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Carolina (English) No 406
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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 406, Friday, February 16, 2001.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (February 7 - February 14)
Havel Cuts Gulf Trip Short Because of Health Problems
President Vaclav Havel has been hospitalized in
Prague-Stresovice's Central Military Hospital since February 12. Doctors
prescribed him antibiotics to prevent the development of pneumonia.
Havel will remain in hospital most probably until the end of the week.
The president suffers from chronic bronchitis since December 1996, when
doctors removed a malignant tumor and part of his right lung. Apparently
the dry climate of the Arabian Peninsula, where Havel was on official
visits, caused the problems.
During the weekend Havel initiated the first trip of the Czech head
of state to the peninsula. Saudi Arabia was the first stop for Havel and
his wife Dagmar. The main reason for this visit was to strengthen
economic ties. King Fahd held a gala dinner in Havel's honor where the
president met with important representatives of Arabia.
Havel then traveled to Kuwait, where the Czech delegation met with
Emir Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad al Sabah. The presidential couple was
accompanied by a business delegation including representatives of Tatra,
Skoda Praha and Nova Hut. Because of the health problems Havel had to
cancel his trip to the United Arab Emirates and returned to the Czech
Republic in an airplane loaned to Havel by the emir.
Marie Valaskova/Sofia Karakeva
Interim Czech Television Director Appointed - Strike Ends
The working strike at public-service broadcaster Czech Television
(CT) ended at noon February 10, one day after the Chamber of Deputies
elected former CT producer Jiri Balvin, 47, interim general director
(see Carolina 400-406). The CT union agreed to the end of protests after
Balvin rescinded all notices given to more than 30 news reporters and
editors by the appointees of the former General Director Jiri Hodac (see
Carolina 402). Those appointees, namely News Director Jana Bobosikova
and Financial Director Jindrich Beznoska, were dismissed from their
positions and have since left CT. Former caretaker CT director Vera
Valterova returned to her previous position in the legal department.
Marie Valaskova/Milan Smid
Government Approves Education Reform
Prime Minister Milos Zeman's Cabinet February 7 approved the
national program of education, the so-called White Book prepared by the
Education Ministry. The reform bill must yet be accepted by the Chamber
of Deputies. Education Minister Eduard Zeman said he expects a smooth
passage.
The main points of the program: at least 50 per cent of the Czech
population should attain more than a high-school education by 2005, to
reduce the emphasis on rote memorization of facts, to establish a single
state exam as the conclusion of secondary education, to focus on foreign
languages (two compulsory foreign languages during primary education,
with the first one beginning in third grade) and to integrate gifted
pupils with the handicapped children in common classes. The development
of independent, logical thought should be emphasized along with a more
practical curriculum. The number of schools offering a continuous
middle-school and high-school curriculum should be reduced.
This plan for reduction has met with some disagreement, while the
program's other weak points are its financial plans and the lack of
capable teachers.
Marie Valaskova/Sofia Karekeva
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The Social Democrats' (CSSD) regional organizations supported the
candidacy of party Vice Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir
Spidla for the position of party boss chairman after current Chairman,
Prime Minister Milos Zeman, retires from the position at the April party
congress. Spidla, who is currently the only candidate, also heads the
Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
* The planned full launch of the Temelin nuclear power station
(JETE), planned for February 11, was postponed again. Temelin management
decided to delay start-up until about February 20, when problems with
vibrations in the non-nuclear portion on the plant should be fixed. The
commission named by the Czech government, including representatives of
Austria, Germany and the EU, began February 13 its analysis of
Temelin's effect on the environment.
Petr Adam/Sofia Karaleva
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Czechs Ready to Make Concessions to Speed EU Entry
The Czech Republic may give up its demands for some relief from EU
rules in order to speed up the process of joining the European Union,
said Prime Minister Milos Zeman February 12 during his two-day visit to
Belgium.
