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Carolina (English) No 221
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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 221, Friday, November 1, 1996.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (October 23 - 30)
DOMESTIC SCENE
October 28 - Celebration of the Czechoslovak Republic's Birth in 1918
On the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the founding of the
First Czechoslovak Republic, a number of celebrations took place
(October 28 is a national holiday in the Czech Republic). On October
28, President Vaclav Havel, accompanied by Prague Mayor Jan Koukal, laid
a bouquet at St. Wenceslas' statue on Prague's Wenceslas Square. The
same day, Civic Democratic Alliance representatives, led by Chairman Jan
Kalvoda, and members of the Club of Nonpartisan Activists commemorated
the anniversary by bringing flowers as well. On October 26, supporters
of the neo-Fascist Republican party met as the first to mark the holiday
on Wenceslas Square, listening to Republican Chairman Miroslav Sladek's
speech.
Within the framework of the celebrations, people had an
opportunity to look through the interior of Parliament. That way, the
public could see not just the agenda room and the Parliament hall but
also Parliament Chairman Milos Zeman's office.
Zdenek Janda/Denisa Vitkova
Havel Confers High State Honors on October 28 Anniversary
Forty personalities were awarded high state honors October 28 in
the Vladislavsky Hall in Prague Castle. Fourteen of them were awarded
posthumously, and there are also a few foreigners among the laureates.
President Vaclav Havel conferred the White Lion Honour
posthumously upon army General Alois Elias, the protectorate government
prime minister executed in 1942.
The president conferred the Thomas Garrigue Masaryk (the primary
founder and first president of the Czechoslovak Republic) Honour
posthumously upon writer Milena Jesenska (Franz Kafka's companion, who
died in the Ravensbruck concentration camp), Jan Opletal (a university
student fatally wounded at a demonstration against Nazi occupation on
October 28, 1939). Among other TGM Honour laureates are writer Ludvik
Vaculik and former Austrian President Rudolf Kirchschlaeger.
Awarded with the Merit Medal are, among others, writer Bohumil
Hrabal, film director Jiri Menzel, oncologist Josef Koutecky, Slovak
writer Hana Ponicka and academic sculptor Olbram Zoubek.
Medals for Heroism were awarded, for example to Major Petr
Kozanek, who died at a water-activities camp this year while saving
a child.
Martin Hradecky/Denisa Vitkova
Zeman Sharply Criticizes Klaus' Anniversary Speech
On occasion of the Czech national holiday October 28, Prime
Minister Vaclav Klaus delivered a state speech in the National Museum
Pantheon. He recalled the historical development of the nation since
1918, considering the political and economical transformation of the
last seven years. Klaus pointed out the successes Czech society has
achieved, but he also discussed its most delicate problems. "Crime has
rapidly increased ... we have to solve not-small problems in the public
sector, foremost in healthcare. The housing problem is also oppressive.
The public is rightfully concerned by the collapse of a few smaller
banks." At the end of his speech, Klaus, avoiding name-calling, warned
against the danger of populism and cheap demagoguery, for which the
nation has been the worse many times.
This passage was negatively interpreted by the chairman of the
strongest opposition party, Milos Zeman of the Social Democrats, who
accused Klaus of misusing his office for an election campaign. the
October 29 edition of daily Svobodne slovo quotes Zeman: "I would
consider it undignified to detract from October 28 with a similar
speech."
President Vaclav Havel refused to comment on Klaus' speech.
Pavel Novak/Denisa Vitkova
Four Party Representatives Meet with Havel
President Vaclav Havel met with representatives of the Civic
Democratic Party (ODS), the Czech Social Democrat Party (CSSD), the
Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) and the Christian Democratic
Union-Czechoslovak Peoples' Party (KDU-CSL) October 23 at Prague Castle.
Those invited are four of the six parties active in Parliament; the
other two opposition parties, the Czech-Moravian Communist Party and the
neo-Fascist Association for the Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party,
were not included in the meeting. ODS members criticized actions of the
opposition, while ODS parliamentary club Chairman Milan Uhde emphasized
the danger of forming a monolithic block of 101 opposition votes in the
200-seat Parliament. ODS also expressed concern that Parliament may take
advantage of its theoretical right to dictate how the government should
rule. KDU-CSL Parliament leader Josef Borak challenged the opposition
Social Democrats to support state stability with their actions.
ODA club leader Ivan Masek, however, denied all worries about the
situation, and said coalition parties must accustom themselves to it.
CSSD representatives vehemently denied collaborating on Parliament votes
with the Communists and Republicans.
