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Carolina (English) No 366
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STUDENTS' E-MAIL NEWS FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Charles University in Prague
Faculty of Social Sciences
Smetanovo nabr. 6
110 01 Prague 1
Czech Republic
e-mail: CAROLINA@mbox.fsv.cuni.cz
tel: (+4202) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 24810987
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 366, Friday, March 10, 2000.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 1 - March 8)
Madeleine Albright Visits Czech Republic
The United States' Secretary of State Madeleine Albright arrived
March 5 in Prague for a three-day official visit. Her visit's was
foremost to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Tomas Garrigue
Masaryk, the founder and first president of Czechoslovak, and the first
anniversary of the Czechs' entrance into North Atlantic Treaty
Organization.
After meeting with Czech President Vaclav Havel, Albright said she
views the current situation in Kosovo with alarm. She also thanked the
Czech Army for joining the international peace action, but she asked for
more Czech soldiers in Kosovo. Havel assured Albright that the Czech
Republic will not export anything to the Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran.
On March 6, Albright visited Brno and Masaryk's supposed birthplace
near Hodonin. Albright talked with young Romany representatives and
received an Honorary Medal from Masaryk University in Brno. Albright
then visited Masaryk's Museum in Hodonin. Albright also talked with
Prime Minister Milos Zeman and she said she hopes the fight over TV NOVA
will be finished soon. She then gave a speech at the Foreign Ministry.
She called Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic a criminal and told
Serbian opposition and independent media to fight against him. She said
the USA wants peace in the Balkans, but Europe must also help.
Albright unveiled a new statue of Masaryk on Prague's Hradcany
Square. In her speech, made in Czech, Albright talked about Masaryk with
admiration. She also compared Havel to Masaryk.
Alzbeta Trousilova/Jakub Jirovec
Czech Republic Celebrates Anniversary of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk's Birth
Celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Tomas
Garrigue Masaryk (March 3, 1850) began March 2 at a conference attended
by Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav
Klaus. President Vaclav Havel opened Masaryk's Museum in the
presidential residence in Lany and with American Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright and Prague Mayor Jan Kasl unveiled the new Masaryk
statue in Prague. The celebrations ended March 7 at a ceremony in the
Vladislav Hall in the Prague Castle.
Klaus exploited the conference to air the harshest criticism of
Masaryk heard since 1989, although his words were but a thinly veiled
attack on Havel. Klaus criticized Masaryk for alleged ideological
neutrality, being non-partisan, leftist leanings and for trying harder
to impress abroad than at home.
Masaryk (1850 - 1937) was a sociologist, philosopher and
politician. He was elected the first president of Czechoslovakia in
1918.
Jakub Tronicek/Jakub Jirovec
Deputies Pass 2000 State Budget
The longest provisionary budget has ended. Deputies from the Czech
Social Democratic Party (CSSD) and the Civic Democratic Party (ODS)
March 3 outvoted in the Chamber of Deputies the other parties by 127 to
36. Thus, the state will have plan for income of 592.2 billion crowns
and expenses of 627.4 billion crowns. The deficit should be 35.2 billion
crowns.
ODS support for the budget was based on a January agreement with
the Social Democrats in exchange for personnel changes in the Social
Democrat's government, lowering the deficit and trimming social
expenses. Communist deputies and six ODS deputies abstained, while the
Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), Freedom Union (US) and deputies Jiri
Payne (ODS) and Marie Machata (independent) voted against the budget.
The budget still has to be signed by the president.
Compared to last year, expenses will increase by about 22 billion
crowns. The Ministry for Labor and Social Affairs will have largest
share of the budget (225 billion crowns). The Army will have more money
- it is going to invest in repairing and buying aircraft. Also, the
Interior, Justice and Education ministries will have more money,
dividing among themselves tens of billions. The Health, Agriculture and
Transportation ministries will receive less than a year ago.
Jan Skala/Ondrej Maly
Chamber of Deputies Passes Law Banning Export to Iran
"You can't get plutonium from ventilators," said Communist deputy
Vojtech Filip about the forthcoming ban on the export of technical
devices for the Bushehr Iranian nuclear power plant by ZVVZ Milevsko
(see Carolina 365). The Chamber of Deputies March 8 decided to ban all
possible exports to the Bushehr power plant.
