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Carolina (English) No 374
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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 374, Friday, May 5, 2000.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (April 27 - May 3)
Anarchists Rebel in Prague Streets Again
About 300 anarchists demonstrated May 1 against capitalism on
Prague's Shooter's Island (Strelecky ostrov). Their rally was not legal
because they did not notify the Prague 1 District Office. At 1 p.m.,
police asked the demonstrators to end their speeches and disperse. The
anarchists did not stop speaking and police arrested 13 persons. Clashes
between police and demonstrators broke out after the police began making
arrests. The police then allowed the demonstrators to leave the island
individually or in small groups. However, some groups of anarchists came
together again in the Kampa Park and tried to march through Prague, but
cordons of policemen blocked their path in the Lesser Quarter (Mala
Strana) and arrested another 40 people.
Government Human Rights Envoy Petr Uhl protested against the police
intervention: "I do not know the reason for the intervention, but those
people were behaving completely peacefully and the police needlessly
manhandled them." Petr Horak of the Civic Solidarity and Tolerance
Movement (Hnuti obcanske solidarity a tolerance, HOST) said he will file
a criminal complaint against the police. Interior Minister Stanislav
Gross said he supports the intervention and considers it successful.
Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Union leader Richard Falbr placed
flowers on the May 1 monument on the island. Zeman then joined the
celebration of his Social Democrat Party at the Prague Fairgrounds
(Vystaviste). The Communist Party (KSCM) organized its meeting on the
Letna Plain (Letenska plan), the traditional site of pre-1989 party
gatherings. Party Chairman Miroslav Grebenicek in his speech protested
against Czech membership in the European Union. Grebenicek also called
on party members to practice civil disobedience.
President Vaclav Havel walked with his wife on Prague's Petrin
hill, the traditional site for May 1 spring celebrations of romance.
Jan Vedral, Nikoleta Alivojvodic/Jakub Jirovec
New Business Legislation Takes Effect
Several new laws and rulings came into force May 1, among them four
legal norms which could have a significant impact on Czech economic
life: the new Bankruptcy Act (105/2000), the Public Auctions Act
(26/2000), the Investment Incentives Act (72/2000) and the Public
Subsidy Act (59/2000).
The amendments to the Bankruptcy Act should speed up the bankruptcy
procedure and enhance the transparency of the process. A judge will be
empowered to appoint a bankruptcy trustee before any formal bankruptcy
declaration, therefore the trustee will be in a better position to
control the cash flow of the company.
The new Public Auctions Act will enable banking houses an easier
process to cover bad loans via the sale of real-estate collateral. The
value of collateral pledged to Czech banks is in the hundreds of
billions of crowns, one-third of them guaranteeing classified loans.
The Investment Incentives Act guarantees important tax relief for
companies investing more than 10 million USD in the Czech Republic.
The Public Subsidy Act is harmonized with EU legislation and
prohibits any subsidy that would be detrimental to economic competition.
According to the law, the government will be allowed to provide only
three-year subsidies of up to 100,000 euro (about 3.5 million crowns).
Larger subsidies will have to be approved by the Anti-Monopoly Office.
Dita Eckhardtova/Milan Smid
State Wants to Motivate Unemployed to Look for Jobs
The Labor Ministry proposed raising the minimum wage by 500 crowns
monthly from July 1. Employees would then have a minimum monthly wage of
4,500 crowns.
Net income would then be 3,783 crowns. This sum would then for the
first time be higher than the poverty line, although the difference
would be 13 crowns. The government says it wants to end the current
situation where unemployed people make more on the dole than they would
in a job, a situation which weighs on the budget. The proposal has been
approved by unions and employers.
Jan Moravek/Darina Johanidesova
Court and Financial Office Step into TV NOVA Conflict
The Regional Commercial Court in Prague dismissed four CNTS suits
against TV NOVA General Director Vladimir Zelezny April 26. The court
rejected CNTS' claim that Zelezny was not the controlling shareholder of
the CET 21 company, which holds the broadcasting license for NOVA. CNTS
Director Jan Vavra said CNTS will most likely appeal against the
verdict.