Lenka Javurkova/Andrea Snyder
Nation's Leaders against Parliament in Czech-German Issue
Czech President Vaclav Havel met with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus
October 24 at Prague's Rusalka restaurant to discuss Parliament's
possible amendment of the Czech-German Declaration. The President said
adding a decree to the decree sounds a bit nonsensical, and Klaus stated
that each change and additional amendment to the agreement dilutes its
meaning. They also agreed that the President should speak in Parliament
when the text of the declaration is discussed.
Batyrbek Gaparov/Andrea Snyder
Constitutional Court Finishes Senate Candidacy Decisions
On October 29 the Constitutional Court decided the final fates of
potential Senate candidates who had been rejected in the first two
ballot-application evaluation rounds. Fifteen of the 18 ballots rejected
in earlier processes were resubmitted for approval, and 14 were
approved. The court rejected only the ballot of Zdislav Zwak, who had
not obtained the 1,000 supporting signatures needed to qualify for
Senate candidacy.
The court finished the two-week decision-making marathon in time
for the pre-election campaign period. The Constitution ensures
candidates equal election rights by guaranteeing them two weeks to
campaign before voting. The campaign period begins October 30; the first
round of Senate elections will take place November 15 and 16.
Eighty-one voting districts will be represented in the Senate elections.
Candidates who obtain a simple majority in the first round become
Senators. Should no candidate in the district receive more than 50 per
cent of the votes, the two candidates with the highest tallies will then
run in the second round of elections November 22-3, when a single
district representative will be chosen.
Michal Schindler/Andrea Snyder
Poll Findings Show Low Interest in Senate Elections
A poll conducted by the Center for Empirical Research showed that
interest in the upcoming Senate elections is much lower than in June's
Parliament elections. Of those polled, only 50 per cent plan to vote in
the first round of elections, and even less in the second.
taken from the daily Denni Telegraf by Michaela Klevisova/Andrea Snyder
Social Democrats Fail to Pass Pension Amendment
The Czech government vetoed a Social Democrat proposal October 23,
leaving the age of retirement at 57-61 for women and 62 for men. The
Social Democrats had been pushing to reinstate the age limit of 53-57
for women and 60 for men. The national retirement age was raised to its
current minimum January 1.
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus called the Social Democrats
irresponsible and populistic and expressed hopes that Parliament would
not pass the law. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Jindrich Vodicka
of Klaus' Civic Democratic Party pointed out that, should the government
decide to reinstate the previous age limit, the ratio between pensioners
and the insurance-paying population would increase from 53:100 to
85:100 by the year 2020. "Even if if we reinstated the original
retirement ages, we would have to raise them again in five or six years.
Only then it would not be a matter of a gradual increase every month,
but of a several-year leap," said the minister.
Even the growth of Czech average life expectancy and the decrease
in the birth rate play a role. Experts at Charles University's Faculty
of Natural Sciences say that the in the year 2010, Czech men will live
an average of 73.9 years, while Czech women should have an average
life-span of 80 years, as compared to the 1995 averages of 69.96 years
for men and 76.94 years for women.
Zdenek Janda/Andrea Snyder
Macek to Reform Healthcare?
Health Ministry Secretary Miroslav Macek of the Civic Democratic
Party (ODS) sent a proposal October 25 to the government, Parliament and
professional medical organizations. His concept is that patients should
pay no doctors' fees, while those who do not take great advantage of
insurance benefits should be rewarded. Patients who behave irresponsibly
toward healthcare would pay higher rates. With Macek's idea, patients
would not have individual accounts, would not pay medical fees or
emergency-room care, insurance instead would be a national requirement,
even for those whose insurance is paid by the state.
Should his idea be applied, it would bring about marked changes in
the insurance system. It is very different from the health care reforms
implemented by Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and Minister of Health Jan
Strasky (both ODS).
The ODS Executive Council criticized Macek and others from the
Ministry of Health for making their proposal public without consulting
the Minister or with other party members. However, medical professionals
are enthusiastic.
Lucie Vackova/Andrea Snyder
Being Senator Should Be a Full-Time Job, People Say
According to an October opinion poll conducted by the Institute for
Public Opinion Research, a major part of Czechs polled reject the idea
of a senator who would continue his or her job and would retain some
other office after being elected. Seventy per cent of respondents reject
this idea strongly, and only 14 per cent of citizens would approve of
retaining both the Senate office and the original job. The people think
their senators are to be fully occupied by their activity in the Senate,
and every 10th person believes senators will get sufficient salary from
their office.
