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Carolina (English) No 282
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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 282, Friday, March 27, 1998.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 18-25)
Former Social Democrat Vice Chairman Machovec First Victim of Scandal
Karel Machovec was removed from the Social Democrats' central
Bohemia ballot for the early parliamentary elections in June at the
party's regional conference March 22 by a vote of 70 delegates to 56.
Machovec, considered one of party Chairman Milos Zeman's strongest
rivals, was removed for his role in "Bamberg-Gate."
The Bamberg affair was initiated by a Czech Television program March
16 (see Carolina 281). Bamberg is the German town where in 1995 Zeman
and Machovec met Czech-Swiss entrepreneurs who are said to have offered
them a low-interest loan and documents compromising leaders of the
ruling political parties. If they had won the 1996 elections, the Social
Democrats were to provide the entrepreneurs with top economic and
political posts in exchange for the loan of tens of millions of Swiss
francs.
Machovec and Zeman changed their positions several times last week.
Zeman strongly denied having signed the document shown on Czech TV but
later Zeman found a hand-written copy of the Bamberg meeting's minutes
in Czech in party archives and submitted it to Security Information
Service Director Karel Vulterin. Machovec, the author of the minutes,
said on television he had hidden the original document in the Social
Democrats' safe and destroyed it later. He then denied (through an
assistant while he was visiting Russia) having ever confirmed the
authenticity of the German memo with which Czech-Swiss businessman Jan
Vizek started the scandal. At the same time, Machovec accused Czech
Television reporters of deliberately editing the interview to change
what he said.
Under pressure, Czech Television broadcast the unedited interview
with Machovec on the same program March 23 and thus proved he confirmed
Social Democrat negotiations with the businessmen on providing them with
a loan in exchange for government posts. The show forced Machovec to
recount his previous denials and admit Czech Television had not altered
his words.
Zeman refuses to comment on anything concerning the case until the
inquiry determines who produced the fake memo in German. Though Social
Democrat leadership considers Zeman's explanation unsatisfactory, the
will not seek his resignation.
Jana Ciglerova, Jan Kozanek/Jana Ciglerova
Senate Passes Ban on Drug Use
A group of people gathered in front of the Senate building March
18 to protest an amendment to the law on drug possession. Although the
protest was peaceful, police kept a careful eye on the crowd. The small
number of those present was out of proportion to the number of people
the law will affect, and had no influence on the Senate's decision.
Parliament's upper house passed the amendment that day.
Those caught with drugs could have to pay up to 15,000 crowns or
spend up to two years in prison. Forty of 71 senators voted to pass the
amendment, 21 voted against and 10 abstained. With both houses of
Parliament having passed the amendment, only President Vaclav Havel can
veto it. The amendment will go into effect January 1 if the president
signs it.
The current law punishes the manufacture and distribution of
illegal drugs, although one can possess drugs for personal use. The
Christian Democrats proposed the amendment.
Petr Bilek Jr., Tomas Mls/Andrea Snyder
Czech Victims of Nazism to Receive Compensation
Fifty years after World War II, Czech victims of the Nazis will
receive compensation. All who provide documentation by the end of March
proving they were political prisoners will receive from 30,000 crowns to
50,000 crowns. The compensation is provided by the Future Fund, which
was created after the Czech-German declaration was signed in January
1997.
Over the next four years, the Czech government will provide 440
million crowns and the German government will give 140 million
deutschmarks. The money will be divided among Czech victims of the Nazis
and Germans with Czech citizenship. Dagmar Buresova, chairwoman of the
fund's Czech board, said about 6,000 people will receive compensation.
Ivona Pulkrabkova/Andrea Snyder
Man Who Saved 664 Czech Jewish Children Visits Prague
British Jew Brit Winton, who saved more than 600 Czech Jewish
children in 1939, visited Prague. He met with nine women who he had
smuggled out of the country.
Winton came to Prague in 1938 as an employee of the London Stock
Exchange. The possibility of Hitler occupying the former Czechoslovakia
loomed large. Winton decided to give the country's Jewish children
a chance to escape the Nazis and the occupation. He began organizing
transports for children from Jewish families, the first transport being
20 children spirited to Sweden. Others were taken through Germany to
England, and Winton also found families to take in the children. Thanks
to Winton, 664 Jewish children escaped certain death in Nazi
concentration camps.