The daily MF DNES wrote April 29 that companies connected to TV
NOVA owe the state about 1.5 billion crowns in back taxes. The Financial
Office for Prague 1 claims CET 21 has a VAT back taxes of approximately
1.1 billion crowns, while CNTS' debt is roughly estimated (the audit is
still in progress) at 300 million crowns. Lawyers for both firms say the
tax problems could be linked with last year's split of the two
companies. Zelezny, who controls CET 21, was recalled as CNTS general
director last April. After this he gradually moved CNTS out of NOVA's
operations and in August withdrew from the service contract between CET
21 and CNTS (see Carolina 329 and 351).
CET 21 then asked CNTS for part of the income from commercials.
CNTS refused and the matter wound up in court. A representative of one
of the companies said the Financial Office believes a claim for money
means a requirement to pay VAT taxes.
Simon Dominik/Simon Dominik
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Visegrad Four's Leaders Meet Schroeder in Hnezdno
The leaders of the countries of the Visegrad Four - Jerzy Buzek
(Poland), Viktor Orban (Hungary), Mikulas Dzurinda (Slovakia) and Milos
Zeman (the Czech Republic) - met with German Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder in Polish city of Hnezdno April 28.
The climax of their discussion on EU expansion was the ceremonial
signing of the Hnezdno Declaration in the Old Town Hall. The statesmen
bound themselves to a united commitment to create Europe's future. They
also expressed the will of their nations to live in a united Europe
built on solidarity and economic, security and social cooperation. "Our
collective goal is to create a Europe of free communities living in
peace, safety and prosperity," says the document.
Schroeder expressed to his Central European colleagues his support
for EU expansion. Zeman said, "we spoke in various languages but were
united by identical thoughts."
After collective negotiations, Zeman met with Schroeder for an
informal talk.
Michaela Kleckova/Simon Dominik
Central European Presidents Meet in Hungary
Presidents of 11 Central European countries met in Hungary's
Szekesfehervar April 28-29. At their seventh meeting (the first took
place in 1994 in the Czech Republic), they discussed primarily the
future of Europe in the third millennium. The meeting should have been
attended by 12 presidents, but Italy's Carlo Azeglio Ciampi could not
come because of a political crisis.
The first to speak was Arpad Goencz, president of the host country.
Then followed speeches by the presidents of Poland, Austria, Germany,
Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and
Croatia.
"Even though presidents do not have great authority, these meetings
are definitely significant," said Czech President Vaclav Havel. His
words are borne out by the fact that the number of presidents in
attendance has risen every year.
Besides the situation in Central Europe, the presidents discussed
the situation in the Balkans and Chechnya and, in the end, bilateral
talks also took place.
Martin Moravec/Simon Dominik
European Court Says Czech Republic Violated Human Rights Convention
The Czech Republic lost a trial in the European Court against
German bussinesman Kurt Siegfried Punzelt. He protested in Strasbourg
against the length of his incarceration and the court partly agreed with
him.
Czech police arrested and accused Punzelt of fraud in April 1993.
His sentence - three-and-a-half years for his attempt to buy real estate
with bad checks - was handed down in July 1996. From his arrest Punzelt
had been in custody, so he had by his conviction served nearly his
entire sentence.
The European Court's decision said the Czech Republic violated the
European Convention on Human Rights' fifth paragraph, which guarantees
the right for a speedy trial. The Czech Republic has to pay Punzelt
10,000 deutschmarks in damages and court expenses.
The Punzelt case was the third complaint against Czech Republic
discussed in the European Court, and the second ruling that the country
violated the European Convention on Human Rights.
Michaela Kleckova/Darina Johanidesova
SLOVAKIA
Interior Minister Stays in Office
An extraordinary session of the National Assembly April 28, called
for a vote of confidence in Interior Minister Ladislav Pittner, decided
that Pittner will remain in office. Out of 128 present legislators, 51
voted for his recall. The session was initiated by the opposition
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) because they alleged the
police used "terrorist" methods with HZDS Chairman Vladimir Meciar.
