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Carolina (English) No 428
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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 428, Friday, August 10, 2001
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (July 25 - August 8)
British Officials Stop Checks at Prague Airport
August 8 was to be the last day for British consular officials to
check travelers to London at Prague' s Ruzyne Airport, after an
agreement was reached by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and British
Foreign Deputy for Europe Peter Hain. There was a significant drop in
the number of Czech applicants requesting asylum in Britain. In the
three weeks before the checks, 204 people applied for asylum, during the
checks the number dropped to 12 applications. If the number of
applicants rises again, the British authorities are prepared, in
cooperation with the Czech Government, to run new checks. Both parties
are trying to avoid visa requirements.
Since July 18, when the checks were introduced, British immigration
officials have forbidden 120 people - almost all Romany - from entering
Britain. Representatives of Romany associations and organizations for
human rights protested against the checks because they considered them
an act of discrimination.
Denis Keefe, second secretary of the British Embassy in Prague,
denied the charge. Even the Inter-ministry Commission for Romany Issues
called on the Czech government to end the checks. Czech Television (CT)
showed in a news piece broadcast July 25 that the airport checks were
meant for Romanies. Two CT reporters, Nora Novakova, who is white, and
Richard Samko, who is a Romany, tried to fly to Britain the same day;
they both had the same tickets, the same amount of money and both of
them stated the same reasons for their visit. While Novakova was allowed
to fly without any problems, Samko was denied admission to Britain.
British officials did not reject only Romanies. Three young women
were not permitted to fly, two of them with paid studies. Both young
women asked for their cases to be reexamined, and they were in the end
permitted to fly. The other young woman wanted to fly along with
a British family as an au pair.
Representatives of the Czech Helsinki Association observed the
activities of British officials during the checks. They did not see any
discriminatory behavior.
Romanies Inform European Commission
Chief of the European Commission delegation in the Czech Republic
Ramiro Cibrian met with representatives of Romany groups August 6.
Ondrej Gina, speaker for the Leadership of Romany Regional
Representatives, said that with Cibrian they discussed not only the
situation in Ruzyne Airport but they also presented him a letter about
the situation of the Romany minority in the Czech Republic. The letter
also referred to the recent, racially motivated murder of Ota Absolon,
who was killed in a disco in Svitavy July 20 by a skinhead with a knife.
The same day as the meeting, August 6, journalists, photographers
and cameramen were vainly waiting in front of the British Embassy in
Prague for a demonstration against Romany discrimination to take place.
Of the announced series of demonstrations in European cities organized
by the Europe Roma organization, only a peaceful demonstration was held
in Kosice, Slovakia. In Prague seven young people gathered in front of
the British Embassy. None of the organizers was present.
Some reports indicate the Romany exodus to Great Britain continues,
but it now leads through Poland and Germany.
Temelin Activated Again
The nuclear reactor of the Temelin nuclear power station will be
activated again. The energy tests, which were interrupted in May due to
problems with vibration in a turbine (see Carolina 418), will continue,
said Temelin General Director Frantisek Hezoucky at a press conference
August 7. The Austrian Green Party considers the restoration of
Temelin's test operations an "irresponsible act." The Czech Energy
Company (CEZ) provides detailed information on the coming testing of
Temelin on their web site www.cez.cz, which is also in English and
German.
Two-Day Techno Party
About 12,000 people danced through the weekend of July 28-29 at an
unapproved techno party at the former army base in Ralsko. Unknown
organizers chose a large clearing in a forest far from the nearest
village but near a nature reserve.
Police tried to end the party on the morning of July 29 after
a complaint was made by the mayor of Ralsko. Partygoers did not adhere
to a request to leave by 10 a.m., but most left by the evening. There
were no incidents with police, but all drivers were fined for illegally
driving on the path through the forest.
NEWS IN BRIEF
* The Czech minority Social Democrat Cabinet rejected the
Senate-proposed referendum on EU membership and decided to continue
pushing its own bill on referendums. The Cabinet argued that
a Referendum Act should be for universal use, not for one time.
* The UN Human Rights Committee observing the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights published July 24 its remarks on the
human-rights situation in the Czech Republic. One of the 27 sections
recommends the Czech state "establish an independent body with authority
to investigate all complaints of excessive use of force and other abuses
of power by the police." For the time being, all complaints about police
abuses are investigated by a section of the Interior Ministry.
* Foreign Minister Jan Kavan underwent angioplasty surgery on his
coronary arteries August 4. Kavan has a history of heart attacks and the
a multiple bypass was done on his heart last December. Three days later,
August 7, Kavan spoke at a press conference on the issue of British
immigration checks in Prague (see above).
