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Carolina (English) No 304
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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) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 24810987
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 304, Friday, October 16, 1998.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE LAST WEEK (October 7 - October 14)
Government Supports NATO Steps in Kosovo; No Decision on Czech Role
The Czech government would support NATO military intervention in
Kosovo to force the Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic withdraw
his army from the Serbian province. However, the Cabinet October 12
postponed its decision on dispatching a Czech field hospital. The
government only expressed its agreement with NATO flights over Czech
territory. Sending soldiers to Kosovo would have to be approved by
Parliament. Ministers said they would prefer a peaceful solution to the
crisis.
Czech politicians are not of a unanimous opinion on NATO
intervention. President Vaclav Havel said considers an attack necessary
under the given conditions and called for "a broadly based
diplomatic-power operation, which would globally solve the problem of
the Albanian minority in Kosovo and Macedonia."
Parliament Chairman Vaclav Klaus expressed a more reserved opinion
- he said bombs cannot resolve the situation.
The Communists Party decidedly opposes a NATO attack and Czech
participation. Their parliamentary club Chairman Vojtech Filip said he
considers military intervention interference in the internal affairs of
a foreign state, because Kosovo is an inseparable part of Yugoslavia. He
also pointed out the fact that the UN Security Council has not expressed
its approval of the attack.
Veteran soldiers from the Persian Gulf War pointed out the
inadequate legislation concerning participating in such an international
operation. According to them, Czech soldiers do not have a definite
legal status and therefore might be in serious danger as war prisoners.
Jan Mates/Denisa Vitkova
Hillary Clinton Biggest Name at Forum 2000 Conference
The second year of the conference Forum 2000, initiated by
President Vaclav Havel and writer and human rights activist Elie Wiesel,
took place October 11-14 with appearances by 50 international experts on
economics, politics, law and ecology. Among the guests were former
American Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Polish Prime
Minister Hanna Suchocka and the chief rabbi of Israel Meir Lau. The
Czech media, however, lavished the most attention on American first lady
Hillary Clinton.
The main topics of the conference were the rise of violence, the
problems of globalization and the spiritual dimension of contemporary
civilization. Russian human rights activist Sergej Kovalev presented his
opinion that the 20th century will be labelled as "the age of the
greatest mass violence."
Clinton, whose speech was about the civil society, said there is no
need to give in to pessimistic visions because of the current economic
crises in the world. It was the only time she spoke in public. She did
not speak with journalists, and she also decided not to arrange a press
conference. During her visit Clinton met with Havel, Prime Minister
Milos Zeman and Josef Lux, who resigned as chairman of the Christian
Democrats in September because of leukemia.
Jan Martinek/Jan Martinek
Government Has to Submit New Budget Bill
The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament October 14 did not
pass the first reading of the budget bill, which proposed
a 26.8-billion-crown deficit for 1999. Only the Social Democrats and the
Communists voted for the bill. The minority Social Democrat cabinet has
to submit a new draft in 30 days. According to a resolution suggested by
the Christian Democrats, the new draft of the budget shall precisely
define pro-growth spending and separate these expenditures from other
spending. The fact that the resolution was approved by the Chamber of
Deputies gives Zeman's Cabinet hope that the new budget, still with
a deficit, might be passed. The Christian Democrats' support was
indicated earlier by acting party Chairman Jan Kasal, who said that
drafting a balanced budget on the paper is simple, but the truth is more
important.
staff/Milan Smid
Moldavian Refugees at Ruzyne Airport
The landing of a Moldavian airplane caused a enormous disturbance
at Prague's Ruzyne Airport October 12. On board the TU 134 with
a capacity of 76 passengers were 106 refugees. None of them had any
identification, and in such a case the airline is required to return the
passengers to the country of departure at its own cost. But when the
airplane was awaiting permission for takeoff to Kisinev, the passengers
started to destroy the plane, threatened the pilot and threatened to
burn the plane.
Finally the refugees were allowed to enter the Czech Republic and
filled out applications for refugee status. They were then transported
to a refugee camp in Vysni Lhoty.