A majority of candidates, however, plan in the case of their
election to go on with their present jobs or offices. For instance, Jan
Koukal (Civic Democratic Party - ODS) insists on remaining Prague Mayor
besides his would-be Senate work. Minister of the Interior Jan Ruml
(ODS) appealed to county executives on the ballot to resign in case of
their election into the Senate.
Michaela Klevisova/Milan Smid
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Jordanian Prince Visits Czech Republic
Jordan's Prince Hasan bin Tallal started his three-day visit to the
Czech Republic October 28. According to him, this trip should contribute
to dispersing fears of Islam, which has often been linked to terrorism.
The prince complimented the attitudes of both the Czech president and
the prime minister, who are ready to oppose such biased opinions any
time.
President Vaclav Havel described the Jordanian Kingdom as an
important stabilizing factor in the Middle East, and he expressed his
wish to broaden economic cooperation with Jordan.
After receiving the Charles University Comemmorative Medal, the
prince addressed an audience at Charles University October 30.
Bohdana Rambouskova/Milan Smid
FROM SLOVAKIA
October 28 Not Celebrated in Slovakia
The 78th anniversary of the founding of the First Czechoslovak
Republic, a state holiday in the Czech Republic, passed without much
media attention in Slovakia. October 28 was an ordinary workday, only
supporters of the idea of a renewed Czechoslovak federation met briefly
in the afternoon on the bank of the Danube River in Bratislava.
The anniversary was mentioned more in news from the Czech Republic.
The pro-government daily Slovenska Republika wrote only about the
October 26 demonstration of neo-Fascist Miroslav Sladek and his
supporters on Prague's Wenceslas Square.
Jan Potucek/Magda Vanova
Minister of Education Not Recalled
The first item of discussion at the 20th meeting of the Slovak
National Assembly was a vote about confidence in Minister of Education
Eva Slavkovska (Slovak National Party) October 22. There were 141
representatives present, and 60 voted for removing her, 79 were against
and two abstained. The removal of the minister was proposed by
opposition representatives who disagree with her conception of
education, her solution of economic problems and with restrictions of
academic rights and liberties. Slavkovska rejected the charges, saying
she would continue her work the same way.
Parliament then voted to divide P.J. Safarik University in Kosice
into two schools seated in Kosice and Presov. This was accompanied by
disagreement not only from the opposition but also from the Slovak
academic community. The university in Presov should be separated by
January 1.
Digest from SME and Pravda by Jan Potucek/Magda Vanova
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The exhibition Five Years of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
in Photography marks the ruling party's first half-decade of activity.
* The advisers of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar described the EU's
conditions for providing subsidies to Slovakia worth 26 million ECU for
the next year as extortion. Slovakia had been receiving 40 million ECU
per year.
* Top representatives of non-leftist opposition parties Jan
Carnogursky (Christian Democratic Movement), Jan Langos (Democratic
Party) and Jozef Moravcik (Democratic Union) signed a contract which
established the so-called Blue Alliance, which will try to emphasize
abroad that there is an freedom-minded alternative to the Slovak
government.
* During the night of October 22-3 a tragic accident involving the
Slovak tugboat Dumbier occurred on the Danube River in Vienna, leading
to the death of eight sailors.
Jan Potucek/Magda Vanova
ECONOMY
Trade Balance Deficit Reaches 110 Billion Crowns
The foreign trade deficit of the Czech Republic rose 10.5 billion
crowns, and should climb to 160 billion crowns by the end of this year
(last year's trade deficit was about 95.7 billion crowns), according to
the Czech Statistic Office (CSU). In this year's first nine months, the
difference between import and export stands at 110 billion crowns.
September's results are about 4 billion crowns better than
August's, but also about 7.7 billion crowns worse in comparison to
September 1995. The economic experts' comments on these numbers are
mostly negative: "The growth of the deficit only appears small.
Considering seasonal influences, we were expecting the balance to grow
by only 6 billion crowns," said CSU Vice-Chairman Ivan Sujan to daily MF
DNES. Foreign trade structure, however, is considered to be positive
- machinery and industrial-goods exports are increasing and
raw-materials exports are on the decline.
Conventional thinking says the imbalance is not dangerous as long
as it is does not exceed than capital reserves, which covered the
deficit last year. Foreign investors, however, are so fed up with the
capital market's lack of transparency that they are redirecting their
money into other neighboring markets.
