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Carolina (English) No 203
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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 203, Friday, May 17, 1996.
EVENTS FROM THE PAST WEEK (May 8-15)
Havel Welcomes Hockey Champions
President Vaclav Havel welcomed the Czech hockey team back from the
Ice Hockey World Championships May 10. At Prague castle, team Captain
Robert Reichel presented Havel with a team uniform, signed by all the
players, and a cap with World Champions and the president's name
embroidered into it.
The president admitted he had watched the final match with Canada
in throes of anxiety. "I know that I am spoken of as not being an
athlete, but the reputation is not very true. I was interested in hockey
mainly when I was young, and I well remember your current Coach Ludek
Bukac (who coached the Czech team to another world championship in
1985)," said Havel in the May 11 edition of daily Svobodne slovo (for
hockey coverage see Carolina 202).
Jaromir Vicari/Andrea Snyder
Anniversary of World War II's End
On May 8, the 51st anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany,
soldiers from the Prague castle guard presented President Vaclav Havel
with a salutory oath. At the celebration, the president also named two
new generals upon the recommendation of Defense Minister Vilem Holan.
Havel asked the two new generals, Jiri Sedivy and Jiri Martinek, to
remember during the rest of their careers those who laid down their
lives for freedom.
About 200 veterans of World War II met at the Ministry of Defense
for the anniversary. V-E Day celebrations took place in Prague's Vitkov,
at the Olsany Cemetery, and at Terezin, a concentration camp about 90
km/55 miles from Prague.
Lucie Chytrackova/Andrea Snyder
Press Sees Thatcher's Visit as ODS Support
Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher arrived May 10 in
Prague for a meeting of the New Atlantic Iniciative (NAI) and to meet
with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus. The press, however, saw her visit more
as an expression of support of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and
Klaus, a big fan of British conservativism. Neither Klaus nor Thatcher
make any secret of their friendship and shared opinions.
Current British Prime Minister John Major paid a short visit to
Prague in April. During his lightening-fast visit he met only with ODS
Chairman Klaus, for which he apologized to the heads of the other
coalition parties. Already at that time, the press was putting Major's
visit into the context of ODS support in light of approaching elections.
In her NAI Congress speech, Thatcher called the idea of a united
Europe a "nightmare." According to the former prime minister, a federal
Europe would become a rival for the USA. It "would be bad for America,
Europe, and the whole world," said Thatcher, as quoted by Czech daily
Pravo May 13.
David Vozdecky/Andrea Snyder
Havel Proposes Easier Access to NATO
At the opening ceremonies of the three-day New Atlantic Iniciative
(NAI) Congress, Czech President Vaclav Havel challenged representatives
of the EU and NATO to have greater courage in expanding their
organizations to Central Europe. In the same speech, Havel said NATO
should maintain ties of partnership with Russia, but NATO alone should
decide who would be granted membership in the future.
The NAI was created in 1995 to improve trade and security
cooperation between Europe and the United States.
David Vozdecky/Andrea Snyder
Czech Defense Minister Visits Bosnia
Czech Defense Minister Vilem Holan visited the Czech military base
in Donja Ljubija in Bosnia May 11. Holan awarded 20 soldiers from the
Czech IFOR unit watches for preventing a bloody conflict between the
Serbs and the Muslims.
Olga Huderova/Andrea Snyder
PRE-ELECTION SERVICE
(Czech Parliamentary elections will take place May 31-June 1, the
official pre-election campaign started May 15)
***
Foreign Policy in Election Platforms
A majority of significant political parties are expressing support
of the effort for the fastest possible admission of the Czech Republic
into the EU and NATO in their pre-election campaigns. The parties of the
governing coalition: the Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak
People's Party (KDU-CSL), the Civic Democratic Union (ODA) and the Civic
Democratic Party (ODS), and even the strongest opposition party, the
Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) consider the Czech Republic a part
of Euro-atlantic civilization and endorse its values of democracy and
human rights.
Differences exist in opinions on the new form of the EU. Only the
CSSD identified itself with the Maastricht Treaty's principles.
According to the ODS, national states should form the future base of the
EU and its sovereignty should derive from the sovereignty of individual
states. On the other hand, the ODA does not reject the strengthening of
the authority of the global EU organs, which should, though, be limited
to "maintaining the Union's ability to negotiate and decide effectively
in areas important to life." KDU-CSL and CSSD insist on a referendum to
decide about Czech admission to the EU.
