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Carolina (English) No 418
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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 418, Friday, May 11, 2001
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (May 2 - 9)
New Defense Minister Tvrdik Told to Create Professional Army
Prime Minister Milos Zeman May 3 asked President Vaclav Havel to
recall Defense Minister Vladimir Vetchy. Havel called the country's
defense situation "urgent" and recalled Vetchy, the following day he
named Economic Deputy Defense Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, 32, to replace
Vetchy.
Vetchy had been the target of criticism for months for his
inability to resolve the ministry's and the army's financial problems.
He was also unable to deal with problems inherited from previous
governments, such the modernization of army's T-72 tanks and the
purchase of L-159 planes. Vetchy said in his defense that there had been
a number of economic decisions taken that prevented him from acting
according to his wishes. He did admit at an April press conference that
he had not tried hard enough to institute change. Vetchy was the 10th
minister to leave the original 19-member Cabinet.
Tvrdik, until recently a soldier himself, graduated in 1990 from
the Military University in Vyskov with a degree in army economics. He
was chief of financial services for the Czechoslovak contingent in
Yugoslavia for a year, then he was in charge of the Military Spas and
Recreation Organization. He left the army in December, when he became
deputy minister. Tvrdik also recently joined the ruling Czech Social
Democrat Party. Zeman said he expects Tvrdik to reduce bureaucracy, make
army financing more transparent and inform the public better. Tvrdik won
over Zeman with his plans to reform army financing and to investigate
the suspicious tender for the L-159 planes. Tvrdik is to submit his plan
for army reform, including the professionalization of the army, in three
months. The Czech Republic currently requires 12 months of compulsory
service from all able-bodied Czech males.
Opposition leaders had demanded Vetchy's departure and criticize
the selection of Tvrdik because Tvrdik had until recently been a career
officer.
Pavla Krizkova/Michael Bluhm
Czech Republic Commemorates End of World War II
State representatives and people throughout the country May 8
commemorated the end of World War II; 56 years ago, the former
Czechoslovakia was liberated from Nazi domination.
President Vaclav Havel, Senate Chairman Petr Pithart, Foreign
Minister Jan Kavan, Defense Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik and representatives
of the Czechoslovak Legionnaire Community, the Czech Union of Freedom
Fighters and the Czech Sokol Organization saluted the fallen on Vitkov
hill in Prague. Wreaths were laid at the memorials of Allied, Soviet and
Bulgarian armies by Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus, Senate
Vice Chairman Pavel Rychetsky and a representative of the president.
Eight members of the Castle Guard took their oath and Havel appointed
three new generals.
Passion comparable to that on May 6, 1945, welcomed US soldiers in
Plzen (Pilsen). The grandson of the General George S. Patton took part
in the celebrations. Brno marked the occasion at memorials of the first,
second and third uprising.
Jakub Vavruska/Stepan Vorlicek
Former Executives of H-System Receive Letter Bombs
Three leaders of the company H-System received letter bombs May 2.
That started a series of letter bombs delivered to several more members
of company management.
H-System was founded in 1993 by Petr Smetka. The firm signed
contracts to build family houses and apartments with about 1,160 people
in the following four years. The contracts guaranteed the property be
handed over to the owners within two years. Without a building permit,
H-System lured money from clients and also from the Commerce Bank
(Komercni banka). The company went bankrupt in 1997. It built some 30
houses and owes more than 2 billion crowns to creditors.
The first of the envelopes was delivered to H-System's former boss,
Ladislav Tuma. When opening it, he noticed the wires and was quick to
throw it out a window. Police experts then defused the bomb. The second
letter was sent to board of directors member Zuzana Klognerova, the
third went to former company Director Jaroslav Elias. The mailman did
not find him at home and gave the letter to Elias' son. He opened the
envelope, the bomb exploded, burning him and tearing off some of his
fingers.
One day later, three more members of H-System management received
letter bombs. All were defused by the police, who asked all Czech post
offices for assistance. Letter bombs were also sent to family members of
people formerly and presently connected with H-System. An intensive
police investigation is underway, police are considering inviting
foreign experts.
