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Carolina (English) No 353
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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 353, Friday, November 26, 1999.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 17 - November 24)
Josef Lux Died
Josef Lux, former Chairman of the Christian Democratic Union
- Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL) and deputy prime minister from
1992-1998, died November 22 at the Fred Hutchinson Clinic in Seattle. He
succumbed to pneumonia, which was discovered November 7, when Lux had to
be transferred from homecare to an intensive care unit.
Lux underwent a bone marrow transplant September 24. The operation
was considered successful and Lux had survived the first critical month
without major problems, his condition was improving and doctors
considered his progress promising.
Lux's death shocked the Czech political scene. President Vaclav
Havel said Lux was "an open man, honorable, who did not know intrigue,
who knew how to listen to others, knew how to communicate and within
a few years grew into a significant Czech politician." Havel was in
touch with Lux and his family during Lux's stay in Seattle.
Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Vaclav Klaus also expressed his
grief; "I experienced many dramatic and historic moments with him,
I experienced moments of fruitful cooperation and political rivalry. In
all cases I valued him as a man aware of his goals, thorough and
hard-working, who did not hesitate to use all his strength to push
through the ideals he firmly believed in," said Klaus. The Government
paid its respects to Lux with a minute of silence at its November 22.
At a press conference afterwards, Prime Minister Milos Zeman said,
"a good man has left and I am deeply sorry. It is said in politics that
a man has no friends and, moreover, he has no friends among his
political opponents. I would like to say I greatly esteemed Josef Lux
even though he was chairman of another, opposition political party and
I considered him a friend."
Lux's successor on the post of KDU-CSL Chairman Jan Kasal said for
Czech Radio: "We are sorry about the death of Josef Lux, we are sorry
for his family, wife, mother. Josef Lux was an exemplary Christian
Democrat, husband and father. These all are things that, I think, allow
the majority of our nation, the majority of our fellow citizens to
remember Josef Lux with respect and love."
Representatives of the Catholic Church and civic associations also
expressed their grief over Lux's death.
Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Ondrej Maly
Lux One of the Most Respected Politicians of the 90's
Josef Lux was born in Usti nad Orlici February 1, 1956. After
graduation from the Agricultural University in Brno, Lux worked in the
agricultural cooperative in Zalsi until 1990. His political career began
in 1982 when he entered the Czechoslovak People's Party (CSL) and became
vice chairman of the district committee in Usti nad Orlici. In 1990 Lux
was elected to the Federal Assembly and became the chairman of the
party. At the elections in 1992 his party was known as the Christian
Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL). At that time
he became deputy prime minister and minister of agriculture. He stayed
in these functions until current Prime Minister Milos Zeman's Social
Democrats won the elections in 1998.
Lux was known in the Government of former Prime Minister Vaclav
Klaus for his critical views on liberal policies and he gained
a reputation as a successful negotiator. It was the withdrawal of Lux's
Christian Democrats that brought about the fall of Klaus' last
Government in December 1997.
In September 1998 Lux resigned from all his political and party
functions except his seat in the legislature because of leukemia. Lux
was married and had six children - four daughters and two sons.
Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova
Havel Invites Yugoslav Opposition Representatives to Istanbul
Czech President Vaclav Havel situated himself into the role of
mediator in the dialogue between Europe and Yugoslavia when he invited
the Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic and Serbian opposition
representatives Vuk Draskovic and Zoran Djindjic to the summit of
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The summit
took place November 18-19 and all member states of the OSCE were
present. The situation in Yugoslavia was the second-most discussed topic
after Chechnya. Yugoslavia itself has not been in the OSCE since 1992.
Havel's initiative was appreciated by US Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright and representatives of the EU, but on the contrary
angred Belgrade. Yugoslav ambassador to Prague Djoko Stojicic protested
at the Foreign Ministry, calling the act intervention in internal
Yugoslav matters.
