CCCCC AA RRRRR OOOO LL II NN N AA CC AA A RR R OO O LL II NNN N AA A CC AA A RRRRR OO O LL II NN N N AA A CC AAAAAA RR R OO O LL II NN NN AAAAAA CCCCC AA A RR R OOOO LLLLLL II NN N AA A STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA School of Social Science of Charles University Smetanovo nabr. 6 110 01 Prague 1 C.S.F.R. e-mail address: CAROLINA@CSEARN.BITNET *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 34, Friday, July 3, 1992. THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK ( from June 24 to 1 July ) Division of functions in the Federal Parliament In an open vote at the first joint meeting of both chambers of the Federal Assembly on Thursday, June 25, Michal Kovac (Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, HZDS) was elected chairman of the Federal Assembly of the CSFR. First Vice-Chairman was Filip Sedivy (Civic Democratic Party, ODS). Other vice-chairmen are Vaclav Benda (Christian-Democratic Party, KDS), Roman Zelenay (HZDS), Jozef Stank (Party of the Democratic Left, SDL (former Communist Party of Slovakia)), a Pavel Jajtner (Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party, KDU-CSL). The delegates entrusted the position of chairman of the Chamber of the People to delegate Vaclav Benda (KDS), Chairwoman Eva Mitrova represents HZDS. Roman Zelenay, also a member of HZDS, is chairman of the Chamber of Nations, where Vaclav Perich accepted the function of vice-chairman for the KDS. In the forty-member praesidium of the Federal Assembly the greatest number of seats went to the coaltion ODS - KDS (eleven seats). Procedure for Electing the President The joint meeting of the Federal Assembly also adopted the procedure for electing the president of the CSFR, which, according to the constitution provides that a candidate who is not elected in one round may not stand again in the following round. It does not rule out, however, that an unsuccessful candidate from round one could be nominated in round three. The next joint session of the Federal Assembly will take place on Friday, July 3, when the delegates will elect the president of the CSFR. Havel's Speech in the Federal Assembly The conclusion of the first joint session of the Czechoslovak parliament belonged to Vaclav Havel. The President pointed out in his speech that the Czech-Slovak federation still exists and that it must function normally until a definitive decision is reached. Vaclav Havel will not consider the new Federal government to be a sort of liquidation commision, but as a fully-fledged government of the CSFR. He welcomed the fact that the coalition partners negotiating about the future of the state haved set a date of September 30 for a final decision, since a state of uncertainty cannot be prolonged indefinitely. Vaclav Havel said that a referendum was the only constitutional means for seceeding from the federation. If, however, the highest representative body finds a different means of dividing the state, and embodies it in the constitutional system, he was planning -- if he were still president -- to respect that decision. "I do not feel the slightest reason to resign anything, to remove myself from the scene only because somebody is booing me, to capitulate only because on the horizon is the possibility of defeat, or to abandon the boat only because it is tipping," said Vaclav Havel, and added, that he was ready to offer his services wherever there was an interest in them and wherever he could contribute to the construction of something new. Reactions to Havel's Speech Peter Weiss, Chairman of the SDL, called the president's speech a psychological preparation of the citizens for a division of the state. The Chairman of the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA), Jan Kalvoda, transmitted the support of his party for the main ideas contained in the speech to V. Havel in a meeting on Friday. Vit'azoslav Moric (former Chairman of the Slovak National Party - SNS), quipped that after listening to the president's speech he put on the record by Olympic "I, I only I," and afterwards leafed through Ladislav Mnacko's book "Ako chuti moc" (The Taste of Power). Slovak Government Named The new Slovak government was named on Wednesday, June 24, in the Castle in Bratislava. The government has 14 members (10 from HZDS, 1 from SNS and 3 independents), the Prime Minister if Vladimir Meciar, vice-minister in charge of Ministry of Control, Roman Kovac, vice-minister in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Slovak Republic, Milan Knazko. L'udovit Cermnal (Slovak National Party) was named to the functions of Minister of the Economy, Industry, Trade and Tourism. Julius Toth (Independent) will be the Minister of Finance, and L'ubomir Dolgos will lead the Ministry for Privatization of State Property. Direction