It is not clear where they are from (most likely they are from
Afghanistan) nor how they got on the plane in Kisinev. "I am utterly
aware that this might be a case of hijacking. But because it is for now
only supported by the words of pilot, I cannot at this time specifically
characterize the act," said Deputy Interior Minister Jaroslav Kopriva.
As a result the Czech government is considering visa requirements
for Moldava.
Marketa Lajdova/Zuzana Janeckova
Minister Basta Will Become Anti-Corruption Whip
The Czech government October 7 appointed Minister without Portfolio
Jaroslav Basta chairman of the coordination and analysis group in the
government's Committee for Protection of Economic Interests. Basta
replaced Jan Sula, who resigned a week ago after receiving death
threats, although he has since admitted his resignation was for
political reasons (See Carolina 303).
The government approved the statute of the committee as well, but
committee Chairman and Prime Minister Milos Zeman said the names of
analysis group members will be kept secret.
Linda Kholova/Milan Smid
Marijuana Fans Demonstrate in Prague
About 500 people demonstrated October 10 in Old Town Square for the
legalization of cannabis. The demonstration, organized by the
Anti-Prohibition League, was the largest yet in the Czech Republic and
will likely be followed by others.
This year Parliament approved anti-drug legislation which made
possession of "more than a small amount" of marijuana illegal. President
Vaclav Havel vetoed the law, but Parliament overrode his veto. Not only
has the public protested but also experts has expressed disagreement,
considering some of the medical and other uses of cannabis.
Demonstration organizers asked participants to sign a petition
against the new laws and invited them to a demonstration the next day in
support of one of Prague's squats. Music was piped through a massive
sound system and demonstrators smoked marijuana as mounted police
carefully observed the event. No incidents occured and rain brought the
demonstration to an early close at 7 p.m..
Klara Nedvedova/Sofia Karakeva
Skinheads Sentenced for Racially Motivated Murder
The Ceske Budejovice court October 8 sentenced the three murderers
of Tibor Danihel, a Romany (Gypsy) from Pisek. For the racially
motivated murder Jaroslav Churacek, Zdenek Habich and Martin Pomije were
sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven-and-a-half years to
eight-and-a-half years. All three appealed the verdict. The case of the
fourth accused will be tried separately.
In September 1993 a dozen armed and masked skinheads herded four
Romanies to the Otava River. The skinheads were standing around the
banks of the river and by throwing stones at the Romanies did not allow
them to come out of the water. The 18-year-old Danihel drowned. The
investigation of his death took several unexpected turns over the years.
The court started dealing with this case a year after 18 skinheads
were accused. Fourteen of them were released for insufficient evidence.
The four remaining accused, who were almost all underage in 1993, were
last March sentenced to short sentences for violence against a ethnic
group and for extortion. Former Justice Minister Vlasta Parkanova lodged
a complaint against the court's verdict. The Supreme Court agreed with
Parkanova and opened the case again.
Tomas Polacek/Sofia Karakeva
FROM SLOVAKIA
Great Britain to Require Visas for Slovaks, Slovakia Returns the Favor
The British Home Office decided October 7 to introduce a visa
requirement for Slovak citiziens. The reason was the growing number of
Slovak Romanies (Gypsies) requesting asylum in Britain. Just since the
beginning of this year it was 1826 of them.
British citizens will from October 15 need visas to enter Slovakia,
according to a decision made by the exiting Slovak government October
13 as a reaction to the British visa move. However, the opposition, now
trying to form a new government, criticized the Slovak government's
step. Opposition leader Pavol Hamzik, who once served as foreign
minister under outgoing Premier Vladimir Meciar, would not rule out the
new government cancelling the visa requirement.
Lenka Nejezchlebova/Lenka Nejezchlebova
Smerek Fails to Form Government
Jan Smerek, the 44-year-old supervisory board chairman of the East
Slovak Ironworks (Vychodoslovenke Zelezarny, VSZ) in Kosice entrusted
October 8 with setting up a government by the Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia (HZDS), failed. Only the Slovak National Party (SNS) was
willing to enter negotiations. The opposition parties are now expected
to form a government with Slovak Democratic Coalition Chairman Mikulas
Dzurinda as the new premier.