Jan Skala/Ondrej Maly
Maticni Wall Comes down November 24
On November 23, the City Council of Usti nad Labem decided to tear
down the ceramic fence in Maticni Street. The decision was the result of
criticism from the European Union and the Czech Government. Also, the
Government promised to set aside 10 million crowns for Nestemice, the
area of Usti nad Labem where the wall stands. The town council is going
to use 3.6 million to purchase the family houses from people who don't
want to live there anymore.
The history of the wall was very complicated. The decision to
build it was made in September 1998 as a result of complaints from the
home-dwellers in Maticni Street who minded the noise from the opposite
apartment blocks. Those were occupied by people who had not paid rent,
which meant mostly Romanies. The wall was built, destroyed and built
again. Since that time, demonstrations and manifestations have taken
place there, Romany leaders have camped there for several days. Soon,
the wall became a symbol of racial hatred and an international
embarrassment.
Removal of the fence should cost 56,000 crowns. The rest of the
state funds shall be used for the improvement of the flats, the
demolition of one old empty house and other social programs.
Alzbeta Trousilova/DanielaVrbova
Opinion Polls: Democracy Fine, but Does Not Work
The daily Lidove noviny published the results of a public opinion
poll asking for respondents' feelings 10 years after the fall of
communism. Most of the respondents said the current regime is better
than the communist regime, but they are not content with democracy.
"People think democracy is a good system, but its merits are not being
fulfilled," said sociologist Jan Spousta. The Sofres-Factum poll shows
that two-thirds of the respondents think that their living standard is
worse than it was under the communist regime.
Jakub Tronicek/Jakub Jirovec
Student Leaders of 1989 Demand Top Politicians' Resignation
Six student leaders of 1989 November 18 published an appeal called
Thank You, Now Leave! demanding the resignation of most political
leaders. The authors declare that they are "deeply disgusted and
outraged by the current political representation's performance." The
student leaders also wrote that they feel deceived by an arrogant
political power and they demand "the return of decency, morality,
political correctness and human orientation."
In the end, they call on the top political representatives to
resign in the Czech Republic's interest. There are no specific names in
the text, but the authors said they mean mainly Prime Minister Milos
Zeman and the Civic Democratic Party Chairman Vaclav Klaus. Zeman called
the declaration an "adolescent appeal," while Klaus said the six authors
represent one-millionth of the nation and advised them to establish
a political party. The appeal was supported by President Vaclav Havel,
Cardinal Miloslav Vlk and leaders of the Four Party-Coalition. The text
has been signed by more than 100,000 citizens.
Iva Potrebova/Jakub Jirovec
The Return of Lines, Empty Shelves and Arrogant Shop Assistants
Communism returned to Prague November 20. Fortunately, only to
Wenceslas Square and the Totality Folk Museum. The little square which
represented the face of Czech towns during the 1970's and 1980's was
designed by architect David Vavra.
The museum consisted of a few stands that looked like shops from
the communist era. The visitor of this happening who took part in the
Win a Goulash competition had not an easy task - he had to visit each
shop, wait in a long queue (maybe the most characteristic symbol of
communist times) and receive a stamp. In the greengrocery, the
competitor had to find a perfectly ripe orange in a box full of moldy
ones, in the butchery he was forced to accept the only sort of meat that
was in stock no matter how green it was; the pig's head in the show
window was saved for the party secretary. The state office was the worst
- moody clerks shouted at everyone who dared to ask them anything. All
this took place under the constant supervision of police officers and
People's Militia members who were played, like everybody else, by
students of the Dramatic Arts Academy.
Those who did not want to stand in the queues and listen to
communist poems anymore could have gone to take part in a rally which
took place every hour. This unauthorized meeting was always dispersed
and anti-socialist elements were beaten with a stick. Those who still
did not have enough could have filled in an application for
a hard-currency account that was essential for travelling to the West.
If they were lucky the clerk did not reject it.