* An L-39 Albatros military training fighter crashed August 1 near
Pelhrimov. A military speaker said the cause of the crash was the
pilot's inexperience when he tried to make an unplanned acrobatic
maneuver to impress his relatives in Pelhrimov. The pilot died.
FROM SLOVAKIA
Government Coalition Again Looking Shaky
The Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) has presented the government
coalition three conditions to be met for the party's continued presence
in the government. The SMK wants to change the number of administrative
regions in Slovakia from the recently approved eight to 12 (see Carolina
413, 426). The SMK also demands that from the administrative reforms be
removed paragraphs - proposed by opposition Movement for a Democratic
Slovakia legislator Jan Cupera - that give greater authority to the
government. Lastly, the SMIK demands that the two-round election system
for the leaders of the administrative regions be changed to one round.
The governing coalition's Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) has said the
three demands are acceptable, while the Christian Democratic Movement
(KDH) and the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL') have not.
The leaders of the four government coalition parties met August 3
without reaching a conclusion. "At first it looked like some coalition
partners didn't even realize that this is a serious situation," said SMK
Chairman Bela Bugar.
The SMK has three Cabinet members (deputy premier for human rights
and minorities, the ministers of environment and construction). SMK
leadership is to meet August 10 to make a definitive decision on its
presence in the government.
FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF
* The Central Council of the Slovak National Party (SNS) July 28
recalled eight of the party's legislators. The eight had recently tried
to overthrow party Chairwoman Anna Malikova. The party is faced with the
collapse of its legislators' club, because the remaining five
legislators are not enough to keep the club functioning. Among the eight
is longtime former party Chairman Jan Slota, who had made vulgar
references to Malikova.
ECONOMY
Sale of UMTS Licenses Begins
The Czech Telecommunications Office August 8 accepted requests from
firms wishing to participate in the tender for third-generation UMTS
licenses in the Czech Republic.
The government had hoped the tender for three licenses would mean
20 billion crowns for state coffers, but all indications point toward
a lower sum. Two firms requested licenses: Eurotel and RadioMobil. Czech
Mobile, the third mobile-telephone operator in the Czech Republic, will
not participate in the tender, and the two firms in the tender have let
it be known they want to renegotiate the state's asking price of 6.7
billion crowns per license. The firms have proposed a price reduction,
a long-term payment calendar, tax breaks and competition limits. Plans
call for the tender to be closed by the end of September.
Czech Telecom Takes over Eurotel Completely
Czech Telecom closed a preliminary agreement with Atlantic West for
the purchase of Atlantic West's 49-per-cent share in Eurotel, the
largest provider of mobile telephone services in the Czech Republic
(2.65 million clients). Czech Telecom owns 51 per cent. Czech Telecom,
which will pay about 1.475 million USD for total control of Eurotel,
made the move to raise its own worth in light of its coming
privatization.
Inflation Estimates Raised
The consumer-price index rose in July by 5.9 per cent compared to
July 2000, and financial analysts revised their 2001 inflation estimates
up to as high as 6 per cent. The Czech National Bank cautioned that the
unexpected July inflation occurred only in certain areas, such as rent,
gas and travel, while the overall situation remained stable. Other
analysts pointed out the rise in food prices. It is expected that the
bank will raise its interest rates sometime in August.
Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid August 10)
--------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 33.855
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 19.766
Great Britain 1 GBP 54.364
Denmark 1 DKK 4.549
Japan 100 JPY 30.982
Canada 1 CAD 24.936
IMF 1 XDR 48.156
Hungary 100 HUF 13.687
Norway 1 NOK 4.243
New Zealand 1 NZD 16.269
Poland 1 PLN 9.081
Slovakia 100 SKK 79.161
Slovenia 100 SIT 15.436
Sweden 1 SEK 3.694
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.585
USA 1 USD 38.259
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 17.310
Belgium 100 BEF 83.924
Finland 1 FIM 5.694
France 1 FRF 5.161
Ireland 1 IEP 42.987
Italy 1000 ITL 17.485
Luxemburg 100 LUF 83.924
Netherlands 1 NLG 15.363
Portugal 100 PTE 16.887
Austria 1 ATS 2.460
Greece 100 GRD 9.935
Spain 100 ESP 20.347
CULTURE
Erotic Summer Film School
Lovers of films outside the mainstream gathered in the Moravian
town of Uherske Hradiste for the 27th Summer Film School. The festival,
organized by, began July 27 and lasted 10 days. A record number of
guests - 2,800 - registered for the festival, and they could choose from
300 films and a number of other events.
