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Carolina (English) No 390
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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 390, Friday, October 20, 2000.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (October 4 - October 18)
Activation of Nuclear Fuel in Temelin Means Foreign Policy Problems
Nuclear fuel was activated in the presence of Prime Minister Milos
Zeman and the Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr in the Temelin nuclear power
plant October 9. The controlled fission chain reaction, i.e. the actual
start-up of the power plant, was initiated two days later. The
construction of Temelin took 14 years and its completion was pushed back
many times. Costs doubled original estimates and reached a total of
98.6 billion crowns. The first electric supply is expected by the end of
the year.
Protests against the power plant grew stronger as the commencement
of operation came near. According to the latest opinion polls, 59 per
cent of Czech respondents agree with the activation of the power
station. Austrians are strongly against it and want to achieve the
shut-down of the nuclear process for at least six months, during which
an international evaluation of the plant's safety and its impact on the
environment would take place. After protests at the borders (see
Carolina 387 and 388) the Austrians continued their blockades. Joerg
Haider, former Free Democrats (FPO) chairman, personally supported the
10,000 protesters at one of the major crossings in Wullowitz-Dolni
Dvoriste October 13.
The Czech Republic officially asked the EU for help with the
blocked borders the same day (Czech-Austrian borders are the outer
borders of the EU) because its request to the Austrian government to
secure free transit failed. Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel
accused the Czech government of disturbing neighborly relations.
The blockades were officially suspended October 15. Austria wants
to enable the Czech government to open diplomatic talks about Temelin's
operation without such extraneous pressure. According to the latest
news, Zeman and Schuessel are to meet October 31 in Brno.
Vera Vonavkova/Simon Dominik, Ondrej Maly
After deadline: EU Commissar Gunter Verheugen said he considers the
Austrian blockades a violation of European law. He said this after his
October 18 meeting with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and expressed
his confidence that the conflict can be solved by bilateral talks.
Rychetsky Takes over Justice Ministry
President Vaclav Havel authorized Deputy Prime Minister Pavel
Rychetsky to administer the Ministry of Justice October 16. Rychetsky
replaces Otakar Motejl, the only non-partisan in the government, who
resigned because many of his proposals for judicial reform were rejected
by the legislature.
The former minister managed to start speeding up civil and
commercial proceedings, but the Chamber of Deputies in May rejected his
Criminal Code reform that moved some authority from the police to the
court itself.
Rychetsky said he would like to find a new minister as soon as
possible, at the latest within three months. The current Chairman of the
Appeals Court in Prague Jaroslav Bures is considered to be the leading
candidate. Senators of the ruling Social Democrats (CSSD) nominated
Motejl for the position of ombudsman. The former minister agreed with
his candidacy after he met with Havel October 16.
Petr Adam/Simon Dominik
Forum 2000
Education, Culture and Spiritual Values in the Globalized World,
was the main theme of the 4th Forum 2000 international conference
organized by Czech President Vaclav Havel at Prague Castle October
15-18.
About 60 well known personalities from around the world took part
in the conference, among them former Taiwan President Li Teng-chuei,
Islamic philosopher and writer Abbas Mohadjerani, Russian human rights
activist Sergei Kovalyov, the Tibetan Dalai Lama, musician Peter Gabriel
and French political scientist Jacques Rupnick.
Participants of the conference came to the conclusion that
globalization cannot be clearly and strictly defined. British
sociologist Anthony Giddens said the driving force of globalization is
not only the economy and market forces, but telecommunications. Former
South African President Frederik de Klerk pointed out the danger which
globalization poses to cultural diversity.
Forum debate was affected by the outbreak of violence in the Middle
East. Havel and other Forum 2000 participants appealed to the fighting
parties and asked them to return to dialogue and to search for
a solution to the conflict through peaceful means.
Gabriela Pribilova/Milan Smid
Army Loses Two Pilots and Their Fighter Planes
Two fighter planes crashed near Havlickuv Brod October 10. Both
pilots died. The crash occurred during a landing maneuver when the
pilots were returning to their base from a training flight. The first
aircraft's altimeter probably broke and both planes hit the ground. The
pilots were highly trained, both had more than 1,300 flight hours and
spent approximately 160 hours a year in the air. The planes were 25
years old but were modernized not long ago and were part of the NATO
anti-aircraft defense.