The Czech Republic will no longer ask for concessions in the fields
of electricity pricing, environmental policy, VAT tariffs in
telecommunication, and gasoline taxes. A similar policy was adopted also
by other EU candidate countries.
During his stay in Brussels, Zeman met Belgian King Albert II and
Premier Guy Verhofstadt, they discussed European integration. Czech
Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr talked with representatives of Belgian
industry about potential investments in the Czech Republic. Zeman also
met managers of Belgium's KBC Bank, which is the largest banking house
in the Czech Republic through its ownership of the Czechoslovak Trade
Bank (Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka, CSOB) and the Investment and Postal
Bank (Investicni a postovni banka, IPB).
Petr Adam/Milan Smid
Vladimir Zelezny Must Return 27 million USD to Lauder's CME
After nearly two-years, the International Court of Arbitration
decided that Vladimir Zelezny, general director of the television
station TV NOVA, must return 27 million USD to his former partner,
Central European Media Enterprises (CME), while CME must return to
Zelezny 5.8 per cent of the Czech Independent Television Company (Ceska
nezavisla televizni spolecnost, CNTS).
CNTS was a joint venture between three partners: CME; the owner of
NOVA's license, the company CET 21; and the Czech Savings Bank (Ceska
sporitelna, CS). In 1997 CME bought out the interests of its partners in
CNTS and controlled 99 per cent. However, Zelezny, at that time majority
owner of the CET 21, in 1999 ended the partnership between
license-holder CET 21 and exclusive service-provider CNTS. Zelezny in
August 1999 renewed NOVA's broadcasting with a new service company,
Czech Production (Ceska produkcni).
The arbitration court found Zelezny violated the non-competition
clause of the agreement between him and CME. The enforcement of the
judgment shall be undetaken by Czech courts.
Cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder, the majority owner of CME, has two
other suits pending against the Czech Republic, claiming the state
violated the US-Czech and Dutch-Czech Treaties on the Protection of
Investments. Arbitration shall proceed under the UN Commission on
International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
Martin Roubal/Milan Smid
FROM SLOVAKIA
Schuster meets Klestil and Putin in Austria
Slovak President Rudolf Schuster met his Austrian opposite Thomas
Klestil in the Austrian ski resort of St. Christoph February 10-11. They
discussed finishing the Bratislava-Vienna highway and also the joint
candidacy of the countries for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Schuster also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who spent
four days in the Alps. The subject of their talks was the same as during
the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to Slovakia last week
- finishing the construction of the gas and oil pipeline. Both men
agreed the initiative now lies in the hands of Ukraine.
Zdenek Sloboda/Simon Dominik
FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF
* Discussion of an amendment to the Slovak Constitution that began in
the National Assembly January 30 (see Carolina 404) is being dragged out
by many new motions submitted by government and opposition parties.
Despite an earlier agreement on the constitutional amendment, the
Christian Democrats (KDH) are now asking for a ban on abortions as
a condition for their approval of the amendment. The condition has
raised the ire of coalition partners and the general public.
* Since February, Slovakia has experienced higher prices for nearly
all goods and services. The biggest price hike is in rents (in state
flats up to 45 per cent), gas and heating are up 20 per cent,
electricity 16 per cent, water 20 per cent. The increase in prices for
rail service (15 per cent) and bus transport (20 per cent) as well as
for postal services (10 per cent) will project into an increase in the
prices of foodstuffs and consumer goods.
Zdenek Sloboda/Milan Smid
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* The country's rate of unemployment rose by three-tenths of a point
in January to 9.1 per cent. Economists say the rate should decline with
the promised arrival of foreign investments and accelerated growth.
* The Mexican firm Nemak wants to build a factory for the production
of car-engine parts in Pilsen (Plzen). Prime Minister Milos Zeman said
he supports the company's plan to invest 6 billion crowns here. Pilsen
politicians February 9 asked Zeman for his support after voicing fears
that the company might abandon its plans because of the protests of
ecological activists against building the factory.