Sections at this year's festival included film and dance,
experimental film, Dutch film, films from the former Yugoslavia and
others. The main section of this year's festival, however, was Film and
Erotica, which was opened by French director Catherine Breillat, whose
films were also shown.
Critics appreciated the selection of Yugoslav films, including
works by directors Dusan Makavejev and Lordan Zafranovic. The biggest
event of the festival was when the director of the Czech film flop
Cabriolet, Marcel Bystron, physically attacked critic Jan Jaros, who had
written in the festival catalogue that critics had not been overwhelmed
by Bystron's film.
SPORTS
Tomas Dvorak Wins Third Decathlon World Championship
Tomas Dvorak won the only Czech medal so far in the Track and Field
World Championships in Edmonton, Canada. The former decathlon
world-record holder won his third title in a row and tied the most
successful decathlete in championships history, American Dan O'Brien.
Dvorak recorded 8,902 points, the third-highest tally ever. He missed
a world record especially thanks to the discus, where he threw far
shorter than his abilities. "I want to concentrate only on the defense
of the title, no records," said Dvorak during the competition.
Estonia's Olympic champion Erki Nool finished in second place, while
Britain's Dean Macey was third.
Czech Roman Sebrle, who this year became the first decathlete ever
to break the 9,000-point barrier, suffered a groin injury, although he
completed the decathlon and finished 10th with 8,174 points. The third
Czech - Jiri Ryba - finished four places higher (8,334 points).
Also, javelin thrower Nikola Tomeckova almost won a medal. She won
the qualification round after breaking the Czech record with 65.71
meters. In the competition, she threw 260 centimeters shorter than her
qualifying performance and finished fourth. The indoor world and
European champion Pavla Hamackova finished sixth in the pole vault at
4.45 meters, Jiri Malysa was seventh in the 20km road walking race.
Gambrinus Soccer Extraleague Begins
Results of the 1st round (July 28-29): FK Teplice - SK Sigma
Olomouc 0-1, FK Chmel Blsany - AC Sparta Praha 3-0, 1.FC Synot Nove
Mesto - FC Slovan Liberec 0-2, CU Bohemians Praha - SFC Opava 2-0, FC
Stavo Artikel Brno - FC Marila Pribram 2-1, FC Banik Ostrava - FK
Viktoria Zizkov 2-1, SK Slavia Praha - FK Drnovice 4-3, FK Jablonec 97
- SK Hradec Kralove 5-1
Results of the 2nd round (August 3-5): Jablonec - Slavia Praha
3-1, Hradec Kralove - Sparta Praha 0-5, Drnovice - Banik Ostrava 1-2,
Viktoria Zizkov - Teplice 3-0, Olomouc - Brno 0-0, Pribram - Bohemians
Praha 1-5, Opava - Synot Nove Mesto 1-2, Liberec - Blsany 2-0
At the top of the chart are four teams with six points: Jablonec,
Bohemians Praha, Liberec and Ostrava.
SPORTS IN BRIEF
* Czech triathletes made a 1-2 finish in the World Cup event in
Corner Brook, Canada. Martin Krnavek defeated second-place finisher and
European champion Filip Ospaly.
* Chmel Blsany soccer players were eliminated from the Intertoto Cup
semifinals after a 1-2 loss to Brescia at home. The teams tied in Italy
2-2.
* Together with five titles on the last day of competitions, the
Czechs won 14 medals overall in the European Sport Shooting
Championships in Zagreb, Croatia; Miroslav Janus and Lubos Opelka won
individual titles in the 50m running-target mixed and standard rifle,
respectively.
* Beach volleyball players Eva Celbova and Sona Dosoudilova won
a bronze in the world championships in Klagenfurt, Austria, the best
Czech result ever in the sport.
* Czech Adriana Gersi defeated Switzerland's Mikaelian in the final
of the Basel Open tennis tournament and won her first WTA Tour title.
WEATHER
After a heat wave at the end of July, the weather has changed
abruptly over the beginning of the August 4-5 weekend, when wind storms
and thunderstorms moved slowly from Southern Bohemia to Northern
Moravia, leaving behind fallen trees, destroyed roofs and windows broken
by hail. Two persons - a man in a tent and a woman riding a bike - were
killed by falling trees. The forecast for August calls for volatile
weather, but rather warm.
This issue of Carolina was written by Alzbeta Trousilova, Andrea
Slovakova, Mirek Langer and Milan Smid and translated by Sofia Karakeva,
Langer, Smid and Michael Bluhm.
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