The four parties agree that "Czech membership in NATO is the only
real way how to increase Czech security," (KDU-CSL) because "the allied
defense is more effective and cheaper than individual defense" (ODS). At
the same time they understand the membership in the NATO as an act on
responsibility for euroatlantic civilization's security. The Social
Democracy wants to pursue the no-nuclear status within the NATO, the
coalition parties are for the membership "with all the rights and duties
coming from it" (ODS). The CSSD insists that a referendum about Czech
membership takes place. KDU-CSL and CSSD also warn that "European
security would be seriously threatened if the states formed as
a consequence of the fall of the Soviet Union stay isolated" (KDU-CSL).
All parties want to develop the possible best relationships with
the neighbor states. In the relationship with Germany they refuse "any
doubts about results of the WWII" (CSSD). ODS sees importance in
economic cooperation within the Central European Free Trade Zone CEFTA,
while the CSSD wants to "develop contacts primarily with Slovakia."
The difference between the coalition and the opposition CSSD lies
in the opinions on liberalization of international trade. While the CSSD
does not rule out import duties, coalition parties "refuse all the acts
of protectionism" (KDU-CSL) because, according to the ODS, "by no means
is limited trade not only an economic advantage but it also creates
shared interests and helps mutual understanding".
From the parties that according to a research have a chance to get
over the 5 per cent limit to enter Parliament, the proto-fascist
Association for the Republic-Republican Party of Czechoslovakia
(SPR-RSC) and the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) oppose
Czech membership in NATO. The basic objection of the KSCM's foreign
policy is "a strengthening of the bases of our state sovereignty and of
national existence against the constantly growing dependence on Germany
and the US". The SPR-RSC plans to "limit state extravagance in the form
of support to the bankrupt UNO, UNESCO, European Bank for
Renconstruction and Development...etc."
Petr Pabian/Klara Schirova
Safety Policies in Election Platforms
The majority of election platforms are based on the idea that
citizens are feeling endangered by crime and at the same time do not
trust police. Crime has for a long time occupied one of the top places
in the roster of burning issues. However, the rapid growth of crime has
stopped in the last two years.
Eighty-four per cent of Czechs would welcome basic changes in crime
policy, according to a poll conducted by the Factum Agency and printed
in Czech daily MF DNES May 11. Only Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) and
Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) offer clear solutions how to
contribute to the feeling of security.
ODA would create patrol micro-areas, where police would always be
present. There would be one policeman for every 5,000 citizens. The
Social Democrats propose the enlargement of active police forces in
counties and municipalities and they would try to merge state and city
police.
Olga Huderova/Katerina Zachovalova
Pre-election Party Behaviour through Voters' Eyes
An April opinion poll done by the Institute for Public Opinion
Research showed that 6 per cent of citizens are thoroughly satisfied
with the behaviour of political parties and movements, while an overall
dissatisfaction was felt by 27 per cent of respondents.
People have the greatest reservations about the far-right
Association for the Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party (29 per cent)
and the ruling Civic Democratic Party (24 per cent). Then follow the
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia with 11 per cent, the Czech
Social Democratic Party (4 per cent), the Christian Democratic
Union-Czechoslovak People's Party with 3 per cent and 2 per cent of
citizens have reservations about the Civic Democratic Alliance and Left
Blok.
Olga Huderova/Katerina Zachovalova
Constitutional Court Upholds Election Commission Decision
The Supreme Court dismissed the Right Blok's appeal of the Central
Election Commission's (CEC) decision not to print Blok ballots because
the party did not pay the obligatory election collateral in accordance
with election law (See Carolina 201). The Supreme Court Chairman Otakar
Motejl told the press May 10 the Court did not even deal with the matter
since it is entitled only to review CEC decisions on registration of
ballots or challenges to legality of ballots.
Instead of 200,000 crowns for each electoral district (eight in the
Czech Republic) the Right Blok (RB) paid 6,500 crowns per district with
the promise that the remainder would be paid later. According to RB
spokesman Premysl Vachalovsky, the CEC actually legalized the RB
election participation when it accepted the money. "The Central Election
Commission received money on April 27 and did not give it back till
now," Vachalovsky said to the press.
The provision on the obligatory election collateral in the election
law remained valid when the Constitutional Court rejected May 15 the
complaint of 41 opposition deputies against the "discriminatory and
unconstitutional" nature of the provision. Eight judges were for the
elimination of the collateral article from the law, seven judges were
against. However, for passage of a Constitutional Court decision, nine
yes votes from the 15-member body are needed. The media mentioned this
was the first time such a close vote had taken place.
In addition to the Right Block, another three of the 20 registered
parties did not pay the election collateral: the Nationwide Citizens'
Union, the Party of Czechoslovak Communists and the Green Party.