Meciar was taken into custody in a Trencianske Teplice pension by
a special ministry commando unit April 20, because he ignored subpoenas
to testify in the kidnapping case of Michal Kovac Jr., son of the former
president. Meciar also refused to accept the notice that he had been
accused of paying illegal compensation to members of his government (see
Carolina 373).
Meciar's seizure drew loud protests from his colleagues and fans,
while Premier Mikulas Dzurinda and Justice Minister Jan Carnogursky said
they thought the raid was appropriate.
Pittner's vote was the ninth time HZDS called a vote of confidence
for a member of the government. Meciar's party has already tried to
recall a deputy premier and the ministers of foreign affairs, finance,
education, justice and economy. In January 1999 they tried to recall
Pittner in the connection with the murder of Meciar's former Economy
Minister Jan Ducky.
In front of the legislature a small demonstration of Meciar
supporters took place, calling Dzurinda a "gypsy" and "terrorist,"
Pittner "Hitler" and the police "gestapo."
Daniela Vrbova/Daniela Vrbova
May Day in Slovakia
May Day celebrations organized by the opposition Movement for
a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) had none of their past magnificence. The
party called a demonstration to support party Chairman Vladimir Meciar
and to protest that the government "is enslaving the Slovaks and
impoverishing the independent republic." Attendance was weak among party
leaders and followers - Meciar did not come, the keynote speech was
given by former Finance Minister Sergej Kozlik.
Observers say one of the reasons for the small scale of the
demonstration is the party's lack of finances, which prevented HZDS from
bringing supporters in from throughout the country.
Daniela Vrbova/Daniela Vrbova
ECONOMY
Government Wants to Ban Tobacco Advertising
The government April 26 passed amendments to the Advertising Act
prohibiting all tobacco advertising and limiting alcohol and drug
advertising. The hotly-debated amendments should harmonize Czech law
with EU legislation. Jiri Mikes, executive director of the Association
of Advertising Agencies, said the new law is unnecessarily more strict
than EU laws.
A European Union directive from 1998 says tobacco advertising
should be gradually eliminated beginning in 2001. Denmark, Germany and
Austria have attacked the directive, saying it contradicts their
constitutions. It is unclear whether the directive will take effect.
Dita Eckhardtova/Jakub Jirovec
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* A management reshuffle at the April 26 supervisory board meeting of
the Investment and Postal Bank (IPB) increased the control of Nomura,
the bank's largest single shareholder. Former board Vice Chairman
Randall Dillard of Nomura was named chairman, replacing the outgoing
Jiri Tesar. Libor Prochazka, the bank's storied eminence gris, will
leave the bank's board of directors and join the management of IPB
Holding, where he should assist with the selection of a strategic
partner for the bank. Nomura, which holds 46 per cent of the bank's
shares, announced it intends to remain a minority shareholder and wants
to control the custody and investment banking departments. Germany's
Allianz is interested in a share of IPB, according to the daily Lidove
noviny.
Dita Eckhardtova/Milan Smid
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid May 5)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 36.420
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 24.054
Great Britain 1 GBP 63.688
Denmark 1 DKK 4.885
Japan 100 JPY 37.328
Canada 1 CAD 27.363
IMF 1 XDR 53.592
Hungary 100 HUF 14.097
Norway 1 NOK 4.500
New Zealand 1 NZD 19.975
Poland 1 PLN 8.985
Greece 100 GRD 10.837
Slovakia 100 SKK 86.790
Slovenia 100 SIT 17.819
Sweden 1 SEK 4.496
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.577
USA 1 USD 40.866
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 18.621
Belgium 100 BEF 90.283
Finland 1 FIM 6.125
France 1 FRF 5.552
Ireland 1 IEP 46.244
Italy 1000 ITL 18.809
Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.283
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.527
Portugal 100 PTE 18.166
Austria 1 ATS 2.647
Spain 100 ESP 21.889
CULTURE
Jethro Tull in Pilsen
British dinosaurs Jethro Tull performed May 2 in an outdoor
amphitheater in Lochotin, Pilsen (Plzen). Next stop on the tour is
Ostrava May 7 and Zlin a day later.