The law was passed into the Senate and discussions continue about
how to deal with similar export plans. Prime Minister Milos Zeman said
he is afraid other companies will use the state budget for their
enrichment, if state compensation for lost exports does not include only
ZVVZ Milevsko. Compensation should be substitute contracts and financial
help organized by the state worth 230 million crowns. The owner of ZVVZ
Milevsko, GES Holding, presented their own view on compensation:
contracts for a Ukrainian nuclear power plant and an evaluation of the
Iranian export at 500 million crowns.
The government refused to discuss GES Holding's proposals and told
them to sue. The Trade Ministry emphasized in their statement that the
company did not suffered any loss, because the contract had not yet been
signed and ZVVZ Milevsko knew last year about negative reactions toward
the deal.
Marek Uhlir/Veronika Hankusova
Personnel Changes in Government Coming Soon
Shortly after the state budget bill was approved March 3, Prime
Minister Milos Zeman announced that within two days he would inform the
ministers who will be recalled soon. Later that day he met Interior
Minister Vaclav Grulich. Regional Development Minister Jaromir Cisar,
Transportation Minister Antonin Peltram and Minister without Portfolio
Jaroslav Basta met with Zeman March 6. The Social Democrats promised to
reconstruct the government if the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) voted for
the state budget bill, which they did (see above).
Zeman said he had discussed changes in his Cabinet with the above
ministers, who have long been expected to be recalled from the
government. Ministers Grulich and Cisar said after the meetings with
Zeman that he had given them time to think whether they would resign.
Grulich's deadline is in 14 days, while Cisar has to respond by the end
of March.
Media speculate that the likely future ministers will be Social
Democratic Parliamentary Club Chairman Stanislav Gross (Interior), party
Vice Chairman Petr Lachnit (Regional Development), deputy Miroslav
Kapoun (Transportation) and Office of the Government Chief of Staff
Karel Brezina (Minister without Portfolio).
The atmosphere surrounding the changes has been tense for some
time; politicians, including President Vaclav Havel, urged Zeman to act
more quickly and more transparently. The ministers waited with
uncertainty about what Zeman would do. Deputy Prime Minister Pavel
Rychetsky said March 5 that the prepared Cabinet changes are too
extensive.
Jan Skala/Simon Dominik
NEWS IN BRIEF
* U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright does not aspire to be
the Czech president, said a statement presented to the Czech media by
the American Embassy to the Czech Republic in Prague March 1. In
September 1998, Czech President Vaclav Havel hinted publicly that he
would like to see Albright as his successor. According to Havel
spokesman Ladislav Spacek, Havel did not mention Albright as a specific
candidate, he just wanted to describe the type of personality
appropriate for the office of the presidency. The concept of Albright's
candidacy was raised in Time magazine February 28 and Albright said she
was flattered by the speculation, but she will not be a candidate for
the office. She said she loves the place of her birth but her loyalty
belongs to the United States.
* The new Copyright Act, corresponding with EU standards and passed
by the Chamber of Deputies March 3, will bring pronounced changes. The
protection of the copyrights has been prolonged from 50 years to 70
years after the author's death. According to Culture Minister Pavel
Dostal, authors' rights are inalienable, non-transferable and cannot be
given up. The new bill will include dubbers, who no longer will have to
give up the rights to their voices and will get the money from re-runs
of programs they dubbed.
* The Czech Republic lost for the first time at the European Court of
Human Rights. According to the European Court, the Czech Constitutional
Court violated certain rules of legal procedure in the case of the Otto
family, descendants of the Rakona detergent producer, and therefore the
state is obligated to pay more than 10 million crowns in compensation.
Because Rakona was nationalized in 1946, before the Communists took
control in 1948, the Restitution Act does not apply in the case. The
state sold the factory in 1991 and the Otto family began legal
proceedings against the state.
Gabriela Bobkova, Petra Kovacova, Lenka Ludvikova/Darina Johanidesova
FROM SLOVAKIA
Great Britain Supports Slovak EU Membership, Will Still Require Visas
There was no answer for Slovakia concerning when Great Britain will
cancel visa requirements for Slovak citizens. At the same time, London
expressed support for the European integration efforts of Slovakia,
during the one-day visit of British Foreign Minister Robin Cook to
Slovakia March 6.
