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Carolina (English) No 264
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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 264, Friday, November 7, 1997.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (October 29 - November 5)
Havel's Respiratory System in Need of Respite
Because of a diagnosis of pneumonia, Czech President Vaclav Havel
has been hospitalized since November 2 at Prague's Central Military
Hospital. Latest reports are that his condition is improving slightly.
The council of physicians that met Sunday to discuss Havel's state say
Havel caught a virus earlier in the week which aggravated his chronic
bronchitis and then worsened into pneumonia.
The Office of the President has canceled all of Havel's meetings and
trips for this week and the next. The president has postponed an address
in Parliament, as well as a trip to Great Britain. He was to have left
November 3 with Minister without Portfolio Pavel Bratinka (see next
article).
If there will be no further complications, Havel's doctors will
allow him to name the new ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, and
Labor and Social Affairs November 8 (see Carolina 262 and 263). He would
then immediately return to the hospital.
Havel's current illness was kept under wraps, as it was last
December, when a tumor and much of his right lung were removed. The
public learned of the pneumonia from his wife Dagmar several days after
the diagnosis.
The pysicians' council has not yet been able to estimate how long
Havel's recuperation should take. However, similar illnesses generally
require several weeks for recovery. Doctors say chronic fatigue and
a demanding schedule played a role in the president's illness.
Anna Kadava/Andrea Snyder
Czech Government Wants Czech Romanies in the Czech Republic
The Czech government reviewed Minister without Portfolio Pavel
Bratinka's report on the situation of Romany (Gypsy) communities in the
Czech Republic October 29. The material is an attempt to find a way to
integrate the Romany minority into Czech society. President Vaclav Havel
also attended the meeting. One of the main points in Bratinka's report
is to strengthen the system of elementary-school education for students
from socially and linguistically impaired environments. It focuses on
waiving the requirments for the minimal amount of students per classroom
and on a new way to test children when placing them into schools for the
mentally handicapped. The majority of Romany children in the Czech
Republic attend such schools.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is to create the standard
for Romany teaching assistants, who would work as intermediaries between
teachers and Romany children. This system has been successful in a few
schools already. Bratinka has requested that a system to motivate
employers to hire Romanies be created.
The government approved the report and has publicly asked Romanies
not to leave the country, but to stay and cooperate with the government
in erasing the feeling of racial discrimination from Czech society.
"I would be glad if Romany citizens would not succumb to illusions and
not throw themselves into adventures that will only bring them
misfortune in the end," said President Havel after the meeting. However,
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus admitted there is no way to stop immediately
the exodus of Romanies.
Ondrej Drabek/Andrea Snyder
Intelligentsia Reject Racism
Signatories of the Schwarzenberg Challenge signed a decree against
racism saying that Romanies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are
discriminated against the most, according to the November 3 edition of
daily Lidove noviny.
Their goal is to shake the population out of its apathy towards
racially motivated attacks. "If a person is unfairly attacked, degraded
and insulted it is necessary to support him immediately, without regard
to race, nationality or ethnicity," the authors wrote. They added that
when similar events occur in democratic societies, the entire government
usually protests. The 40 signatories include Senate Chairman and former
Prime Minister (1990-1992) Petr Pithart.
Pedro Afanador/Andrea Snyder
Travel Visas for Czechs to Great Britain not Required Yet
Czech Minister without Portfolio and Chairman of the Council for
Nationalities Pavel Bratinka met with British Interior Ministry official
Mike O'Brien in London to discuss the October flood of Czech Romanies to
Great Britain and its visa implications for Czechs. Following the
meeting, the November 5 daily Denni telegraf reported Bratinka as saying
entry visas will not yet be a requirement, but that it depends on the
situation's development. The article also said O'Brien commended the
Czech government's attempt to curb discrimination against minorities and
its decision to ensure a high human rights standard.
Lenka Vochocova/Andrea Snyder
Defense Ministry Releases NATO Integration Timetable
The Defense Ministry November 3 presented a timetable of integration
measures to Parliament's NATO Integration Committee. From the 15 parts
into which the timetable was divided, personnel policy is judged the
most pressing. According to Defense Minister Miloslav Vyborny, the basis
of the policy should be the creation of a wide social background for
personnel now missing in the Czech Army.