Fans from all over the country began to gather at 5 p.m.. The show
was opened by singer Jan Cimbura and followed by the band Bangladesh,
accompanied for one song by Helena Houdova, former Miss Czech Republic.
Jethro Tull took the stage after 9 p.m. and dusted off their most
successful albums from the 60's and 70's, playing Thick as a Brick, My
God, Locomotive Breath and Bouree, their instrumental variation of Bach.
Frontman Ian Anderson also sang several songs from his solo album The
Secret Language of Birds. The crowd was granted several encores and the
show was ended by two balloons thrown into the audience.
Jethro Tull was formed in February 1968 by Anderson and guitarist
Martin Barre. The name Jethro Tull was proposed by their former agent
for 18th-century English agricultural innovator Jethro Tull.
Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Ondrej Maly
Jury Chooses Most Beautiful Books of the Year
No beautiful books are published in the Czech Republic - that was
the conclusion of the competition for the most beautiful book annually
organized by the National Literature Memorial.
Jury members said Czech books are of a low quality and they had to
choose between lesser evils.
Czech Architecture 1989-1999 by Petr Kratochvil and Pavel Halik
received the prize as the best expert publication. The five-volume De
Arte from Prague's Arbor Vitae publishers was pronounced the best work
of literature. In the category of childrens' literature, Monika Elsikova
received the prize for her book Bubu, which she published herself.
Jury Chairman Vladimir Suchanek said it was sad that Czech
children's books, once as good as any in the world, are today in such
poor condition.
Tomas Havlin/Zuzana Janeckova
Dogskin Law in Force in Vinohrady Theater
Vladimir Korner's dramatic debut Dogskin (Huncleder) had its
premiere April 28 in the Vinohrady Theater. The author, who has already
written several screenplays such as The Valley of the Bees (Udoli vcel),
Adelheid and The Spring of Life (Pramen zivota), again chose
a historical theme. The play is situated in the end of the Thirty Years
War, when the young nobleman Elias from Haugvic (Vladimir Dlouhy)
returns home to his property in Hadovec in Bohemia. The property is
managed by his uncle (Otakar Brousek), who converted to Catholicism.
Elias is accompanied by two mercenaries, Arnolf (Pavel Rimsky) and
Vilkis (Matej Hadek), who are at the beginning of the play confronted
with the new dogskin law (Huncleder), proclaimed by the priest Deleator
(Svatopluk Skopal). The law allowes the execution of renegades and
refugees without a trial and promises a reward and immunity for
informers. The tragedy is narated by a male and female Death, who are
first happy with all the newly dead but in the end celebrate the birth
of a new child - the child of Arnolf and Elias' blind sister Rozarka.
The play is directed by Juraj Deak.
Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova
SPORTS
World Championships Start on Russian Ice
Construction of the Peter the Great Arena in St. Petersburg was
finished April 29, just before the ice hockey World Championships began.
Some favorites were unpleasantly surprised at the beginning of the
tournament - the United States and Finland tied with theoretically
weaker opponents, while Canada and Russia lost. The Czech team remains
unbeaten.
Norway's team was first item on the Czech team's agenda April 29.
The Czechs led 0-1 after two periods, but they added three goals in the
last 20 minutes. Roman Cechmanek did not allow a goal. Eleven players
recorded their first game in the world championships, Vaclav Prospal
scored his first national team goal.
The Czech team met Japan May 1, and the Czechs played poorly. Two
novices to the world championships helped the team by scoring its fifth
(Martin Havlat) and sixth goals (Martin Stepanek) to give the Czechs
a comfortable three-goal lead.
Results: Czech Republic - Norway 4-0, goals: Vlasak, Sykora,
Vyborny and Prospal.
Czech Republic - Japan 6-3, goals: Varada, Dopita, Vyborny, Havlat,
Kaberle and Stepanek.
After deadline: Czech Republic - Canada 2-1, goals: Sykora, Dopita.
The Czech team advanced to the second-phase group of 12 and leads
its standings with four points (results from first-group games against
Norway and Canada are counted). The Czechs will meet Italy, Finland and
Slovakia.
