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Carolina (English) No 193
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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 193, Friday, March 8, 1996.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (February 28 - March 6)
Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec in Moscow
Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec met with Russian Prime
Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and Russian Foreign Minister Jevgenij
Primakov in Moscow March 4 and 5. The meeting demonstrated both sides
have the same opinions on most foreign issues, while differences persist
over the question of NATO expansion. The ministers discussed Russia's
debt to the Czech Republic, and exchanged ratification documents for
a Czech-Russian agreement on friendly relations and cooperation.
Petra Rubesova/Andrea Snyder
Prime Minister Klaus Visits Former Yugoslavia
Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus paid a visit to the United
Yugoslav Republic (JSR) March 4. During negotiations with JSR Prime
Minister Radoj Kontic, the decision was made that Czech tourists will
still have to pay for a visa this year when entering the JSR. Klaus said
the cancellation of visa requirements would be conditional to
Belgrade's closing a readmission agreement on the return of undesirables
with the Czech Republic. He also said both sides would welcome closing
the gaps in mutual relations.
Klaus continued to Croatia March 5, where he and his counterpart
Zlatek Matesa agreed their countries are interested in signing
a free-trade agreement.
Zbynek Vicar/Andrea Snyder
Czech and Polish Prime Ministers Meet in Giant Mountains
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and Polish Prime Minister Wlodzimier
Cimoszevicz met March 3 in the Polish Karpacz mountain retreat. Talks
mainly concerned bilateral relations and the political situation in
Europe.
Klaus said there are many things of mutual interest in which Poland
and the Czech Republic do not compete, and that it would be worthwhile
to exchange information and take a uniform approach. Klaus further
emphasized that it is not possible to view Polish and Czech attempts to
enter the EU as competition.
The prime ministers agreed that the Czech Republic and Poland
support expanding Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) to
Bulgaria, Romania and Lithuania. Klaus said CEFTA cannot become an
"exclusive" club - member countries often reproach the EU for closing
ranks before countries of central and eastern Europe interested in
membership.
Matej Husek/Andrea Snyder
Czech Defense Minister Signs Defense Cooperation Agreement in USA
Czech Defense Minister Vilem Holan and his American counterpart
William Perry signed an agreement March 1 concerning cooperation between
their insitutions in military research and development. Perry said
foreign ministers would meet in December to discuss NATO expansion, and
it will be decided next year who will be accepted and when.
Zora Kasikova/Andrea Snyder
Vaclav Havel Sends Birthday Card to Mikhail Gorbachev
Vaclav Havel sent a congratulatory telegram to former Soviet
president Michail Gorbachev on the occasion of Gorbachev's 65th birthday
March 2. Havel wrote that what Gorbachev did for his country and the
world will remain in human history forever. Havel also wished him health
and success in his life and work.
Marketa Hudkova/Alice Ticha
Czech Law Clears Soldiers of Rape Charges against American
A female soldier from the American IFOR unit reported March 2 that
she had been raped by two Czech soldiers. The woman had to be taken to
the American field hospital in Kaposvar, Hungary.
Capitan Oldrich Holecek from the Czech section of the IFOR unit
said that both soldiers claim sexual intercourse took place upon "mutual
agreement." Hungarian doctors found no signs of violence on the woman.
American female soldiers allegedly refuse to sleep in all-woman
barracks, claiming they are used to sleeping amongst men.
USA unit spokeswoman Leela J. Dawson-Hamm, quoted in the Czech
daily Denni Telegraf, said soldiers can be sure that all incidents of
this type will be thoroughly investigated and rapists will be prosecuted
within the full scope of the law.
David Vozdecky/Andrea Snyder
Parliament Chairman Uhde Receives Czech Representatives from Slovakia
Czech Parliament Chairman Milan Uhde met representatives of the
Club of Czech Citizens and the Association of Czech Compatriots from
Slovakia February 29 in Prague. The subject of the meeting was the
position of Czech citizens in Slovakia and the sluggish approach of the
Czech Embassy in Bratislava to the resolution of formalities concerning
their citizenship. Some of the 500 Slovak residents who kept Czech
citizenship want to return back to the Czech Republic. Deputy Interior
Minister V. Zeman promised at the meeting that his ministry will deal
with these issues effectively and immediately.
