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Carolina (English) No 396
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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 396, Friday, December 1, 2000
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 22 - November 29)
Political Controversy over Appointment of New National Bank Governor
President Vaclav Havel appointed Zdenek Tuma governor of the Czech
National Bank (CNB) November 29. Prime Minister Milos Zeman and
Chamber
of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus vehemently opposed Tuma's
appointment.
The government held a secret session on the evening of November 28, and
the Cabinet came to the conclusion that the Constitution requires
Havel's appointment of bank governor and vice governor be signed by the
prime minister (since 1989 only one appointment had been signed, and
that was then considered an oversight). The government threatened to
take the issue to the Constitutional Court.
Tuma, 40, graduated from the University of Economics, worked as
a Finance Ministry advisor and lectured at this college of Charles
University. He worked as the executive director of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development in London between 1998-99 and as vice
governor of the CNB until his appointment.
Zeman and Klaus have not questioned Tuma's ability to administer
the bank but are afraid of the potential loss of its independence.
According to Zeman, this could be caused by the fact that Tuma is
partial to two influential finance groups - Patria Finance and Lipa
- and will not be able to separate their interests from the interests of
Czech economy.
Klaus is annoyed by Tuma's membership in Lipa and by his signature
of the Drevic Appeal, a document in which a group of economists analyzed
the problems of the Czech economy - and largely blamed Klaus for the
problems. Another reason for the disapproval of Tuma could be his
conservative approach to monetary policy.
Petr Frinta/Simon Dominik
Social Democrats Discuss Election Debacle
The Social Democratic Party's (CSSD) presidium discussed the causes
of the party's failure in the Senate and regional elections November
26. The Social Democrats gained one of 27 Senate seats and finished
fourth in the regional elections behind the Civic Democratic Party
(ODS), the Four-Party Coalition and the Communist Party (KSCM, see
Carolina 394 and 395).
The members of the presidium did not agree on the cause of the
debacle. Prime Minister and party Chairman Milos Zeman took
responsibility for the election results, but refused to resign. He was
backed by the presidium, which opposed Chamber of Deputies Vice
Chairwoman and former CSSD Vice Chairwoman Petra Buzkova, who
asked
Zeman to resign immediately after his meeting with Communist Party
Chairman Miroslav Grebenicek before the second round of the Senate
Elections. Buzkova resigned from her party function in spring in protest
against the amendments to the CSSD-ODS Opposition Contract.
Zeman also confirmed he will not run again for party chairman at
the party convention in April. His successors are expected to be either
Labor Minister Vladimir Spidla or Interior Minister Stanislav Gross.
Zeman said he is also considering resigning as prime minister if he is
asked to do so by the members of the party, regardless of their number.
The presidium refused to cancel the Opposition Contract and leave the
government.
Marie Sternova/Simon Dominik
Nomination for Four-Party Coalition Leader Raises Eyebrows
Jaroslav Kopriva, longtime deputy to four previous interior
ministers and the present general secretary of the Czech Catholic
Charity, was nominated by the Christian Democrats' (KDU-CSL) leadership
as a candidate for the position of election leader of the Four-Party
Coalition (the KDU-CSL; the Freedom Union, US; the Civic Democratic
Alliance, ODA; and the Democratic Union, DEU). The nomination has to be
approved by the KDU-CSL national conference in two weeks.
Although Kopriva has been a member of party leadership for a long
time, he was never in a visible political position. His nomination
caused consternation among the Four-Party Coalition's other parties.
Freedom Union Senator and former party Chairman Jan Ruml said he
considers Kopriva a serious and reliable man, but more "an official than
a leader type". If the Four-Party Coalition wins the next general
elections, scheduled for 2002, its leader could be asked to form
a government. The Four-Party Coalition has its sights set high after
winning 17 of the 27 Senate seats contested in November elections (see
Carolina 394, 395).
