Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Carolina (English) No 265
CCCCC AA RRRRR OOOO LL II NN N AA
CC AA A RR R OO O LL II NNN N AA A
CC AA A RRRRR OO O LL II NN N N AA A
CC AAAAAA RR R OO O LL II NN NN AAAAAA
CCCCC AA A RR R OOOO LLLLLL II NN N AA A
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 265, Friday, November 14, 1997.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 5 - 12)
Sudanese Student's Murder Provokes Public
From 3,000 to 10,000 people are estimated to have gathered November
10 on Winston Churchill Square in Prague to protest the murder of
Sudanese student Hassan Elamin Abeldelrad. The 23-year-old economics
student was killed by 18-year-old Czech skinhead Petr Zbornik. He and
another skinhead followed Abdelradi and his cousin from a disco to their
dormitory. Zbornik knifed the Sudanese student twice in the stomach.
Abdelradi died on the spot. The police say that both attackers, since
arrested, were inebriated. Zbornik attacked a Czech-Arab married couple
two months ago, which is why he is now being accused of a racially
motivated crime.
The Academic Senate of the Economics University said the
demonstration is being abused for "political exhibitionism." Speakers at
the demonstration included Parliament Chairman and Social Democrat head
Milos Zeman, Senate Chairman Petr Pithart, Interior Minister Jindrich
Vodicka, Minister of Agriculture and Christian Democrat Chairman Josef
Lux, Finance Minister Ivan Pilip, Council for Nationalities Chairman
Pavel Bratinka and others. All of the speakers denounced racism and
challenged the public to fight it. Zeman said he had requested that
Parliament's legal department to work on creating documents to make the
skinhead movement illegal. Demonstrations were also held November 10 in
Hradec Kralove and Liberec.
Experts say there are approximately 7,000 skinheads in the Czech
Republic. The Czech police have registered 133 racially motivated cases
during 1997, as opposed to 85 last year. The deaths of 19 people have
been attributed to racially motivated crimes over the past seven years.
Madiyar Magauin/Andrea Snyder
Union Workers Protest in Prague against Government Indifference
In heavy rains falling on Prague November 8 trade-union members
gathered from throughout the Czech Republic to express their disapproval
of the political and economical situation. According to organizers from
the Czech-Moravian Chamber of Unions (CMKOS), more than 100,000
protestors participated in the demonstration, though police placed the
figure at 60,000.
Chamber Chairman Richard Falbr gave his nearly hourlong speech to an
overcrowded Old Town Square. He emphasized in his opening that "the
demonstration is not aimed against the system. If we had organized it
under the Communists, the chamber leaders would have been arrested and
you would have had to fill in documents about whether you attended or
not."
While Falbr was enumerating the failures of the government
coalition, such as the increasing unemployment rate or the terrible
state of healthcare, the wildly applauding crowd showed its agreement.
Falbr also criticized the government for being unwilling to carry on
a dialogue. Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman, standing next to the
podium and enthusiastically nodding, explained his presence at the
demonstration to Carolina: "I came to show my solidarity with the
unionists, and not because I found out today that people are not
satisfied. The government politicians should realize that."
Falbr said he considered the Saturday demonstration one of the most
successful because of the high turnout under unfavorable circumstances.
No one is going to write that a few people went on a trip to Prague,
Falbr said.
Jana Ciglerova/Jana Ciglerova
Ailing President Havel Appoints New Ministers at Prague Castle
President Vaclav Havel November 8 appointed three new ministers. The
function of foreign minister, vacated after Josef Zieleniec resigned,
was given to experienced diplomat Jaroslav Sedivy. In the Interior
Ministry, Jan Ruml was replaced by Jindrich Vodicka, who was until now
Labor Minister. Vodicka's place will be occupied by the Parliament
deputy Stanislav Volak. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus' 1996 Cabinet has so
far undergone eight changes.
Havel was suffering from a rash on his face as a reaction to
antibiotics, and during the 20-minute ceremony he appeared tired,
breathed with difficulty and could hardly stand, nevertheless he was
making jokes. His state surprised all of the present guests, and the
public that had an opportunity to follow the act on television news.
After his speech, in which he emphasized his dissatisfaction concerning
the changes in the cabinet, Havel, without waiting for Klaus to speak,
left the hall with the escort of his doctor. Miroslav Cerbak, the head
of Havel's physicians' council, explained the breathing problems as
Havel's excitement over the ceremony. (Havel's condition improved over
the weekend, though he remains in the hospital).
