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Carolina (English) No 379
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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 ISSN 121-5040
tel: (+4202) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 22112219
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 379, Friday, June 9, 2000.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (May 31 - June 7)
Judge Finds Novak Innocent, ODS Guilty of Tax Evasion
Libor Novak, the former executive vice chairman of the Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) on trial for tax evasion, was found innocent by
Prague City Court Judge Michal Hodousek June 8. Hodousek said a crime
had been committed, but there was not enough proof that it was Novak who
committed the crime. This second phase of the trial was made necessary
after a number of key witnesses failed to appear for the original trial.
Public prosecutors immediately said they would appeal the verdict.
Prosecutors claimed Novak, in the party's 1995 tax return,
attributed two donations of 7.5 million crowns each to fictitious
sponsors and decreased the amounts of the donations, and thus cheated
the state out of more than 1 million crowns in taxes. Prosecutors say
Novak falsified a donation from former tennis pro Milan Srejber (by
attributing his donation to the dead Hungarian Lajos Bacs and
uncomprehending Mauritian Radjiv Sinha) and Jarmila Mlejnkova. Mlejnkova
was a secretary in a company connected to Srejber and which won the
privatization tender for the Trinec Ironworks (Trinecke zelezarny) and
was later given 500 million crowns by an ODS-led government for
eliminating environmental damage.
The first phase of the trial took place in mid-April, with
witnesses including former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and former
Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec (see Carolina 372, 373). The financing
scandal brought down the Klaus government in December 1997.
Martin Rusek/Michael Bluhm
Havel Fine after Hernia Operation
A team of doctors led by Austrian surgeon Ernst Bodner June 5
operated on President Vaclav Havel's stomach hernias. Havel had been
suffering for two years, since he had to undergo two emergency
operations, performed by Bodner, for intestinal perforations.
Bodner said the hernia operation, performed in Prague's Stresovice
Hospital, went according to plan and no problems arose. A hernia
operation would not normally be considered serious, but doctors feared
Havel's weakened lungs could have problems with the anasthetic. Havel's
condition is stable.
Jakub Tronicek/Michael Bluhm
World Bank President Satisfied with Preparations for Prague Summit
World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn made a one-day visit to
Prague May 31, during which he toured the Congress Center, site of the
September summit of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund,
and expressed his satisfaction with the preparations. Wolfensohn met
with President Vaclav Havel, who later announced plans to invite to
Prague Castle for an informal meeting supporters and opponents of
globalization (opponents are planning large protests for the summit).
The Interior Ministry has called off school (with the exception of
universities) for the September 25-29 summit and has stated it wishes
parents would take their children and leave Prague. Charles University
in Prague has changed the date of the graduation ceremony originally
planned for the week of the summit. The Prague 4 District, where the
Congress Center stands, has offered senior citizens money if they leave
the city. The ministry has also requested Czech citizens not residing in
Prague to avoid the capital during the summit. The ministry has also
asked Prague theaters to call off performances scheduled for
out-of-towners.
Some 11,000 police are expected to look after security, while the
20,000 expected protesters will probably be accommodated with a tent
city in Strahov Stadium.
Dita Eckhardtova/Michael Bluhm
Mein Kampf to Disappear from Shelves
Czech Police June 5 started an operation to limit access to the
Czech translation of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. Policemen seized about
300 copies from main distributor Pavel Dobrovsky and said they plan to
withdraw all copies from bookstores. Publisher Michal Zitko was June 1
accused of supporting and propagating the oppression of civil rights and
liberties.
Zitko said he was not promoting Nazism, just publishing
a historical book. "Once again an index of forbidden books is being
created," said Zitko. The police confiscation has horrified many
commentators. Police have not said whether they will also confiscate the
book from libraries. Zitko had 6,000 copies of Mein Kampf printed, all
sold quickly.
Jakub Tronicek/Jakub Jirovec
Czech Army Might Be Slimmer in 2010 by One-Third
Czech Army Chief of the General Staff Jiri Sedivy announced June
3 the Army will probably decrease its numbers from 64,000 soldiers to
42,000 by 2010. He also said the army could be partly or entirely
professional, whereas today it is comprised mainly of young conscripts.
The changes, Sedivy said, follow from similar changes in other NATO
countries, such as Belgium. A definitive political decision on the
army's future should be made in 2002.
Lida Truneckova/Jakub Jirovec
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Havel Attends Ceremony for Clinton
American President Bill Clinton, during his last official trip to
Europe, received June 2 the prestigious Charles the Great Award in
Aachen, Germany. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Clinton was
rewarded for his work in European unification, democratizing Central and
Eastern Europe and creating the excellent relations between Europe and
the US. Clinton is the third US citizen to receive the prize, after
George Marshall and Henry Kissinger.
Czech President Vaclav Havel, who attended the ceremony, received
the prize in 1991. "President Clinton deserves the award. Without this
American Administration, we would probably not today be in NATO," said
Havel.
