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Carolina (English) No 337
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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 337, Friday, June 18, 1999.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (June 9 - June 16)
Chamber of Deputies Approves Sending Czech Soldiers to Kosovo
Parliament's Chamber of Deputies June 15 approved sending
a military unit to Kosovo. If the decision is approved by the Senate,
the soldiers could leave for Kosovo at the end of June to join the KFOR
forces.
All deputies except the Communists and two Social Democrats
supported the proposal. However, there was sharp debate about the
unit's size. The Government requested permission to send 150 soldiers of
an exploratory company, but the Chamber of Deputies' decision allows for
sending up to 800 men. It is, however, too late to increase the size of
the unit, because NATO has already developed plans based on the
originally announced number of soldiers.
The problem most discussed in the Chamber of Deputies was financing
the operation. Deputies refused to vote on the Government proposal to
reserve more funds from the state budget. "The Chamber of Deputies acted
ambivalently and refused to consider raising the budget spending. Then
we cannot be surprised if the Government chooses the most economical
alternative," said Prime Minister Milos Zeman for the daily MF DNES.
While ministers and deputies have been talking, KFOR
soldiers-to-be have been training hard for their coming tasks. They have
been working on their foreign languages and getting acquainted with
problems they might encounter in Kosovo.
According to a poll taken by the STEM agency for Czech Radio and
Czech Television, approximately 50 per cent of respondents agree with
Czech soldiers being in Kosovo. About 30 per cent of respondents are
against, while the rest were undecided.
Marketa Lajdova/Denisa Vitkova
After deadline: The Senate approved sending the unit.
Vaclav Kasik to Lead Czech Radio
Vaclav Kasik, former director of the commercial, originally
all-news station Radio Alpha, was appointed the new general director of
Czech Radio June 9. He takes over from Vlastimil Jezek July 1 and his
term of office is six years.
Kasik said he wants to concentrate on programming. He said the
changes proposed for Czech Radio 2-Prague and regional studios need to
be realized, because Czech Radio's seven regional stations suffer from
low ratings. Obsolete technology is another problem, Kasik said, and the
question of financing needs to be resolved - by raising concession fees.
Kasik will also have to oversee the sale of the station's skyscraper in
Prague's Pankrac area. Jezek said 19 corporations, one-third of them
multinational, are interested in buying the building. In his inaugural
speech, Kasik said he would do his best to improve interpersonal
relations.
Czech Radio's Council first intended to re-appoint Jezek, who,
however, resigned at the beginning of February. The council June 9
decided from three final candidates - Ivan Havel, the program director
of Czech Radio; Pavel Ryjacek, editor-in-chief of Czech Radio-Usti nad
Labem; and Kasik, who for five years had run Radio Alpha, which planned
with its all-news format to compete with Czech Radio 1-Radiojournal.
Kasik is experienced in public service broadcasting - he worked
free-lance for Czechoslovak Radio from 1982-84 as a music editor.
Marketa Kaclova/Jan Martinek
Freedom Union Wants to Speed Preparations for Joining EU
The Freedom Union (US) is dissatisfied with the speed of
preparations for joining the European Union. US representatives
presented a project called One Hundred Days for Europe at their national
committee conference in Ceske Budejovice June 12. The project would
quicken the preparations and convince people that membership is
necessary.
US representatives said the Government is not able to lead the
Czech Republic into the EU. They also said that joining the EU in 2003
should be the goal of all Czech political parties. "We are appalled by
statements of some politicians and members of the Civic Democratic Party
(ODS), who are creating an anti-European mood," said US Chairman Jan
Ruml to the daily MF DNES. The project will be consulted with the
Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), who frequently cooperate with the Freedom
Union.
Marketa Lajdova/Katerina Kolarova
NEWS IN BRIEF
* Hundreds of people came to the funeral of Senator Vaclav Benda June
10 (see Carolina 335). Among the mourners were President Vaclav Havel
and his wife, Prime Minister Milos Zeman, Chamber of Deputies Chairman
Vaclav Klaus and Senate Chairwoman Libuse Benesova.
* The World Association of Newspapers (WAN), which groups 57
newspaper-publishers associations in 53 countries (including the Czech
Union of Daily Publishers), denounced the Czech Government's Press Bill
(see Carolina 335) as an attack on freedom of the press. WAN called on
the president and chairs of both chambers of Parliament to reject the
bill, and decided to report about the controversial bill to the EU
Commission and the European Council. The draft is to be submitted to
Parliament by the Ministry of Culture.