Gabriela Podzimkova/Gabriela Pecic'
ODS's Anonymous Donations
The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has received 7.5 million crowns in
anonymous donations from banks in Hungary and Mauritius (see Carolina
201). At a meeting of the ODS Executive Board in Hradec Kralove last
weekend, a committee was created to submit documents concerning ODS
financing to the board at the next meeting. Members include ODS Vice
Chairman Miroslav Macek and party manager Tomas Ratiborsky. If the
committee does not manage to locate the anonymous donors by the December
meeting, the donations will be used for humanitarian purposes. Finance
Minister and ODS Vice Chairman Ivan Pilip said the party should also
return three million crowns to the controversial Iceberg company, which
has been implicated in numerous capital-market frauds.
Lenka Jindrlova/Andrea Snyder
Skalicky Announces ODA Campaign
At a meeting of the Civic Democratic Alliance's (ODA) Central Board
November 8, ODA Vice Chairman and Environment Minister Jiri Skalicky
announced his intentions to run for the position of party chairman in
November. He said Michael Zantovsky, the current chairman, has not met
expectations and that there is much internal rivalry in the party.
Skalicky said that after Zantovsky's pre-Senate election return from the
US, where he had been Czech ambassador, he showed a lack of knowledge
concerning internal political topics within ODA and in Czech politics.
Zantovsky said that because of internal party problems, he will try
to propose that a code of ethics be included in the party's statute. He
emphasized that he is not trying to escape his responsibilities as
a party leader, but that new officials can only be legitimately elected
at a conference. Zantovsky has not yet announced whether he will run for
re-election.
Jiri Zizka/Andrea Snyder
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The Czech daily Prace was not published November 8 and 10 in
Prague and in all other regions except Moravia. Czech Typography (Ceska
typografie) stopped printing because of Prace's debts to the printing
house of 39.7 million crowns. The full November 11 issue went only to
subscribers and a reduced part of the edition went to sale. In Moravia
Prace is being published continuously.
* Parliament Chairman Milos Zeman, long known as a critic of mobile
telephones, managed to pass ban of their use during the sessions of the
Chamber of Deputies.
* Deputy Prime Minister and Christian Democratic Chairman Josef Lux
said at the regular conference of his party that he felt furious with
Vladimir Jiranek's cartoon, which appeared in the daily MF DNES. It
shows a sketch of Lux saying "Historians say that ours has always been
a party of swine. That's not true. We're only swine now." MF DNES
apologized to all those who felt offended by the cartoon.
* Roman Ceska, chairman of the National Property Fund's presidium,
announced officially in Parliament that he is giving up his legislative
mandate. According to the recently passed conflict-of-interest law, the
chairmanship of the fund's presidium will be incompatible with the
position of deputy January 1.
* Prague and Paris are connected by one nearly direct freeway,
thanks to a 62-kilometer-long section of the D5 freeway from Pilsen to
Svata Katerina opened November 6. There is only an 11-kilometer-long
Pilsen bypass and 50-kilometer-long section of the A6 freeway from
Weidhaus to Amberg in Germany which are not completed yet.
Ludvik Pospisil, Eva Fronkova, Lenka Vochocova/Veronika Machova
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Czech Republic Officially Requests NATO Membership
Czech NATO delegation leader and Deputy Foreign Minister Karel
Kovanda submitted a letter from Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus in Brussels
November 10. The letter, which stated the Czech Republic's interest in
entering the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, was addressed to NATO
General Secretary Javier Solana and had been approved by the Czech
Cabinet November 5 together with a report about negotiations between the
Czech Republic and NATO. The Cabinet at the same time agreed on
a proposal for the Czech contribution to NATO: 0.9 per cent of NATO's
budget, or about 530 million crowns (see Carolina 263).
The act of passing the letter closed the fifth and the last round of
negotiations on Czech NATO membership. The Czech Republic finds itself
at the beginning of the ratification process, where the acceptance of
new NATO members has to be approved by the governments of all Alliance
member countries. The American Senate's statement will evidently be
crucial. Jiri Pehe, legal adviser to the Czech president, claimed in
Czech daily MF DNES November 12: "Should there be no unforeseen
troubles, we will become members of the Alliance in 18 months."
Katerina Murlova/Ivona Pulkrabkova
Klaus Visits USA
Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus met November 10 with American Secretary
of State Madeleine Albright for one hour during his visit to the United
States. They discussed the Czech Republic's membership in NATO. After
their meeting, Klaus told reporters they also discussed the troubled
state of the Czech Republic. Albright also expressed interested in Czech
President Vaclav Havel's health. Klaus said he assured her that nothing
stands in the way of Havel's re-election.
