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Carolina (English) No 424
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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 424, Friday, June 22, 2001.
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (June 13 - June 20)
Klaus Turns 60
Chairman of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Chamber of
Deputies Vaclav Klaus, one of the most prominent members of the
post-1989 political scene, turned 60 June 19. Prior to this a new book
of interviews with Vaclav Klaus, On the Level (Na rovinu), was
published. Celebrations took place at the ODS headquarters, where Klaus
received presents from his colleagues. ODS Vice Chairwoman Libuse
Benesova gave Klaus a bouquet of blue roses. Supporters arrived to
present him with his favorite gift, ties.
Many celebrities congratulated Klaus at the Ta Fantastika Theater.
Vaclav Fischer, senator and owner of the Fischer travel agency,
christened the new book with the assistance of three celebrities
- actresses Jana Stepankova and Jirina Jiraskova and singer Petr Janda.
Singer Ivan Mladek hosted the celebration and other celebrities present
were Karel Gott, Vlasta Pruchova, Jan Preucil and Ludek Sobota. Czech
pop diva Lucie Bila sang Happy Birthday to the ODS chairman.
Czech media paid close interest to Klaus' 11-year career, which
began as federal finance minister, continued as Czech prime minister and
finds him now as chairman of the Chamber of Deputies. The Czech dailies
MF DNES and Lidove noviny (owned by the same German publisher) examined
Klaus' career. Critics blame Klaus for the Opposition Contract, the
attempt to circumvent the Constitution by changing the Electoral Act and
the toleration of widespread crime in the economy. Klaus supporters see
in him a guarantor of parliamentary democracy and give him the most
credit for the post-1989 transformation.
Jakub Vavruska/Sofia Karakeva
Zantovsky to Lead ODA Again
Senator Michael Zantovsky will once again chair the Civic
Democratic Alliance (ODA), after being elected at the June 16-17 party
national congress in Trest. He succeeded Daniel Kroupa, who was not
elected to any leadership post.
Zantovsky, who served as chairman in 1997, was not considered
a candidate for the position. He was shown to be the only acceptable
candidate when two votes failed to elect a new chairman. "I thank you
very much for something I did not want but do value," said Zantovsky.
The congress decided that ODA will not merge with the Freedom Union
but will remain an independent party within the Four-Party Coalition
(with the Christian Democrats, the Freedom Union and the Democratic
Union). New Christian Democrat Chairman Cyril Svoboda attended the
congress and made a speech. ODA has about 1,400 members and has seven
senators. "Our interest is now the success of the Four-Party Coalition
as a whole," said Zantovsky.
Jakub Vavruska/Sofia Karakeva
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The Prague Municipal Court sentenced Karel Vas to seven years'
imprisonment. The former communist prosecutor participated in the
wrongful execution of General Heliodor Pika, who was convicted of
treason in a manipulated show trial in 1949. Other post-communist
coutries (East Germany, Poland, Hungary) have not yet charged any
judicial officials from the Stalinist period. Vas is the first case
closed in connection with the Stalinist show trials.
* Thirty-two participants of a meditation session June 16 did not
reach "knowledge of themselves and lucid dreams," as advertised by
organizator Petr Chobot, but lost consciousness or suffered
hallucinations. The afflicted had signs pointing to poisoning by durman
after consuming tea at the beginning of the lecture. The lecture, called
The Liberating Self-Hypnotism of Rain-Forets Shamans, was organized by
Chobot in the gym of the College of Physical Exercise and Sport in
Prague's Sixth District. Chobot received 2,000 crowns from each
participant. "There must have been a tragic mistake in the collection of
the herbs" in the tea, said Chobot. The Prague 6 District Court ordered
him into police custody June 19.
Marketa Bartosova and Jakub Vavruska/Adam Fendrych
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
* The EU summit in Gothenburg, Sweden last weekend was preceded by
the rejection in an Irish referendum of the Nice Treaty (see Carolina
423), but EU representatives assured candidate countries that the
process of expansion is irreversible and that it is up to Ireland to
persuade its citizens of that. The conclusive text says membership talks
with the leading candidates could be finished by the end of 2002, and
that these countries could take part in the 2004 election of the
European Parliament as full members.
* The Czech Republic and Russia should sign a treaty about repayment
of the former Soviet Union's debt to the Czech Republic in a month.