Although Slovakia expects reassessment of the decision to require
visas from fall 1998 (introduced because of the large number of Romanies
requesting asylum there) later this year, Cook did not make a clear
statement about the issue. In his interview for the daily Pravda and
Slovak Television, he said the problem would be followed. Cook said he
believes the changes taking place in Slovakia and the changes being made
in Britain will combine to change the situation and allow Britain to
re-evaluate its position.
During the first visit to Slovakia by a high-ranking
representative of Great Britain since Premier Mikulas Dzurinda came to
power, Cook spoke about the planned memorial for President Jozef Tiso of
the wartime Nazi puppet state of Slovakia. He complimented the
opposition to the memorial expressed by Slovakia's leaders and said the
West appreciates and respects people who fought against Nazi ideology
and fought in the Slovak National Uprising, and that these people are
heroes worthy of esteem.
Andrea Slovakova/Daniela Vrbova
Slovakia Expects Referendum, Early Elections Not Certain
About 500,000 people have signed a petition to hold a referendum on
calling early elections (the minimum number of signatures for
a referendum is 350,000). The referendum, proposed by the opposition
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS, see Carolina 365), will be
held, but its results will be valid only if more than half of
Slovakia's eligible voters participate. The Constitution, however, gives
the plebiscite the character of a recommendation, which the government
coalition can decide to ignore.
Andrea Slovakova/Daniela Vrbova
ECONOMY
New Mobile Phone Operator on Czech Market
The mobile phone operator Czech Mobile launched commercial
operation of its Oskar network March 1. Czech Mobile is the Czech
market's third mobile phone operator, in addition to Eurotel and
RadioMobil.
By the end of the year Czech Mobile said it hopes to attract up to
200,000 clients, offering low prices and quality service.
The most serious problem for the new operator is its low coverage,
currently reaching about half the Czech population. Czech Mobile says it
will increase coverage to 83 per cent by June and up to 95 per cent by
the end of the year. Czech Mobile also said it plans to sell telephones
on the Internet.
In reaction to Czech Mobile, Eurotel and RadioMobil have reduced
the prices of some of their services.
Czech Mobile is a consortium of the Canadian telecommunication
company Telesystem International Wireless and the local Investment and
Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka, IPB), and with a minority
share held by the Italian company Priority Telecom.
Gabriela Bobkova/Denisa Vitkova
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* Air Ostrava March 1 cancelled because of financial problems its
flights between Prague and Ostrava. The company had daily flown about
200 passengers on two flights each way. The connection between Prague
and Ostrava is now served by the company Fischer Air, which has one
flight daily. In the near future the empty corridor should be filled by
Czech Airlines (CSA), which says it is preparing aircrafts and a flight
schedule.
* In connection to the worldwide rise in oil prices, the price of
gasoline in the Czech Republic continues to climb - drivers now pay more
than 27 crowns for one liter, with further price increases expected.
Pavel Novotny, Lenka Ludvikova/Denisa Vitkova
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid March 10)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 35.545
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.659
Great Britain 1 GBP 58.381
Denmark 1 DKK 4.771
Japan 100 JPY 34.665
Canada 1 CAD 25.341
IMF 1 XDR 49.428
Hungary 100 HUF 13.846
Norway 1 NOK 4.376
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.143
Poland 1 PLN 8.970
Greece 100 GRD 10.652
Slovakia 100 SKK 85.558
Slovenia 100 SIT 17.549
Sweden 1 SEK 4.205
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.129
USA 1 USD 36.939
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 18.174
Belgium 100 BEF 88.114
Finland 1 FIM 5.978
France 1 FRF 5.419
Ireland 1 IEP 45.133
Italy 1000 ITL 18.357
Luxemburg 100 LUF 88.114
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.130
Portugal 100 PTE 17.730
Austria 1 ATS 2.583
Spain 100 ESP 21.363
CULTURE
Return of the Idiot Wins Five Czech Lions
The seventh Czech Lion film awards ceremony took place March 4 in
Prague's Lucerna Palace. The jury of the Czech Motion Picture and
Television Academy chose from the 17 movies filmed in the Czech Republic
in 1999.
The most Lions were taken by the prohibitive favorite, the
bittersweet tragicomedy Return of the Idiot (Navrat idiota). The
10-pound crystal glass statuette was given to Anna Geislerova for Best
Supporting Role, composer Vladimir Godar for the Score, director Sasa
Gedeon for the Original Screenplay and Direction and producer Petr
Oukropec for Best Picture. Five wins out of 11 nominations were still
not the domination many expected, but still represents the
third-largest collection, tied with The Garden (Zahrada). More Lions
were given only to Kolya (six) and to the record-holder from last year,
Sekal Must Die (Je treba zabit Sekala, 10).