The Czech Republic has an 18-billion-crown trade surplus with
CEFTA countries, according to the daily Hospodarske noviny. More than
half of this trade is with Slovakia, despite the Slovaks' defense of
their producers with import tariffs (7.5 per cent) and other
bureaucratic barriers.
Jiri Fremuth/Katerina Zachovalova
Police Arrest 25 Suspects in Loan Frauds
Czech banks lost several billion crowns by providing allegedly
fraudulent loans against overappraised precious stones. Police arrested
25 people during a day-long operation October 22, and the number of the
accused is not definitive. Among the arrested are the AB Bank's Prague
branch director, businessmen, former policemen and soldiers.
The defrauding group acquired loans in 10 Czech banking houses
between 1992 and 1994, and those allegedly defrauded include the
so-called Banking Four: Investment and Postal Bank (Investicni
a postovni banka), Commerce Bank (Komercni banka), Czechoslavak Trade
Bank (Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka) and Czech Savings Bank (Ceska
sporitelna).
Jiri Fremuth and Batyrbek Gaparov/Katerina Zachovalova
MARKETS AND COMPANIES
- The Prague Stock Exchange revitalization of last week seems to have
been short-lived, because the official PX 50 index began another dive
- this time a particularly steep one. The index stopped at 517.9 points
October 30, meaning price levels reached a new six-month low.
- The general meeting of the Usti nad Labem-based Ekoagrobanka (EAGB)
approved a merger with Ostrava's Union Bank. Last year's losses at EAGB
were probably 5 billion crowns. Union Bank is one of the last smaller
Czech banking houses not to have suffered any major problems - on the
contrary, it has integrated into its financial group less successful
competitors (Evrobanka, Skala Bank and now Ekoagrobanka). Recent
speculation centers around relations between Union Bank and the
controversial Chemapol, which owns the bank and several other large
northern-Moravian companies.
- Bridlicna Metalworks intends to establish a company to produce
food-packing material in Russia, in cooperation with the Sam-Wien
company. The Czech metalworks' share should be in the 55-per-cent range.
- Profit giants: Engineering and Industrial Construction has
announced gross profits through the first three quarters of 1996 at
213.9 million crowns, with 8.2 billion crowns of turnover. Another
power-distribution company, the Central-Bohemian Energy Company, has
announced a high 1995 net profits - 218.9 million crowns with a turnover
of 7.9 billion crowns.
- The Olomouc liquor concern Seliko swallowed one of its neighbors,
the beverage factory Nealko. Seliko bought a 55-per-cent share from the
Investment and Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka). Seliko, along
with another Olomouc giant, Milo, are owned by the aggressive Moravian
company Emgrup, which is evidently trying to create a gastronomical
empire in central Moravia.
- The German concern Continental, owner of several European tire
factories, decided to move a large part of its tire production from
Semperit in Austria to the Barum factory in Otrokovice. Lower production
costs are the main reason for the move. The first machines and equipment
have already arrived in Otrokovice.
Martin Cermak/Katerina Zachovalova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from November 1)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 21.322
Belgium 100 BEF 86.394
Great Britain 1 GBP 43.739
Denmark 1 DKK 4.635
Finland 1 FIM 5.947
France 1 FRF 5.272
Ireland 1 IEP 43.852
Italy 1000 ITL 17.752
Japan 100 JPY 23.709
Canada 1 CAD 20.070
Luxemburg 100 LUF 86.394
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.865
Norway 1 NOK 4.215
New Zealand 1 NZD 19.014
Portugal 100 PTE 17.599
Austria 1 ATS 2.530
Greece 100 GRD 11.336
Slovakia 100 SKK 86.258
Germany 1 DEM 17.800
Spain 100 ESP 21.118
Sweden 1 SEK 4.103
Switzerland 1 CHF 21.418
USA 1 USD 26.903
ECU 1 XEU 34.166
SDR 1 XDR 38.849
CULTURE
State Prizes for Literature and Translating
Poets Emil Julis and Ludvik Kundera became the newest keepers of
the state price for literature and translating work. Culture Minister
Jaromir Talir presented the awards during a festive evening in Prague's
Wallenstein Palace. Julis was recognized for his book of poems
Unavoidabilities (Nevyhnutelnosti), and Kundera for translating the
books Sebastian in a Dream and the Selected Works of Gottfried Benn and
for his extensive life-long work.
Julis was born in 1920, though he started to publish in the 60's
and became the editor of the monthly magazine Dialog in the city of Usti
nad Labem. After 1968, Julis published in the samizdat magazine
Spektrum, and until 1988 his works were only available in samizdat or
abroad. In 1990 he was awarded the Jaroslav Seifert Prize (Seifert won
the Nobel Prize for literature in 1984).
