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Carolina (English) No 334
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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 334, Friday, May 28, 1999.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (May 19 - May 26)
Havel in Hospital Again
President Vaclav Havel was diagnosed May 18 with symptoms of
a light virus of his upper respiratory tract. Even though doctors did
not expect any serious complications and did not prescribe any
antibiotics for the president, Havel was May 19 brought to the Military
Hospital in Prague's Stresovice neighborhood. According to presidential
spokesman Ladislav Spacek, Havel might be showing signs of chronic
bronchitis. Doctors began giving the president antibiotics and managed
to control his bronchial infection and to improve his overall condition.
There were plans to release the president May 26 and have medical
personnel care for him at his home.
Havel was forced to postpone the May 27 planned visit of Lithuanian
President Valdas Adamkus. Discussions on Havel visiting the Balkans have
also been put aside. The rest of his schedule should not be affected.
Havel has a history of respiratory problems. In 1996 the president
underwent an operation to remove a malignant lung tumor. Since then
Havel has suffered from respiratory viruses four times. The last time,
in November, Havel was hospitalized for a week.
Alena Smrzova/Sofia Karakeva
After deadline: Doctors May 26 delayed Havel's release from hospital,
because his infection has not receded.
Czech-Greek Peace Proposal Meets with Silence in Brussels
NATO General Secretary Javier Solana has refused to comment on the
Czech-Greek Peace Proposal for resolving the Kosovo crisis, presented to
him May 25 by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and Greek Foreign
Minister Jorgos Papandreu.
The Czech Republic and Greece propose an end to the bombing of
Yugoslavia as a gesture of good will. NATO, however, insists that in
order to end air raids the Serbians have to remove their soldiers from
Kosovo, one of the terms accepted at the beginning of May by the G8. The
Czech-Greek initiative does not require the withdrawal of military,
police and paramilitary units from Kosovo. The initiative proposes mixed
police units, which should, together with UN peace forces, assure the
return of refugees.
According to the Czech media, the initiative met with a negative
reaction from some politicians of NATO member countries, including the
Czech Republic and Greece. They pointed out that the proposal was being
discussed with countries outside NATO, such as Russia, China and
Yugoslavia. Former Czech Defense Minister and current Freedom Union
Parliament deputy Michal Lobkowicz said he considers the peace proposal
a step toward dissolving NATO's cohesion. He said it was a mockery of
NATO that Kavan and Papandreu signed the proposal in China, which had
its embassy in Belgrade mistakenly bombed by allied forces. Petr Necas
(Civic Democratic Party), chairman of Parliament's Defense and Security
Committee, said he does not like the idea of the mixed police units. He
said he doubts whether Albanians will return to Kosovo in the presence
of the Serbians who drove them out of their homes. On the other hand,
Lubomir Zaoralek (Social Democrat), chairman of Parliament's Foreign
Committee, welcomed the initiative and said he hopes the Czech Republic
will continue to be active internationally in the future.
Alena Smrzova/Sofia Karakeva
Klaus and Ruml Go to Prcice
Among the 10,755 hikers taking part in the 34th year of the
legendary Praha-Prcice march were Parliament Chamber of Deputies
Chairman Vaclav Klaus and Freedom Union (US) Chairman Jan Ruml. "We each
came from somewhere else and met in Prcice, it's a good beginning," said
Ruml in connection with the government coalition negotiations he
proposed to Klaus May 17. The Prcice mayor offered Klaus and Ruml the
Prcice Town Hall for negotiations for the symbolic fee of one crown.
Alena Smrzova/Jakub Jirovec
FROM SLOVAKIA
Large Voter Turnout Expected for Presidential Election
Most polls predict that about two-thirds of eligible voters will
come out for the presidential election runoff May 29. That would mean
the same turnout as in the first round, although the number of voters
might be influenced by the hot weather predicted for the weekend.
Polls say Kosice Mayor and Party of Civic Understanding (SOP)
Chairman Rudolf Schuster should receive about 56 per cent of the vote.
His rival, former Premier and current Movement for a Democratic Slovakia
(HZDS) Chairman Vladimir Meciar, should expect about 40 per cent of the
vote.