Recently, Vyborny has taken personal responsibility for fulfilling
the timetable in reaction to an ultimatum from the ruling Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) and Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus's strong
criticism. Klaus threatened to dismiss Vyborny if dynamic reforms do not
take place.
He rebuked Vyborny's abstract articulation of priorities and the
financing of the Army. The minister pointed out the presence of economic
matters in the timetable, although he called release of the timetable
a "disgraceful thing," because his office thus comes under the direct
review of the public. Vyborny indirectly appealed to other ministries to
release their studies, because he said similar documents have been
prepared at least by the Interior Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.
Jan Kozanek/Jana Ciglerova
Politicians See NATO Obstacles Differently
The issue of the Czech Republic's entry into the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization and the related Czech Army re-organization were the
key topics in top Czech politicians' speeches given at the opening of
a four-day meeting of commanding officers of the army general staff
November 4. All speakers agreed on the problems' importance, but they
differ concerning the major factor endangering entry into NATO.
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus criticized foremost domestic political
tension, and called on the coalition and opposition to maintain
political calm in the country. He also said the government does not
intend to professionalize the army, but will support preserving
compulsory military service. He criticized unsuccessful military tenders
and army training as a whole.
On the contrary, President Vaclav Havel, whose speech was given by
the Office of the President Chief Ivan Medek, does not attach major
importance to coalition friction. He asked for stronger support for
Czech NATO membership and for awareness of membership's importance. He
also expressed favor for higher standards for army training, a better
social program for career soldiers and to finish the army's structural
changes.
Defense Minister Miloslav Vyborny concentrated on the army's role
in the process of incorporating the Czech Republic into the Alliance.
The tenor of his speech was described in November 5 editions of daily
Lidove noviny as "very abstract."
Katerina Murlova/Denisa Vitkova
Fighter-Plane Purchase Will Probably Be Postponed
Czech Army experts have recommended postponing the purchase of 36
fighter planes until 2004. One of the reasons is that the purchase,
which the government should decide about this year, is not considered by
the NATO to be a priority.
This fact became evident at a meeting between Defense Minister
Miloslav Vyborny and Peter Carstens, the chief of staff for NATO
Europe's High Command. Carstens said October 31 that "It is about nation
'A' bringing certain possibilities to country 'B,' and vice versa. The
point is to save money and use spending for defense." Strategists
interpret these words such that the Czech Republic should, for
a temporary period of time, use the offer of Alliance, which can within
minutes cover the country's airspace with fighter planes from aircraft
carriers in the Mediterranean or from its base in Spangdahlen, Germany.
However, Deputy Defense Minister Jaromir Novotny does not agree
with the army analysts. "I cannot imagine the country's defense without
supersonic aircraft. The fighter-plane purchase is also connected with
industrial cooperation, which western companies are offering us. That,
after all, does not mean ruining the economy," he said.
Michal Cerny/Denisa Vitkova
Social Democrats Call for Special Elections
The Social Democrats, said Chairman Milos Zeman October 30 in
Ostrava, have run out of patience and the party is going to try to call
early elections. The chairman of the most powerful opposition party said
he is not satisfied that the current government is unable to stop the
destruction of the Czech economy. Party Vice Chairman Petra Buzkova said
they expect their proposal to be supported by some members of the
Chamber of Deputies from the two other coalition parties (the Civic
Democratic Alliance and the Christian Democrats) who also do not approve
of current government policy.
The call for special elections appears just after the statement of
the Christian Democrats calling for a new government declaration (see
the last issue of Carolina) and for a vote of confidence in Parliament.
Zeman announced, as many times before, that his vision of the future
government is a coalition between his party and the Christian Democrats.
However, Christian Democrat Chairman Josef Lux did not support the
intention to hold the early elections, because he said it is too early.
The Civic Democratic Alliance has announced it will defend the current
government on the condition the ministers fulfill what they promised.
Erik Tabery/Zdenek Janda
Klaus: Change in Party Image Necessary and Urgent
Prime Minister and the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Chairman Vaclav
Klaus will present a seven-page analysis of the party's situation to the
ODS Executive Council this weekend. In the analysis Klaus names all the
causes of the party's declining popularity. These include coalition
disunity, the aggressive approach of the opposition, the public's tiring
after eight years of transformation, and foremost the inability to
reform healthcare.