Tereza Tesarikova/Jakub Jirovec
FROM SLOVAKIA
Polish Prime Minister Visits Slovakia
Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek, on his first official visit to
Slovakia, met Slovak Premier Mikulas Dzurinda in Bratislava May 31.
The visit was exceptional in the sense that it took place in the
middle of the Polish government crisis, which came to a head with the
collapse of the government coalition June 6. In spite of this, Buzek
said his visit was "full-fledged," because "it does not matter who will
be the prime minister in Poland in the coming days, because anybody
would tell you the same things I did." Dzurinda said he appreciated
Buzek's visit, because Poland is a strategic partner for Slovakia.
Tereza Tesarikova/Milan Smid
ECONOMY
Czech National Bank Governor Competes for Top Post at EBRD
Czech National Bank (CNB) Governor Josef Tosovsky, 49, confirmed
June 5 that he is in the running for the post of vice president of the
European Bank For Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). His term as
governor should last until in 2004.
Tosovsky was named prime minister in December 1997, after the fall
of former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus' government. He served until the
early general elections in June 1998. Tosovsky won the award as European
Banker of the Year in 1994 and 1995, and, in his current position, is
one of the governors of the International Monetary Fund. Tosovsky and
Klaus have long been adversaries, with Klaus shifting all blame for the
abject failure of Czech economic transformation onto Tosovsky's monetary
policies.
Government Raises Minimum Wage
The government May 31 decided to raise the minimal wage from 4,000
crowns per month to 4,500 crowns per month, starting from July 1. The
lowest possible after-tax wage will thus be higher than the poverty line
- by 13 crowns monthly - for the first time in history. The minimum
hourly wage will rise from 22.30 crowns to 25 crowns. The Social
Democrat government has continuously been trying to raise the minimum
wage to motivate the unemployed to look for work; there has not been
much reason for motivation because disproportionately high unemployment
compensation has made employment less gainful then the dole.
Commerce Bank to Fire 2,300 Employees
The new management of the Commerce Bank (Komercni banka, KB), led
by new Chairman of the Board and General Director Radovan Vavra,
announced May 31 its plan to sack 2,300 people (leaving about 11,000
employees). The majority will be fired by July 1, when a new, simpler
organizational structure should take effect. Vavra said to the daily MF
DNES that "the reason is not the individual performance of the person,
but a one-time structural change, which will not be repeated in the near
future". Deputy Finance Minister Jan Mladek said this week that the bank
will not be privatized this year as called for in the government's plan.
Economy news by Dita Eckhardtova/Daniela Vrbova
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid June 9)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 36.240
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 22.271
Great Britain 1 GBP 57.352
Denmark 1 DKK 4.857
Japan 100 JPY 35.710
Canada 1 CAD 25.535
IMF 1 XDR 50.493
Hungary 100 HUF 13.965
Norway 1 NOK 4.375
New Zealand 1 NZD 17.771
Poland 1 PLN 8.596
Greece 100 GRD 10.769
Slovakia 100 SKK 85.582
Slovenia 100 SIT 17.548
Sweden 1 SEK 4.355
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.147
USA 1 USD 37.783
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 18.529
Belgium 100 BEF 89.837
Finland 1 FIM 6.095
France 1 FRF 5.525
Ireland 1 IEP 46.015
Italy 1000 ITL 18.716
Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.837
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.445
Portugal 100 PTE 18.076
Austria 1 ATS 2.634
Spain 100 ESP 21.781
CULTURE
Czech National Day at EXPO 2000
The Czech Republic presented its National Day at the EXPO 2000
world's fair June 7, a week after the Hannover fairgrounds opened their
gates to visitors. Prime Minister Milos Zeman, accompanied by Foreign
Minister Jan Kavan, Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr, Culture Minister
Pavel Dostal and Regional Development Minister Petr Lachnit, arrived in
Hannover June 6, after dropping by Wolfsburg's Volkswagen headquarters.
The Czech Republic built its own 3000-square-meter exhibition hall
for the fair. In accordance with the motto of the largest-ever world's
fair Man, Nature, Technology, the facade of the Czech pavilion is made
of a wooden, ribbon-like structure in natural colors. The inside of the
pavilion is devoted to Czech history. A replica of the Chapel of the
Holy Cross from Karlstejn Castle, together with the precious medieval
paintings of Master Theodoricus, form the central point of the
exhibition. The Czech exhibit is permanent and will be open at the
fairground the full 153 days.
The cultural program was the highlight of the Czech national day.
The folk festivity of the Kings' Ride with horses and folk costumes from
Moravia's Vlcnov village took place. In front of the pavilion the Prague
Castle Guard brass orchestra played. Musicians of different genres like
Iva Bittova, Dagmar Andrtova, jazzman Jiri Stivin or folk group
Hradistan performed. Nevertheless, the largest audience and the most
adoring reception were for the Czech "golden nightingale" Karel Gott.