The final decision on the leader will be made by the eight-member
Four-Party Coalition Council (KDU/CSL has three members, Freedom Union
three, ODA one and DEU one) by the end of January.
Gabriela Pribilova/Milan Smid
Ethnic Groups in Media and Advertising
The media must provide regular information on ethnic minorities not
only in reference to crimes, property disputes and other similar
problematic cases. That was the verdict of the international conference
Ethnic Groups in Media and Advertising, which took place in Prague
November 24-25.
The organizer of the conference, Tolerance, invited to Prague
representatives of minorities, journalists, the advertising industry,
sociologists, psychologists, students and others. Tolerance appealed to
the media to call upon ethnic groups to state their ethnic status during
the population census next year (ethnic status is optional census
information). These statistical data are important for government policy
and the formation of programming for public-service broadcasting.
Participants of the conference agreed that an advisory body
consisting of representatives of ethnic minorities living in the Czech
Republic be set up at the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting.
The body is to help the council draft proposals of legislation for the
access of minorities to public media. Participants also agreed on the
need to create a Fund for Social Advertising, into which the state would
contribute and which would finance campaigns beneficial to the public.
In this context representatives of ad agencies demanded that ethnic
minorities in the Czech Republic be counted.
Vera Vonavkova/Sofia Karakeva
NEWS IN BRIEF
* President Vaclav Havel nominated former Justice Minister Otakar
Motejl and computer expert Vaclav Trojan (the spiritual father of this
publication) to the post of ombudsman, the public protector of citizens'
rights. Havel also nominated former spokeswoman of the Charter 77 human
rights movement Anna Sabatova and the head of the School Office in Zdar
nad Sazavou Simeona Zikmundova for the post of deputy ombudsman.
According to Havel's spokesman Ladislav Spacek, Havel informed the
Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of his decision November 22. Havel
said he hopes the candidates he proposed will be the same as those
proposed by the Senate. Senators also proposed in mid-October Motejl and
Supreme Audit Office (NKU) official Marie Hoskova. They proposed Civic
Democratic Party (ODS) Senator Jan Voracek and Social Democrat
(CSSD)
Senator Jiri Vyvadil as deputy ombudsmen (Vyvadil gave up his candidacy
after being named a judge). The Chamber of Deputies elects the ombudsman
and his deputy for six years from eight candidates, four of them
proposed by the president and four by the Senate. The election of the
first ombudsman and his deputy should take place in the third week of
the current session, meaning around December 12.
* Rectors of 27 universities met in Prague November 23-24 to discuss
changes to the Higher Education Act presented by the deputies of the
Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the
Freedom Union (US). Discussion of the proposals will take place in
February. The rectors discussed the deputies' request for universities
to provide more detailed information on entrance exams and to be allowed
to found profit-making companies. They also discussed the possibility of
allowing a student who failed the entrance exams to pay for his studies.
This concept is not accepted by rectors, who cite the lack of teachers.
The meeting will continue December 14.
Katerina Komadova/Sofia Karakeva
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Czech-Austrian Relations Relax
The Austrian government is ready to discuss environmental issues
with the Czech Republic in December and does not want to block EU
expansion talks with the Czech Republic because of its concerns about
the safety of the Temelin nuclear power plant. That was the result of
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan's visit to Vienna November 27. Kavan
negotiated with his Austrian counterpart, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and
with Agriculture and Environment Minister Wilhelm Molterer. However, the
Austrian objections remain to closing the energy chapter in the Czech
Republic's EU membership talks.
The Temelin issue should have been the topic of the meeting between
Czech and Austrian Presidents Vaclav Havel and Thomas Klestil November
28, but Klestil's visit was cancelled because of Havel's illness.
Temelin should be discussed during Prime Minister Milos Zeman's visit to
Austria December 12.
