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Carolina (English) No 431
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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 431, Friday, September 21, 2001.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (September 5 - September
19)
Czechs React to Terrorist Attack on USA
The political leadership of the Czech Republic immediately and
unanimously condemned the terrorist attacks on the US. President Vaclav
Havel said through his speaker that he was shaken and believed the
perpetrators will be punished. Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus
said the attack was utterly unbelievable.
Shortly after the attack, Interior Minister Stanislav Gross
convened a crisis committee with Foreign Minister Jan Kavan, Defense
Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla (Prime
Minister Milos Zeman is in hospital with kidney stones), heads of the
country's intelligence agencies and Police President Jiri Kolar. The
Czech Army was put on alert. Kolar ordered special security protection
of official American buildings in Prague. From September 13-17 small
planes were forbidden from using Czech airspace.
No Czechs have been reported among the victims of the attacks,
although dozens have yet to call home since the tragedy.
The Czech Republic observed three minutes of silence for the
victims September 14. Czech Radio was silent and Czech Television
broadcast images from around the country and Europe without commentary.
Havel attended a special memorial church service on the evening of
September 15 in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle.
Candles and flowers were placed in front of the American embassy,
and abut 300 people gathered on Prague's Wenceslas Square September 12
to commemorate the victims, despite warnings from Gross about the danger
of such a gathering.
Support for the terrorists was given by National Social Block
Chairman Jan Kopal, 23, who said, "America is reaping what it sowed.
After many years our children again have a role model - Osama bin
Ladin." He was later charged with praising a criminal act. Hooligans at
some soccer games chanted "Long live bin Ladin," and an anonymous flyer
praising terrorism appeared throughout Liberec and Ceske Budejovice.
Arbitration Court Rules Czech Republic Failed to Protect CME's
Investment in NOVA
A Stockholm-based arbitration tribunal ruled September 14 in favor
of Central European Media Enterprises (CME) in its suit against the
Czech Republic over CME's investment in the television station TV NOVA.
The Dutch-based CME sued the Czech state for violating the Dutch-Czech
Treaty on the Protection of Investments. According to the ruling, the
Czech Republic is obligated to compensate the damage that CME suffered
by payment of the fair market value of the investment in the year 1999,
before the treaty breach had a negative effect on CME's investment.
In August 1999 Vladimir Zelezny, then majority owner of TV NOVA
license-holder CET 21, broke off his exclusive partnership with the
CME-owned CNTS and launched broadcasting on his own (see Carolina 342,
343). CME CEO Fred Klinkhammer said his company will ask for more than
500 million USD in damages. The tribunal will decide on damages for CME
at a separate hearing.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan said the government might turn to
the Swedish court on the grounds that a Czech representative on the
three-member arbitration panel was not taken seriously and in accordance
with the arbitration rules.
The ruling of the international tribunal in Stockholm came two
weeks after American cosmetics-empire heir and CME owner Ronald Lauder
lost the same case in a London arbitration court, where he sued the
Czech state for violating the US-Czech agreement on investment
protection (see Carolina 430).
ODS Vice Chairman Miroslav Macek Resigns
Miroslav Macek, vice chairman of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS),
resigned September 11 and decided to leave politics. Macek said he
wanted to tell the ODS Executive Council that he would step down from
his party position at the November party congress. However, he resigned
immediately in the wake of a story in the daily MF DNES that he had
received 10 million crowns from Austria's Erste Bank for consulting
during the privatization of the Czech Savings Bank (Ceska sporitelna
- CS), which Erste won.
According to MF Dnes, Macek signed a contract with the Austrian
consulting company CEBOC for "advisory and consulting services leading
to the acquiring of the state interest" in the bank. CEBOC Director
Ernst-Gideon Loudon confirmed the contract but declined to confirm the
payment amount. Macek refused to comment on the story, claiming his
business activity is private, to be discussed only with the tax office.
Macek said in his statement to the press: "Today's attack on my entirely
legal entrepreneurial activities only served to speed my decision" to
resign.
NEWS IN BRIEF
* President Vaclav Havel met his Austrian counterpart, Thomas
Klestil, in Vienna September 6. Although the issues of the Temelin
nuclear power plant and Benes Decrees were not on the agenda - which
encompassed a wide range of Czech-Austrian topics - they dominated the
press conference after the meeting. The Temelin issue will be discussed
at a meeting between Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and Austrian
Environment Minister Wilhelm Molterer scheduled for September 21.