When Klaus was asked about the trade unions' November 8
demonstration, he said it was not a critical situation. Klaus said some
people had overly high expectations from the changes of 1989.
Klaus also met with William Cohen, chief of Pentagon, and with
Senator Ted Stevens, who does not support NATO expansion.
Klaus presented his new book Renaissance: The New Birth of Freedom
in Europe's Heart, in Washington's CATO Institution, the publisher of
the book. Klaus said the book shows the Czech Republic's evolution in
recent years.
Prokop Havel/Sofia Karakeva
Iran Wants Czech Radar
The Washington Times wrote that CIA information says Iraq wants to
buy five radar systems from the Eastern Europe. Systems such as the
Czech Tamara would enable spotting and shooting down U-2 observation
planes without the risk of being detected by by anti-radar systems.
Tamara is a passive system - it only tracks signals, and therefore
itself cannot be identified. It can monitor 72 targets, including
Stealth fighters and F-117 fighters, which is why Iraq is trying to get
five Tamaras for 375 million USD.
Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus denied strongly that the Czech
Republic would export the radar system to Iraq. "The Czech Republic has
very precisely upheld the resolution of the UN Security Council," Klaus
said. "There is no danger that the Czech government would allow such
a thing (as the sale)."
Pedro Afanador/Matej Cerny
FROM SLOVAKIA
Only Legislature Can Ease Tension
Slovak editors presented November 5 their official protest against
the proposed value-added tax increase from 6 per cent to 23 per cent for
periodicals more than one-tenth consisting of advertising or of an
erotic nature. From November 13 Slovak dailies, with the exception of
the pro-government Slovak Republic (Slovenska republika), have been
printing the protest:
1. We reject government's proposal to increase value-added taxes to
23 per cent for the majority of newspapers and magazines.
2. We call on the National Assembly's members to reject this
proposal, which is economically unreasonable and politically unfair.
3. We turn to readers, the domestic and foreign public to support
this fight for maintaining freedom of speech and basic human rights.
This text carries the signature of the Slovak Association of
Periodical Publishers.
Paula Majorova/Sofia Karakeva
After deadline: The National Assembly approved the first reading of the
bill November 13. A definitive vote is expected next week.
ECONOMY
Industry Doing Better Than Construction
As of September, industrial production had increased over by 6.6 per
cent over the previous 12 months, according to statistics released last
week. Production growth for 1997, however, remained at August's 0.5 per
cent level. The Czech Statistics Office stated the promising dynamism
was positively affected by the processing industry and public
transportation production sectors (the latter increased by 45.9 per
cent).
Since the beginning of 1997 construction has been on a decline. For
September the sector was down 9.5 per cent. Factors in the decline are
the scarcity of public projects in the wake of budget cuts, and high
interest rates stemming from the fall of the crown.
Ales Bartl/Sofia Karakeva
New Banking Act Increases Protection against Bankruptcy
Parliament's Chamber of Deputies approved amendments to the Banking
Act November 6, in a step designed to make capital and financial markets
transparent. The amendments restrict banks' relations with companies,
build walls between banks' loan departments and its fund managers and
prevent personnel connections between banks and companies. The
amendments partly react to the Czech Republic's reputation for banking
socialism, the term coined to describe the convoluted yet tight
relationships between banks and companies they provide loans to, which
arose after the immense success of bank investment funds in attracting
citizens' privatization vouchers.
Deposits of clients of bankrupt banks will be insured up to 300,000
crowns by the Insurance Fund. Deputies approved a measure that clients
of the collapsed Czech Bank (Ceska banka) will be compensated by the
Czech National Bank for deposits up to 4 million crowns.
Despite the easy approval of the first reading, new arguments are
expected between Parliament and the Czech National Bank to pass the
final version. The act can be amended by the president or the Senate.
Tomas Mls/Nora Novakova
Parliament Passes Securities Commission Bill
Parliament's Chamber of Deputies passed the Securities Commission
Act November 11. However, there was disagreement not only between the
coalition and the opposition, but also among the members of the
coalition parties.
The commission will be financed from the state budget and not by
stock exchange members as was proposed in the original version. In spite
of the fact that the commission will be a part of the state
administration, it will not be allowed to issue binding decrees, as this
authority belongs only to the Finance Ministry. The budget,
technological equipment, the number of commission employees (estimated
at 120 to 150) and the size of their salaries has not yet been decided.