Simon Dominik/Simon Dominik
Ten Years After Commemorative Concert
The Ten Years After concert November 20 on Prague's Wenceslas
Square commemorated the fall of the communism in 1989. The crowd of some
7,000 listened to musicians connected with the Velvet Revolution of
1989 - Jaroslav Hutka, the Eben brothers, Ivan Hlas, Jan Burian, Bara
Basikova with her band Stromboli and Prague Select (Prazsky vyber). In
the beginning and at the end, Marta Kubisova, a pop singer banned and
vilified by the communists, sang her famous protest song A Prayer For
Martha (Modlitba pro Martu). Present was also President Vaclav Havel
with his wife and Archbishop Vaclav Maly and music journalist Jiri
Cerny.
Daniela Vrbova/Daniela Vrbova
Skinheads Attack Romany Party in Ceske Budejovice
Shortly before midnight November 20, some 30 to 50 skinheads
attacked a party of Romanies in Ceske Budejovice. The skinheads then
damaged the bar (whose owner is said to be anarchist) and injured two
members of the bar's staff. In the end, seven Gypsies, two policemen and
one skinhead were reported injured. Two of the skinheads were charged
with rioting and property damage.
Jakub Trnka/Daniela Vrbova
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The Foreign Ministry reacted November 22 to the official protest of
the Russian Federation against Chechnya Foreign Minister Ilyas
Achmadov's recent visit to Prague (see Carolina 352). The ministry's
statement said "the progress of Russian military and security forces in
Chechnya has long ceased being an internal matter of the Russian
Federation because it continuously violates human rights and civilians
are suffering from this conflict." It also pointed out that the Czech
Republic accepts and supports Russia's territorial integrity, and hopes
Czech-Russian relations will not suffer from the issue.
Gabriela Bobkova/Sofia Karakeva
* Jiri Havlicek, 43, will most likely succeed the late Josef Lux (see
above) in the Chamber of Deputies. Havlicek is now an advisor to Senate
Vice Chairman Petr Pithart and vice chairman of the Christian Democrats'
Havlickuv Brod .
Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Ondrej Maly
* CNTS Director Jan Vavra and Prime Minister Milos Zeman discussed
the situation of TV NOVA November 19. According to Vavra, who initiated
the meeting, they discussed possible solutions to the TV NOVA dispute
(see Carolina 351).
Gabriela Bobkova/Sofia Karakeva
* After six months of investigation, former Finance Minister Ivo
Svoboda and his assistant Barbora Snopkova were arrested and charged
with damaging creditors November 23. Both face 12 years of prison if
convicted for embezzling 6.5 million crowns from the Investment and
Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka). The police believe Svoboda
and Snopkova did not use the bank loan for the baby-carriage factory
Liberta, which they controlled, but transferred the money to their other
companies, Zora-Euro and Omnia.
Marika Pechackova/Sofia Karakeva
FROM SLOVAKIA
Albright visits Bratislava
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Slovakia November
22. She met with Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and spoke at
Bratislava's Comenius University, where she expressed unconditional
support for Slovakia's membership in the EU and NATO. Albright said that
in the last year Slovakia had done a great deal to prepare for joining
NATO. "Slovakia is on the right path and is evaluated positively as
a state that contributes to the stability of the entire region." She
also said the US supports Slovakia's accession to the EU and Slovakia
will very probably be invited to begin discussing membership at the
EU's summit next month.
She then offered Slovakia US assistance in consultations with NATO,
with the Slovak Army, in developing trade-balance and economic reform,
and also support against corruption. Albright launched her speech at
Comenius University by saying in Slovak: "When I was born I was
a Czechoslovak and partially I will always be a Czechoslovak."
Tereza Tesarikova/Sofia Karakeva
Slovakia Celebrates November 17
Slovakia also celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Velvet
Revolution in 1989. The main organizers of celebrations in the center of
Bratislava were former student leaders, dissidents Jan Langos and Jan
Budaj and artists who were active around November 17.
In Bratislava's Slovak National Uprising Square, former dissident
leader and present Justice Minister Jan Carnogursky described the last
10 years: "Many wishes have come true. Our towns and villages look
better, the best Volkswagens are made in Bratislava, we can travel the
entire world, and, most importantly, we do not have to be afraid. Let's
be proud of what we have achieved, although we have not achieved
everything to which we committed ourselves." He also said "going back is
impossible."