Both black boxes were found. Czech Army Air Forces Chief Ladislav
Klima said there were no flaws in the navigation equipment and wondered
why the pilots descended to such a low altitude and hit the ground 35
kilometers from the airport. The investigating commission should provide
a clearer statement about the cause of the accident in 10 days.
Stepan Vorlicek/Simon Dominik
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The November 12 regional and Senate elections were the main theme
at the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) party congress in Pilsen October
14. Party Chairman Vaclav Klaus criticized political subjects outside
the party system that avoid direct political competition and further
their interests behind the scenes (his remarks could be interpreted as
a shot at President Vaclav Havel and his coterie). The top priority for
ODS will be creating a government that would not need a coalition form.
* The Czech government cancelled all its sanctions aginst Yugoslavia
at the October 11 Cabinet session. Visa limitations for Slobodan
Milosevic and his family remain in effect.
Ales Borovan/Zdenek Sloboda
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Havel Visits Turkey
Czech President Vaclav Havel said during his three-day visit
October 10-12 to Turkey that he is ready to act as a mediary between
Cypriot Turks and Greeks. Havel said he hopes there is still a chance to
find a democratic, mutually acceptable resolution of the conflict.
At Bilhent University in Ankara, where Havel received an honorary
doctorate, he praised Turkey as a place of cohabitation of Islamic and
Western cultures. The last day of the visit Havel discussed issues of
human rights with a group of intellectuals, among them Kurdish activist
Akin Birdal.
Before leaving home Havel also met with the Turkish enterpreneurs
at the Czech-Turkish Trade Forum and unveiled a memorial plaque for
Alexander Dubcek, once the Czechoslovak ambassador to Turkey.
Dana Zlatohlavkova/Milan Smid
Zeman in UK for One-Day Visit
Prime Minister Miloç Zeman met British Prime Minister Tony Blair
October 11 during his one-day visit in the UK. The meeting, which Czech
Foreign Minister Jan Kavan also attended, dealt with bilateral and
European issues.
Blair declared his support for enlarging the European Union by the
year 2004, Zeman expressed his hope that British investments in Czech
industry will increase in the next years.
In particular, the Czech energy sector was discussed. As to the
ongoing Austrian protests against the Czech Temelin nuclear power plant,
Zeman said the Czech Republic is paying the price for its decision to
join the EU sanctions against Austria when the ultra-nationalist Joerg
Haider's FPO party entered the Austrian government.
Dana Zlatohlavkova/Milan Smid
FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF
* The 2001 state budget, approved by the government October 9, is
cosidered acceptable by most economists, in spite of the fact that it
will incur debts as high as 37.8 billion Slovak crowns, almost 4 per
cent of the GDP. The budget hovers a little too close to the 4-per-cent
GDP rate, warned the chief analyst of the Slovak Savings Bank Martin
Barto. However, it is drawn up to be anti-inflationary, which enables
interest rates to fall. Analyst at the Czechoslovak Trade Bank (CSOB)
Ludovit Odor said the state will not press the financial market and the
central bank will continue loosening its monetary policy. The opposition
declared it will not support this budget despite the praise from
experts.
* Chairman of the Czech Parliament Vaclav Klaus met his counterpart
Jozef Migas, Slovak Premier Mikulaç Dzurinda and Foreign Minister Eduard
Kukan during his official visit to Slovakia October 9-11. Klaus restated
his opinion that the V4 group (the Visegrad countries: the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary) is artificial, false,
unnecessary and without a real core. That did not prevent him and
Dzurinda from affirming that the relationship between Slovakia and the
Czech Republic is special, Klaus called it friendly and problem-free.
* The first town in the world to have a statue of the famous good
Czech soldier Schweik (Svejk) is Humenne, in Eastern Slovakia. The
piece, by local sculptor Jan Drotar, was unveiled October 6 during
Schweik Days, with many Czech and Polish Schweikologists and the
grandson of Schweik creator Jaroslav Hasek taking part. Close to the
site is a well from which Lieutenant Dub drank the filthy and foul water
during his trip to the Eastern front. A trail named Following the
Footsteps of the Good Soldier Schweik was opened, too.
Zdenek Sloboda/Stepan Vorlicek
ECONOMY
Czech Economy on the Rise
The improving performance of the Czech economy is springing from the
industrial sector, where production increased by 11 per cent over a year
ago - the best showing in four years. Construction reached a three-year
high as well with the volume of projects up 8.2 per cent. The results
were released by the Czech Statistics Office October 10.