Pavla Reznickova/Stepan Vorlicek
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
EU Members and Candidate Countries Cannot Reach Agreement
Nykoping, Sweden hosted an unofficial meeting of EU member and
candidate countries' foreign ministers May 5-6. Although the unofficial
negotiations could not take binding decisions, the discussions showed
the possible complications of EU expansion.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and other Czech diplomats faced the
German and Austrian proposals that Czech, Polish and Hungarian citizens
be limited in working in other EU countries. Kavan rejected Austria's
demand for a seven-year ban on employment or a delay of EU expansion.
The meeting resulted in a preliminary statement: "For all EU
associate countries there will be limit of five years from the day they
become members of the European Union, with the possibility of extension
to seven years. During this period the requirement to request work
permits from the appropriate EU country will still be valid." The EU's
proposal for candidate countries be able to regulate the sale of
agricultural land and forests to other EU states' citizens was
considered a partial success for the Czechs.
Radim Hladik/Adam Fendrych
FROM SLOVAKIA
Dzurinda Removes Hamzik from Office
Premier Mikulas Dzurinda decided to recall Pavol Hamzik from the
post of deputy premier for European integration because Hamzik concealed
information and took a lackadaisical attitude regarding the possible
misuse of money from various EU funds. Dzurinda demanded Hamzik resign,
but Hamzik refused. Dzurinda then requested President Rudolf Schuster
recall Hamzik, Schuster recalled Hamzik May 4. Hamzik disagrees with the
decision and said, "There is no reason for recall, I did not fail and
I do not accept the reasons given by the premier." He said the case was
a fallacy.
The scandal broke out April 26, when the EU held up the preparation
of new projects in Slovakia because of suspicions of fraud. Roland Toth,
head of the Government Office's Department of Foreign Aid fired in
March, is suspected from taking bribes and defrauding more than half of
the 3 billion SVK provided to Slovakia. Toth rejects the charges as well
and claims to be a victim of his ex-wife's revenge.
Veronika Pavlu/Adam Fendrych
ECONOMY
Temelin Shut down till Summer
General Director of the Temelin nuclear power plant Frantisek
Hezoucky May 3 decided to shut down the reactor immediately. His
decision is based on an analysis showing that part of the turbine's
rotor was distorted. At first it was expected that this defect in the
non-nuclear section, caused by massive vibrations of the turbine, would
be remedied in two weeks. The reactor was kept at minimum output levels,
but the latest results showed it necessary to shut the plant down,
including the nuclear reaction. The plant is scheduled to be fully
operational no sooner than early July.
Temelin's speaker said commercial operation should begin in
September. The operators of the plant doubt this, though, and their
chief Jiri Tyc said before that "exact dates of the Temelin launch are
a political matter."
Pavla Krizkova/Stepan Vorlicek
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid May 11)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 34.440
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 20.383
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.143
Denmark 1 DKK 4.608
Japan 100 JPY 31.693
Canada 1 CAD 25.167
IMF 1 XDR 49.064
Hungary 100 HUF 13.276
Norway 1 NOK 4.266
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.517
Poland 1 PLN 9.776
Slovakia 100 SKK 79.548
Slovenia 100 SIT 15.814
Sweden 1 SEK 3.791
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.329
USA 1 USD 38.776
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.558
Belgium 100 BEF 85.275
Finland 1 FIM 5.786
France 1 FRF 5.244
Ireland 1 IEP 43.679
Italy 1000 ITL 17.766
Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.275
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.610
Portugal 100 PTE 17.159
Austria 1 ATS 2.500
Greece 100 GRD 10.095
Spain 100 ESP 20.675
CULTURE
Diva Eva Urbanova Quits Role in Smetana's Dalibor
World-famous opera singer Eva Urbanova announced she would not act
in reprises of Bedrich Smetana's opera Dalibor shortly after its
premiere April 29. The modern interpretation by director Jan Antonin
Pitinsky and stage designer Tomas Rusin was not well received, as some
spectators whistled and booed. Urbanova said she had experienced such
reactions abroad but booing at the National Theatre in Prague was much
more depressing. But the main reason for her decision was the attitude
of Pitinsky, who could not bear the criticism and left the stage during
the curtain call and left the cast alone.
Urbanova told the daily Lidove noviny: "Every director (with whom
I had worked) stood behind his work, however bad its reception was." The
affair is settling down and Urbanova said she believes that everything
will be cleared up once she talks with Pitinsky. However, she refused
a return to the role, now played by her understudy Jindriska Rainerova.