* Vladimir Zelezny, majority owner of CET 21, the holder of TV
NOVA's broadcasting license, will have a revolving line of credit with
the Investment and Postal Bank (IPB). A credit line of 1 billion crowns
will exist for the new service company Czech Production 200 (Ceska
produkcni 2000), which Zelezny wants to use as a substitute for CNTS,
the CME-controlled exclusive programming provider for TV NOVA (see
Carolina 336).
Ondrej Fer/Katerina Kolarova
FROM SLOVAKIA
Slovak President Sworn in
Rudolf Schuster was inaugurated Slovak president June 15. Schuster
defeated former Premier Vladimir Meciar in the presidential election
runoff May 29. Schuster took the oath of office from Milan Cica, chief
justice of the Constitutional Court, in the Slovak Philharmonic's
building. The presidents of Slovakia's five neighboring countries - the
Czech Republic's Vaclav Havel, Austria's Thomas Klestil, Poland's
Aleksander Kwasniewski, Hungary's Arpad Goncz and Ukraine's Leonid Kucma
- attended the ceremony. "I want to be and I will be the president of
all citizens. What is good for Slovakia is also good for me as
president. That is my ethical principle," said Schuster to open his
speech.
Lenka Nejezchlebova/Zuzana Janeckova
ECONOMY
Slovak Import Duties Limit Czech Exports
The 7-per-cent customs duty imposed on Czech products by Slovakia
will influence 54 per cent of Czech exports to Slovakia. The Czech and
Slovak Customs Union Council June 14 neither abolished the duty nor
changed the limits for exports without the tariff.
"These are problems that experts still have to consider and find
solutions acceptable to both sides," said Slovak Economy Minister
Ludovit Cernak for the Czech daily MF DNES. He said the import duties
serve to protect Slovakia's economy. The Czech Republic considers the
measures an unpleasant fact. "The Customs Union Council will follow the
consequences and look for steps to eliminate possible negative
phenomena," said Czech Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr to the daily Lidove
noviny.
The quotas particularly restrict export of beer, non-alcoholic
drinks and pork from the Czech Republic to Slovakia. Another obstacle is
the import quota on Slovak isoglucose to the Czech Republic.
Jana Kadlecova/Denisa Vitkova
Skoda Pilsen Accuses Former Director Soudek
The board of directors of Skoda Pilsen (Plzen) filed criminal
complaints against several former members of company management, among
them former General Director Lubomir Soudek, accusing them of improper
financial transactions.
According to the complaint, there were illegal transfers of money
between Skoda and several private companies controlled by Soudek, who
borrowed 300 million crowns from Skoda and is not paying it back as
agreed. Part of the loan was used for buying Skoda Pilsen shares. The
term of the loan has been extended several times and is now due in
2010. The loan was also given with interest of 5 per cent, i.e., very
generous terms for Soudek. "It is the first complaint, others will
follow," said Skoda spokesman Karel Samec to the daily Lidove noviny.
Soudek said to the daily MF DNES that he is not afraid of the
accusations. "I am convinced that I also worked in such a way that my
activity could not be connected with any criminal action," Soudek said.
The transactions came to light after a legal audit of Skoda was
finished.
Jana Kadlecova/Milan Smid
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* A 10.8-per-cent increase of the minimum monthly wage to 3,600
crowns, to take effect July 1, was approved by the Social Democrat
Cabinet of Prime Minister Milos Zeman June 9.
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid June 18)
------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 36.965
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 23.545
Great Britain 1 GBP 56.890
Denmark 1 DKK 4.974
Japan 100 JPY 29.744
Canada 1 CAD 24.527
IMF 1 XDR 47.821
Hungary 100 HUF 14.819
Norway 1 NOK 4.537
New Zealand 1 NZD 19.135
Poland 1 PLN 9.111
Greece 100 GRD 11.428
Slovakia 100 SKK 81.513
Slovenia 100 SIT 19.031
Sweden 1 SEK 4.200
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.151
USA 1 USD 35.720
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 18.900
Belgium 100 BEF 91.634
Finland 1 FIM 6.217
France 1 FRF 5.635
Ireland 1 IEP 46.936
Italy 1000 ITL 19.091
Luxemburg 100 LUF 91.634
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.774
Portugal 100 PTE 18.438
Austria 1 ATS 2.686
Spain 100 ESP 22.216
CULTURE
Cinematography Fund Distributes Grants
The State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech
Cinematography's Council distributed more than 45.5 million crowns in
grants. Tomas Vorel's movie Journey from the City received 6 million
crowns, the largest grant of the 36 successful projects. Vladimir
Michalek's Exit Angel and Bohdan Slama's Wild Bees each received grants
of 5 million crowns. The fund also supported Oscar-winners Zdenek and
Jan Sverak's Dark-Blue World with a grant of 4 million crowns.