The drama Chicken Melancholic (Kure melancholik) received two
statuettes. Awarded were architects Karel Vacek and Vaclav Vohlidal for
Creative Execution and Martin Cech, Jiri Macak and director Jaroslav
Brabec (his second Lion) for Cinematography. Eliska Loves the Wild Life
(Eliska ma rada divocinu) gained one Lion for Sound, the work of Radim
Hladik Jr., Ivo Spalj (both two-time winners) and Radek Rondevald. Two
motion pictures were 100-per-cent successful, turning their one
nomination into an award - Alois Fisarek, a two-time winner, received
a Czech Lion for his Editing of Canary (Kanarek), and Tereza Brodska as
Best Actress for her part in Double Role (Dvojrole). The actress
received her second Lion from the hands of Academy-Award winner William
Hurt. The movie All My Loved Ones (Vsichni moji blizci, see Carolina
349) was honored with a Lion for Jiri Bartoska, the Best Supporting
Actor.
The ceremony was somewhat of a disappointment for the creators of
the popular retro-comedy Cozy Nests (Pelisky) which had six nominations.
The film won the prize as last year's most successful movie at the box
office (it is heading for the 1-million-viewers mark) but took only one
Lion, for Best Actor. That went to Jiri Kodet for his perhaps
once-in-a-lifetime performance. The 62-year-old received the statuette
for the second time in the last three years and did not hide tears of
emotion.
One other Czech cinematography legend appeared on the stage at the
beginning of the ceremony. The Czech Lion for Lifetime Achievement was
given to cameraman Miroslav Ondricek, who filmed most of Milos Forman's
movies and was nominated for an Academy Award for Amadeus. Foreign
directors he worked with include Lindsay Anderson (The White Bus,
If...), George Roy Hill (The World According to Garp), Mike Nichols
(Silkwood) and Penny Marshall (Awakenings, A League of Their Own).
Simon Dominik/Simon Dominik
CULTURE IN BRIEF
* The exhibit Birth of the Metropolis - Modern Architecture and the
City in Central Europe 1890-1937 closed in the Municipal House in Prague
March 1. The exhibit, part of the project Prague European City of
Culture 2000, will move to Montreal, Los Angeles, Vienna and Paris.
* New York musician, producer, essayist, vegetarian and fighter for
animal rights Moby performed in front of a sold-out Lucerna Hall March
6. Moby, a descendant of Herman Melville, presented hits from his last
album and performed songs also done at his last show in Prague two years
ago.
Dita Eckhardtova, Michal Pospisil/Michael Bluhm
SPORTS
Sparta Won First in Champions League
Sparta Praha hosted Hertha Berlin in a UEFA Champions League game
March 7. One week after Sparta tied them in Berlin 1-1, it won 1-0 at
home and with four points in four games it is third in its group's
standings and has a chance to advance.
Milan Fukal's boot from at least 20 meters in the 90th minute
miraculously got past goalie Christian Fiedler. Thanks to Fukal's goal,
Sparta won its first game in the second phase.
"I think we have a chance (to advance) and we'll fight for it.
We'll take it by the throat foremost in the game in Porto, where (the
advance) will be decided," said Coach Ivan Hasek.
Dita Kristanova/Mirek Langer
Slavia Advances to UEFA Cup Quarterfinal
Slavia Praha went to Italy's Udine for a UEFA Cup rematch March 7.
Although Slavia lost 1-2, it advanced to the quarterfinal; the first
game in Prague finished with Slavia's 1-0 win, and Slavia advanced
because it scored more goals on the opponent's pitch.
Slavia opened the game promisingly, but its opponent took the lead.
Stefano Fiore scored after an unintentional pass from Petr Vlcek. Slavia
did not give up. In the 42nd minute Pavel Horvath centered a free kick
and Libor Koller's header tied the score. When the Italian club scored
a second goal after the break, Slavia tightened its defense and
preserved the 1-2 score. Slavia will play Leeds in the quarterfinals.