Martina Parizkova/Simon Dominik
CULTURE IN BRIEF
* The 38th International Television Festival Golden Prague took place
May 6-10. The international jury, presided over by Dutch producer and
President of the International Music Center in Vienna Henk van der
Meulen, presented prizes in four categories - music, dance, documentary
and televised versions of concerts or stage work.
* Popular actress Jirina Bohdalova celebrated her 70th birthday May
3. The actress, who plays serious and comic roles, studied acting at the
Academy of Musical Arts. She then spent 10 years at ABC Theater and in
1967 moved to Prague's Vinohrady Theater. She left its stage in 1999 but
still occasionally acts there. Bohdalova also acted in various films and
on television and has received two Czech Lions for outstanding
performances in motion pictures.
* Opera Singer Karel Kalas died May 3 at the age of 91. He was
a member of Prague's National Theater Opera from 1939-1972 and his roles
included the Waterman in Dvorak's Rusalka, the Water Nixie, Kecal in
Smetana's Bartered Bride and Gremin in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin.
Katerina Kunovska, Zuzana Boleslavova/Simon Dominik
SPORTS
Czech Hockey Team Advances to Final Eight at World Championships
On their way to the final group of eight at the World Hockey
Championship in Germany, Czech hockey players defeated Russia 3-2, Italy
11-0 and Canada 4-2 on May 4, May 6 and May 8, respectively. The Czech
team finished first in Group E (1. Czech Republic, 2. Canada, 3. Russia,
4. Germany, 5. Switzerland, 6. Italy) and will meet Slovakia in the
quarterfinal match. Slovakia finished fourth in Group F (1. Finland, 2.
Sweden, 3. USA, 4. Slovakia, 5. Ukraine, 6. Austria).
After deadline: The Czech Republic defeated Slovakia 2-0 May 10 and will
meet Sweden in the semifinal match.
Marie Valaskova/Milan Smid
Soccer League: Plzen Will Play Second League Next Season
The Pribram - Viktoria Plzen match was crucial for the both teams.
Third-place Pribram was still trying to climb into second place and
qualify for the Champions League. Last-place Plzen still had
a theoretical chance to avoid relegation to the second league. Although
Plzen scored the first goal, Pribram tied the score quickly and in the
second half added two more goals for a 3-1 win. The result sent Viktoria
Plzen definitively into the second league for next season.
Results of the 27th round: Zizkov - Drnovice 3-1, Teplice- Liberec
0-0, Pribram - Plzen 3-1, Jablonec -Slavia Praha 1-2, Olomouc -
Bohemians Praha 1-0, Brno - Stare Mesto 0-2, Sparta Praha - Ostrava 4-1,
Ceske Budejovice - Blsany 1-1
Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 64 points, 2. Olomouc 48, 3. Pribram
47, 4. Slavia Praha 46, 5. Zizkov 44, 6. Teplice 40, 7. Liberec 40, 8.
Drnovice 35, 9. Stare Mesto 33,10. Bohemians Praha 33, 11. Blsany 33,
12. Jablonec 29, 13. Brno 27, 14. Ostrava 26, 15. Ceske Budejovice 26,
16. Plzen 16.
Marie Valaskova/Milan Smid
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* The Czech team of Petr Malek, Leos Hlavacek and Jan Sychra won the
gold medal in the skeet shooting World Championships in Cairo May 8.
Cyprus finished second, the USA third. In the individual standings
Hlavacek finished seventh, Maly eighth and Sychra 19th.
Martina Oplatkova
* Jiri Novak won the Munich Open tennis tournament, beating the
Frenchman Dupuis in the final 6:4, 7:5. It was Novak's third ATP
victory, after winning in 1996 in Auckland and in 1998 in Mexico. Novak
defeated countryman Bohdan Ulihrach in the semifinal match.
Marketa Bartosova
WEATHER
The Czech Republic got a cold shower - literally. After record
highs last week a storm hit late Friday afternoon and continued
throughout the weekend, causing floods in some areas. Lazany and
Ostrovce in the Tachov region were the hardest hit, locals said it was
the worst flooding in 40 years. A mix of mud and water broke trees and
carried away cars. A 70-year-old woman died of complications after being
hit by a car carried in the rush. On Monday the warm weather returned as
strong as the weekend storms.
Jana Niklova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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