Some problems of Czech nationals (e.g., dual citizenship) are still
unresolved. Uhde responded that "the Czech Republic will not introduce
the institution of dual citizenship and Parliament does not plan on any
iniciative in this respect." The chairman also referred to the
recommendation of the Council of Europe which labels the establishment
of dual citizenship undesirable.
Klara Schirova/Alice Ticha
Will Slovaks Have Special Schools in the Czech Republic?
The third session of the National Association of Slovaks living in
the Czech Republic-The Slovak Community took place in Karlovy Vary March
3. President Peter Liptak announced that the Stefanik High School in
Prague, named for the Slovak general who served in 1918 as
Czechoslovakia's first war minister, will probably not be opened in
September. The proposal for establishing the school, where subjects are
taught in Slovak and Czech is a main graduation subjects, was submitted
by the association last year. According to Liptak, the reason for the
delay is the "lax approach of officials." He is also considering the
teaching of Slovak as an elective subject in certain grade schools.
Klara Schirova/Alice Ticha
Amendment of Czech Citizenship Law on Way to Parliament
The Human Rights Section of the Czech Committee of the Helsinki
Civic Assembly (HCA), as well as its Romany Section, welcome the draft
amendment of the Czech Citizenship Law submitted by Deputy Jiri Payne
and approved by the government February 7, though they consider it
insufficient. This was the content of the HCA statement published at
a Prague press conference February 29.
The Czech Committee has repeatedly pointed to the negative legal
and social consequences of the law, that made many former Czechoslovak
citizen foreigners in their own land. According to Romany Section
representative Karel Holomek, at least 10,000 people live in the Czech
Republic without any legal status in either the Czech and Slovak
Republics, because of red tape or shortage of money.
The amendment to the law, the third one since its approval in
1993, is to ease the requirements for acquiring citizenship concerning
criminal record and permanent residency, nevertheless it did not fully
eliminate the discriminatory elements of the law. "We are of the opinion
that all citizens living on Czech territory on the date of December 31,
1992, should posses the right to become citizens of our republic if they
wish to," read the HCA statement as quoted by Vaclav Trojan, the
chairman of the Human Right Section of the Czech HCA Committee.
Lida Truneckova/Milan Smid
Presidential Office Lineup Changes
President Vaclav Havel appointed Ivan Medek presidential office
chief February 29, one day before Medek's term began.
Medek, who was serving as director of the Domestic Policy
Department, replaces Lubos Dobrovsky, who took the post of ambassador to
Russia. Medek was replaced by Jan Solc, who had served as chairman of
the Academic Senate and deputy head of the Department of Philosophy at
the Mechanical and Textile University in Liberec.
Matej Husek/Alice Ticha
Trust in President and Parliament Increases
Four-fifths of the nation's citizens trust the President, up 7 per
cent fromh January's 73 per cent, according to a February poll conducted
by the Institute for Public Opinion Research (IVVM). Faith in the
Parliament is found in 29 per cent of the nation, 2 per cent more than
in January. Faith in the government, at 51 per cent, did not change.
According to IVVM, the president is trusted foremost by people from 15
to 19, well qualified people and people with a good standard of living.
Alida Kassymova/Petra Sevcikova
NEWS IN BRIEF
* Libor Kudlacek to Be ODA Leader in Central Bohemia - The March 3
annual conference of the central Bohemian organization of the Civic
Democratic Alliance (ODA) decided on its election leaders.
* F.R. Cech Second on Prague's Social Democrat Ballot - Top place in
the voting of the Czech Social Democratic Party's (CSSD) Prague
organization was taken by musician, artist, and painter Frantisek Ringo
Cech. After the March 1-2 session he became number two on the Prague
CSSD ballot, after party Vice-Chairwoman and parliamentary Deputy Petra
Buzkova, who was earlier voted election leader.
* The results of the primaries must be ratified by later party
conferences.
Petr Mrzena/Petra Sevcikova
Zeman Baptizes Zemak
The Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) February 29 baptized their
campaign bus, in which party Chairman Milos Zeman intends to travel the
country before the elections. "It not only means an abbreviation of
Zeman's name, but it is also a synonym for potato - and CSSD has always
been a party talking to people who consume the basics - potatoes, milk
and grain, rather than those who prefer caviar and champagne," Zeman
said in the March 1 edition of Czech daily MF Dnes.