Zora Kasikova/Milan Smid
***
Politicians in the News
Prime Minister and ODS Chairman Vaclav Klaus was the most
frequently seen politician on radio and television during the past four
months. His appearances on Czech television, the Nova and Premiera
private networks and on Czech Radio total nearly 12 hours (708 minutes).
Excluding President Vaclav Havel's 434 minutes, Josef Lux of the
Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak Peoples' Party takes second
place with 317 minutes. He is followed by Jiri Dienstbier of the Free
Democrats - Liberal National Social Party, with 281 minutes.
From the opposition, Milos Zeman of the Czech Social Democratic
Party is the most visible and audible with 242 minutes of on-air time.
Jaroslav Ortman of the Left Blok trails with 165 minutes, while Miroslav
Sladek of the rightist Association for the Republic-Czechoslovak
Republican Party brings up the rear with 143 minutes. The Council for
Radio and TV Broadcasting made these facts public this week.
Lida Truneckova/Andrea Snyder
FROM SLOVAKIA
Meciar Criticizes Czech Foreign Policy
Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar criticized Czech government policy
for its refusing closer cooperation with central European states on the
way to the European Union and NATO.
Expanding NATO without considering the concerns of Russia would
lead to the creation of a Russian-Chinese-Arab block, said Meciar to
foreign journalists at a press conference in the Slovak capital
Bratislava. However, he avoided once again giving a direct answer to the
question whether Slovakia is ready to place nuclear weapons on its
territory if accepted by NATO: "Slovakia wants to become a full member
of NATO, but at the same moment we say a project of total European
security from which no one is excepted must exist."
Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, in reaction to Meciar's
criticism, told reporters Czech government policy towards Slovakia is
friendly and tries to uphold bilateral cooperation.
Olga Huderova/Pavel Vondra
ECONOMY
April Inflation at 6 Per Cent
The Consumer Price Index increased in April 6 per cent in
comparison to March, and in comparison to April 1995 increased by 8.5
per cent. The average inflation on the sliding scale (the average of the
past 12 months compared to the average of the 12 months preceeding them)
was 8.9 per cent in April.
The bi-monthly increase on the Consumer Price Index was brought
about by the rise of food prices (3.2 per cent in baked goods, 17.2 per
cent in eggs and in fruit by 3.1 per cent), drinks and tobacco. Prices
are also going up in the service industry, as shown in both telephone
and telegraph bills.
Lucie Chytrackova/Andrea Snyder
Foreign Partnership in SPT Telecom in Doubt
The Prague District Commercial Court invalidated May 10 the results
of an SPT Telecom general shareholder's meeting. The February 1995
general shareholder's meeting approved the entry of a foreign strategic
partner, the Dutch-Swiss-American consortium TelSource. This entry was
made possible by a change of the company statute, where the small
shareholder's option right on newly issued shares was abolished.
Martin Mosinger, chief of the SPT Telecom Small Shareholder's
Association, based his legal case on the fact that Economy Minister
Karel Dyba had an invalid power of attorney at the meeting. Minister
Dyba attended the meeting as representative of the majority shareholder,
the National Property Fund.
Minister Dyba considers the court ruling unfounded, insisting the
course of the general shareholder's meeting was legally correct. Dyba
also ruled out the court's ruling having any effect on the decision as
to the foreign partner's entry into SPT Telecom. Nor should the
functioning of the company have been influenced. SPT Telecom is to
install 400,000 new phone lines this year, and investment in research
and development should total 33 billion crowns.
SPT legal representative Lubos Tichy also considers the verdict on
the power of attorney's validity mistaken, and he said SPT will appeal
the decision. He also attacked the accuracy of Mosinger's claim the
general meeting eliminated small shareholders' purchase option - small
shareholders did not have any such right, and therefore it was
impossible to eliminate, Tichy said.
Parliament Budget Committee Chairman Tomas Jezek considers it
a gross error that small shareholders were pushed out of the share sale
because of the entry of a foreign partner, according to Czech daily
Lidove noviny. Jezek added that the recently approved revision of the
commercial code makes such a decision illegal.
Jaromir Vicar/Milan Smid
First Silesian Bank Bankrupt, Clients Not to Lose Deposits
The Opava-based First Silesian Bank (Prvni slezska banka) lost its
bank license May 13. The verdict to end the activities of one of the
smallest financial institutions in the Czech Republic was announced by
the Czech Banking Council May 10.
The Czech National Bank thus took the toughest possible measure
against the bank. Former Silesian Director Tomas Bojda, who resigned in
early April, declared the bank's serious economic problems began in the
first years of the bank's activity (Silesian was formed in early 1993).