Tomas Polacek/Katerina Kolarova
Kovac Might Run for President Again
Former Slovak President Michal Kovac is considering running for
president again as an independent candidate, he said October 8 while
participating in the Dialogues about Europe arranged by the Bohemiae
Foundation. Kovac met privately with Czech President Vaclav Havel as
well.
The Slovak National Assembly has not been able to elect a president
since Kovac's term ran out in March. However, all the opposition
parties, which received a majority of the votes in the September
elections and are trying to form a government, promised in their
election platforms the direct election of the president.
Lenka Nejezchlebova/Lenka Nejezchlebova
ECONOMY
International Criticism for New Import Duty
After protests by farmers against cheap food imports and a threat to
block the border, the Czech government decided to impose a new import
duty on Hungarian wheat. The Hungarian government expressed its deep
disagreement with the move and Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi
said he will contact the World Trade Organization about this problem.
The price for a ton of Hungarian wheat was about 2,575 crowns before
the new tariff, while the Czech government buys each ton from Czech
farmers for the subsidized price of 4,000 crowns. This year there have
been more than 13,000 tons of Hungarian wheat imported to the Czech
Republic.
Marketa Lajdova/Jakub Jirovec
Agrarian Chamber Not Content with Import Duty
The Czech Agrarian Chamber continues with protests against state
agricultural policy, especially against the import of subsidized food,
despite the introduction of a new import duty (see above).
Representatives of the chamber threaten that if government does not
prohibit the import of such products (particularly milk, meat and wine)
by October 15, farmers will obstruct the borders, surround state offices
and destroy the imported food.
Not all farmers agree with the Chamber. The Association of Private
Farmers announced its disagreement with this plan, calling such actions
undignified. The police are ready to prevent any destruction of private
property.
Marketa Lajdova/Jakub Jirovec
Unemployment Records Fell in September
At the end of September the unemployment rate reached 6.8 per
cent, 2 per cent more than a year ago. The increase is attributed to
unemployed new high-school and university graduates. According to Labor
Minister Vladimir Spidla, by the end of 1998 the rate of unemployment
might increase to 9 per cent.
Among the most affected areas are three northern Bohemia counties:
Most (15.3 per cent), Chomutov (13.7 per cent) and Louny (13.4 per
cent), as well as Karvina in northern Moravia (13 per cent). On the
contrary, the lowest unemployment rates are in central Bohemia - in
Mlada Boleslav with with the Skoda automobile factory (2.8 per cent) and
in Prague (1.9 per cent). According to economists, the increase in
unemployment is largely caused by the restrictive politics of companies
trying to lower wage costs by decreasing the number of jobs.
To decrease the rate of unemployment and remove disadvantages
(age, sex, graduates without practice), Spidla's ministry worked out
a National Plan for Detecting Unemployment which supposes double
increase of state grants for active employment politics.
Pavlina Hodkova/Denisa Vitkova
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* Finance Minister Ivo Svoboda said this year's budget deficit will
be about 20 billion crowns, according to his report on the fulfillment
of the budget in the first six months, approved October 12 by the
government.
Marketa Kaclova/Katerina Kolarova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank
(valid October 15)
country currency
--------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 18.200
Belgium 100 BEF 85.517
Great Britain 1 GBP 49.173
Denmark 1 DKK 4.642
Finland 1 FIM 5.800
France 1 FRF 5.263
Ireland 1 IEP 44.029
Italy 1000 ITL 17.841
Japan 100 JPY 24.229
Canada 1 CAD 18.665
Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.517
Hungary 100 HUF 13.411
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.654
Norway 1 NOK 3.819
New Zealand 1 NZD 15.609
Poland 1 PLN 8.244
Portugal 100 PTE 17.209
Austria 1 ATS 2.509
Greece 100 GRD 10.241
Germany 1 DEM 17.650
Slovakia 100 SKK 80.394
Slovenia 100 SIT 18.498
Spain 100 ESP 20.767
Sweden 1 SEK 3.651
Switzerland 1 CHF 21.797
USA 1 USD 28.913
ECU 1 XEU 34.783
IMF 1 XDR 40.708
CULTURE
Marsalis and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in Top Shape
Prague's Lucerna saw the longest jazz night of the year October 9.