Katerina Komadova/Milan Smid
Ambassador Havlin Done in Bulgaria
Foreign Minister Jan Kavan has decided to recall Czech ambassador
to Bulgaria Ondrej Havlin because of Bulgarian complaints. Two years
ago, Havlin had been accused of running over a customs officer's foot
after removing a border blockade himself. He is also said to have
offended the Bulgarians in September at the Czech Embassy's official
reception in Sofia, but the patience of the Foreign Ministry evidently
ran out last week, when Havlin warned, without consulting the ministry,
against individual travel to Bulgary because of crime.
Katerina Komadova/Adam Fendrych
FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF
* Pope John Paul II welcomed Premier Mikulas Dzurinda November 24
after Dzurinda signed a treaty with State Secretary Cardinal Angel
Solan. The press called the document, which had been worked on for four
years, a manifestation of political will for reconciliation, while it
points out that the most controversial parts of text were left out and
the treaty does not mention divorce or abortion.
* The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which November 22 formed
its own club in the legislature in reaction to the founding of Premier
Mikulas Dzurinda's Slovak Democratic Christian Union (see Carolina
395), signed November 27 an amendment to the government's coalition
agreement. They are a member of the coalition but they will have no
minister. Although KDH has 9 legislators, the step provides more
stability for the government, which had been troubled by battles between
the conservative KDH and the leftist coalition members.
Zdenek Sloboda/Adam Fendrych
ECONOMY
Government Launches Privatization of Commerce Bank
The Commission for Bank Privatization presented to the government
November 22 a list of four foreign banks interested in buying the
Commerce Bank (Komercni banka, KB). The list was based on preliminary
offers by the applicants for a 60-per-cent share of the bank. The most
important criteria for selection were the reputation, credibility and
a rating higher than that of the Czech Republic.
The world's second-largest insurer, Allianz, the German
HypoVereinsbank and the French banks Societe Generale and Credit
Agricole are said to be among the four. "This list may be expanded,
provided the candidate meets certain criteria," said Jana Viskova,
spokeswoman of the National Property Fund. The fifth bank to get on the
list could be the Italian group UniCredito Italiano.
The candidates will conduct due diligence and then submit binding
offers. The government plans that the winner will be known in the first
quarter of 2001.
Ales Borovan/Stepan Vorlicek
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* The government upped the minimum monthly wage by 500 crowns
November 22. It was this year's second increase. Beginning January 1,
every employed Czech will earn at least 5,000 crowns per month. The
government fulfilled its promise to raise the minimum wage above the
poverty line by the end of 2000. Labor Minister Vladimir Spidla said the
move will make more unemployed people look for a job and the
unemployment rate will thus decrease.
* The Czech GDP should increase this year by 2.5 per cent, inflation
should be 3.8 per cent, the unemployment rate 9.1 per cent, the state
budget deficit 5.1 per cent of the GDP and the current-account deficit
2.7 per cent of the GDP. These numbers were published in the European
Commission's macroeconomic forecast for 2000-2002. GDP growth in the
Czech Republic for next year is predicted to be 3 per cent, with
inflation and unemployment rates estimated at 4.3 per cent and 8.9 per
cent, respectively.
Katerina Komadova, Ales Borovan/Stepan Vorlicek
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid December 1)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 34.580
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 20.868
Great Britain 1 GBP 56.652
Denmark 1 DKK 4.635
Japan 100 JPY 36.010
Canada 1 CAD 25.875
IMF 1 XDR 51.112
Hungary 100 HUF 13.052
Norway 1 NOK 4.295
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.169
Poland 1 PLN 8.909
Greece 100 GRD 10.151
Slovakia 100 SKK 80.372
Slovenia 100 SIT 16.286
Sweden 1 SEK 3.973
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.917
USA 1 USD 39.859
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.680
Belgium 100 BEF 85.722
Finland 1 FIM 5.816
France 1 FRF 5.272
Ireland 1 IEP 43.908
Italy 1000 ITL 17.859
Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.722
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.692
Portugal 100 PTE 17.248
Austria 1 ATS 2.513
Spain 100 ESP 20.783
CULTURE
Nine Days for Jewish Culture
The first International Festival of Jewish Culture, named after the
book by Jiri Mordechai Langr Nine Gates (Devet bran), held its closing
ceremonies November 26. A number of concerts of classical music and
jazz, theater performances and films marked the nine-day festival in
Prague. Artists from nine countries performed during the festival. An
ensemble from the Israeli National Theater started the festival with
a performance of Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle. The festival was sent
off with another nod to the number nine. Nine trees were planted in the
places from which transports traveled to concentration camps.