The celebration closed with a concert by an 80-member orchestra and
fireworks, like in Prague's Wenceslas Square.
Tereza Tesarikova/Sofia Karakeva
ECONOMY
Government Still Refuses to Sell Remaining Stake in Skoda Auto to
Volkswagen
The German concern Volkswagen repeated its offer (see Carolina
346) to buy the state's remaining 30-per-cent stake in carmaker Skoda
Auto. Volkswagen owns 70 per cent of the Mlada Boleslav company. The
Government discussed Volkswagen's offer November 22.
Volkswagen is offering 8 billion crowns for the remaining stake;
Prime Minister Milos Zeman said the sum is unrealistic. He said the
Government will first inform Volkswagen about its counteroffer.
According to a Finance Ministry document, the state could ask up to 20
billion crowns.
The Cabinet has not yet agreed on a date to sell the share. Finance
Minister Pavel Mertlik would like to sell the stake by the end of 1999;
Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr wants to wait until Volkswagen builds
a new factory.
Lubos Kratochvil/Denisa Vitkova
Union Bank Wins 1.8 Billion Crowns from Czech National Bank
The Regional Commercial Court in Prague decided November 17 that
the Czech National Bank (CNB) has to pay 1.8 billion crowns to Union
Bank because Union Bank took over the Skala Banking House. A lower court
made the same decision in April, but CNB appealed at that time.
The decision could accelerate the sale of the Union Group
(including Union Bank) to a strategic investor. There are many parties
interested in Union Group, whether in buying specific parts (Union
Insurance Company or the Polish Industrial Bank, for example) or the
group as the whole. The tender, organized by Deutsche Bank, was
postponed until the end of the year because of the dispute.
The CNB has 15 days to appeal to the High Court, and the central
bank has also been discussing the possibility of settling the dispute
out of court.
Jaroslav Svelch/Denisa Vitkova
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid November 26)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 36.120
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.447
Great Britain 1 GBP 57.110
Denmark 1 DKK 4.857
Japan 100 JPY 33.890
Canada 1 CAD 24.153
IMF 1 XDR 48.583
Hungary 100 HUF 14.200
Norway 1 NOK 4.431
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.133
Poland 1 PLN 8.403
Greece 100 GRD 10.995
Slovakia 100 SKK 83.930
Slovenia 100 SIT 18.361
Sweden 1 SEK 4.204
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.580
USA 1 USD 35.408
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 18.468
Belgium 100 BEF 89.539
Finland 1 FIM 6.075
France 1 FRF 5.506
Ireland 1 IEP 45.863
Italy 1000 ITL 18.654
Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.539
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.391
Portugal 100 PTE 18.017
Austria 1 ATS 2.625
Spain 100 ESP 21.709
CULTURE
Director Fero Fenic Resurrects Czechoslovak Television
Uninformed viewers must have been petrified when they turned on
their television sets November 20. First static, then the test pattern
and finally the animated theme of communist Czechoslovak Television
(CST) appeared at 8 a.m. on Czech Television 2. There were shots from
coal mines, ironworks and glassworks with the subtitle "We are switching
to the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic", and the anchorman in the
morning news program announced it was November 20, 1989. CST came back
to life for one day to remind people what television looked like under
communism.
Fero Fenic, creator of the project, did not broadcast only
programming from November 20, but compiled his 16-hour odyssey from
other 1989 excerpts. Only the news and weather forecast explicitly
discussed November 20.
Not everything was found in Czech Television's archive - short
daily news updates and the weather forecast were not saved, and had to
be filmed again according to original scripts. The same applied to the
appearances of announcers - Milos Fryba from Prague and Elena Galanova
from Bratislava. No one who had to be filmed again objected, and they
willingly returned to the screen. The word Czechoslovak in the name of
the programming was not the only reminder of federation times - Fenic's
program was broadcast not only in the Czech Republic, but also in
Slovakia - the first shared daylong broadcast since the split of
Czechoslovakia.
