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Carolina (English) No 278
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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: (+4202) 24810804, ext. 252, fax: (+4202) 24810987
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 278, Friday, February 27, 1998.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (February 18 - 25)
Hockey Gold Medal Is Greatest Success in Czech Sports History
The Czech national team rewrote the history of ice hockey February
22, defeating Russia in the final of the Nagano Olympics' tournament and
winning the first Olympic gold for Czech (and also Czechoslovak) hockey.
Both favorites in the tournament lost to the Czechs along the triumphant
journey, the United States 1-4 and Canada 1-2.
In the final match against Russia, both teams played very actively
and with support from their excellent goalies. Dominik Hasek, the most
valuable player of the tournament, had a great opponent in Russia's
Mikhail Shtalenkov. The offenses could not convert for the first two
periods, but Pavel Patera won a face-off to the right of Shtalenkov.
Martin Prochazka passed along the blue line to Petr Svoboda, who scored
the biggest goal of his career and sent the gold to the heart of Europe.
David Kozohorsky/Mirek Langer
Hundreds of Thousands Greet Olympic Hockey Gold Medalists
Nearly three hours later than planned, at nearly 7 p.m. local time,
a special Czech government plane landed in Prague with the Czech
Republic's hockey players and two-time medalist Katerina Neumannova.
Hockey team captain Vladimir Ruzicka was the first off the plane,
followed by stars Jaromir Jagr and Dominik Hasek. Prime Minister Josef
Tosovsky was there to meet the plane, and when Jagr asked whether the
country's political leader had watched the game, Tosovsky answered that
he had had to take blood pressure medication. The victors were greeted
at the airport by more than 10,000 fans.
More celebrating citizens lined the streets as the players' bus
made its way to President Vaclav Havel's villa on Delostrelecka Street.
"I thank you for the fantastic representation of our country," the
president said. "Thanks to you, billions of people know where the Czech
Republic is. You brought about awareness (of the country) and of its
good name more so than many politicians... Because of you, the country
has been in and will be in a good mood for several more days. People are
polite to each other, and have even found patriotism within themselves.
I have never seen as many (Czech) flags as I have in the past few
days... I can only invite you for one drink, because more than 140,000
people are waiting for you on Old Town Square."
The players were touched. Hasek said, "This is great. People are
enjoying it more than we did in Nagano." Following the toast, the
president gave them commemorative medals, and they returned the honor by
giving him a team uniform.
More than 100,000 people gathered to watch the final Olympic hockey
game on giant television screens set up on Old Town Square, which the
police said had a capacity of 60,000.
The first fans began to gather on Old Town Square to greet the
players at 11:30 a.m.. Czech actor Martin Dejdar moderated the event,
introducing first Katerina Neumannova, and then the hockey team to
thunderous applause. When Hasek walked on stage, only his number was
announced, to which the fans began to scream "HASEK!" After the "hockey
hymn," composed specially for the olympics, the whole square sang the
Czech national anthem.
A press conference, labeled "very strange" by its moderator, was
held after 11 p.m.. Both Coach Ivan Hlinka and the team showed signs
that the many hours of celebrating had taken their toll.
David Kozohorsky a Michal Cerny/Andrea Snyder
February 1948 Anniversary Overshadowed by Olympic Gold
The Czech hockey team's Olympic gold medal overshadowed media
coverage of the 50th anniversary of the 1948 Communist coup. Although
team uniforms and posters drowned out a number of political events, the
media still found time to remember history. Czech Television had
prepared a documentary called "The Six Days that Shook Democracy," which
was to clarify historical events.
The Czech weekly magazine Tyden focused on the coup through the
case of screenwriter Katarina Vaculikova, who followed the Czech secret
police. In Febraury, Czech daily Lidove noviny is focusing on historians
who experienced the event first-hand. The young do not consider these
happenings to be important. Journalist Petr Zidek writes "that the
youngest historians consider the Communist putsch to be not very
interesting is shown by the fact that in the several hundred theses in
history presented at Charles University's Philosophical Faculty since
1990, only three relate to February 1948." Czech daily MF DNES published
a series of articles on the regime's propaganda.