Marketa Bartosova/Pavla Krizkova
Lennon in Green
The art group Rafani painted the Lennon Wall on Prague's Lesser
Quarter (Mala Strana) dark green. The famous portrait of Lennon
disappeared together with other pictures, quotes and song lyrics
covering the wall. Rafani said their act was a protest against the
current political situation, particularly against the Opposition
Contract between the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Social
Democrats (CSSD). They said they also want to remind people that the
political revolution of 1989 has been abandoned.
A group of hippies is trying to bring the wall back to its original
condition. They say the wall does not have anything in common with
politics but is a symbol of higher values. Vladimir Gaus said, "If
Rafani wanted to protest against stagnation, lethargy and monotony, why
didn't they paint Parliament or the government headquarters green?"
Marketa Gausova, his wife, renewed Lennon's portrait and new quotes,
lyrics and pictures are appearing. By the way, a dog's head in a circle,
the Rafani logo, was painted there with a muzzle.
Dana Zlatohlavkova/Pavla Krizkova
SPORTS
Jan Zelezny Is World's Best Athlete
Javelin thrower Jan Zelezny was elected the world's top
track-and-field athlete of 2000. The results of the IAAF poll were
announced in Monte Carlo November 26.
The poll has been organized since 1988. Czech decathlete Tomas
Dvorak aspired to the prestigious title last year, when he set a world
record and won the World Championships, but he finished in fifth place.
Zelezny had not had good experiences with the competition, finishing
third after a great 1996 season including a world record.
This year the specialists put him in first place, not only because
he was the first javelin thrower to win his third Olympics gold in
a row, but also because Zelezny returned to the world elite after
a serious shoulder injury in 1998. American runners Maurice Greene and
Michael Johnson finished behind Zelezny.
Katerina Komadova/Mirek Langer
UEFA Cup: Osijek - Slavia 2-0 (1-0)
Slavia Praha soccer players returned from Osijek, where they played
the first game of the UEFA Cup third round, with an unhappy balance:
they lost 0-2 after silly mistakes on defense November 23. On offense,
the traditional weakness of Slavia showed again: Slavia cannot convert
chances.
The Croatian side took the lead in the 33rd minute, when Almir
Turkovic took advantage of Slavia captain Karel Rada's bad kick. Slavia
could have tied five minutes later, as Tomas Kuchar's free kick hit the
post and the following shot by Ludek Zelenka hit the crossbar. The 1-0
score became 2-0 in the 81st minute on Mato Neretljak's goal.
The rematch is scheduled for December 7.
Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
Soccer League: Unconverted Penalty Costs Pribram Win over Sparta
The reigning champion and soccer league leader Sparta Praha was
near to its second defeat in a row on the Marila Pribram field. In the
fifth minute of injury time, with the score tied 1-1, Daniel Smejkal
took a penalty kick, but his kick hit the crossbar. Sparta was the
better team, especially after the break, when it performed aggressively
on offensive despite a red card for Michal Hornak.
Slavia did not break out of its streak of poor results, and despite
enormous offensive efforts tied with Stare Mesto 0-0.
In Ceske Budejovice, the fans saw seven goals in a game against
Viktoria Plzen. Tomas Klinka and Tomas Janda of Budejovice each scored
two goals in this match between two sides threatened with relegation.