Experts assume Schuster will rake in votes given in the first round
to actress Magda Vasaryova, while Meciar should tally votes cast in the
first round for Zilina Mayor and Chairman of the ultra-nationalist
Slovak National Party (SNS) Jan Slota.
Chairman of the Czech Republic's Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and
Parliament's Chamber of Deputies Vaclav Klaus made waves with his
comments on the election. Klaus said to the Slovak daily Narodna obroda
May 18: "I think Slovakia, just like the Czech Republic, should in its
presidental election vote for a candidate who has a strong political
idea behind him, a political opinion group, a group of people. If
a politician is a totally isolated soloist, he has no chance to do
anything. Among the Slovak politicians, I would vote someone from this
category. Vladimir Meciar definitely belongs there."
Katerina Kolarova/Katerina Kolarova
ECONOMY
CKD Shuts down, Workers Protest
About 1,000 CKD Transport Systems employees gathered May 24 in
front of CKD Holding headquarters mainly to protest their forced layoff
and the fact that approximately 1,800 employees have not received their
wages since March 18. The employees also called for restructuring the
holding's assets, which is also one of the conditions of CKD's creditors
and banking consortium for the resumption of production. The company
needs 2.5 billion crowns for production and wages, and 900 million
crowns to begin work on new orders. CKD has 7.5 billion crowns in loans
and share capital of 4.74 billion crowns.
Changes could occur May 28, when CKD's biggest creditors (the
Investment and Post Bank (IPB), the Consolidation Bank and the Czech
Savings Bank (CS)) will meet to discuss the situation. "A creditor
committee should be formed and a standstill agreement made," said IPB
spokeswoman Barbora Tacheci for the daily Hospodarske noviny May 25.
Such an agreement would ensure that the banks will not force CKD
into bankruptcy but will provide it with time to recover and partial
financial stabilization. Discussions on restructuring could also begin.
The first step was the resignation of CKD Holding General Director and
Chairman of the Board Jiri Marousek May 24. Employees and creditors
demand he give up the approximately 38 per cent of CKD he owns through
his company INPRO.
Zuzana Galova/Denisa Vitkova
Consumption Tax Will Rise, Income Taxes to Fall
The Government's third try at raising the consumption tax was
successful in Parliament may 21. From July 1, gas, oil and cigarettes
will be more expensive. Beginning next year, entrepreneurs can expect
tax cuts.
One liter of gas will cost 1.39 crowns more, motor oil 1.14 crowns
more and a pack of cigarettes an average of 1.12 crowns more. Corporate
income tax will decrease next year from 35 per cent to 31 per cent,
while individual income tax in the highest bracket of more than 1.1
million crowns annually will decline from 39 per cent to 32 per cent,
and taxes on dividends will decline from 25 per cent to 15 per cent.
Finance Minister Ivo Svoboda said he expects the changes will bring
increased revenues to the state ranging from 3 billion crowns to 4
billion crowns. The budget deficit could thus decrease to 40 billion
crowns, he said.
Zuzana Galova/Denisa Vitkova
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* There has been no decision made as to which foreign suitor will be
sold the state's share of the Czechoslovak Trade Bank (Ceskoslovenska
obchodni banka, CSOB). The Government was to decide May 26, but Finance
Minister Ivo Svoboda announced to the surprise of fellow Cabinet members
one day earlier that the sale will be discussed May 31. The finalists
are Deutsche Bank, Hypovereinsbank and KBC Bank.