Investigators are looking into allegations that the bank's problems
were partially created by frauds perpetrated by bank employees. It is
probable that bank employees knowingly granted several loans not
sufficiently covered by collateral.
The bank's clients will not lose their deposits. Deposits up to 4
million crowns will be paid out from April 15-28 in the bank's Opava and
Prague centers. The withdrawals of higher amounts will be processed
individually.
David Vozdecky/Michael Bluhm
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from May 15)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.137
Belgium 100 BEF 87.496
Great Britain 1 GBP 41.729
Denmark 1 DKK 4.660
Finland 1 FIM 5.827
France 1 FRF 5.312
Ireland 1 IEP 43.041
Italy 1000 ITL 17.762
Japan 100 JPY 25.847
Canada 1 CAD 20.169
Luxemburg 100 LUF 87.496
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.092
Norway 1 NOK 4.193
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.967
Portugal 100 PTE 17.495
Austria 1 ATS 2.556
Greece 100 GRD 11.342
Slovakia 100 SKK 88.943
Germany 1 DEM 17.987
Spain 100 ESP 21.529
Sweden 1 SEK 4.090
Switzerland 1 CHF 21.979
USA 1 USD 27.590
ECU 1 XEU 33.841
SDR 1 XDR 39.878
CULTURE
51st Prague Spring Music Festival Opens
The three-week international music festival Prague Spring was
inaugurated May 12 in an untraditional way - with a foreign orchestra
and foreign conductor for the first time in history. The London
Classical Players performed Smetana's My Country (Ma vlast) conducted by
Roger Norrington. The audience in the Rudolfinum's concert hall, as well
as TV viewers, could witness the unique approach to this traditional
Romantic composition.
Norrington tried to reproduce the original interpretation of the
work. He has studied Smetana's writings, scores, letters, period
paintings and other sources for several months, according to the press.
The orchestra had the same number of musicians (72) as the Vienna
Philharmonic had in Smetana's time (the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
consists of 100 musicians). These musicians used instruments similar to
those of the last century. The intention was to attain the color of tone
typical for an 1870's orchestra, when the composition was performed
first time.
Zora Kasikova/Milan Smid
SPORT
Sparta and Drnovice Will Meet in Czech Soccer Cup Finale
Results of the Czech Cup semifinals May 15: Sparta Praha - FK
Teplice 4-1, Petra Drnovice - Jablonec nad Nisou 2-1.
The finale will take place May 22 at Prague's Strahov stadium.
Soccer League - Everything Is Decided
After the penultimate round of the Czech soccer league, not only
the winner but also the losers are clear. Slavia is the champion, while
Uherske Hradiste and Zlin will lose their membership in the top soccer
league.
Results of the 29th round: Budejovice - Zizkov 1-1, Drnovice
- Olomouc 1-2, Hradec Kralove - Liberec 0-0, Jablonec - Sparta, 1-0,
Uherske Hradiste - Opava 0-1, Ostrava - Zlin 3-1, Slavia - Brno 2-1,
Plzen - Cheb 1-0.
Standings after 29 rounds: 1. Slavia 67; 2. Olomouc 58; 3. Jablonec
53; 4. Drnovice 48; 5. Sparta 46; 6. Liberec 44; 7. Opava 43; 8. Brno
40; 9. Plzen 39; 10. Zizkov 36; 11. Ceske Budejovice 36; 12. Ostrava
35; 13. Cheb 32; 14. Hradec Kralove 29; 15. Zlin 24; 16. Uherske
Hradiste 16.
Sparta Prague to Be Sold to Eastern Slovak Steel Mill?
For several days speculations have circulated in the Czech press on
the possible sale of the indebted Sparta Praha, the most famous Czech
soccer team in post-war times.
The most probable buyer is considered to be one of the co-owners of
the mammoth eastern Slovak steel mill VSZ Kosice. Several meetings have
allegedly taken place, howvever, Sparta Soccer President Petr Mach
refuses to make the new owner's name public.
Lida Truneckova/Milan Smid
WEATHER
Nature Rages, Rivers Overflow Banks
From the first day of May has been rain. Small showers are followed
by heavy rains and the other way around. During the day the temperature
is only between 15-20 degrees Celsius/59-64 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gardeners should prepare themselves for early-morning frost, according
to meteorologists' forecasts.
Inhabitants of some southern Bohemian and northern Moravian
villages had to be evacuated because of the amount of water falling from
the sky. The flooding caused the death of a 51-year-old man from
northern Moravia.
David Vozdecky/Katerina Zachovalova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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