Zeman's theme song will be the composition of French chanconier
Gilbert Becaud, "Look, the Rose is Blooming" (CSSD's logo has a rose),
while next to the bus should always stand a figure of Zeman. CSSD has
not been successful so far in getting any popular artist or singers for
campaign shows, so they will make do with majorettes and a brass band.
On top of the bus, which cost more than 1 million crowns to
purchase and prepare, is a message for Zeman's rival, Prime Minister
Vaclav Klaus. The sign "Have a nice flight, Vaclav. Milos", will, the
Social Democrats imagine, be read by Klaus every time he flies in his
campaign helicopter over the bus.
Darina Coufalova/Petra Sevcikova
Election Platforms on Internet
Internet users will be able to acquaint themselves with the
election platforms of political parties. So far, accessible information
exists for the Czech-Moravian Communist Party, Association for the
Republic-Republican Party of Czechoslovakia, and Free Democrats-Liberal
Social National Party. Political parties are limited to five pages,
which may also contain pictures.
Jitka Motejzikova/Petra Sevcikova
Doctors to Strike in March in Spite of Frequency
Even the newest plan from the Ministry of Health (called Frequency)
did not succeed in discouraging the Physicians' Union Club (LOK) from
declaring strike plans for March 25-6. The strike decision was made at
the Prague LOK congress February 29. During the strike, which aims to
raise doctors' tariff payments by 40 per cent, services in medical
institutions will be limited to weekend schedules. Another form of
protest will be the strict observation of regulations, such as the
annual limit of 150 overtime hours.
Instead of new tariff rates long demanded by healthcare workers,
the Ministry came up with the Frequency plan. According to Frequency,
doctors will not numerically perform any more activities than in 1995,
but will receive more money per act thanks to an increased healthcare
budget. Health Minister Jan Strasky also proposed that the state would
raise the basis for calculation of state health insurance from 65 per
cent to 80 per cent of the minimum wage.
According to representatives of the Czech Medical Chamber (CLK) the
Minister's plan only maintains the bad current system and does not offer
a solution. The CLK will not join any protest action because, as said
CLK Chairman Bohuslav Svoboda, CLK is not a union. However, he agrees
with the strike, with the presumption it will not endanger patients.
The strike is supported foremost by organizations of mid-level
healthcare workers.
Jitka Hejtmanova, Lucie Dvorakova, Jitka Motejzikova/Klara Schirova
Dana Nemcova to Lead Good Will Committee
Olga Havlova will be replaced as head of the Good Will Committee by
psychologist and former dissident Dana Nemcova. According to Executive
Director Milena Cerna, Nemcova was elected by the committee's board of
trustees February 19. The Good Will Committee-Olga Havlova Foundation
has collected almost 500 million crowns since 1990 for the handicapped
and poor. Nemcova has been a board member since January 1995.
Arsen Kocarjan/Jitka Hejtmanova
Cocaine Worth 20 Million CZK Captured in Ostrava
Police seized eight kilograms of high-quality cocaine March 2 in
the "Flake" anti-drug operation. The worth of drug was estimated at
about 20 million crowns. During the raid police arrested a Czech and
a citizen of the former Yugoslavia. The drug, known as Peruvian Flake,
is pure cocain, and was sent from Peru as a consignment of decorative
goods to an Ostrava address.
It was the largest single capture of the drug in the last five
years.
Maria Tripoliti/Jitka Hejtmanova
Poisonous Gas Kills Two
A March 4 accident in Olomouc's Farmakon pharmaceutical factory,
during which 200 liters of disulphuric acid (H2SO4) leaked into city
sewerage, caused the death of two people and poisoned of two others. The
gas hydrogen sulphide, released from the acid, reached three technicians
working in the plant's sewerage canals at the time of the accident. One
of the technicians died. Though Farmakon did not inform a nearby
military hospital about the accident, a nurse who breathed in the
poisoned gas in the bathroom died one day later.
The cause of the accident, now being investigated by police, was
probably a technical defect in the pumps.
Michaela Vysoudilova/Jitka Hejtmanova
Czech Students Abroad Join in Signing Petition
More and more students studying abroad feel discriminated against
by the current social policy of the Czech government. Czech students
from Scotland's University of Edinburgh have joined the reaction of
students from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA (see Carolina
191). They, too, have decided to form a petition against the new social
support system. The Carolina editorial staff of the received a request
to publish the e-mail address of the main petition iniciator, Irena
Raichova, in case other students would like to join. This address is the
following: 9447087@lewis.sms.ed.ac.uk
Marketa Hudkova/Klara Schirova
FROM SLOVAKIA
Russian Foreign Minister in Bratislava
Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jevgenij Primakov visited
Slovakia February 29. He met, among others, President Michal Kovac and
Premier Vladimir Meciar.