Marketa Bartosova/Michael Bluhm
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid February 16)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 34.510
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 19.914
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.000
Denmark 1 DKK 4.624
Japan 100 JPY 32.556
Canada 1 CAD 24.763
IMF 1 XDR 48.884
Hungary 100 HUF 12.992
Norway 1 NOK 4.201
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.137
Poland 1 PLN 9.220
Slovakia 100 SKK 78.593
Slovenia 100 SIT 16.014
Sweden 1 SEK 3.831
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.490
USA 1 USD 37.819
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.645
Belgium 100 BEF 85.548
Finland 1 FIM 5.804
France 1 FRF 5.261
Ireland 1 IEP 43.819
Italy 1000 ITL 17.823
Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.548
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.660
Portugal 100 PTE 17.214
Austria 1 ATS 2.508
Greece 100 GRD 10.128
Spain 100 ESP 20.741
CULTURE
Czech Movie Divided We Fall Receives Oscar Nomination
Jan Hrebejk's bittersweet comedy Divided We Fall (Musime si
pomahat, see Carolina 367) will compete against the favored Crouching
Tiger, Hidden Dragon (directed by Ang Lee of Taiwan), which was
nominated in nine other categories, the Mexican film Amores Perros,
Belgium's Everybody Famous! and France's The Taste of Others in the
category for Best Foreign Film in the American Oscars.
Czechoslovak and Czech films have received seven such nominations
in the past, which turned into three prestigious golden statuettes: Shop
on the Corso (Obchod na korze, directed by the Slovak duo of Jan Kadar
and Elmar Klos in 1965), Closely Watched Trains (Ostre sledovane vlaky,
Jiri Menzel, 1966) and Kolya (Kolja, Jan Sverak, 1996). The awards
ceremony is March 25.
Eva Hejzlarova/Simon Dominik
Jan Svankmajer Receives Andrzej Wajda Freedom Award
Filmmaker Jan Svankmajer was honored by the American Cinematography
Foundation on the occasion of the Freedom Film Showcase, part of the
Berlin International Film Festival. He received the prize from the hands
of Polish director Andrzej Wajda February 11. The award is given every
year to Central and East European filmmakers who significantly
contribute to the understanding of the value of freedom and to the
support of plurality, democracy and equality.
Eva Hejzlarova/Simon Dominik
SPORTS
Czech Republic Loses to Sweden in Davis Cup
Czech tennis players had a chance to advance to the Davis Cup's
second round until the last singles match of the tie in Sweden. Jiri
Novak lost to Thomas Johansson and the Czechs lost 2-3. They will have
to play a qualification round to stay in the elite group of the Davis
Cup. Bohdan Ulihrach proved to be in excellent form, winning both Czech
points.
Ulihrach beat Johnasson in the first singles match February 9 with
a promising performance; Novak then played a dramatic five-set battle
with world number five, Magnus Norman. Novak came back from 0-2 in sets
to 2-2 and in the fifth set came back from 1-5 in games to 4-5, but it
was not enough to win.
The doubles stumble of Novak and David Rikl, when they failed to
convert their lead in the match, was decisive. Swedes Niklas Kulti and
Jonas Bjorkman won the crucial third set in a tiebreaker and the match
in four sets.
Ulihrach ruled also in his second single. He beat Norman 3-0 in 87
minutes. In the fifth game, Novak collapsed in the first set's
tie-break, losing 0-7. Johansson then controlled the rest of the match.
Results: Johansson - Ulihrach 3-6, 7-5, 2-6, 5-7. Norman - Novak
7-6, 6-1, 1-6, 2-6, 6-4. Bjorkman, Kulti - Novak, Rikl 6-2, 4-6, 7-6,
7-5. Norman - Ulihrach 3-6, 2-6, 1-6. Johansson - Novak 7-6, 6-3, 6-7,
6-2.