Darina Johanidesova/Mirek Langer
Tennis Players in Fed Cup Finals in America
The Czech women's tennis team of Kvetoslava Hrdlickova, Denisa
Chladkova and Daniela Bedanova won three of its games in the semifinal
group of the Fed Cup, which took place in Bratislava April 27-30. It
advanced to the Fed Cup finals, which will be organized in the United
States at the end of November. The Czechs will meet Americans, Belgians
and Spaniards in this tournament.
Results: Czech Republic - Austria 2-1 (Hrdlickova - Wartusch 6-3,
1-6, 6-3; Chladkova - Schett 5-7, 6-4, 6-2; Bedanova, Hrdlickova
- Wartusch, Schett 6-7, 6-2, 3-6. Played April 27.)
Czech Republic - Switzerland 2-1 (Chladkova - Schnyder 2-6, 2-6;
Hrdlickova - Gagliardi 6-1, 7-6; Bedanova, Hrdlickova - Gagliardi,
Schnyder 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. April 28.)
Czech Republic - Slovakia 2-1 (Hrdlickova - Hantuchova 4-6, 2-6;
Chladkova - Habsudova 6-4, 6-4; Hrdlickova, Bedanova - Habsudova,
Hantuchova 7-5, 6-3. April 29.)
David Luksu and Simon Dominik/Mirek Langer
Slavia Loses First Game at Home in Soccer League, Sparta Farther ahead
Slavia entered the spring session of the soccer league with
a four-point advantage over Sparta and now it is four points behind.
Teplice invaded Slavia's field and destroyed the home team. After one
lonely counterattack, Slavia defender Petr Vlcek fouled Radek Divecky on
the penalty box line, he was sent off and Verbir decided the game with
his penalty kick and reduced Slavia's hopes for the title. Sparta will
host Slavia in the most famous Czech intracity derby in the next round.
Three rounds before the end of the league, it is still not clear
which teams will fall into the second league. Nine clubs could still
face relegation, with at least four of them the most likey candidates.
Hradec Kralove seems certian to fall.
Results of the 27th round: Drnovice - Opava 1-1, Zizkov - Pribram
1-1, Olomouc - Jablonec 0-0, Slavia Praha - Teplice 0-1, Blsany - Sparta
Praha 1-4, Liberec - Ceske Budejovice 2-0,
Hradec Kralove - Brno 1-0, Ostrava - Bohemians Praha 1-1.
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 69, 2. Slavia Praha 65, 3. Drnovice 47,
4. Teplice 36, 5. Brno 36, 6. Bohemians Praha 36, 7. Liberec 35, 8.
Zizkov 32, 9. Blsany 32, 10. Pribram 31, 11. Ceske Budejovice 31, 12.
Olomouc 30, 13. Ostrava 29, 14. Opava 28, 15. Jablonec 25, 16. Hradec
Kralove 23.
David Luksu/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Petr Korbel won the Czech Republic's first-ever table tennis
European Championships medal in men's singles. Korbel, ranked 30th in
the world, lost in the semifinal to later champion Peter Karlsson of
Sweden and took the bronze.
* Karvina's men's handball team won the league title for the first
time in 28 years. It defeated Frydek-Mistek in the final series 3-1 with
a 28-26 win in the fourth and final game of the series.
* The second-league soccer club Banik Ratiskovice will participate in
the Czech Soccer Union Cup final. It defeated Vitkovice 3-0 and will
meet Liberec, which advanced after a 2-0 win over Olomouc.
* Prague-born Martina Navratilova will return to the tournament
circuit at the end of May in Madrid. Together with South African Mariaan
de Swardt, Navratilova will participate in the doubles to prepare for
Wimbledon, where she wants to win her 20th title.
Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
The sunny weather of the last week furnished the final evidence
that winter is definitely over. The temperatures of above 20 degrees
Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit let us take off our coats and sweaters
into closets, where they should stay until fall. The hand-in-hand walks
of lovers in parks and May Day festivities (among them witch burnings on
the eve of May 1), were only occasionally interrupted by thunderstorms
and rains. According to meteorologists, the summer season shall
persevere.
Pavel Korinek/Darina Johanidesova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
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