The members of the commission will be appointed by the president,
not by Parliament as proposed in the original version. Experts say the
authority of the commission are relatively high. One important power is
the commission's ability to forbid suspicious securities transfers. The
commission will be able to dictate financial penalties up to 100 million
crowns and to control the activities of pension funds and insurance
companies on the capital market. The commission should also review the
licenses of securities traders, which could help reduce their excessive
number.
Most experts say the bill was passed quickly and still contains some
controversial measures. They consider it a real contribution to the
Czech economy and a positive signal for foreign investors, who might
finally see a powerful watchdog on the Czech capital market. Critics say
the commission will not be effective for a couple years, and only
results will show if the commission can slow down the rampant criminal
activity on the capital market.
Ondrej Hanzal/Zdenek Janda
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid from November 14)
country currency
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.855
Belgium 100 BEF 92.344
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.847
Denmark 1 DKK 5.004
Finland 1 FIM 6.314
France 1 FRF 5.687
Ireland 1 IEP 49.612
Italy 1000 ITL 19.470
Japan 100 JPY 26.183
Canada 1 CAD 23.290
Luxemburg 100 LUF 92.344
Hungary 100 HUF 16.791
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.898
Norway 1 NOK 4.646
New Zealand 1 NZD 20.567
Poland 1 PLN 9.343
Portugal 100 PTE 18.676
Austria 1 ATS 2.706
Greece 100 GRD 12.134
Slovakia 100 SKK 98.209
Germany 1 DEM 19.045
Spain 100 ESP 22.565
Sweden 1 SEK 4.370
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.418
USA 1 USD 32.815
ECU 1 XEU 37.712
SDR 1 XDR 45.283
CULTURE
Eighty Years of Hollar
The 80th-anniversary celebration of the establishement of the Czech
artists' association Hollar, which took place in City Hall on Prague's
Old Town Square, culminated with an exhibition of members' graphic
works. From October 9 until November 9, the visitors can acquaint
themselves with the wide palette of artistic impressions and approaches
of the representatives of Czech graphic creativity. The exhibit, in the
Krizova and Rytirska sections of the City Hall, consists of 250 works by
112 artists.
In its 80 years Hollar has hosted most significant Czech graphic
artists, it has presented an enormous number of domestic and
international exhibitions and carried on wide-ranging publishing
activity (fronted by Hollar magazine) of albums, memorials and prints.
The exhibit, supplemented by the release of the comprehensive book Czech
Graphic Works of the 20th Century, has contributed to the proud
tradition of the group's activities.
Ondrej Hanzal/Ajla Zinhasovic'
New Musical Based on Moravian Folklore
The musical based on Zeyer's play Raduz and Mahulena had its
premiere at the City Theater in Brno November 8. Director Stanislav Mosa
and composer Petr Ulrych trimmed the text of the play by about
two-thirds, but they also added several new themes.
The dancing to Ulrych's music, rooted in Moravian folklore, is the
key part of the show. Violins, cimbaloms, flutes and melodies typical of
folklore's Hornacka music are frequently heard. Raduz is played by Roman
Vojtek (alterning with Petr Gazdik), an experienced musical actor.
Marketa Sedlackova (alterning with Jana Tabrea) is his stage partner.
Sylva Toman, known from the successful film musical Big Beat (Sakali
leta), also has a role.
Petr Bilek Jr./Matej Cerny
SPORTS
Czech Hockey Players Finish Second in Carelian Cup in Finland
Czech hockey players must have felt like they were on a seesaw in
the Carelian Cup in Finland. They lost 0-1 to Sweden in their first
match November 6, then they defeated Finland 5-2 November 8 and lost to
Russia 0-1 in their last performance November 9.
The one win was enough to finish second in the standings, leaving
Russia third and Finland fourth because of worse goal differentials.
Sweden won the tournament with three victories. Czech Jan Caloun was
named a member of the all-tournament team. The Czech Republic still
leads the standings of the Euro Hockey Tour, the series of the four most
important tournaments in Europe, including events in the Czech Republic,
Finland (the Carelian Cup), Russia and Sweden.
For national team coaches Lener and Hlinka, the cup was preparation
for the Olympics in Nagano. The Caloun-Moravec-Alinc line and both
goalkeepers, Prusek and Hnilicka, moved closer to nomination for the
Olympic team.