Primakov and Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Juraj Schenk
discussed first of all the possibility to intensify mutual economic
relations, and possible NATO expansion. While Primakov repeated that
Russia is and will be against NATO expansion, the Slovak side insists on
integration into the EU and NATO.
Petr Pabian/Alida Kassymova
ECONOMY/BUSINESS
Crown Exchange Rate Set Free
The banking committee of the Czech National Bank (CNB) decided
February 28 to let the exchange rate of Czech crown float from the
current 0.5 per cent daily to 7.5 per cent. The arrangment went
immediately into effect.
The fact that after five years and two months the CNB unexpectedly
changed its exchange rate policy and abandoned its system of keeping the
crown stable should the CNB to keep inflation under control and preserve
currency stability. This decision will give domestic business the
opportunity to compete better against foreign companies. The arrangment
will also mean companies can no longer count on paying stable crown
prices for imported raw materials .
CNB Governor Josef Tosovsky said the central bank has enough means
for keeping crown rate within the set range. The rate will be set free
only for a temporary period. "Later we will strive for a close
connection between the crown and the currency which is going to be
dominant in the European Community. By this I mean the ECU or German
mark," Tosovsky was quoted in the Czech daily MF Dnes 29.
Widening the range for movement of the exchange rate is a very
important step in currency sphere. Premier Vaclav Klaus was convinced
that CNB decision was timed correctly, and will not be a reason for
a marked deviation of the exchange rate against the preceding state.
Petr Pabian/Alida Kassymova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from March 8)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 20.884
Belgium 100 BEF 89.662
Great Britain 1 GBP 41.729
Denmark 1 DKK 4.772
Finland 1 FIM 5.938
France 1 FRF 5.384
Ireland 1 IEP 42.878
Italy 1000 ITL 17.493
Japan 100 JPY 25.933
Canada 1 CAD 19.944
Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.662
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.460
Norway 1 NOK 4.235
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.408
Portugal 100 PTE 17.762
Austria 1 ATS 2.621
Greece 100 GRD 11.281
Slovakia 100 SKK 90.608
Germany 1 DEM 18.422
Spain 100 ESP 21.856
Sweden 1 SEK 4.013
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.683
USA 1 USD 27.354
ECU 1 XEU 34.186
SDR 1 XDR 40.021
CULTURE
Slovak Film Earns Five Czech Lions
During a festive evening at Prague's Lucerna Hall March 1, the
prestigious prizes of the Czech Film and Television Academy (CFTA) - the
Czech Lions - for 1995 were awarded.
The Slovak-Czech-French film The Garden (Zahrada) was by far the
most successful work. It took awards in five categories: for art
direction, script, male supporting actor (Marian Labuda), director
(Ondrej Sulik) and best film of the year.
Two prizes were given to the films Golet in the valley (Golet
v udoli) - for music and cinematography - and The Dance Teacher (Ucitel
tance) - soundtrack and best male actor. A strange situation came at the
announcement of the best actor award because the evening's master of
ceremonies, Martin Dejdar, won the category. The best female actor's
prize received Jirina Bohdalova.
Director Karel Kachyna received a special prize for lifetime
contribution to Czech cinematography. The prize for audiovisual work,
awarded for the first time, was given to the authors of documentary
series What We Fought For (Zac jsme bojovali).
Makers of the film Wild Beer (Divoke pivo) received the Plush Lion
for the worst movie of 1995.
CFTA designated the French film Leon for the best foreign film
running in the Czech movie theaters in 1995. The American film
Waterworld (Vodni svet) was the most visited film last year. The
American film Apollo 13 received the readers' prize from Cinema and
Kinorevue magazines.
Michal Kubal, Alice Ticha/Jitka Motejzikova
Miss Bohemia
Iva Kubelkova, an 18-year-old student from Prague, won the title
Miss Bohemia in Teplice's House of Culture March 2. She was also voted
as the most popular contestant among the audience members.