Tomas Kohout/Jan Martinek
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid May 28)
------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 37.825
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 23.675
Great Britain 1 GBP 57.749
Denmark 1 DKK 5.092
Japan 100 JPY 29.717
Canada 1 CAD 24.736
IMF 1 XDR 48.851
Hungary 100 HUF 15.176
Norway 1 NOK 4.593
New Zealand 1 NZD 19.532
Poland 1 PLN 9.114
Greece 100 GRD 11.640
Slovakia 100 SKK 81.843
Slovenia 100 SIT 19.891
Sweden 1 SEK 4.219
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.746
USA 1 USD 36.325
Exchange Rates of countries particpating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 19.340
Belgium 100 BEF 93.766
Finland 1 FIM 6.362
France 1 FRF 5.766
Ireland 1 IEP 48.028
Italy 1000 ITL 19.535
Luxemburg 100 LUF 93.766
Netherlands 1 NLG 17.164
Portugal 100 PTE 18.867
Austria 1 ATS 2.749
Spain 100 ESP 22.733
CULTURE
Zlin Animated by Childrens' Movies
The 38th International Childrens' Film Festival is taking place May
24-28 in Zlin. The festival's gala opening, however, presented a movie
for all ages, the new film Return of Paradise Lost (Navrat ztraceneho
raje) from Vojtech Jasny, respected director from the 1960's
Czechoslovak New Wave who has long lived in New York and taught film and
Columbia University. The reason was not only the fact that the film was
shot in in Moravia but also because Jasny presided over the
international jury of the festival last year. The official five-member
international jury will vote on awards, and a 17-member childrens' jury
will vote on its special prize.
Fifteen films from 13 countries are to participate in the festival
competition, among them two new Czech fairy tales: Lucky as Hell
(Z pekla stesti), directed by Zdenek Troska (see Carolina 323), and The
Emperor and the Drummer (Cisar a tambor) from director Vaclav Kristek.
The bulk of the screened movies consist of childrens' dramas, but the
Zlin audience will have the opportunity to see animated films and Czech
childrens' classics like Indians from Vetrov (Indiani z Vetrova) and The
Top Boys (Pani kluci) as well.
Several cultural events are taking place in Zlin simultaneusly with
the festival, e.g. the exhibition of early photographic works by
Alexander Hackenschmied (living in the USA under the name Alex Hamid),
the presentation of artwork from visually impaired children, an exhibit
by painter Libor Vojkuvka and an auction of decorated clapper-boards,
the proceeds of which are to be given to the local film school in Zlin.
Part of the festival's program will take place in the nearby Moravian
towns of Veseli nad Moravou, Kromeriz a Kyjov.
Petra Machova/Milan Smid
This Year's World of Books Belongs to France
The World of Books international book fair took place May 20-23 at
the Prague Fairgrounds (Vystaviste). About 590 foreign exhibitors from
18 countries took part in the fifth year of the fair. France was the
most visible country, represented by writers like Pierre Assoulin and
Yves Berger.
Many special programs went on during the exhibition, such as talks
with famous mountaineer Reinhold Messner and French artist Jean-Jacques
Sempe.
Petra Machova/Jakub Jirovec
Metallica Plays in Prague
Some 20,000 people came May 25 to Prague's Slavia Stadium to see
American heavy-metal colossus Metallica. Although the opening acts were
to begin at 5 p.m., fans started filling the stadium in the morning.
Because Metallica arrived in Prague later than expected, the opening
acts, which included Simoriah (Australia), Mercyful Fate (Denmark) and
Monster Magnet (USA), began at 6 p.m.. Metallica took the stage at about
10 p.m. and played for more than two hours.
Petra Machova/Jan Martinek
SPORTS
Prague Marathon Lures Record Number of Participants
Kenya's Eluid Keiring won the fifth edition of the Prague
International Marathon May 23. Keiring took part in his first marathon
and finished in 2:11:19. In the finish he overcame another surprise
leader, Russia's Dimitri Kapitonov. Italian favorite Franca Fiacconi was
the best women's finisher. The best Czech finishers, Martin Klimes
(14th overall) and Tatana Metelkova (eighth among the women),
automatically became the winners of the Czech Republic championship.
This year's edition of the run, which continues to become more
popular, saw more than 3,400 participants at the start of the marathon,
while thousands more took part in additional races: the in-line
marathon, the junior marathon for relay teams and two non-competitive
runs of nine and 4.5 kilometers.
The race was started by Jan Zelezny, the best javelin thrower of
the 90's, assisted by his two English training partners, javelin thrower
Steve Backley and triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards.
Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer
Teplice Will Participate in Soccer Champions League Qualification Round
Teplice players recorded their greatest success ever in the soccer
league, defeating Slavia Praha 3-1 in the 29th round. Fans in the
sold-out Teplice Stadium celebrated their squad assuring themselves of
second place in the league's final standings, which qualifies them for
next year's Champions League qualification round.