Dita Kristanova/Mirek Langer
Sparta and Slavia Win on Last-Minute Goals
Liberec, which had not scored a goal in the spring session of the
soccer league, met league's leader Slavia; in an average game, both
teams vainly struggled to score. At the end of the game, Slavia
goalkeeper Radek Cerny saved Lazzaro Liuni's chance, and then Slavia's
Pavel Horvath's shot in added time ended in Liberec's net.
Sparta started the game against Teplice with two early goals from
Miroslav Baranek (in the first and ninth minutes). Sparta then failed to
convert any more chances and its game stalled. Teplice took advantage
and tied within four minutes. In the 89th minute, Petr Fousek's shot hit
Sparta's crossbar. Sparta substitute Tomas Rosicky kicked from the
corner one minute later and Milan Fukal ensured a win for Sparta with
his header.
Results of the 19th round: Liberec - Slavia Praha 0-1, Bohemians
Praha - Zizkov 1-0, Sparta Praha - Teplice 3-2, Ostrava - Drnovice 3-1,
Brno - Opava 1-0, Blsany - Pribram 2-1, Hradec Kralove - Olomouc 0-0,
Ceske Budejovice - Jablonec 2-0.
Standings: 1. Slavia Praha 49, 2. Sparta Praha 45, 3. Drnovice 33,
4. Ceske Budejovice 27, 5. Bohemians Praha 27, 6. Blsany 27, 7. Ostrava
24, 8. Teplice 24, 9. Pribram 24, 10. Olomouc 22, 11. Brno 22, 12.
Liberec 22, 13. Opava 20, 14. Zizkov 17, 15. Hradec Kralove 16, 16.
Jablonec 16.
Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer
Hockey Extraleague: Two Rounds to Playoffs
The two rounds played in the past week (the 49th and 50th) and one
postponed game treated fans to a rain of goals. For example: Havirov
defeated Znojmo in a 49th-round game 8-2. In a game in Kladno, Litvinov
players Karel Sterbak, Daniel Branda, Petr Rosol and Robert Reichel
scored four goals in 114 seconds. Kladno got healthy in the next round,
taking one point from the leader Sparta with a 3-3 tie. Karlovy Vary
forward Miroslav Barus scored three goals (two of them shorthanded) and
added one assist in a game against Havirov. Slavia Praha's Vladimir
Ruzicka, captain of the Nagano Olympics gold-medal winners, played the
last game of his career in Litvinov (his former team). With a good
performance, he helped Slavia to a 4-1 win.
Two teams from the top of the standings, Ceske Budejovice and
Sparta Praha, met in a postponed game of the 43rd round played March 7.
In the second period, Budejovice led 7-2, but the game finished with
a thrilling 7-6 win. Ceske Budejovice has not lost in its last 25 home
games.
Results of the 49th round: Sparta Praha - Karlovy Vary 4-0, Vsetin
- Plzen 1-2,, Havirov - Znojmo 8-2, Ceske Budejovice - Slavia Praha
4-2, Pardubice - Vitkovice 4-2, Litvinov - Kladno 6-2, Trinec - Zlin
5-3.
Results of the 50th round: Slavia Praha - Litvinov 4-1, Plzen
- Trinec 3-4, Zlin - Pardubice 5-2, Vitkovice - Ceske Budejovice 6-1,
Kladno - Sparta Praha 3-3, Karlovy Vary - Havirov 8-2, Znojmo - Vsetin
3-3.
Postponed game of the 43rd round: Ceske Budejovice - Sparta Praha
7-6.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 73, 2. Zlin 62, 3. Trinec 61, 4. Vsetin
61, 5. Ceske Budejovice 60, 6. Plzen 59, 7. Litvinov 54, 8. Pardubice
44, 9. Znojmo 43, 10. Slavia Praha 39, 11. Karlovy Vary 38, 12. Kladno
37, 13. Havirov 36, 14. Vitkovice 33.
Jaroslav Sauer/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
My winter boots fell apart unexpectedly yesterday. Never mind,
I told myself and fished out my spring shoes from the closet. Aaaargh,
cold, wet weather with temperatures about 3 degrees Celsius/37 degrees
Fahrenheit reprimanded me severely for being an early bird. But what to
do? Use my ski boots? Perpetual rains in the mountains made the snow
melt so fast that the Labe and Jizera rivers overflowed their banks and
flooded (after deadline) the streets of Trutnov, Zelezny Brod and
Hostinne.
Petra Kovacova/Milan Smid
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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