This material is another analysis which follows September's analysis
from ODS's Vice Chairman Miroslav Macek. Klaus describes that document
as an example of a "solo performance having a tendency to divide the
party and to create a false radicalism." Daily Lidove noviny November
1 published a comparison of Klaus' and Macek's materials, revealing
significant differences in their opinions. According to Klaus' analysis,
in order to win the next elections the party must change its image,
while Macek considers ODS' defeat inevitable.
According to the last opinion poll, three-quarters of respondents
see the present situation as a crisis of confidence in the government,
and see ODS as responsible.
Lenka Jindrlova/Gabrijela Pecic
No Danger of Illness Epidemic after Floods
Citizens of flooded areas getting ready for winter are facing one
problem less. According to information given by the Czech daily Lidove
Noviny, since November 3 hygienists have not recorded an increased
occurrence of epidemic illnesses in areas affected by the summer floods.
Eva Fronkova/Sofia Karakeva
Number of Hospitals to Be Reduced
A tender among hospitals for contracts with health insurance
companies began November 5. Through this step the Health Ministry will
try to reduce the number of hospital beds. About 39 hospitals should
become nursing homes and 11 should be closed down - the reasons for the
planned reduction is the excessive number of beds, which causes serious
problems to insurance offices. The country's 74,000 hospital beds for
acute care will be reduced by about 20,000, while the 7,000 extended
care beds will grow to 17,000.
Even though healthcare problems are being discussed, according to
a poll done by the Institute for Public Opinion Research, 85 per cent of
respondents are satisfied with healthcare, of them 25 per cent are
definitely satisfied and 60 per cent satisfied. Full dissatisfaction
felt 1 per cent of respondents, while 13 per cent were dissatisfied and
the remaining 1 per cent had no opinion.
Karolina Kucerova/Sofia Karakeva
SLOVAKIA
Appropriate Economic Measure or Free Press Restriction?
The Slovak government has proposed increasing value-added taxes
(VAT) from 6 per cent to 23 per cent for dailies, magazines and other
periodicals, where advertising space exceeds 10 per cent of total
content or where content is pornographic or erotic. Because most
periodicals, particularly dailies, depend on income from advertisments,
resistance to the proposal immediately arose.
While the government explains the measure as repairing the minimal
revenue from advertisments published in the newspapers, the opposition
and journalist associations see it as an attempt to restrict freedom of
the press and to leave only periodicals supporting the government. Some
speculate about "obedient" periodicals receiving financial subsidies
from the government, and both sides now await the vote in the Slovak
National Assembly.
Paula Majorova/Ajla Zinhasovic'
ECONOMY
Pilip Reveals Government's Privatization Mistakes
Finance Minister Ivan Pilip has criticized the government and other
government authorities for not having dealt with fraud in connection
with privatization. In his department's internal material, Pilip blames
the government and the previous leadership at the ministry for
inactivity in preventing and investigating financial frauds. This
document was published by the daily Pravo October 30.
The material says the reasons for current economic problems and the
negative mood in society lie in the delaying of resolving some negative
issues accompanying privatization and the creation of the capital
market. The material also questions the viability of voucher
privatization, because a number of people became rich at the expense of
others. The material says: "Now we all remain behind an aggressive class
of owners who do not respect the rules which are standard in other
countries."
Pilip and Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus accused Pravo's editors of
distorting the information. Pilip acknowledged the existence of the
document, and then told journalists the quotes were accurate.
Ludvik Pospisil/Veronika Machova
After deadline: The government November 5 approved amendments to the
Investment Funds and Investment Companies Act, and instructed the
Finance Ministry to continue in reforming the capital market.
Social Democrats Want to Stop Quick Privatization of Banks
The presidium of the Social Democrats introduced a bill November
1 to block the privatization of strategic enterprises and banks.
According to the Finance Ministry, the three largest Czech banks
should be privatized before the year 2000. Almost 49 per cent of the
shares of the Commerce Bank (Komercni banka), 69 per cent of the shares
of three Czechoslovak Trade Bank (Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka - CSOB),
and 45 per cent of the shares of the Czech Savings Bank (Ceska
sporitelna) are held by the state. Based on Prague Stock Exchange
prices, the state's share in the Commerce Bank are worth at least 15
billion crowns, the share in the Czech Savings Bank at least 9 billion
crowns. The CSOB shares are not traded on the market. However, it is
this bank which should change its owner by the end of next year.