Swedish Hockey Games: Czech Hockey Players Defeat only Sweden
Czech hockey players recorded three losses and one win in the
Swedish Hockey Games, which was enough to finish in the fourth place. In
the standings of the Euro Hockey Tour, the unofficial European
Championships, they finished last among the four elite European teams.
The low-scoring production was the worst liability of the team,
which should have been preparing itself for the upcoming World
Championships. The players scored six goals in four games. On the other
hand, both goalkeepers - Dusan Salficky and Vladimir Hudacek - performed
traditionally well.
After a 1-2 loss to Russia in the opening game played in Pardubice,
Czech Republic, the Czechs lost 2-3 in overtime to Finland in Stockholm.
Against the Canadian team, built from players who play for the European
clubs, the Czechs played their worst game and lost 1-3.
In the last game of the tournament, the Czech Republic surprised
the home team. Goalkeeper Salficky put Swedish players and fans out with
his brave saves. Four minutes before the end of regular time Pavel
Vostrak scored the winner.
Sweden Hockey Games, final standings: 1. Sweden 9 points, 2.
Finland 8, 3. Canada 6, 4. Czech Republic 4, 5. Russia 3.
Euro Hockey Tour final standings: 1. Finland 22 points, 2. Russia
19, 3. Sweden 17, 4. Czech Republic 14.
Hockey Extraleague: Slavia Eight Games without a Loss
After a break caused by the Czech team's participation in the
Sweden Hockey Games, Slavia Praha's players continued their hot streak
in the hockey extraleague. They defeated Kladno in overtime 3-2,
extending their winning streak to eight games and moving into eighth
place in the standings. However, the situation around eighth place in
the standings - the last playoff spot - is still unclear and the playoff
teams are far from clear.
On the contrary, traditional playoff participant Trinec could not
end its malaise, although its captain and last season's top scorer
Richard Kral returned after an injury. Trinec lost to league leader
Vsetin 0-2 at home.
Fans in Ceske Budejovice saw 11 goals as reigning champion Sparta
Praha won the game in overtime thanks to Richard Zemlicka's hat trick.
Results of the 44th round: Trinec - Vsetin 0-2, Plzen - Karlovy
Vary 5-3, Zlin - Havirov 1-2, Vitkovice - Litvinov 2-2, Ceske Budejovice
- Sparta Praha 5-6 OT, Znojmo - Pardubice 4-3, Slavia Praha - Kladno
3-2 OT.
Standings: 1. Vsetin 83 points, 2. Zlin 74, 3. Litvinov 71, 4.
Pardubice 70, 5. Sparta Praha 69, 6. Vitkovice 67, 7. Znojmo 66, 8.
Slavia Praha 65, 9. Ceske Budejovice 65, 10. Trinec 59, 11. Plzen 57,
12. Havirov 53, 13. Kladno 51, 14. Karlovy Vary 43.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Czech national hockey team manager Frantisek Cernik announced the
names of the eight players who will play for the Czech Republic in the
Salt Lake City 2000 Olympics. The list includes goalkeeper Dominik
Hasek, the star of the Nagano 1998 Olympic champions, and the man who
scored the goal that won the gold medal in Nagano, Petr Svoboda. Jaromir
Jagr, Martin Rucinsky, Martin Straka, Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora, Milan
Hejduk and substitute Radek Bonk signed their Olympic contracts.
* Josef Masopust, the most successful Czech soccer player of the
20th century, turned 70 February 9. The legendary midfield player of the
famed 60's teams of Dukla Praha is the only Czech player to win the
Golden Ball as top European player (1962). He was a member of the Czech
side that won the silver in the 1962 World Championships.
Sports News by Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Because daily temperatures are constantly (with the exception of
some frosty nights) above the freezing point, it's no wonder that snow
is nearly nonexistent here. Some Czech mountain resorts have been able
to offer skiing only with the help of fake snow. In the lowlands the
first flowers of spring have been seen. Global warming? Who knows.
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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