The Institute for Contemporary History and Radio Free Europe
organized an international conference on February 1948 called
Assumptions and Results at Home and in the World. Historian Igor Orlik
said many representatives of non-Communist parties and even President
Edvard Benes were under the illusion that Soviet ideology had changed
after the war.
A Frantisek Hanzlik book came out in the stores called "February
1948 - the Result of an Unfair Fight" on the secret service. The terror
which followed the coup and continued in the 1950's was remembered by
800 political prisoners at Prague Castle. President Vaclav Havel did not
attend due to illness, and some guests were offended that he had
welcomed the hockey players and not come to the castle. Ivan Medek of
the President's office and Senate leader Petr Pithart spoke.
The Czech press agency CTK published a Factum public opinion poll
on the anniversary, which showed that 28.7 per cent of those polled
prefer the Communist regime to the present one, up from 18.1 per cent
last year. Factum said that the preference is increasing in all
categories.
Erik Tabery/Andrea Snyder
Jiri Skalicky Quits Government and Party Posts
President Vaclav Havel accepted the resignation of Deputy Prime
Minister and Environment Minister Jiri Skalicky February 20. The Civic
Democratic Alliance (ODA) chairman offered his resignation February 16
in response to allegations surrounding his party's financing, and Havel
gave him a week to decide (see Carolina 277). The president was
criticized for having a double standard in comparison to the Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) financial scandal in the fall. Skalicky resigned
three days later.
Skalicky cannot explain how his party was financed, and said he
does not want to endanger Prime Minister Josef Tosovsky's Cabinet by
remaining in office. He said Justice Minister Vlasta Parkanova and
Industry and Trade Minister Karel Kuhnl, both of ODA, have no reason to
leave their posts.
The press believes former ODA Vice Chairman Vladimir Dlouhy holds
the key to the affair. The police are investigating.
Eva Fronkova/Andrea Snyder
ODA on the Way to the Bottom
"Today, ODA (the Civic Democratic Alliance) is a party of
profiteers, a party of people who are not interested in political
principles and purifying ODA but are interested in liquidating their
party rivals and gaining profit for themselves," said Justice Minister
Vlasta Parkanova at a February 20 press conference, where she expanded
the number of the party's refugees.
The 13-member ODA Parliament Club now consists of seven members of
the Alliance and six Parliament deputies without party affiliation.
Among the apostates are also Deputy Environment Minister Radim Spacek
and Deputy Health Minister Miroslav Cerbak, who leads the medical team
overseeing President Vaclav Havel's health condition. In connection with
the murky financing affair of the British Virgin Islands front company
TMC, former party Vice Chairman Vladimir Dlouhy resigned February 24.
ODA founding member Pavel Bratinka (a minister in former Prime
Minister Vaclav Klaus' government) also returned his membership card
number 001 February 24. He said ODA could not be "delivered from the
dominant influence of those who might form a numerical minority but who,
being highly active, have changed ODA into a party which emanated quite
different values than it should."
Pavel Turek/Denisa Vitkova
Jan Ruml Elected Freedom Union Chairman
Jan Ruml was elected chairman of the Freedom Union at a party
congress in Nymburk. The party was founded by former Civic Democratic
Party (ODS) members who left the party when its financial scandal broke
out. Ruml, a former dissident and journalist, had been interior minister
and an ODS leader. Freedom Union vice chairman were named sociologist
Petr Mateju and historian Petr Mares (both previously unaffiliated with
any political party) and Kutna Hora Mayor Ivo Sanc and Parliament deputy
Vaclav Krasa, who were ODS members but never party leaders.
"I am more than satisfied with this election. The leadership - two
absolutely new people and two ODS members - represents the balance
I cared about and asked of the delegates in my speech," said Ruml in an
interview with the Czech daily MF DNES.