According to the experts, the growth is caused by the high level of
foreign capital in local companies, which is accompanied by rising
productivity and export. Such companies represent 27 per cent of all
industry sales in the country and their performance growth is near 30
per cent. Among the most successful such companies remain traditional
powers like the Skoda carmaker from Mlada boleslav, as well as newcomers
like the TV-set manufacturer Otava.
Adam Fendrych/Adam Fendrych
Unemployment Declines in September
Although employment offices as usual registered more unemployed
people in September than in any other month, the unemployment rate
declined to 8.8 per cent. Experts are surprised by the development and
attribute the decrease to the general growth of economy and the
successful policies of the employment offices, which are managing to
find jobs for difficult-to-employ persons like new graduates and mothers
with children.
The highest unemployment rate is in Most (21.5 per cent), the lowest
is in the Prague-East and Prague-West districts (3 per cent).
Adam Fendrych/Adam Fendrych
Tosovsky Withdraws Candidacy for EBRD Vice President
Josef Tosovsky, the Czech National Bank (CNB) governor and former
prime minister, announced October 5 he was withdrawing his application
for the position of vice president of the European Bank for Renewal and
Development. He said the reason for his decision is the lengthy
selection process.
He did not confirm whether he intended to stay on as CNB governor
until the end of his term in 2004. "It's a question of my further plans
and they are directly concerned with the future of the whole CNB, and so
I would like to discuss this with the president first," said Tosovsky.
Some speculate Tosovky might move to the diplomatic corps.
David Pilar/Adam Fendrych
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid October 20)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 34.880
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 21.451
Great Britain 1 GBP 59.695
Denmark 1 DKK 4.678
Japan 100 JPY 38.343
Canada 1 CAD 27.357
IMF 1 XDR 53.165
Hungary 100 HUF 13.245
Norway 1 NOK 4.349
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.241
Poland 1 PLN 8.784
Greece 100 GRD 10.255
Slovakia 100 SKK 79.579
Slovenia 100 SIT 16.547
Sweden 1 SEK 4.100
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.134
USA 1 USD 41.352
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.834
Belgium 100 BEF 86.465
Finland 1 FIM 5.866
France 1 FRF 5.317
Ireland 1 IEP 44.288
Italy 1000 ITL 18.014
Luxemburg 100 LUF 86.465
Netherlands 1 NLG 18.014
Portugal 100 PTE 15.828
Austria 1 ATS 2.535
Spain 100 ESP 20.963
CULTURE
15 Years of Tri Sestry
One of the most commercially successful Czech bands of the 90's
- the folk-punk-rock group Tri sestry (Three Sisters) - celebrated 15
years of existence October 17. They christened their new double-album
15 Years Hammered in the Smithy (Patnact let jsem na Kovarne na plech)
in their pub The Old Branik Smithy (Na Stare Kovarne v Braniku), which
paradoxically is not in Branik in Prague 4 but in Letna in Prague 6.
One of the CDs contains 27 hits, a remix of their song Mexiko, nine
new tracks and three songs recorded live at their 15th anniversary
concert, which took place this fall in Prague's Stvanice Stadium. The
other CD (CD-ROM, to be exact) includes two videos and a large number of
photos from the concert. A book on the band was also published.
Petr Frinta/Zdenek Sloboda
CULTURE IN BRIEF
* A series of concerts called Czech Composers at the Turn of the
Millenium began this week. The series aims to introduce pieces by
contemporary composers of classical music. The event will run till the
end of April and it present earlier and new works by Petr Eben, Sylvie
Bodorova, Jan Klusak and Czech-American Karel Husa.
* Seventy-two Czech publishers are represented at the International
Book Fair in Frankfurt, Germany. Fifty-five of them are taking part in
the common Czech exhibit under the patronage of the company Bookworld
(Svet knihy - www.bookworld.cz).
* Six new Czech translations of the Tibetan Dalai Lama's books were
published during his stay in Prague at the Forum 2000 conference. His
book Ethics for the New Millenium is closely connected to the topic of
the conference. Among other books were The Road to Inner Peace and
a selection of his quotations, Words of Wisdom.
