Hermanova died May 21 at the age of 83.
She performed in public an unbelievable 66 years. After engagements in
Bratislava, Brno and Vienna she became a member of the famous Liberated
(Osvobozene) Theater. Later she performed in the Karlin Music Theater.
In the turn of the 50's and 60's she found inspiration in the theater of
small forms. In the cinema art she introduced herself in such movies as
the Money or Your Life or the Girl With a Devil in Her Body.
Ljuba Hermanova earned the public esteem by her songs and
particularly old Prague songs, which gained great popularity in her
versions.
Marketa Hudkova/Klara Schirova
Mystery of Life - Photo Exhibit as Fairy Tale about the Human Body
Swedish photographer Lennart Nilsson managed to view the inside of
human body and make unique photographs by an unbelivably small eye with
a lens (0.6 to 4 mm). His Prague exhibition was greeted with large
interest from the public. The series of exclusive pictures could be seen
in the Gallery Ambit in the Franciscan Monastery in Jungmann Square till
May 19.
Nilson, 74, has been working closely for 53 years with a team of
scientists and doctors. He utilizes medical endoscopes, microscopes and
other facilities that he designs himself for his work as photographer.
Thanks to diligent and patient work he has broght incredibly clear and
sharp pictures of the first moment of origin of human life. The
enthralling pictures show, in hours, days and weeks, the evolution of
the fetus in the mother's womb? But at the same time Nilsson does not
forget that life and death are very near to each other and so he takes
pictures the influence of killing parasites in human body, like the HIV
virus, AIDS and malaria.
Nilsson started his career as a photojournalist and documentarian.
He portrayed the life of ants, mosquitos, bees in the 60's and ended
with the human body. He published the books The Mirror (1959), Life in
the Sea (1959), Birth of a Child (1971), Mystery of Life (1974) etc. His
books and photographical work earned enormous success in the world and
he was awarded with the Hasselblad Prize in 1980. Today he has advanced
much further and he is trying to add movement and sound to his pictures.
Maria Tripoliti/Klara Schirova
SPORT
Results of the Czech Soccer League 1995-6
Results of the 30th round: Liberec - Slavia 2-3, Opava - Ostrava 3-0,
Cheb - Ceske Budejovice 0-0, Sparta - Plzen 1-0, Zizkov - Hradiste 2-2,
Brno - Jablonec 1-0, Zlin - Drnovice 1-0, Olomouc - Hradec Kralove 1-0.
Final 1995-6 League Standings
1. SK Slavia Praha 23 1 6 68-28 70
2. SK Olomouc Sigma 19 4 7 53-33 61
3. FK Jablonec n. N. 16 5 9 45-26 53
4. AC Sparta Praha 14 7 9 56-35 49
5. FC Petra Drnovice 14 6 10 53-40 48
8. FC Kaucuk Opava 13 7 10 40-34 46
7. FC Slovan Liberec 12 8 10 34-30 44
8. FC Boby Brno 12 7 11 39-42 43
9. FC Viktoria Plzen 11 6 13 33-34 39
10. FK Viktoria Zizkov 9 10 11 38-43 37
11. SK C. Budejovice 10 7 13 35-47 37
12. FC Banik Ostrava 10 5 15 40-46 35
13. FC Union Cheb 8 9 13 35-47 33
14. SK Hradec Kralove 8 5 17 28-46 29
15. FC Svit Zlin 6 9 15 17-38 27
16. FC JOKO Uh. Hrad. 3 8 19 19-65 17
Darina Coufalova
Sparta Winner of the Czech Soccer Cup
In the finale of the Czech-Moravian Soccer Union CMFS Cup, the
Sparta team defeated Drnovice 4-0 in Prague May 22.
Goals: Nedved 26 and 55, Svoboda 45, 71 Kouba (penalty kick).
Ondra Trunecka
WEATHER
Hail with a diameter of 5 cm fell during the Prague's May 18
thunderstorm. The best pieces were stored in fridges or freezers just to
be shown as evidence to those who did not see it. Some hail damaged
parked cars, but more serious accidents were caused by the torrent of
rainwater downtown, where water flooded the metro stations.
Ondra Trunecka/Milan Smid
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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