FROM SLOVAKIA
Terrorist Attack on US Shakes Slovakia
Immediately after news of the terrorist attack on the US, the
Slovak government passed a resolution condemning the attack, and
expressing condolences for the losses and support in the fight against
terrorism. Politicians reiterated Slovakia's willingness to provide
assistance and fight terrorism. Political parties across the spectrum
condemned the attack.
The US embassy closed its visa department from September 12 till
September 17. All flights to the US from Bratislava and Kosice were
stopped. The Foreign Ministry established a special telephone line for
information about Slovaks in the US. One Slovak citizen is still
missing, no deaths were reported.
Premier Mikulas Dzurinda arrived in Ottawa for a state visit on the
evening of September 11, but his visit was cancelled the next day.
September 14 was declared a day of mourning in Slovakia, and three
minutes of silence were observed.
FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF
* The Slovak National Party (SNS) has finished its internal
cleansing. The SNS Central Council threw five men out - including former
SNS Chairman Jan Slota - of the party September 16 during disciplinary
hearings, and froze the membership of a sixth. The others ejected from
the party were Vitazoslav Moric, Jan Sitek, Dusan Svantner and Rastislav
Septak. Stefan Zelnik had his membership frozen. Party Chairwoman Anna
Malikova said the group had subverted the party from within and sullied
its name externally. Svantner said he will found a new party and that
Malikova is destroying the SNS.
ECONOMY
2002 Budget Proposal Has No Chance in Parliament
The government September 17 approved its 2002 budget proposal with
a 52.2-billion-crown deficit (income of 700 billion crowns and expenses
of 752.2 billion crowns, including the losses of the Consolidation
Bank).
The minority Cabinet will present the budget proposal to Parliament
by the end of the month. A majority in the Parliament, consisting of the
Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Freedom Union (US) and the Christian
Democrats (KDU-CSL), has said it will not support this budget proposal.
The National Property Fund is predicting income of 27.2 billion
crowns from privatization, of which 25.2 billion would be used to cover
shortages in the state pension program. The budget also expects 20.2
billion crowns from the debt owed to the country by Russia. The income
side of the ledger and the use of privatization proceeds are frequent
targets of criticism.
Social expenses would rise by 5 per cent to 315 billion crowns,
while spending on education would rise by 6 per cent to 87 billion
crowns. Public-sector wages would increase by 7 per cent. The budget
also increased funding for judicial reform, security, research and
development and programs connected to EU integration.
The daily Pravo reported that Foreign Minister Jan Kavan abstained
in the budget vote because he fears the 4.1 billion crowns earmarked for
his ministry would not be enough to secure the safety of Czech
diplomats, offices and other buildings abroad.
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid September 20)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 34.290
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 18.129
Great Britain 1 GBP 54.240
Denmark 1 DKK 4.607
Japan 100 JPY 31.530
Canada 1 CAD 23.540
IMF 1 XDR 47.949
Hungary 100 HUF 13.236
Norway 1 NOK 4.289
New Zealand 1 NZD 15.181
Poland 1 PLN 8.757
Slovakia 100 SKK 78.361
Slovenia 100 SIT 15.606
Sweden 1 SEK 3.528
Switzerland 1 CHF 23.528
USA 1 USD 37.040
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.532
Belgium 100 BEF 85.003
Finland 1 FIM 5.767
France 1 FRF 5.227
Ireland 1 IEP 43.539
Italy 1000 ITL 17.709
Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.003
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.560
Portugal 100 PTE 17.104
Austria 1 ATS 2.492
Greece 100 GRD 10.063
Spain 100 ESP 20.609
CULTURE
Two Directors in the Prague's National Theater
Two directors are heading the National Theater in Prague from
September 1 till the end of the season in June. While incumbent director
Jiri Srstka will serve the last year of his tenure, new director Daniel
Dvorak will prepare and accustom himself to the new position.
Dvorak, an architect, has been the director of the Prague State
Opera since July and became known for his managerial skill and
willingness to experiment with dramaturgy and designs for opera and
ballet. His selection from three final candidates (besides Dvorak, the
others were Srstka and Pilsen's theater director Jan Burian) was
contentious within the artistic community. For instance, Vlastimil
Harapes, head of the National Theater's ballet, said he fears for the
future of classical ballet in the National Theater under Dvorak.