* Vaclav Riedelbach, professor and head of the Composing Department
at the Music School of Prague's Academy of the Arts, was named new
general director of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra after five years of
provisional leadership from Jiri Kovar. Riedelbach will take office
January 1.
Petr Frinta/Stepan Vorlicek, Milan Smid
SPORTS
Soccer World Cup Qualification: Discredited Reputation
The Czech national team mixed one success and one failure in two
games of the third 2002 World Cup qualification group. It easily
defeated Iceland 4-0 October 7, but four days later it lost two points
after a scoreless tie in Malta. After three games the Czech Republic
leads its group's standings with seven points, two and three points
ahead of its biggest opponents, Denmark and Bulgaria, respectively.
Qualification will continue in the spring.
Czech Republic - Iceland 4-0 (3-0)
After winning in Bulgaria, the Czech team welcomed Iceland to
Teplice. The Czechs' managed to break the Iceland defense early and
decided the game with three goals in the first half. Striker Jan Koller
was the hero of the game, scoring the first two goals (18th and 41st
minute), breaking his scoring drought in a return to past form. Captain
Pavel Nedved, who was with Koller the best player on the field, scored
the third Czech goal in the 43rd minute.
The Czech team tempo did not slow after the break and the game
became a Czech exhibition. Only Koller's unsuccessful attempt to convert
a penalty kick was an off note, but Nedved corrected the impression with
his last-minute free-kick goal.
Malta - Czech Republic 0-0
The game between the Czech Republic and Malta demonstrated the
irreparable complex of the Czech team against this poor opponent. The
cause of the Czechs' repeated failures probably lies in the opponent's
defense, the bad field and Malta's less-than-dignified play.
In the game in Malta, the Czechs were unable to take advantage of
their chances. Goalkeeper Muscat stopped headers from Sionko, Bejbl and
Fukal as well as shots by Horvath and Nedved. Koller's chance in the
47th minute finished wide. The key moment of the game occurred in the
53rd minute when defender Tomaç üepka was sent off after returning
a blow. Then the Czechs continued their vain struggle to break Malta's
defense and in the end they had to accept their first loss of points
after 15 qualification wins in a row.
David Pilar/Mirek Langer
Champions League: Sparta Praha Loses in Donetsk 1-2
With seven defensive players, sent onto the pitch by coach Ivan
Hasek for reliable defense and fast counterattacks, Sparta Praha played
its fourth game in the soccer UEFA Champions League in Donetsk, Ukraine.
The beginning went perfectly for Sparta, as goalkeeper Virt only
deflected Rosicky's shot and after Labant's corner kick Jiri Jarosik
scored.
The Shakhtar replied with heavy pressure, goalkeeper Postulka had
to make several excellent saves and he also cleared a penalty kick after
Vorobei's fall in the penalty box. Donetsk, however, tied the score
before the break: Glevetskas' header came after a corner kick in the
35th minute. Atelkin then hit the post, as did Sparta's Labant after the
break.
In the 87th minute Sparta lost the ball in the middle of the field
and Donetsk's chance was stopped by Grygera's hand-save in the box.
Sparta's defender was sent off and Zubov converted the penalty.
Sparta has almost lost its chance to advance to the second phase of
the Champions League and Sparta's place in the UEFA Cup, where the third
team from the group's standings will advance, has been complicated.
Adam Fendrych/Mirek Langer
Soccer League: Champion Sparta Loses First Game
Sparta Praha suffered its first loss this season, in the 10th round
of the soccer league. In the Prague intracity derby it lost at Bohemians
2-4. In the incomplete standings, Sparta fell to the second place behind
Liberec, which defeated Ostrava. Sparta's first defeat could be traced
to captain Jiri Novotny's illness, the team's defense without him was
not as consistent as usual and Bohemians had too much room for
combinations. Bohemians forward Hartig played very well, assisting on
three of the four Bohemians goals. Sparta lost in the Bohemians'
Vrsovice stadium for the first time in 14 years.
Results of the 10th round: Ceske Budejovice - Viktoria Zizkov 2-2,
Bohemians Praha - Sparta Praha 4-2, Slavia Praha - Brno 2-1, Liberec
- Ostrava 3-0, Blsany - Jablonec 4-0, Stare Mesto - Olomouc 3-1,
Drnovice - Pribram 0-1, Plzen - Teplice 0-2. Postponed game of the 6th
round: Ceske Budejovice - Teplice 2-2.