Prime Ministers Milos Zeman and Michail Kasjanov agreed on this June 13
in St. Petersburg. Russia should pay 3.3 billion USD (140 billion CZK)
over the next 20 years.
Zdenek Sloboda/Adam Fendrych
FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF
* NATO General Secretary George Robertson said June 13 that alliance
representatives have decided to announce the names of the countries that
will be invited to join NATO during the Prague NATO summit in the fall
of 2002. Slovakia is among the leading potential candidates, along with
Slovenia and the Baltic and Balkan republics.
* The Italian financial group Inteza won the tender for the state's
68-per-cent share in the General Credit Bank (Vseobecna uverova banka)
June 15. The price of the state-owned share will not be made public
unless the new owner allows it.
Zdenek Sloboda/Simon Dominik
ECONOMY
Tests Prove Other Cows in Dusejov Healthy
Tests carried out on samples of 134 butchered cows from the Dusejov
farm showed that none of them had Mad Cow Disease (BSE). The cows
belonged to the herd where the BSE virus occurred in one cow (see
Carolina 423). The disease was confirmed in a sample sent to Tuebingen,
Germany, June 14. That result led Agriculture Minister Jan Fencl and the
Central Infection Commission to order the slaughter of the entire herd.
The first case of BSE in the Czech Republic was closed after tests
on the remaining cattle, done in the State Veterinary Institute in
Jihlava, proved negative; the situation on the consumer market calmed
down as well. However, doctors will continue testing all cattle older
than 30 months.
After the disease was found in one cow, the Dusejov farm lost
one-third of its cattle. The state and the farm's insurance company
promised to give financial compensation for the butchered cows. The
slaughter costs and police and army assistance were paid for by the
State Veterinary Administration.
The Czech Republic has lost some beef export markets, as Russia and
Romania banned beef imports June 14 and June 16, respectively. Poland,
Slovakia, Austria, Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania had done so earlier.
Pavla Krizkova/Stepan Vorlicek
Unions Threaten to Cut off Energy
Trade unions in the electro-energy industry went onto strike alert
June 18 in reaction to the government decision to privatize stakes in
electro-energy companies by the end of the year. Privatization and
restructuring this branch of Czech industry is likely to cause
a 66-per-cent increase in unemployment in the field.
Chairman of the Energy Labor Union Jiri Kubicek pointed out the
lack of plans for protection of workers who will be forced to leave the
industry. Union members talked with the government and want to sign
a pact ensuring conditions relating to new jobs, requalification and
severance pay for two years after job loss. The costs of these programs
should be covered by 3 per cent of privatization income. If the
government rejects the labor demands, the unions are threatening to
obstruct privatization and disrupt energy supplies in the Czech
Republic. After June 19 talks with the government, the unions remain on
strike alert, saying the government did not state its opinion on the
social programs clearly enough.
Pavla Krizkova/Stepan Vorlicek
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid June 22)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 34.025
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 20.624
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.681
Denmark 1 DKK 4.562
Japan 100 JPY 31.969
Canada 1 CAD 25.900
IMF 1 XDR 49.467
Hungary 100 HUF 13.711
Norway 1 NOK 4.303
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.445
Poland 1 PLN 9.941
Slovakia 100 SKK 79.275
Slovenia 100 SIT 15.604
Sweden 1 SEK 3.716
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.304
USA 1 USD 39.649
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.397
Belgium 100 BEF 84.346
Finland 1 FIM 5.723
France 1 FRF 5.187
Ireland 1 IEP 43.203
Italy 1000 ITL 17.572
Luxemburg 100 LUF 84.346
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.440
Portugal 100 PTE 16.972
Austria 1 ATS 2.473
Greece 100 GRD 9.985
Spain 100 ESP 20.449
CULTURE
Ten Centuries of Architecture
A visit to 10 centuries of architecture is promised by a unique
exhibit in the Prague Castle and its surroundings. The project presents
all major architectural styles from Roman times to the present.
Prague Castle, itself more than 1,000 years old, enabled the
curators of the exhibit to install all the expositions in places
representing the individual architectural style. Gothic, Baroque and Art
Nouveau are mixed together to create an intriguing exhibition. For
example, the Renaissance display is set in the otherwise off-limits
areas of Queen Anne's Summer Castle (also known as the Belvedere) and
20th-century architecture is exhibited in parts of the castle adapted by
famous Slovenian architect Josip Plecnik in the 20's.