The autumn season will be end with several postponed games in the
beginning of the December, including the hit of the league: the derby
between Sparta and Slavia (December 1).
Results of the 16th round: Pribram - Sparta Praha 1-1, Olomouc
- Teplice 3-1, Zizkov - Liberec 2:0, Jablonec - Bohemians Praha 1:0,
Ceske Budejovice - Plzen 4:3, Blsany - Drnovice 0:0, Brno - Ostrava
1:0, Slavia Praha - Stare Mesto 0:0.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 37, 2. Teplice 27, 3. Pribram 25, 4.
Stare Mesto 25, 5. Liberec 24, 6. Olomouc 23, 7. Zizkov 22, 8. Slavia
Praha 20, 9. Bohemians Praha 19, 10. Jablonec 19, 11. Blsany 17, 12.
Drnovice 17, 13. Ceske Budejovice 15 , 14. Ostrava 15, 15. Brno 14, 16.
Plzen 9.
Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
Hockey Extraleague Coaches Fired
Three teams in the hockey extralegue changed their coaches during
the last week. The firing of Frantisek Vyborny from Sparta attracted the
biggest attention, he was replaced by Milos Riha, who had left Karlovy
Vary only three days before. Riha's assistant Radim Rulik will lead the
team. The other Prague team was also affected, as Jaromir Sindel was
replaced by the team's sports director and legendary player Vladimir
Ruzicka (captain of the Nagano Olympics champions).
Vyborny's firing followed the Sparta's record-setting loss at home
in the 26th round. Sparta lost to Pardubice 1-9 and the winner could
celebrate having won first place in the standings at the midpoint of the
regular season. Under Riha, Sparta lost at home 0-2 to Zlin.
On the contrary, Slavia, after a loss in Znojmo, surprised Vsetin
in Vsetin, winning 6-1. Karlovy Vary fell to last place in the
standings. Thirteenth-place Kladno defeated first-place Pardubice,
managing to take a game against Pardubice into overtime for the third
time this year and winning its second.
Results of the 26th round: Sparta Praha - Pardubice 1-9, Vsetin
- Litvinov 4-2, Karlovy Vary - Zlin 3-4, Ceske Budejovice - Kladno 3-1,
Havirov - Vitkovice 2-1, Znojmo - Slavia Praha 2-1.
Results of the 27th round: Sparta Praha - Zlin 0-2, Pardubice
- Kladno 4-5, Karlovy Vary - Litvinov 2-4, Ceske Budejovice - Plzen
4-2, Vsetin - Slavia 1-6, Havirov - Znojmo 2-1.
Standings: 1. Pardubice 52, 2 Litvinov 48, 3. Vsetin 47, 4.
Vitkovice 45, 5. Zlin 44, 6. Sparta Praha 39, 7. Znojmo 37, 8. Trinec
37, 9. Plzen 36, 10. Slavia Praha 35, 11. Havirov 32, 12. Ceske
Budejovice 31, 13. Kladno 30, 14. Karlovy Vary 28.
Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Katerina Neumannova finished fifth in the opening race of the
cross-country skiing World Cup in Beitostolen, Norway November 25.
Norwegian Bente Martinsen-Skari won the 10km classic race ahead of
Finland's Varis and Italy's Belmondo. Neumannova said she was satisfied
with her performance, saying she was able to deal with the difficult
terrain, the wet, heavy snow and temperatures around freezing. Although
she had problems during the race, she surprisingly defeated all the
Russian skiers. In the next race, she finished sixth in the 5km
freestyle, with Finland's Varis the winner.
Stepan Vorlicek/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Ugly, ugly, ugly. Forget all the nice things we said. Sometimes
it's clear and cold, but for the last few days it's been gray and rainy.
We've been living under 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit. As
usual, things are better in Moravia, where the thermometer nearly
reaches 15 degrees Celsius/59 degrees Fahrenheit. But they'll get
theirs, too.
Dana Zlatohlavkova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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