Nineteen-year-old model Zdenka Zadrazilova from Jindrichuv Hradec took
second place in the competition. Twenty-year-old student Veronika
Krizova from Kostelec nad Cernymi Lesy won the bronze. Winners in places
one through seven from the Bohemian regional contest will go on to the
final competition for the title of Miss Czech Republic, which will take
place in Pilsen (Plzen) April 20.
A. W. Isar/Jitka Motejzikova
Arnost Lustig Receives Karel Capek Literary Prize
Czech writer Arnost Lustig was awarded the Karel Capek literary
prize february 29 in the representative rooms of Prague's City Hall. The
prize was instituted by the Czech branchof the International PEN Club
and the Association of Czech PEN Friends in 1994. The prize is awarded
every other year for prose, drama and essay work. A life achievement
prize is also awarded, preferably to a Czech author. Lustig, author of
the books A Prayer for Katerina Horovitz, The Diamonds of Night, Dita
Sax, and The Unloved received this year's prestigious life-time
achievement award from President Vaclav Havel. Lustig, the editor of the
the Czech version of Playboy, draws for his work mainly from his
experience as a child in Nazi concentration camps, where he once met Dr.
Joseph Mengele. Writer Adolf Branald (The Sisters, The Grandfather
Automobil, and Attention, Round!) also won the Crystalline prize of the
PEN Club, which was awarded this year exceptionally.
Natasa Hajkova/Jitka Motejzikova
Prague Phiharmonic Performs Dvorak and Beethoven in Rudolfinum
A gala concert of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra sponsored by the
Association of Czech Lawyers (VSEHRD), under the patronage of Prime
Minister Vaclav Klaus, took place in the Rudolfinum Concert Hall March
2. Works by world-renowned classical composers appeared in the program,
which was conducted by Libor Pesek. Among them were selections from
Antonin Dvorak's Slavic Dances and the Fifth Symphony by Ludwig van
Beethoven.
Natasa Hajkova/Klara Schirova
SPORT
Slavia Soccer Team Close to Semifinal of UEFA Cup?
The two goals scored by Poborsky and Vagner won the game for Slavia
over AS Roma 2:0. The match took place March 5 at Prague's Strahov
Stadium. The grass was well prepared but still frozen. The Czech players
maneuvered on the pitch quite well despite the slippery surface, and
scored their first goal in the 11th minute. From a free kick, Poborsky,
one of the best players on the field, scored a goal. The second half
started off better for Slavia. In the 51st minute, Lerch passed the ball
from the right, the goalie deflected the ball out in front of him, and
Vagner did not hesitate to take the chance to score. By the end of the
match players from AS Roma attacked the Slavia team, but goaltender
Stejskal did not allow them to score.
Slavia Praha - AS Roma 2:0 (1:0) Goals: 11. Poborsky, 51.Vagner. Red
card: Petruzzi (81.) Attendance: 14,372.
Jan Palicka/Petra Sevcikova
Brno Has Not Yet Touched the Ball
Also in the 18th round of the Czech First League, three games which
were originally scheduled did not take place. The games in Brno and
Liberec were postponed because of the poor quality of the playing
surface. The Opava team did not arrive in Prague due to a traffic jam on
the Brno-Praha highway caused by an accident during a snowstorm. The
league commission decided later that Slavia won the game 3-0 in the
absence of the other team. The Boby Brno team has not yet played a game
this year.
Results of the 18th round: Ostrava - Sparta 4-1, Hradec Kralove
- Zizkov 2-0, Drnovice - Cheb 3-0, Uherske Hradiste - Jablonec 0-4,
Ceske Budejovice - Plzen 2-2, Slavia - Opava 3-0 (default), Brno-
Olomouc a Liberec - Zlin postponed.
David Sprincl/Arsen Kocharian
WEATHER
Same old, same old. The sun which shone for a couple days above
Prague is now gone. March entered with cold wind and occasional rain and
a snow shower. Temperatures during the day were between minus 3 and 1
degree Celsius/26 degrees to 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and night
temperatures fell to minus 12 degrees Celsius/12 degrees Fahrenheit.
On March 1, three chain car accidents took place on the D1
motorway. Altogether almost 140 vehicles crashed, one man died and
another one was injured.
Maria Tripoliti/Maria Tripoliti
English versione edited by Michael Bluhm and Michael Wagner
The third part of WHO IS WHO IN CAROLINA will be in Carolina No 194
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