Ajla Zinhasovic/Andrea Snyder
Americans Warned Not to Stay in Maltese-Libyan Corinthia Hotels
Bankovni holding, created from an Investment and Postal bank (IPB)
closed-end investment fund, evidently broke the law banning business
with Libya by selling the hotel management group Top Spirit to the
Maltese-Libyan-owned Corinthia Group.
Parliament passed a law a year ago which joined the Czech Republic
with the group of countries banning all business contact with
Libyan-owned or controlled establishments in an effort to control Libyan
terrorism.
It is not yet clear how the Czech Republic's Security Information
Service will approach the transaction. The law does not include
penalties for its violation.
Because U.S. law forbids any transactions with Libyan-owned
enterprises, the U.S. embassy in Prague warned its citizens that they
may have to pay up to 250,000 dollars and companies up to 500,000
dollars in fines if they lodge or dine in any of the embargoed hotels.
Corinthia Group owns Prague's Panorama and Forum hotels, as well as
the Hotel Cernigov in Hradec Kralove, the Palcat in Tabor, the Bavor in
Strakonice, the Anna in Wimperk, the Kuba in Kubova Hut, the U Svateho
Vavrince in Roudnice nad Labem and the Motel Konopiste.
Lenka Vochocova/Andrea Snyder
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The Czech Senate passed a constitutional law requiring parliamentary
elections by the end of June. President Vaclav Havel has said that he
will probably set the date for June 19-20.
* Jiri Sedivy will replace Jiri Nekvasil as commander of the Czech
Army May 1. Nekvasil is to be restationed in Brussels as the Czech NATO
representative. Sedivy attended the military academy in Vyskov and later
studied at the Army War College in the United States. He led the Czech
mission in Bosnia, and is married with two children.
* Social Democrat leadership decided March 20 to support Czech NATO
membership without calling for a referendum.
* The Communist party decided March 21 that for the next four years
they will advocate a 35-hour work week, a 30-per-cent consumer tax on
luxury goods and a property tax of 5 per cent to 80 per cent.
* Support among Czechs for NATO membership is rising. According to
a recent poll, 57 per cent of respondents agree with joining NATO.
* Twenty-eight per cent of Czech respondents to a recent poll said
they were convinced they live better now than they lived under the
Communist regime.
Katerina Murlova, Lenka Jindrlova, Ondrej Hanzal/Andrea Snyder, Gabriela
Pecic
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Internal US Politics Delay NATO Vote
The American Senate March 22 has delayed its vote on NATO expansion.
"The delay has nothing to do with the level of support or opposition to
an expanded NATO. It is an expression of discussion between the
Republicans and the Democrats in the Senate over their schedule and
further steps in approving other laws," said Alexandr Vondra, the Czech
ambassador to the U.S..
If the Democrats continue to slow approval of the new Education Act,
the Senate will get to the question of foreign policy in April,
threatened Republican Trent Lott, the senate majority leader who
determines the Senate's schedule. Before Easter the Senate is to deal
with the Republican proposal for tax breaks related to public and
private schooling, the financing of the military operations in Bosnia
and the Persian Gulf and changes to the Emergency Aid Act.
Nevertheless, it is expected that expansion will be ratified by more
than the necessary two-thirds of the Senate. The bill has support from
both parties and Lott.
If Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic are to enter NATO, the
step must be confirmed by the legislatures of all member countries. Of
the 16 countries in the Alliance, expansion has been ratified by the
legislatures of Canada, Denmark and Norway, with Germany ratifying March
26.
Prokop Havel/Ajla Zinhasovic
Citizens of EU Countries Do Not Support Czech EU Membership
Under the shadow of the Bamberg scandal, news appeared last week
about unpleasantly low support among citizens of European Union member
countries for the EU membership of the Czech Republic. In the four most
powerful EU countries - France, Austria, Germany and Belgium - the
majority of respondents of EU Commission research are against the entry
of the Czech Republic into the EU.
In Germany, 40 per cent of respondents were against Czech EU
membership, while 37 per cent agreed with Czech membership. Worse
results came from Austria, where the proportion was 45 per cent against
membership and 38 per cent supporting. On the other hand, the Czech
Republic was mostly supported by Scandinavian countries. Denmark
respondents expressed 64 per cent support for the Czech Republic, while
Sweden registered 63 per cent support. Ireland and Portugal recorded
about 40 per cent support for Czech Republic membership with 24 per cent
against. The total percentage of support is close, but in the end
favorable - 41 per cent of respondents for membership, 33 per cent
against. Hungary and Poland, however, achieved better results.