Parliament deputies Anna Roschova, Hana Marvanova and Milan Uhde,
and ministers Stanislav Volak and Michal Lobkowicz had said they would
run for party leadership posts. All of them retreated in favor of the
opinion that those long in politics are "bad." "I am a little sad, when
I hear once again labeling and pigeon-holing" said Roschova.
Petr Bilek Jr./Andrea Snyder
Skinheads Who Killed Romany Woman Charged with Murder
Death for death and similar slogans were heard in the Church of the
Holy Spirit in Opava February 21 in connection with murdered
26-year-old Romany (Gypsy) Helena Bihariova. Bihariova, the mother of
four children, was beaten by three skinheads and thrown into the Elbe
(Labe) River, where she was found dead February 15 (see Carolina 277).
Czech first lady Dagmar Havlova and Minister Vladimir Mlynar,
responsible for Romany issues in the government, attended the funeral.
Czech President Vaclav Havel sent a condolence letter to Bihariova's
parents and he also thanked reporter Eliska Pilarova, who tried to
rescue Bihariova from the river's waters. Havel is going to reward her
October 28, a state holiday, with the Medal for Bravery. During the
rescue attempt Pilarova was injured and remains in Vrchlabi Hospital,
where she has been flooded with letters and visitors. Mlynar also
expressed his thanks to Pilarova. From the beginning he insisted the
incident be considered murder with a racist motive.
Ota Krinka, chief of the First Department of the Regional Office of
Investigation in Hradec Kralove, said to the Czech daily Lidove noviny
February 24 that "We're also investigating whether the accused threw the
girl into the waters because of the money she allegedly owed them."
Bihariova was recently released from prison for pickpocketing while
offering sexual services. Clarifying the real motive can, Krinka said,
take up to a month.
Ivona Pulkrabkova/Sofia Karakeva
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Government Approves Prospective Army Aid to US in Iraq
The government decided February 18 that the Czech Republic would
provide army support to the USA in the case of a prospective military
offensive against Iraq. The Czech Republic is the 9th country that has
officially announced it will provide its services to the USA. "We are
convinced that this situation can be solved through diplomacy. The
government, though, will support the use of all means necessary to lead
to the implementation of the will of the international community. We
have to put an end to this threat to the world," said Foreign Minister
Jaroslav Sedivy. Government agreement is needed in order to send army
experts to the Persian Gulf. If an army unit is to be sent to the gulf,
this step has to be approved by both chambers of Parliament.
Josef Tosovsky's Cabinet decided February 23 that in the case of
military action the Czech Army will send an army field hospital to Iraq.
Six experts will go to the Persian Gulf this week to work out the
details of the plan.
Nora Novakova/Sofia Karakeva
Czech Serviceman Involved in Georgia Hostage Drama
Czech Lt. Colonel Jaroslav Kulisek, 45, was among the four
servicemen of the UN Observatory Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) taken
hostage February 19 when 20 armed men attacked the UN mission camp in
the West Georgian town of Zugdidi. The attackers, followers of former
Georgian President Zviad Gamsachurdia, asked for free passage and the
release of all political prisoners including those arrested in
connection with the unsuccessful assassination attempt on the President
Edvard Shevardnadze.
After his three colleagues were released in stages during the
negotiation period, Kulisek, as the last hostage, was able to escape
February 25 and was brought to safety at the UN camp in Zugdidi.
Lenka Jindrlova/Milan Smid
Slightly More People Say Joining NATO a Good Idea
According to a poll taken by the Center for Empirical Research
(STEM) in February, 59 per cent of respondents said the Czech Republic
should join NATO. In November the figure was 43 per cent.
Political parties have used different ways to present their views.
The Freedom Union (US) said it prefers to vote on NATO in Parliament
before general elections to avoid the time crunch which would occur if
the Chamber of Deputies stopped its session in mid-April.