The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra performed, led by trumpet player
Wynton Marsalis. Fans who did not get inside the sold-out hall had the
opportunity to watch the concert live on video screens on Old Town
Square.
The band of excellent musicians played jazz mainly of an older
date, including compositions from Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington,
Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams and Gerry Mulligan. Before the
concert, Marsalis' bandmates presented a clinic for musicians. After the
show, there was a jam session with Czech musicians lasting until the
early morning.
The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra was founded in 1988, and Director
Rob Gibson said it has never been in better shape.
Jan Martinek/Jan Martinek
International Jury Selects Photograph of the Year
In this year's Czech Press Photo competition a photograph of
a Romany (Gypsy) mother grieving over the death of her children in the
July floods in eastern Slovakia was declared the winner. The photograph,
taken by David Neff of the daily MF DNES, was chosen by an international
jury from among 2,532 works by 199 photographers.
The Czech Press Photo 98 exhibit will be open to the public at the
Old Town Hall from November 19.
Sasa Jokic/Michael Bluhm
Moravian Autumn Music Festival, Dedicated to Janacek, Finishes in Brno
The Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra from Ostrava October 10 ended
the 33rd international musical festival Moravian Autumn with Leos
Janacek's Sinfonieta. In Brno's Janacek Theater, where the festival was
held, conductor Leos Svarovsky also presented Adaggio from Gustav
Mahler's 10th Symphony and Concert for Clarinet by Carl Gustav Nielsen
with soloist Sabine Mayer.
The festival was not confined to Brno, as Kubin's Quartet played in
the chateau in Namest nad Oslavou and the Moravian Teachers' Choir
performed in Luhacovice. Other festival performers included the the
National Theater Opera, orchestras from Russia, Italy, Croatia and
domestic and foreign chamber groups. The festival also organized
a competition for interpretations on the double-bass.
Jan Moravek/Radan Dolejs
SPORTS
Peruan Wins 108th Velka Pardubicka Steeplechase
The 108th Velka Pardubicka Steeplechase Cross Country, the most
difficult steeplechase on the European continent, finished with a win
for nine-year-old gelding Peruan, ridden by Zdenek Matysik in Pardubice
October 11. The race was tainted by a massive collision on the sixth
fence, the Popkovice jump, while the Taxis jump, the toughest fence in
the race with a 1.6-meter hedge and a 2-meter long ditch, was overcome
by every horse but one.
The Popkovice jump, a hedge row with a ditch over which the horses
must jump from a dirt runway, ended the hopes of 13 horses. Almost all
the favorites were among them: 1996 winner Cipisek with five-time
winning jockey Josef Vana on board and the guests from Britain - Irish
Stamp and Superior Finish. The unprecendent heap was caused by swerve by
Cest, which lost its rider on Taxis, and a fall by the inexperienced
horse Sumak with amateur rider Peprna, who was then in the lead. The
7-year-old bay Damion broke its leg and had to been destroyed.
Another favorite, famed English jockey Richard Dunwoody on Risk of
Thunder, was briefly in the lead but lost his bearings on the course and
then fell on the Small Gardens jump (Male zahradky). Marketplace, which
led the race for some time, was then passed by eventual winner Peruan
and runner-up Devil.
After a veterinary examination the Russian horse Grego was not
allowed to race, so 50-year-old jockey Vaclav Chaloupka lost his chance
to participate in the race. Chaloupka has won the Velka Pardubicka four
times.
Petr Wilfer/Mirek Langer
Soccer Team Leads Euro 2000 Qualification Group before Winter Break
The Czech team won its second game in the Euro 2000 ninth
qualification group against Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 in Sarajevo
October 10.
Surprising team member Miroslav Baranek, a substitute for injured
Karel Poborsky, returned coach Jozef Chovanec's trust with a nice
opening goal. Baranek became the leader of the team and his great
performance was capped by a center pass on which Vladimir Smicer scored
with a header. The Bosnian team tried to tie the score after the break,
but the Czech defense, directed by sweeper Tomas Votava, resisted the
attack. Just before the end of regular time, young Bosnian player Topic
lowered the deficit, but the Czech team replied as Pavel Kuka luckily
touched Patrik Berger's free kick. The 3-1 win moved the Czech Republic
into first place in the group.