The standings are still incomplete due to some postponed games.
Liberec leads with 23 points, two points ahead of Sparta, Stare Mesto is
third with 16 points.
Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
Captain Reichel Moves Litvinov into Extraleague Lead
The hockey players of Litvinov earned the full amount of eight
points from the last four rounds and moved to the top of the
extraleague. The Litvinov team is led by captain Robert Reichel
(a longtime NHL player), who has scored nine goals in the last seven
games. After beating Ceske Budejovice, Litvinov managed to defeat the
last two seasons' champions: Sparta and Vsetin. Karlovy Vary fell into
the last place after Kladno managed to win its last two games in
overtimes. Sparta forward Patrik Martinec leads the scoring table with
20 points on nine goals and 11 assists.
Results of the 11th round: Karlovy Vary - Vsetin 1-2, Pardubice
- Havirov 5-1, Litvinov - Ceske Budejovice 2-1, Kladno - Sparta Praha
1-5, Vitkovice - Znojmo 3-2, Zlin - Plzen 4-2, Slavia Praha - Trinec
4-2.
Results of the 12th round: Znojmo - Plzen 4-0, Trinec - Zlin 5-2,
Ceske Budejovice - Slavia Praha 0-0 OT, Havirov - Kladno 4-2, Vsetin
- Vitkovice 4-2, Sparta Praha - Litvinov 3-4, Karlovy Vary - Pardubice
2-4.
Results of the 13th round: Pardubice - Sparta Praha 2-1, Litvinov
- Vsetin 4-2, Kladno - Ceske Budejovice 5-4 OT, Vitkovice - Havirov
5-2, Zlin - Karlovy Vary 4-3, Slavia Praha - Znojmo 4-4 OT, Plzen
- Trinec 0-2.
Results of the 14th round: Zlin - Sparta Praha 0-2, Vitkovice
- Trinec 2-2 OT, Plzen - Ceske Budejovice 4-2, Kladno - Pardubice 3-2
OT, Litvinov - Karlovy Vary 4-1, Znojmo - Havirov 2-2 OT, Slavia Praha
- Vsetin 1-2.
Standings: 1. Litvinov 29 points, 2. Sparta Praha 28, 3. Vitkovice
28, 4. Pardubice 26, 5. Vsetin 26, 6. Plzen 25 , 7. Zlin 20, 8. Trinec
19, 9. Slavia Praha 16, 10. Havirov 16, 11. Znojmo 15, 12. Ceske
Budejovice 14, 13. Kladno 11, 14. Karlovy Vary 11.
Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
Peruan Completes Great Pardubice Steeplechase Hattrick
Peruan, a 12-year old brown horse, won the Grand Pardubice (Velka
pardubicka) steeplechase for the third time in a row. With jockey Zdenek
Matysik aboard, Peruan won the 110th year of the race. Jockey Jan
Havlicek finished on Belovodsk in second place after three third places.
In the race, Peruan waited at the back of the field and moved ahead in
the last third of the race. Only Belovodsk was able to stay close and at
the beginning of the backstretch Peruan led by a few centimeters.
Behind Belovodsk, Duçan Andres finished third with Czanka. A total of
10 horses crossed the finish line.
Results of the 110th Grand Pardubice Steeplechase: 1. Peruan, 2.
Belovodsk, 3. Czanka, 4. Marketplace, 5. Rent.
Petr Adam/Mirek Langer
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Czech cyclist Jan Hruska was suspended for six months for doping.
Hruska tested positive for nandrolon during the Tour of Spain. Because
of the investigation, Hruska had to miss the Sydney Olympics and the
World Championships. The punishment is on the low end of the scale, the
disciplinary commission gave him the benefit of the doubt as Hruska
claimed the substance got into his body without his knowledge.
* Jiri Jezek won the first gold medal for the Czech Republic in the
Paralympic Games, which are taking place in Sydney. Jezek won the
one-kilometer time-trial in track cycling competitions. A total of 57
Czech athletes are participating in the Games.
Stepan Vorlicek, Gabriela Pribilova/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
The first snow of the year did indeed fall in the Sumava hills
October 7, but Indian summer did make its return, just as meteorologists
promised. The past two weeks were warm, with high temperatures some 5
degrees Celsius/9 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than average. This week's
afternoon highs of more than 20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit
saw the return to the streets of Prague of short sleeves and skirts.
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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