David Kozohorsky/Mirek Langer
Petr Korda Loses Kremlin Cup Final to Kafelnikov
The Czech Republic's best tennis player, Petr Korda, made it to the
final of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow, though he lost there to Russian
Yevgeny Kafelnikov November 9 and also lost the chance to be at least
a substitute for the ATP World Championships in Hannover, Germany. Korda
moved up to 13th place in the ATP rankings.
Michal Cerny/Mirek Langer
Sparta Praha Loses Two Points of Its Lead in Jablonec
Sparta Praha's 1-1 tie in Jablonec can be taken as the biggest
surprise of the 12th round of soccer's Gambrinus League. Slavia Praha,
second in the standings, came within seven points of Sparta.
Results: Ostrava - Ceske Budejovice 0-0, Drnovice - Zizkov 2-1,
Opava - Plzen 1-1, Brno - Teplice 1-0, Hradec Kralove - Olomouc 2-3,
Dukla - Liberec 2-2, Jablonec - Sparta Praha 1-1, Slavia Praha
- Bohdanec 2-0.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 29, 2. Slavia Praha 22, 3. Olomouc 20,
4. Drnovice 19, 5. Brno 18, 6. Jablonec 17, 7. Liberec 17, 8. Ostrava
(*) 16, 9. Teplice 15, 10. Opava 15, 11. Dukla 15, 12. Zizkov 13, 13.
Ceske Budejovice 13, 14. Hradec 13, 15. Plzen (*) 8, 16. Bohdanec 6. The
match between Ostrava and Plzen was postponed.
Jaroslav Mares/Mirek Langer
Trinec Steals First Place from Vitkovice after Match
The Trinec hockey team defeated Vitkovice 4-2 in a match between
the first- and second-place Staropramen Extraleague teams, and thus
moved to the top of the standings. The league continued with its 22nd
round November 11 after the national team took part in the Carelian Cup.
Vsetin, led by new captain Alexei Yashkin (after Jiri Dopita was sold to
the Slovak team Skalica), won in Karlovy Vary 9-4. Opava stayed in last
place after the home loss to Litvinov.
Results: Trinec - Vitkovice 4-2, Opava - Litvinov 1-4, Kladno
- Jihlava 2-4, Plzen - Zlin 2-3, Karlovy Vary - Vsetin 4-9, Pardubice
- Slavia Praha 2-2, Sparta Praha - Ceske Budejovice 2-4.
Standings: 1. Trinec 33 (*), 2. Vitkovice 31, 3. Litvinov 28, 4.
Sparta Praha 26, 5. Vsetin 26, 6. Plzen 25, 7. Zlin 24, 8. Jihlava 21
(*), 9. Slavia Praha 20, 10. Pardubice 20, 11. Ceske Budejovice 19, 12.
Kladno 16, 13. Karlovy Vary 12, 14. Opava 11 (*). Trinec has played two
matches more, Opava and Jihlava have played one match more.
Michal Cerny/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Smog, Smog, Smog - Not One Step without Me
"I am dense, dark, I irritate your eyes, nose and lungs. I come
every autumn and stay till spring. My name is Smog." This could be the
introduction of our neighbor, who belongs to this city just like its
public transport. Smog came back to the Czech Republic after its summer
vacation last week. He camped in the same settlements - Prague, northern
Bohemia, northern Moravia and Silesia. Especially in the morning, when
traffic begins, he follows our every step. During the first half of the
day he is dissolved by higher temperatures and scattered by the wind.
But there is a proverb for smog's visit: A guest in the house, a stick
in the hand. So, let's fight!
Ludvik Pospisil/Nora Novakova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The
subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. Send them
please to the address:
CAROLINA@cuni.cz
To subscribe to CAROLINA news you send an e-mail message to the address
LISTSERV@listserv.cesnet.cz
The text of message for subscription of the English version must be:
SUBSCRIBE CAR-ENG First name Last name
or for the Czech version
SUBSCRIBE CAR-CS First name Last name
To delete your subscription from the list of subscribers you send
the following message to the address LISTSERV@listserv.cesnet.cz:
SIGNOFF CAR-ENG or SIGNOFF CAR-CS
We ask you not to send automatic replies to our list. You can
temporarily stop receiving of Carolina by sending the command:
SET CAR-ENG NOMAIL
All Listserv commands should be sent to the address:
LISTSERV@listserv.cesnet.cz
Please, don't send commands SUB, SIGNOFF, NOMAIL etc to the address
CAR-CS@listserv.cesnet.cz or CAR-ENG@listserv.cesnet.cz!