Viewers saw army and police magazines, a course in Russian, a drama
about the troubles of a military school student, old commercials and
dead air during the transfer of broadcasting from Prague to Bratislava
and vice versa. Extra attention was drawn to a propaganda documentary
about anti-communist groups in Czechoslovakia and a discussion with
a then-famous female reciter of poems.
The Czechoslovak national anthem ended broadcasting shortly before
midnight, but Fenic's program was not over. An eight-hour special called
The Velvet Night began. It consisted of uncut material filmed during
rallies against the communist regime in 1988 and 1989. Special attention
was paid to a speech of Milos Jakes, former first secretary of the
Communist Party. His terrible speech, feeble in its language and
content, became a legend in its time.
The Velvet Night also hinted at the present with three extracts
from news coverage which showed the Czech Republic 10 years after
- joining NATO, a critical report from the European Union and the rising
voter preferences of the Communist Party.
Simon Dominik/Simon Dominik
Jiri Orten Prize for Novelist Pavel Brycz
The Jiri Orten Prize, given to authors under 30 years of age, was
presented November 18 to Pavel Brycz for his short-story collection I Am
the City (Jsem mesto) from 1998. The competition is arranged every year
by the publishing house Mlada Fronta, the city of Prague and The
Independent Science, Art and Education Support Committee. The award was
given to the 30-year-old writer from Roudnice nad Labem by
a five-member jury led by Antonin Jelinek, the Writers' Community
chairman. The organizers of the competition have supported young authors
of poetry and prose since 1986. Past winners include Petr Placak, Vit
Kremlicka, Michal Viewegh and Petr Borkovec.
Jan Vedral Jr./Jaroslav Sauer
SPORTS
Champions League: Sparta Loses to Porto 0-2
A mistake by defender Petr Gabriel, who missed the ball when trying
to kick it away and let Porto striker Mario Jardel score, decided the
game between Sparta and Porto. Sparta lost its first game in the
Champions League quarterfinal group 0-2. Jardel showed his great form
- he has an average of one goal per match.
Porto coach Fernando Santos said, "we did not win thanks to
Sparta's mistakes, but thanks to our excellent play." Particularly after
the break Porto was clearly better than Sparta. Not even the entry of
striker Horst Siegl helped Sparta, and so the Prague team lost for the
first time in this year's Champions League after Jardel's goal.
Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer
After deadline: UEFA Cup Third Round, First Leg: Slavia Praha - Steaua
Bucuresti 4-1.
Soccer League: Prague Teams Rule Standings
In the 14th round of the soccer league, three of the four Prague
clubs won. Slavia kept first place and will lead the standings after 15
rounds, the halfway point of the season. Sparta still occupies second
place, Bohemians (last season in the second league) moved into third
after defeating Liberec 2-0. Sparta hammered Olomouc 6-0, last season's
top scorer Horst Siegl scored two goals. Slavia had troubles converting
chances in Ceske Budejovice, but finally managed a 1-0 win, decided in
the 34th minute by Tomas Dosek's goal.
Results of the 14th round: Sparta Praha - Olomouc 6-0, Bohemians
Praha - Liberec 2-0, CeskeBudejovice - Slavia Praha 0-1, Teplice
- Drnovice 2-2, Pribram - Opava 1-0, Ostrava - Hradec Kralove 2-2, Brno
- Blsany 3-0, Jablonec - Zizkov 3-0.
Standings: 1. Slavia Praha 34, 2. Sparta Praha 30, 3. Bohemians
Praha 24, 4. Drnovice 24, 5. Ostrava 21, 6. Teplice 20, 7. Ceske
Budejovice 20, 8. Brno 18, 9. Jablonec 16, 10. Pribram 16, 11. Liberec
15, 12. Blsany 14, 13. Opava 13, 14. Hradec Kralove 13, 15. Olomouc 13,
16. Zizkov 11.
Jaroslav Sauer/Mirek Langer
Hockey Extraleague: Reichel Dangerous, Vitkovice Harmless
"Alby! Alby!" the crowd in Litvinov cheered star Robert "Alby"
Reichel after he scored on a shorthanded breakout against Kladno. In the
previous game against Znojmo, he scored a hat trick (his second this
year) and moved into the fourth place in the points standings. On the
contrary, Vitkovice has not won a game in 15 rounds. After our deadline
the management of the club sacked coach Vujtek and hired Slovak coach
Sterbak.