The exhibit was inspired by and is closely connected to the series
of short documentaries about Czech architecture which is now in its
fourth year on Czech Television.
Marie Sternova/Simon Dominik
SPORTS
Two Czechs Win NHL Trophies, Three on NHL All-Star Team
The Air Canada Center in Toronto hosted the awards ceremony June
15 that ended the National Hockey League season. Besides three trophies
for Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic, some Czech players were also
rewarded. Buffalo Sabres goalkeeper Dominik Hasek won the Vezina Trophy
as the best goalkeeper (for the sixth time) and also received the
Jennings Trophy as a goalkeeper for the team that allowed the lowest
number of goals in the regular season. Pittsburgh Penguins forward
Jaromir Jagr received the Art Ross Trophy as the most productive player
in the regular season. Both Czechs were included on the all-NHL first
team, together with New Jersey Devils forward Patrik Elias. It was the
first time in history three Czech players were elected to the elite line
of the NHL. Philadelphia Flyers goalkeeper Roman Cechmanek was named to
the second team and Ottawa Senators forward Martin Havlat was included
on the all-rookie team. Havlat was a candidate for the Calder Trophy for
the rookie of the year.
"I really didn't expect it. Cechmanek and Brodeur had great
seasons, while for me the first half wasn't so good. I hadn't prepared
a speech and didn't know what to say," said Hasek. He received 85 votes,
while second-place Cechmanek got 65. Hasek does not know where he will
play next season. He will wait till July 1 to see whether Buffalo
fulfills his demands. If the club does not, he will go elsewhere. He
said it should be a team with a real chance to win the Stanley Cup.
On the contrary, Jagr is prepared to go anywhere. He said he does
not like it when players want to play only for strong teams with
ambitions of winning the Stanley Cup. He said he would play for a team
that is not sure of making the playoffs. Jagr also denied that his
departure was caused by conflicts with the Penguins owner Mario Lemieux.
His leaving is just a business matter, he says. "Wherever I end up,
I'll try to prove my employer made a good decision well," said Jagr.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Czech national hockey team captain Robert Reichel signed
a three-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs June 12 and is to
return to the NHL after two years spent in Europe, last year in
Litvinov. "I'd still like to try to win the Stanley Cup. They're
interested in me and want to go far. That's exactly what I was looking
for," said Reichel.
* Pavel Nedved of Lazio Rome won his third Golden Ball award as the
year's best Czech soccer player June 17. The results matched the vote
taken after the first half of the season for the first time. Tomas
Rosicky of Borussia Dortmund finished second and Jan Koller of
Anderlecht finished third. Nedved extended his contract with Lazio Rome
till 2006. "It's actually a contract to the end of my career, that's
what I wished for," said Nedved.
* Jan Obst was elected the new president of the Czech-Moravian Soccer
Union (CMFS) June 17. The 49-year-old lawyer replaced Frantisek
Chvalovsky, who is in jail after being accused of loan frauds involving
billions of crowns and who was recalled by the extraordinary general
meeting of the CMFS. After Chvalovsky was arrested in March, then-Vice
President Obst was entrusted with the leadership of the CMFS.
* Runner Ludmila Formanova (two-time world champion in the 800m) will
not participate in the World Championships in Edmonton and will skip the
entire season, she announced after consultation with coach Jarmila
Kratochvilova June 13. Formanova cannot train for six weeks because of
pain in her right groin.
* Pole vaulter Daniela Bartova announced her retirement June 15. She
said she feels tired after 18 years of sports (nine years of artistic
gymnastics and nine years of track and field). She will not participate
in the World Championships in Edmonton because of an Achilles tendon
injury. Bartova broke 17 world and 26 European records, finished fourth
in the Sydney Olympics and second in the 1998 indoor European
Championships.
Sports news by Martina Parizkova/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Up and down, up and down - that was the pattern of the last week,
with daily temperatures fluctuating around 20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees
Fahrenheit. Sunshine was a rather scarce commodity, showers were plenty.
Despite the solstice launching the season of summer, summer weather has
not yet arrived.
English version edited by Michael Bluhm.
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