Freedom Union Vice Chairman Petr Mares, a historian, said he
believes the results express EU countries' uneasiness with cheap
competition from the East. "It's good that our citizens see this now and
realize that member countries are going to have problems with expansion,
too, and must also take risks," Mares said.
Erik Tabery/Sofia Karakeva
FROM SLOVAKIA
The Slovak SOP and a Pre-Election Calculation
The Party of Civic Understanding (SOP), a political entity formed
one month ago, produced another unexpected triumph March 19. On the
private television station Markiza, which supports SOP, popular opera
singer Peter Dvorsky announced he would join the new party, referring to
his efforts to help conciliation in the country.
According to a poll taken by the Focus agency, the largest number
(29.1 per cent) of respondents would vote for the five opposition
parties associated in the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK). The
reigning Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) received the support
of 23.6 per cent of respondents, while 11 per cent of respondents
supported the novel SOP.
The pre-election situation has become dramatic for other reasons as
well: amendments to the Election Act proposed by Premier Vladimir
Meciar's HZDS six months before the expected elections are directed
against the SDK and would make it nearly impossible for the coalition to
enter the elections as such; the proposed requirement of 5 per cent
being the minimum for each party in a coalition to allow the coalition
as whole into the National Assembly would almost ensure the failure of
three of the SDK's five members. Another interesting fact is the
proposal to make running as an independent illegal, which would mean
a breach of the voting rights guaranteed in the Slovak Constitution.
Tomas Mls/Denisa Vitkova
ECONOMY
Czech Gross Domestic Product Grew 1 Per Cent Last Year
In 1997, the Czech economy grew by 1 per cent, which makes it the
worst result since 1994 and the worst 1997 result in Central Europe
(Slovakia's GDP grew by 6.5 per cent, for example, second in the region
to Poland). However, a number of economists claim growth could have been
negative, considering both 1997 economic reform packages, the Czech
National Bank's restrictive monetary policy and the July floods. Hope
for improvement in 1998 remains, because of the growing dynamism of
Czech export and results from the last quarter of 1997, when GDP grew
2.2 per cent after 0.1 per cent growth in the third quarter. Experts
conclude this year should bring GDP growth of 2 per cent to 3.5 per
cent.
Jaroslav Mares/Denisa Vitkova
Trade Deficit Trend Might Not Have Happy End
February's trade deficit for the Czech Republic is quite a pleasant
surprise. The figure is 3.6 billion crowns, about 1.5 billion crowns
less than in January and about half the estimates of most analysts.
Recent months have shown a favorable trend in the balance between import
and export. The latest information from the Czech Statistical Office
(CSU) shows that imports increased by 23.2 per cent over the last 12
months, while exports grew by 45.3 per cent.
The low exchange rate of the crown partially caused the turnaround,
according to the CSU and other experts. But these days the currency is
strengthening and so the situation could worsen. Experts claim this will
lead to less encouraging trade deficits in upcoming months.
David Kozohorsky/Matej Cerny
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from March 27)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.792
Belgium 100 BEF 89.537
Great Britain 1 GBP 56.579
Denmark 1 DKK 4.845
ECU 1 XEU 36.676
Finland 1 FIM 6.086
France 1 FRF 5.511
Ireland 1 IEP 46.408
Italy 1000 ITL 18.735
Japan 100 JPY 26.128
Canada 1 CAD 23.944
Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.537
IMF 1 XDR 45.363
Hungary 100 HUF 15.976
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.387
Norsko 1 NOK 4.467
New Zealand 1 NZD 19.016
Poland 1 PLN 9.841
Portugal 100 PTE 18.035
Austria 1 ATS 2.626
Greece 100 GRD 10.572
Germany 1 DEM 18.470
Slovakia 100 SKK 96.229
Slovenia 100 SIT 19.860
Spain 100 ESP 21.774
Sweden 1 SEK 4.254
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.615
USA 1 USD 33.773
CULTURE
Academy Award Given to Czech Pinkava
During the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, the auditorium
was treated to a few words of Czech from the platform. Prague-born Jan
Pinkava, 34 and living in California, won the gold statue of the
American Film Academy for best animated short film for his work Geri's
Game.
The four-minute Oscar winner was created through computer animation.
The hero of this film is an old man playing chess - alone - whose face
changes during the game.
"Mom, this is for your birthday," said Pinkava from the stage in
Czech to his mother Eva Pinkava, who was visiting one of her children
living in the Czech Republic. She was only sorry that Jan's father,
writer Vaclav Pinkava (who wrote under the pseudonym Jan Kresadlo) died
three years ago in London and was not there to enjoy his son's success.