The intention to privatize the three largest banks was passed by
Parliament in September. But the Social Democrats' Parliamentary club
wants to stop the process until the next parliamentary elections.
Madiyar Magauin/Veronika Machova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from November 7)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.973
Belgium 100 BEF 92.300
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.032
Denmark 1 DKK 5.003
Finland 1 FIM 6.328
France 1 FRF 5.685
Ireland 1 IEP 49.418
Italy 1000 ITL 19.439
Japan 100 JPY 26.725
Canada 1 CAD 23.458
Luxemburg 100 LUF 92.300
Hungary 100 HUF 16.864
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.890
Norway 1 NOK 4.659
New Zealand 1 NZD 20.519
Poland 1 PLN 9.506
Portugal 100 PTE 18.653
Austria 1 ATS 2.705
Greece 100 GRD 12.124
Slovakia 100 SKK 97.995
Germany 1 DEM 19.040
Spain 100 ESP 22.545
Sweden 1 SEK 4.354
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.305
USA 1 USD 32.849
ECU 1 XEU 37.597
SDR 1 XDR 45.273
CULTURE
Jazz Fans Will Get Candy
Candy Dulfer and her band Funky Stuff will perform in Prague
November 7 as the final attraction of the Teacher's Jazz Festival.
Dulfer, a 28-year-old Dutch saxophonist, has worked with Prince, Dave
Stewart, David Gilmour and Van Morrison.
She skillfully mixes rhythm and blues, funk, jazz, ethno and black
music. The concert, her second in Prague, has sold out the Lucerna Great
Hall.
Jana Ciglerova, Eric Tabery/Matej Cerny
Plastic People Touring Czech Republic
The Plastic People of the Universe, an underground band heavily
persecuted during Communism, is finally touring the Czech Republic after
30 years of its existence. The tour started October 31 in the Golet rock
club in the northern Bohemian town of Liberec and will continue in
Pilsen, Ceske Budejovice, Brno, Valasske Mezirici and other towns. The
Plastics (as they are commonly called) will play four times in Prague.
They only give their shows in rock clubs.
The Plastic People were founded in 1968. Some of its members were
sentenced to long prison terms in the process which spawned the Charter
77 movement. Now the band features Josef Karafiat, Jan Brabec, Josef
Janicek, Vratislav Brabenec, Jiri Kabes and Milan Hlavsa.
The band wants to prove through the tour that they were not only the
symbol of dissident underground culture, but also a group of musicians
playing very good alternative music. The lyrics, originally poems by
Czech underground poet Egon Bondy, were fundamental for the Plastics.
All shows are sold out.
Ondrej Hanzal/Matej Cerny
Non-authorized Book about Tomas Jezek Comes Out
The book Creating Capitalism in Bohemia (Budovani kapitalismu
v Cechach) contains interviews done by publicist Petr Husak in 1993-94
with former Privatization Minister and current Parliament deputy Tomas
Jezek. Jezek has not authorized the book. Husak, who owns the copyright
for the book, decided to publish without Jezek's approval.
Jezek reserves in his testimony a special space for Vaclav Klaus and
his relationship towards dissent. Jezek dredges up the dispute over
"paternity" of voucher privatization and he comments, notes and gossips
about former and contemporary politicians, such as former Economy
Minister Karel Dyba and former Trade Minister Vladimir Dlouhy and
others.
Jezek will probably not sue the author or publisher: Jezek said
"I am angry but I will not take any steps against them."
Tomas Mls/Ivona Pulkrabkova
SPORTS
In Moscow Novotna Wins Fourth Title This Year
Top-seeded Jana Novotna won the WTA Tour Championships in Moscow.
After her finals victory against Japan's Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-4, she
received the winner's trophy, the Kremlin Cup, and also 150,000 USD.
"I didn't play my best tennis, but it was an overall solid performance,"
she said. This year she has won four titles, 18 for her career.