Members of the neo-Fascist Republicans put a yellow banner saying
Republicans against NATO! on the front of one of the Parliament
buildings. They are also expressing their disagreement with the issue on
the billboards placed along the most frequented Czech highway, which
runs from Prague to Brno.
Prokop Havel/Matej Cerny
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The government approved Parliament's draft of a Freedom of
Information Act February 19. From the middle of next year all
ministries, Parliament, the government, the courts, the Office of the
President, the Supreme Control Office and the Czech National Bank would
have to release almost all information about their activities.
* The Social Democrats explained their financial troubles claiming
that the gifts from the Swedish Center of Olof Palme, the British
Westminster Foundation and Dutch Alfred Mozer Foundation did not exceed
1 million crowns. Social Democrat Vice Chairman Ivo Svoboda said the
rest of the donated money was spent directly by the foundations, e.g. on
flight tickets for experts who trained Social Democrat candidates before
the last elections.
* A poll taken by the Center for Empiric Research (STEM) showed that
61 per cent of respondents would support joining the EU. In September
the figure was 58 per cent and in March 1996 42 per cent. The number of
respondents who think the Czech Republic would meet EU requirements for
entry has decreased from 63 per cent in 1997 to 57 per cent.
Tomas Mls, Prokop Havel/Matej Cerny
FROM SLOVAKIA
Meciar Will Not Run for President
Premier Vladimir Meciar will not be a candidate in the second round
of the presidential elections. In the opposition daily SME, Meciar said
that he does not want to become president, although he did seriously
consider candidacy, which was approved by his Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia's leadership (see Carolina 227). According to Meciar's
spokesman Josef Kroslak, it is not out of the question that Meciar will
run in some later round of elections.
The candidates in the second round of elections are writer Ladislav
Ballek (proposed by the Party of the Democratic Left) and railway worker
Milan Fogas (supported by United Labor Party).
Paula Majorova/Gabi Pecic
Kovac and Meciar Agree How to Transfer Presidential Powers
Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar and President Michal Kovac February
24 agreed on how certain presidential powers will be transferred to the
government March 2, when Kovac's five-year term ends. According to
presidential spokesman Vladimira Stefka, the half-hour negotiation
between the two sworn enemies was peaceful.
During the meeting they did not discuss the contentious referendum
on NATO membership and direct presidential election which Kovac has
scheduled to be repeated April 19, which Meciar's Cabinet refuses to
acknowledge.
The last time Kovac and Meciar met was in spring 1995.
Madiyar Magauin/Gabi Pecic
ECONOMY
January Trade Balance Deficit Lower
The January foreign trade balance for the Czech Republic ended with
a 5.1-billion-crown deficit, which is 7.5 billion crowns less than last
January. According to the new figures, Czech exports have risen by 39.8
per cent and imports by 18.7 per cent.
The unexpectedly low trade deficit probably stems from importers
having stocked up at the end of last year in fear of another currency
drop. The coming next months will show whether the improvement was an
aberration.
Ajla Zinhasovic, Gabi Pecic/Jana Ciglerova
Government Agrees on Increasing Rents and Gas Costs
Rents and gas prices will be increased by approximately 27 per cent
July 1. Ministers are to discuss the prices for electricity next week;
a price increase is expected of between 20 per cent and 30 per cent.
Rents in Prague may even go up by 41 per cent. The government has fixed
the maximum average price growth in accordance with the inflation rate
and town size, though individual regions will calculate their final
rents.
Ministers called the decision a reasonable compromise and said the
social costs of such measures must be taken into consideration. The
minimum wage will be increased by 9.8 per cent in April, followed by
pension harmonization in June.
There are different opinions on the electricity price increase.
Agriculture Minister and Christian Democrat Chairman Josef Lux said he
is afraid the increased price will only serve to increase profits for
monopoly provider the Czech Energy Company (CEZ), and therefore he
supports a minimal increase. Finance Minister Ivan Pilip (Freedom Union)
and Trade and Industry Minister Karel Kuhnl (independent) pointed out
the large gap between electricity production costs and its final price.