Jan Pinkava moved with his family to England when he was six years
old. In Great Britain he studied graphic design and illustration, and
when he was 16 one of his short films won a BBC contest.
Eva Fronkova/Sofia Karakeva
SPORTS
Slavia Loses in Stuttgart and Exits Cup Winners Cup
Slavia Praha will not repeat its semifinal appearance in a European
Cup two years ago. In the quarterfinals of the Cup Winners Cup it lost
in Stuttgart 0-2 and was eliminated.
However, Slavia played a very good match. Its strategy, to fend off
Stuttgart's attacks in the first half and then try to score, fizzled as
soon as Krassimir Balakov scored in the 10th minute on a free kick.
Slavia tied the first match on its home field in Prague's Eden 1-1, and
so it had to score in Stuttgart. Vladimir Labant's header hit the post
in the 65th minute and Lubos Kozel missed a great chance just before the
end. Balakov repeated his precise free kick in the 90th minute and
closed the match.
Slavia's loss determined the Czech Republic's national index for the
European cups will not be among the top eight, meaning next year one
Czech team will start in the Champions League, one in the Cup Winners
Cup and two in the UEFA Cup.
Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer
Vsetin First in Semifinals
The hockey extraleague playoffs begin with reigning three-time champ
Vsetin becoming the first team to advance to the semifinals. Vsetin
crushed Pardubice in the first round thanks to four Jiri Dopita goals
March 20. After two more great performances, Vsetin advanced after the
first match on Pardubice's ice. Results: Vsetin - Pardubice 7-0, 5-2,
4-3. Series: 3-0.
Litvinov led twice by two goals in Vitkovice, but did not manage to
win till the series moved to Litvinov. Results: Vitkovice - Litvinov
5-2, 6-5, 0-2. Series: 2-1.
The most dramatic series is being played between Sparta Praha and
Plzen. There were 16 penalties during one period in the second match
March 21, and 136 penalty minutes in the game. Plzen is unexpectedly
leading the series, with the fourth match to be played on its own ice.
Results: Sparta Praha - Plzen 2-3, 4-2, 2-5. Series: 1-2.
The series between Trinec and Slavia Praha has been quite balanced.
Results: Trinec - Slavia Praha 4-3, 3-4, 5-4. Series: 2-1.
Michal Cerny/Mirek Langer
Sparta Still Leads Soccer League, 10 Points ahead of Slavia
Sparta Praha players defeated their fifth opponent in a row by the
score of 1-0 in the soccer league spring session's fifth round and still
lead the standings. Slavia continues to trail Sparta by 10 points, after
defeating Jablonec 2-0. After the league break, including the national
team match against Ireland, the top two teams will meet in the popular
Prague derby.
Drnovice, after bad play in recent games, easily defeated Brno 4-0
and coach Jan Kocian was saved from a sacking. Plzen returned to 15th
place after losing to Zizkov, because Ceske Budejovice defeated Teplice.
Results of the 20th round: Drnovice - Brno 4-0, Liberec - Sparta
Praha 0-1, Ostrava - Hradec Kralove 3-0, Dukla - Opava 1-0, Ceske
Budejovice - Teplice 2-0, Bohdanec - Olomouc 1-2, Zizkov - Plzen 1-0,
Slavia Praha - Jablonec 2-0.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 51 pts., 2. Slavia Praha 41, 3. Olomouc
34, 4. Ostrava 32, 5. Brno 31, 6. Jablonec 30, 7. Liberec 29, 8. Zizkov
26, 9. Drnovice 26, 10. Dukla 25, 11. Hradec Kralove 23, 12. Teplice
22, 13. Opava 22, 14. Ceske Budejovice 22, 15. Plzen 21, 16. Bohdanec 7.
Jiri Polak/Mirek Langer
After deadline:
Czech Republic - Ireland 2-1 (played in Olomouc).
Goals: Smicer, Lasota - Breen.
WEATHER
Spring is here and the weather went crazy with rapid changes. If
you decide to take a walk in sunny weather you might soon be petrified
when stuck in a blizzard.
This winter was one of the warmest in the Czech history (it was
warmer only in 1794 and 1796) and it looks like one of the most insane
springs is ahead of us. I'm thinking of our ancestors' times, when it
was cold in winter and warm in summer, while I fill my backpack with
a winter coat, tanning lotion, wading boots and an air mattress before
leaving for school.
Jaroslav Mares/Matej Cerny
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
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