Klara Nedvedova/Zuzana Janeckova
New Orleans Jazzmen on Old Town Square
Rainy Prague was full of jazz during June 12's 12-hour jazz
marathon of Louisiana musicians. Dozens of jazz musicans, such as the
Regal Brass Band, the gospel formation Joyful! and Marva Wright set
a jazz and blues tone on the capital's Old Town Square.
Klara Nedvedova/Zuzana Janeckova
SPORTS
Czech Volleyball Team Loses to Bulgaria
The Czech men's volleyball team lost the deciding game of the
European League, which is the qualification for September's European
Championships in Austria. Bulgaria won the match (10-15, 17-16, 5-15,
15-8, 15-11) and stole first place in the group from the Czech team. The
Czechs can still advance, depending on the outcome of the other groups.
Jirka Wazik/Mirek Langer
Elite Athletes Appear in Josef Odlozil Memorial
Briton Colin Jackson and Kenya's Daniel Komen attracted track and
field fans to the Josef Odlozil Memorial in Prague June 14.
Komen fulfilled his promise from the press conference and broke the
meet record in the main discipline, the 2,000 meters. Komen won in 4
minutes, 57.72 seconds, which was .36 of a second faster than Algeria's
Noureddine Morcelli ran last year. "I ran very well. It was not cold,
but I did mind the unpleasant wind a little," Komen said. Jackson won
the 110-meters hurdles in 13.28 seconds, also breaking the meet record.
The meeting commemorates the late Czech runner Josef Odlozil,
world-record holder in the 2,000 meters, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist
and husband of Vera Caslavska, seven-time Olympic gymnastics champion.
Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* The Czech team in the men's basketball European Championships will
be missing its best player, center Jiri Zidek. Zidek, who plays for
European Basketball Superleague winner Zhalgiris Kaunas of Lithuania,
excused himself for family reasons. The team's preparations finished
with three games against Poland - one win and two losses.
* Tennis legend Martina Navratilova visited Prague. She took part in
an exhibition mixed-doubles match with Jan Kodes (1973 Wimbledon
champion) against Helena Sukova and Jiri Hrebec.
* Soccer forward Pavel Kuka will play for VfB Stuttgart next year.
For 2 million deutschmarks he left FC Nuremberg, which was relegated to
the second league this year.
* Sparta Praha soccer defender Tomas Votava signed a three-year
contract with the German league's Munich 1860 and will join two other
Czech players there, Roman Tyce and Martin Cizek. Sparta players Michal
Caloun, Petr Gabriel and Vlastimil Svoboda extended their contracts with
the club, as did Ivo Ulich, Lubos Kozel and Karel Rada of Slavia Praha.
* After one year in the Finnish league's Hameenlinna, hockey
defenseman Jaroslav Nedved is returning to Sparta Praha. Another
defenseman, Nagano Olympics gold-medalist Frantisek Kucera, will stay
with Sparta despite some offers from NHL clubs, including
a million-dollar contract with his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
* Reigning champion Sparta Praha defeated Ricany 13-5 in the third
and deciding game of the finals of the Czech rugby league.
Jirka Wazik/Mirek Langer
After deadline: Czech tennis player Petr Korda, the 1998 Australian Open
champion, retired from professional tennis after losing in the second
round of Wimbledon qualifications. Korda was accused of using a banned
substance at last year's Wimbledon.
Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Because Medard, the son of Neptune, arrived on his rain-ram, the
good people of Bohemia knew their river Vltava would bring them a good
harvest. They made sacrifices to their gods and the rain became stronger
and stronger. The more water they had, the more they wanted. The magical
country of Bohemia was soon covered by water. The gods took no mercy and
the poor people of Bohemia have no reason.
Ondrej Fer/Zuzana Janeckova
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