Kundera, a poet, writer and dramatist, was also born in 1920. He
worked as the editor of the magazine Blok, the daily Equality (Rovnost),
the monthly magazine Houseguest (Host do domu), and he also wrote,
interpreted and served as dramaturg at Mahen's Theater.
Ondra Provaznik/Magda Vanova
Theater '96 Festival
Diversity marked the 4th annual Theater '96 Festival - this year
the city of Pilsen's (Plzen) guests included not only six Czech groups,
but also three Slovak troupes and one each from Germany, France and
Poland. This way could everyone find something interesting. Those who
like classic directing had to enjoy Jiri Menzel's (Closely Watched
Trains, Larks on a String) version of Jacobowski and the Colonel, but
Frank Castorf's direction of Vladimir Sorokin's The Honeymoon was
decidedly controversial. Slovak actors were met with great enthusiasm by
those in attendance, which included Czech President Vaclav Havel, who
expressed his support while making an unexpected appearance.
Vit Bartek/Petra Sevcikova
Havel Makes Cameo in New Vorel Film
A new film called The Stone Bridge came to Czech cinemas October
24, directed by Tomas Vorel and exploring the lives of artists looking
for meaning on Prague's Charles Bridge.
According to Vorel, his film ended his feelings of futility and
returned him his self-confidence. Similar problems meet the main
character in the film, played by Sklep Theater star Tomas Hanak (The
Prague Five, The War of Colors). In one scene Czech President Vaclav
Havel appears, and discusses with Hanak the purpose of creating.
Director Vera Chytilova rejected a role in the film, and is played by
Jana Synkova. Barrandov Biografia released the film after a number of
difficulties.
Martin Hradecky/Petra Sevcikova
SPORT
Slavia Exits UEFA Cup
Czech soccer champion Slavia did not advance into the next round of
the UEFA Cup after failing to score a goal in its second match with
Valencia, in Spain October 29. After losing the first match in Prague
0-1, the 0-0 tie in Spain means the end of the UEFA for Slavia.
Ondra Provaznik/Milan Smid
Czech Soccer League - Liberec Still Leads Standings
Results of the 11th round (October 25-8): Slavia-Bohemians 4-2,
Budejovice - Sparta 0-0, Hradec Kralove - Drnovice 2-2, Teplice
- Karvina 0-2, Viktoria Zizkov - Liberec 1-2, Opava - Brno 0-0, Ostrava
- Olomouc 0-0, Jablonec - Plzen 3-0
Standings after the 11th round: 1. Liberec 22, 2. Slavia 19, 3.
Brno 19, 4. Drnovice 18, 5. Opava 18, 6. Jablonec 17, 7. Olomouc 15, 8.
Ostrava 15, 9. Teplice 15, 10. Sparta 14, 11. Budejovice 14, 12. Karvina
12, 13. Plzen 10, 14. Hradec Kralove 8, 15. Zizkov 8, 16. Bohemians 8.
Czech Hockey Extraleague
Results of the 15th round: Plzen - Jihlava 3-1, Zlin - Litvinov
11-2, Slavia - Pardubice 3-5, Trinec - Vsetin 5-0, Vitkovice - Ceske
Budejovice 1-1, Olomouc - Kladno 2-2, Sparta - Opava (postponed).
Results of the 16th round: Pardubice - Zlin 6-3, Vsetin - Opava
2-4, Kladno - Trinec 2-2, Litvinov - Vitkovice 3-2, Jihlava - Slavia
3-3, Ceske Budejovice - Olomouc 2-0, Sparta - Plzen (postponed).
Standings after the 16th round: 1. Vsetin 21, 2. Vitkovice 20, 3.
Trinec 19, 4. Pardubice 19, 5. Budejovice 16, 6. Kladno 16, 7. Zlin 15,
8. Slavia 15, 9. Sparta 14, 10. Opava 14, 11. Plzen 14, 12. Litvinov
13, 13. Olomouc 11, 14. Jihlava 9.
WEATHER
Last week was a week of upheaval, warm rays of sunshine mixing
unexpectedly with autumn's chilly wind. Temperatures fluctuated between
between 7 degrees and 16 degrees Celsius/45 degrees and 61 degrees
Fahrenheit, so, while those in one part of the country were wearing
short sleeves, others were pulling on gloves.
Bohdana Rambouskova and Denisa Vitkova/Andrea Snyder
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
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