Martin Rusek/Milan Smid
Dvorak Monument Unveiled in front of Rudolfinum
Prague Mayor Jan Kasl unveiled a monument of the Czech composer
Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) in front of the Rudolfinum concert hall in
Prague June 3, the last day of the 55th Prague Spring music festival.
The monument should have been installed at the beginning of the Prague
Spring festival, but the debate about the placement of the sculpture
delayed the ceremony. Originally the statue should have been placed at
the stairs to the hall with Dvorak's back turned to the hall, but later
the place was changed and Dvorak will stand at the edge of Palach
Square, looking toward the Rudolfinum.
Dita Eckhardova/Milan Smid
SPORTS
National Soccer Team Arrives for EURO 2000 in Belgium
Twenty-two Czech soccer players arrived at their hotel in
Knokke-Heist, Belgium June 6. The squad includes three goalkeepers:
Pavel Srnicek (Sheffield Wednesday), Ladislav Maier (Rapid Vienna) and
Jaromir Blazek (Bohemians Praha). Coach Jozef Chovanec also selected
defenders Tomas Repka (AC Fiorentina), Karel Rada and Petr Vlcek (Slavia
Praha), Milan Fukal and Jiri Novotny (Sparta Praha); midfielders Pavel
Nedved (Lazio Rome), Patrik Berger (Liverpool), Radoslav Latal and Jiri
Nemec (Schalke 04), Karel Poborsky (Benfica Lisbon), Tomas Rosicky
(Sparta Praha), Pavel Horvath (Slavia Praha), Radek Bejbl (Atletico
Madrid), Marek Jankulovski (Banik Ostrava) and four forwards: Vladimir
Smicer (Liverpool), Jan Koller (Anderlecht), Pavel Kuka (Stuttgart) and
Vratislav Lokvenc (Sparta Praha).
The Czech team will begin the tournament with a game against the
host squad from the Netherlands June 11.
Young Czechs Win European Silver and Qualify for Olympic Games
The Czech under-21 national soccer team lost to Italy 1-2 in the
European Championships final in Bratislava June 4. The silver medals,
however, were the greatest success for the Czech Republic in this
category. With their win over Croatia, the Czechs ensured themselves
a place in the Sydney Olympics. The last Czech under-21 team played in
the Olympics 20 years ago, when they won the gold.
Croatia had to win to advance to the Olympics and it opened the
scoring in the 5th minute as Czech goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny tipped
a 25-meter shot with his hand into the net. At the end of the first
half, Lukas Dosek tied the score on a the penalty spot. Milan Baros got
the Czechs the lead in the 54th minute after Tomas Dosek's centering
pass, but Igor Tudor of Croatia tied the score within a few seconds.
Baros was fouled in the penalty box and Milan Petrous converted the
10-meter kick. In the 80th minute Libor Sionko added an insurance goal,
Croatia scored one last goal five minutes before the final whistle on
Tudor's second goal in the game.
In the finals, Czech captain Roman Tyce fouled Comandini at the end
of the first half and Andrea Pirlo scored. After the break, the Czechs
constantly attacked, and Marek Heinz's pass found Tomas Dosek, who
scored. Italy's 2-1 win was decided on Pirlo's shot from a free kick in
the 81st minute.
From Bratislava David Mirejovsky/Mirek Langer
Hlavonova Breaks Two-Meter Barrier in High Jump
Zuzana Hlavonova, 27, broke the Czech high-jump record with her
two-meter jump in the Odlozil Memorial meet in Prague's Strahov Stadium
June 5. With her first attempt she joined the small group of
world-class jumpers who have cleared two meters. She touched the bar,
but it stayed on the stands. "After two meters I stopped jumping. Also
because reporters started jumping around me, I couldn't concentrate,"
she said to explain why she did not attempt 2.02 meters.
Javelin thrower Jan Zelezny won his event and met the Czech Track
and Field Union limit for the Sydney Olympics. The world-record holder
performed before Czech fans after a three-year break forced on him by
a back injury.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Czech cyclist Jan Hruska finished 14th in the Tour of Italy. He won
the penultimate stage of the race, the mountain time-trial, beating
second-place finisher Noe of Italy by more than one minute. Hruska, who
wore the pink jersey as race leader once, will now concentrate on the
World Championships and Olympic Games.
* Sparta Praha hockey player Frantisek Kucera will sign a contract
with an NHL expansion team, the Columbus Blue Jackets. He will return to
the NHL, where he spent seven seasons, after three years in Sparta.
Kucera's teammate David Vyborny and Plzen's Martin Spanhel will play for
Columbus.
Sports section by David Mirejovsky/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
This year's summer is in full swing. Temperatures are reaching
extreme heights. Sunstroke and other heat sicknesses are threatening.
I am suffering from a serious summer cold and cough and sneeze on my
professors during oral exams. None of them has taken it badly, so if
I survive the cold I should pass into the next year. In the middle of
the week temperatures cooled slightly and occasional rains fell, but we
don't care much, because we will be spending the coming days inside
watching the European Championsips in soccer.
David Mirejovsky
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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