Things are happening at the top of the league standings: Plzen's
coach was happy to lose first place to Zlin (less irritation from
journalists and the public), but in a head-to-head battle for first
place Plzen defeated Zlin and returned to the lead. However, Zlin and
Sparta have to play two and three games more than Plzen, respectively.
Vsetin's Jiri Dopita scored four goals and added one assist in a game
against Havirov. Like Reichel, Zlin's Petr Cajanek also scored a hat
trick.
Results of the 21st round: Litvinov - Znojmo 3-0, Vsetin - Sparta
Praha 0-3, Zlin - Vitkovice 4-2, Havirov - Plzen 1-1, Pardubice - Kladno
5-2, Trinec - Slavia Praha 2-1, Ceske Budejovice - Karlovy Vary 5-5.
Results of the 22nd round: Vitkovice - Trinec 2-6, Plzen - Zlin
2-0, Znojmo - Sparta Praha 4-9, Slavia Praha - Pardubice 2-2, Vsetin
- Havirov 7-1, Kladno - Ceske Budejovice 2-2, Karlovy Vary - Litvinov
0-2.
Results of the 23rd round: Vsetin - Plzen 3-4, Litvinov - Kladno
4-2, Pardubice - Vitkovice 4-3, Havirov - Znojmo 2-1, Trinec - Zlin
6-3, Ceske Budejovice - Slavia Praha 5-2. The game between Sparta Praha
and Karlovy Vary (4-1) was played earlier.
Standings: 1. Plzen 35, 2. Zlin 31, 3. Sparta Praha 30, 4. Litvinov
28, 5. Trinec 27, 6. Vsetin 27, 7. Ceske Budejovice 25, 8. Pardubice
20, 9. Znojmo 19, 10. Karlovy Vary 18, 11. Slavia Praha 18, 12. Kladno
16, 13. Vitkovice 15, 14. Havirov 15.
Darina Johanidesova/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Three Czech athletes were among the candidates for the 11 trophies
for the best athletes of the 20th century. However, neither runner Emil
Zatopek, gymnast Vera Caslavska, neither tennis player Martina
Navratilova received a trophy.
* Emil Zatopek (together with Jarmila Kratochvilova) was a candidate
for the trophy of the Track and Field Athlete of the Century. The
results of the poll were announced in Monte Carlo November 21, but the
ranking for the Czech athletes was not published. In an accompanying
poll on the best athlete of the year, decathlon world-record holder and
world champion Tomas Dvorak finished fifth among men and two-time
800-meter world champion Ludmila Formanova finished 10th.
* Jana Novotna officially finished her career in New York during the
WTA Tour Chase Championships. The Masters Grand Prix winner and 1998
Wimbledon champion said she wants to become a tennis commentator.
* Cyclocrosser Radomir Simunek can participate in the World Cup again
after a forced vacation, thanks to a new blood test, in which his
hematocrit level was between 48 per cent and 49 per cent. In the
previous test his level was 2 per cent higher than the maximum allowed
50 per cent.
* The Sparta Praha hockey team defeated IFK Helsinki 12-1 in
a European Hockey League game. Sparta is in second place in the group's
standings.
Dita Kristanova/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
While our southern neighbors in Germany and Austria last week
witnessed snowstorms and experienced their first winter traffic jams,
Czech drivers found trouble only in mountain regions (namely at the
border crossings to Germany and Poland) and where night frost turned wet
streets into skating rinks then covered by a light layer of snow. The
skiing season has begun only in places with artificial snow. Prague is
still gray. Temperatures are still fluctuating around zero degree
Celsius/32 degrees Fahrenheit. When the sun wins its never-ending battle
with the flowing clouds, you can even unbutton your coats while walking
along the Vltava River with afternoon temperatures up to 5 degrees
Celsius/41 degrees Fahrenheit.
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
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