People pay only 60 per cent of the costs, according to an analysis
released by Kuhnl's ministry.
The opposition Social Democrats are not of a uniform opinion.
Shadow Minister of Social Affairs Vladimir Spidla said he finds the
cost-increase proposal unacceptable for households and claims that,
should the Social Democrats win the upcoming general elections, the
government's decision will be annulled. On the contrary, Budget
Committee Vice Chairman Michal Kraus, also a Social Democrat, said he
considers the government's move a step in the right direction; he only
criticized the lack of adequate social compensation.
Katerina Murlova/Jana Ciglerova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from February 27)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.926
Belgium 100 BEF 90.896
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.937
Denmark 1 DKK 4.922
ECU 1 XEU 37.075
Finland 1 FIM 6.181
France 1 FRF 5.599
Ireland 1 IEP 46.491
Italy 1000 ITL 19.021
Japan 100 JPY 26.632
Canada 1 CAD 24.042
Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.896
IMF/SDR 1 XDR 46.124
Hungary 100 HUF 16.335
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.646
Norway 1 NOK 4.488
New Zealand 1 NZD 19.716
Poland 1 PLN 9.756
Portugal 100 PTE 18.322
Austria 1 ATS 2.666
Greece 100 GRD 11.839
Germany 1 DEM 18.760
Slovakia 100 SKK 96.992
Slovenia 100 SIT 19.876
Spain 100 ESP 22.136
Sweden 1 SEK 4.231
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.201
USA 1 USD 34.150
CULTURE
Fidlovacka Commemorates Successful Reconstruction with Play
A benefit performance of the storied Czech play Fidlovacka was
given by director Tomas Topfer in the Nusle Theater February 22. It was
a repeat of the 1921 performance, when the theater, then known as the
Fidlovacka Theater, was christened with the eponymous Josef Kajetan Tyl
and Frantisek Skroup play, which is subtitled No Anger and No Fight
(Zadny hnev a zadna rvacka).
The director filled the roles of the play, which was prepared by
dramaturg Helena Simackova, with Czech stars Eliska Balzerova, Yvetta
Blanarovicova, Milena Dvorska, Marie Durnova, Petr Hanicinec, Lubomir
Lipsky and others.
The private performance took place in the middle of the
reconstruction process. The Fidlovacka Foundation had been created to
save the theater, and the protagonists intended to demonstrate the
success of the reconstruction. The interior reconstruction is almost
finished, but the building is still falling apart on the outside. Topfer
said reconstruction will be completed by the end of this year.
Lenka Jindrlova/Ivona Pulkrabkova
SPORTS
First Soccer League Starts Summer Half
After a nearly three-month break, league soccer was played again on
Czech fields. Sparta Praha, which leads the standings by 10 points ahead
of Slavia Praha, kept its advantage with a win in Pilsen (Plzen).
Argentinian forward Lazzaro Liunni, a new player for Liberec, scored
three times in the match against Opava. Both novices in the league,
Dukla and Lazne Bohdanec, lost, Bohdanec with a promising 0-1 match
against Boby Brno, and Dukla with a 1-5 spanking by Banik Ostrava.
Results: Plzen - Sparta Praha 0-1, Dukla - Ostrava 1-5, Slavia Praha
- Drnovice 3-0, Bohdanec - Brno 0-1, Zizkov - Jablonec 1-0, Ceske
Budejovice - Hradec Kralove 1-0, Liberec - Opava 3-0, Teplice - Olomouc
1-3.
Jaroslav Mares/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
To tell the truth, the weather isn't worth much. It's been cloudy
since Monday, and either rains or doesn't. The smog has gotten worse in
the past few days and we expect winds from the east to bring significant
warmth. Renowned meteorologists say the temperatures will pass long-set
records. This has likely been caused by the Russian hockey players'
tradition of burning their hockey sticks after defeat. It seems that
spring is just around the corner.
Jaroslav Mares/Andrea Snyder
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
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