Jablonec needs at least a tie in its next game to stay in the
league next season, Plzen has to win or can be saved with an Opava loss
against Ostrava. Opava's chances to avoid relegation are mostly
hypothetical if it does not win.
Three teams can still advance to the UEFA Cup from fourth place in
the final standings: Ostrava, Olomouc and Blsany. The teams are bunched,
with only six points separating eighth and 15th place.
Results of the 29th round: Teplice - Slavia Praha 3-1, Jablonec -
Hradec Kralove 1-2, Zizkov - Plzen 3-0, Pribram - Opava 3-1, Blsany -
Liberec 2-2, Ostrava - Drnovice 2-1, Brno - Karvina 4-2, Sparta Praha -
Olomouc 2-2.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 60, 2. Teplice 55, 3. Slavia Praha 52,
4. Ostrava 44, 5. Olomouc 44, 6. Blsany 42, 7. Brno 40, 8. Zizkov 37, 9.
Hradec Kralove 36, 10. Drnovice 36, 11. Liberec 35, 12. Pribram 33, 13.
Jablonec 32, 14. Plzen 32, 15. Opava 31, 16. Karvina 22.
Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer
Slavia Praha Wins Soccer's Czech Cup
Slavia Praha managed to compensate for its disappointing finish in
the soccer league by defeating Liberec in overtime in the
Czech-Moravian Soccer Union Cup May 25. It advanced to the first round
of the UEFA Cup, which will be united with the Cup Winners Cup.
Slavia was slightly better during the game than Liberec, which
defended well in the first half and was more active after the break. In
the 8th minute of overtime, Vladimir Malar and Robert Vagner set up
a goal for Pavel Horvath, Slavia's best player.
Slavia won its first Cup in 1997, while last year belonged to
Drnovice.
Petr Novy/Mirek Langer
Hockey Extraleague's Trophies Go Mainly to Vsetin and Sparta Players
Sportswriters' awards for the best players of the Staropramen
Hockey Extraleague were handed out during a ceremony in Prague's Zofin
May 20. Vsetin and Sparta players each got three trophies, Zlin has two
and Slavia, Ceske Budejovice and Trinec each won one.
Only one trophy was not voted on by journalists - a nationwide poll
decided that Martin Prochazka of Vsetin was the league's best player. He
also received the trophy as the best player in the playoffs.
Sportswriters, unlike the fans, proclaimed Jiri Dopita of Vsetin the
best player in the league.
Winners of other trophies: Best goalie: Roman Cechmanek (Vsetin),
best defenseman: Frantisek Kucera (Sparta Praha), best rookie: Vaclav
Pletka (Trinec), best goal scorer: David Vyborny (Sparta Praha), points
leader: Jan Hlavac (Sparta Praha), most sportsmanlike: Roman Meluzin
(Zlin), best veteran: Vladimir Ruzicka (Slavia Praha), best coach:
Zdenek Venera (Zlin), best referee: Frantisek Rejthar, most valuable
player: Vaclav Kral (Ceske Budejovice).
Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Czech soccer player Pavel Nedved of the Italian club Lazio Rome
scored the deciding goal of the Cup Winners Cup against Mallorca (final
score 2-1) and became the first and last Czech to win the trophy - the
Cup Winners Cup will be combined with the UEFA Cup.
* Slavia Praha handball players defeated Veseli nad Moravou 3-1 in
the best-of-five final series of the women's league and won the Czech
Republic champions' title.
Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Those who have not yet taken their summer vacation are wondering
what the weather will be like this summer. Those who went sunbathing at
Czech ponds made no mistake, because the weather has been beautiful:
temperatures are about 20 Celsius degrees/68 degrees Fahrenheit. A heat
wave is predicted for the end of the month, while now we have to cope
with humidity. The most affected group were runners in the Prague
Marathon May 23, many of whom appeared to have broken a sweat by the end
of the race. Typical Czech gardeners also worked up a sweat just
watering their plants. Fortunately, the nights were often visited by
rain.
Katerina Kolarova/Katerina Kolarova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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