The Culture Ministry commission that nominated Dvorak in July was
split because each of the three finalists received four votes. The
stalemate was resolved by Culture Minister Pavel Dostal.
Ivan Klima Turns 70
Ivan Klima, one of the most translated Czech writers, celebrated
his 70th birthday September 14. The author, who frequently alludes in
his works to his time in the Theresienstadt (Terezin) ghetto during
World War II and to his many love affairs, was forbidden from publishing
during the normalization period of the 70's and 80's. His books Lovers
for One Night, An Hour of Silence and A Ship Named Hope were published
in the 60's. In 1967 Klima spoke at the writers' union's congress
against party control of culture and was thrown out of the party. Since
1989 many of his novels have been translated, such as Love and Garbage
and My Golden Trades.
SPORTS
Bohemians Lead Soccer League, Sparta Ties in Champions League
Results of the Champions League game played September 18 in Munich:
Sparta Praha - Bayern Munich 0-0.
Results of the 6th round of the Czech soccer league:
Olomouc-Sparta 0-3, Zizkov-Blsany 2-2, Ostrava-Teplice 0-2,
Drnovice-Synot 1-1, Hradec Kralove-Opava 2-0, Slavia-Brno 1-1,
Jablonec-Bohemians 0-0, Pribram-Liberec 1-1
Results of the 7th round: Brno-Ostrava 1-1, Sparta-Zizkov 2-0,
Teplice-Hradec Kralove 4-3, Blsany-Drnovice 1-3, Synot-Jablonec 0-0,
Liberec-Olomouc 3-3, Opava-Pribram 1-2, Bohemians-Slavia 1-0
Standings: 1. Bohemians 16 points, 2. Sparta 15, 3. Zizkov, 4.
Slavia, Ostrava 13, 6. Liberec 12, 7. Drnovice, Blsany 10, 9. Jablonec,
10. Brno, Synot 9, 12. Teplice, Pribram 7, 14. Olomouc, Hradec Kralove
6, 16. Opava 1
Hockey: Sparta Fills Favorite's Role
Results from the 1st round: Vsetin-Trinec 5-5, Litvinov-Vitkovice
2-3p, Havirov-Karlovy Vary 2-3p, Sparta-C.Budejovice 5-3,
Pardubice-Slavia 2-3, Kladno-Zlin 3-3, Plzen-Znojmo 4-2
Results from the 2nd round: Znojmo-Sparta 2-3, other games
postponed because of US tragedy.
Results from the 3rd round: Plzen-Trinec 6-8, Slavia-Vitkovice
2-1, Vsetin-Znojmo 5-2, Kladno-Karlovy Vary 6-2, Pardubice-C.Budejovice
5-2, Litvinov-Zlin 3-4, Havirov-Sparta 2-3.
Results from the 4th round: Sparta-Plzen 8-3, Vitkovice-Pardubice
6-0, K.Vary-Slavia 4-3, Znojmo-Havirov 2-0, Ceske Budejovice-Litvinov
1-3, Trinec-Kladno 4-2, Zlin-Vsetin 6-3
Standings: 1. Sparta 11 points, 2. Zlin, Trinec 7, 4. Vitkovice 6,
5. Slavia 5, 6. Kladno, Vsetin, Litvinov, Karlovy Vary, Pardubice 4,
11. Plzen, Znojmo 3, 13. Havirov 2, 14. Ceske Budejovice 0.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Tomas Enge finished 12th in the Monza Grand Prix in his Formula
1 debut. Enge became the first Czech ever to drive in a formula 1 event.
* Jaroslav Drobny died September 13 in London after a long illness.
Drobny won Wimbledon in 1954, the French Open in 1951 and 1952 and was
a member of the Czechoslovak world champion hockey team in 1947.
WEATHER
It rained through the first half of September. It's cold and
cloudy, we hardly remember what the sun looks like. And it's a long way
till next year.
This issue of Carolina was written by Martin Rusek, Andrea Slovakova,
Lenka Nejezchlebova and Ondra Trunecka and translated by Milan Smid and
Michael Bluhm.
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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