The Czechs padded their lead in their third qualification match,
defeating Estonia 4-1 October 14 in Teplice (Czech goals: Berger 2,
Nedved, Lokvenc). The team has not lost a point and will lead the
standings of the group through the winter break.
The under-21 team tied in Bosnia 0-0, defeated Estonia 3-0 and leads
its qualification group for the European Championships and the Olympic
Games.
Josef Koukolicek/Mirek Langer
Hockey Extraleague: Vsetin and Jihlava Hit by Epidemic
A virus epidemic afflicted hockey extraleague teams Vsetin and
Jihlava, causing two matches of the 12th round to be postponed. The
first symptoms (intestinal troubles, fever and vomiting) arrived for 15
Vsetin players and 18 players and assistant coach Karel Dvorak of
Jihlava October 10. Suspicions of salmonella were not proved, and the
teams should return to competition in the 13th round. It is likely the
players were infected in a restaurant in Velka Bites, where the teams
dined on their way to their 11th round matches.
Sparta Praha's matches were the most attractive games of the last
two rounds. In the 11th round, Sparta's 2-3 loss to Vsetin in a good
game was watched by 10,000 spectators. The next game Sparta played on
its Prague rival Slavia's ice. Former Slavia player Jaroslav Bednar
starred, scoring a hat trick as the intracity derby finished in a 4-4
draw. The western Bohemian showdown between Plzen and Karlovy Vary was
played in a sold-out arena and finished in a 4-4 tie. Trinec forward
Tomas Chlubna scored the second hat trick of the rounds in a game
against Jihlava, won by Trinec 4-3.
Results of the 11th round: Zlin - Slavia 2-2, Plzen - Karlovy Vary
4-4, Opava - Vitkovice 1-3, Sparta - Vsetin 2-3, Trinec - Jihlava 4-3,
Litvinov - Ceske Budejovice 2-3, Kladno - Pardubice 3-3.
Results of the 12th round: Vitkovice - Zlin 3-3, Plzen - Litvinov
1-1, Slavia - Sparta 4-4, Karlovy Vary - Pardubice 1-1, Ceske Budejovice
- Opava 5-1. Games Jihlava - Kladno a Vsetin - Trinec were postponed.
Standings: 1. Vsetin 17 pts., 2. Zlin 17, 3. Trinec 17, 4. Plzen
15, 5. Sparta 14, 6. Slavia 14, 7. Ceske Budejovice 12, 8. Pardubice
12, 9. Vitkovice 11, 10. Litvinov 11, 11. Karlovy Vary 10, 12. Kladno
7, 13. Opava 5, 14. Jihlava 4.
Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer
Czech Players in NHL Opening
The 82nd year of NHL started October 9 and Czech players made
themselves known. In the match between the New York Islanders and the
Pittsburgh Penguins, four players scored or assisted - Robert Reichel
for the Islanders, Jaromir Jagr, Robert Lang and Martin Straka for the
opponent. Goalkeeper Dominik Hasek's team Buffalo lost its first match,
in Dallas, but in the second game Hasek caught every shot in Colorado
and recorded his 33rd career shutout. Three rookies played their first
matches - Jaroslav Spacek under Czech assistant coach Slavomir Lener in
Florida Panthers, Tomas Kaberle for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Milan
Hejduk for the Colorado Avalanche, who also scored his first goal.
Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Hockey: Results of Czech teams in the European Hockey League:
Mannheim (Germany) - Litvinov 6-0, Grenoble (France) - Sparta Praha
0-3, Jihlava - Djurgaarden Stockholm postponed.
* Soccer: Czech national team member Martin Frydek was loaned by the
German team Bayer Leverkusen to Duisburg for one year.
* Handball: The Kovopetrol Plzen men's team defeated the Macedonian
club Pelistor Bitola 30-22 in a European Cup first-round rematch and
advanced to the Champions League.
Josef Koukolicek, Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
To describe the weather in the Czech lands today in one word:
average. When the fog lifts the landscape shows all the signs of the
advancing fall. Leaves are turning yellow, nighttime temperatures are
around 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit and the days are not
much warmer. The constant rain does not help.
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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