David Kozohorsky/Mirek Langer
Soccer League: in 11th Round Bohdanec Wins for First Time
In their fifth home match, players of last-place Bohdanec managed
to get three points, defeating third-place Liberec 1-0. They celebrated
their first-ever league win in Bohdanec stadium after Marek Trval's
goal. Slavia Praha did not live up to its favorite role, and after
a loss in Ceske Budejovice fell nine points behind Sparta in the
standings again.
Results: Teplice - Opava 0-0, Ceske Budejovice - Slavia Praha 2-1,
Olomouc - Brno 2-1, Zizkov - Ostrava 0-0, Jablonec - Dukla 2-0, Plzen
- Drnovice 1-5, Bohdanec - Liberec 1-0, Sparta Praha - Hradec Kralove
1-0.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 28 pts., 2. Slavia Praha 19, 3. Olomouc
17, 4. Drnovice 16, 5. Jablonec 16, 6. Liberec 16, 7. Brno 15, 8.
Teplice 15, 9. Ostrava 15 (*), 10. Opava 14, 11. Dukla 14, 12. Zizkov
13, 13. Hradec Kralove 13, 14. Ceske Budejovice 12, 15. Plzen 7 (*),
16. Bohdanec 6. Teams with an asterisk have to play one match more.
David Kozohorsky/Mirek Langer
Two Moravian Teams Fight for Lead in Hockey Extraleague
Vitkovice returned to the top of the Staropramen Extraleague
standings. Trinec's 0-9 debacle in Litvinov helped them. Individual
points leader David Moravec shared in Vitkovice's 8-3 win against Kladno
with his hat trick. Defending champion Vsetin lost in Jihlava and stayed
in sixth place.
Opava returned to last place, and its leading scorer, Juraj Jurik,
left for Slovakia's Skalica team.
Results from the 20th round: Opava - Slavia Praha 1-3, Trinec
- Kladno 2-0, Jihlava - Sparta Praha 1-2, Plzen - Ceske Budejovice 1-1,
Litvinov - Zlin 4-4, Pardubice - Karlovy Vary 2-2, Vsetin - Vitkovice
2-2.
21st round: Vitkovice - Kladno 8-3, Slavia Praha - Plzen 2-5, Zlin
- Opava 7-2, Litvinov - Trinec 9-0, Jihlava - Vsetin 3-2, Karlovy Vary
- Sparta Praha 3-3, Ceske Budejovice - Pardubice 5-2.
Standings: 1. Vitkovice 31, 2. Trinec 31 (*), 3. Litvinov 26, 4.
Sparta Praha 26, 5. Plzen 25, 6. Vsetin 24, 7. Zlin 22, 8. Slavia Praha
19, 9. Pardubice 19, 10. Jihlava 19 (*), 11. Ceske Budejovice 17, 12.
Kladno 16, 13. Karlovy Vary 12, 14. Opava 11 (*). Teams with an
asterisk: Trinec has played two matches more, Jihlava and Opava have
played one match more.
Milan Eisenhammer/Mirek Langer
National Hockey Team Begins Finnish Karjala Cup
The Czech national hockey team will kick off its season in the
Karjala Cup in Helsinki's Jaahalli Dome November 6-9. The Czech team,
with seven players from Swedish and Finnish leagues, begins its
performance against Sweden and will continue against Finland and Russia.
The tournament is a part of the Euro Hockey Tour, which continues with
the Baltica Cup in Russia in December and the Globen Cup in Sweden in
April.
After eight years, member of the 1985 world champion team Vladimir
Ruzicka returned to the national team. Vsetin defender Jan Srdinko is
the only rookie on the squad. Coach Ivan Hlinka considers Finland the
tournament favorite.
Jiri Polak/Mirek Langer
After Deadline:
Soccer: Champions League: Galatasaray Istanbul - Sparta Praha 2-0
(0-0), Juventus Torin - 1. FC Kosice (Slovakia) 3-2. Cup Winners Cup:
Slavia Praha - OGC Nice 1-1 (0-0). The first match finished 2-2 and so
Slavia advances.
Hockey: Karjala Cup: Czech Republic - Sweden 0-1.
WEATHER
This week began with foggy weather and cold, winter-like
temperatures dropping to minus 8 degrees Celsius/17 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some mountains were covered with snow, which sprinkled mountain roads.
Jan Puncochar/Sofia Karakeva
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