of the Ministry of the Interior was entrusted to Jozef Tuchyna (Independent). He was listed as a candidate for the HZDS, but later, at his own request, was struck off the lists. Minister Jozef Zlocha is in charge of directing the Slovak Commision for the Environment. Minister of Agriculture is Peter Vaca, who will simultaneosly direct the Minister of Forests and Rivers. Minister of Culture Dusan Slobodnik (Independent) will also head up the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Viliam Sobon is Minister of Health, and Roman Hofbauer will direct the Ministry of Transportation and Communications as well as the Ministry of Construction. Two women also became ministers: Katarina Tothova (Ministry of Justice) and Olga Keltosova (Minstry of Work and Social Affairs). Meciar's cabinet must be presented to the Slovak National Council by July 6 for its formal approval. Arguments over balancing the books Carnogursky's government is handing over to Vladimir Meciar's cabinet a budget deficit of 270 million crowns, which concerns the exhaustion of this year's budget. The former premier stated that during the course of his government a democratic Slovakia and successful economic reforms had been ensured. The new government had, according to him, greater support from the population, and thus could carry out certain unpopular policies. Vladimir Meciar proclaimed after naming his new cabinet that his predecessor's government had only existed and was leaving behind practically nothing good. According to his comments the former government halted development of state administration, disrupted the financial system, and basically demoralized the entire administration of the central organs. Candidates for the Federal Government Vaclav Klaus informed Vladimir Meciar of the names of five candidates nominated by the council of the ODS for the federal government. Jan Strasky will be the candidate for the function of premier (a former vice-chairman of the government of the Czech Republic), for the position of Vice-Chairman, Miroslav Macek (vice-chairman of the ODS) and Antonin Baudys (until now vice-chairman of the government of the Czech Republic for KDU - CSL). ODS suggests Petr Cermak (vice-chairman of ODS) for the post of Minister of the Interior, and for the Minister of Finance, Jan Klak (until now deputy ministry of finance for the CSFR). Vladimir Meciar has no serious reservations about the nominated persons. The names of the five candidates of HZDS have not been revealed yet, but there is talk of Rudolf Filkus being one of them. The federal government of Marian Calfa submitted its resignation of Friday, June 26. President Havel accepted the resignation and at the same time entrusted the government with the job of carrying out its functions until the naming of a new federal government. Struggle over the Praesidium of the Czech Parliament Confusion has arisen over the makeup of the Praesidium of the Czech National Council (CNR). According to the suggestions of the victorious ODS, it should take 13 of the 25 seats on the Praesidium. 3 seats were reserved for the KDU - CSL and for the ODA, respectively, and the remaining 6 seats were to be divided among the parties of the so-called democratic opposition (Czechoslovak Social Democratic Party - CSSD, and the Movement for Self-Governing Democracy - Society for Moravia and Silesia - HSD - SMS). Left out of the game were supposed to be the communists' Left Bloc and the radical Republicans. The chairman of the HSD - SMS, Jan Krycer, stated in a conversation for Cesky denik that he could understand the ODS suggestion, but that he feared that this step "is not very democratic, even if it concerns the Left Bloc and the Republicans, whom I do not admire in any way." The state convention of the HDS - SMS also supported proportional representation in the praesidium. The chair of the club of CSSD, Petra Buzkova, said: "It is not possible that a party does not have a right to a place in the praesidium." Even the right-wing coalition partners were not too excited about the ODS suggestion, KDU - CSL and ODA had reservations about the excessive number of seats which the ODS claimed in the Praesidium of the CNR. Chairman of the ODA, Jan Kalvoda, at a meeting with President Vaclav Havel, finally expressed willingness to take "only" three seats in the praesidium (the same as the KDU - CSL) in the intersts of the functioning of the Czech Parliament. Constitutive Meeting of the Czech National Council Negotiations among the Czech parliamentary parties about the composition of the praesidium of the CNR had not concluded before the constitutive meeting of the Czech assembly, which met on Monday, June 29. Mlada fronta Dnes for Tuesday cites Jaroslav Ortman (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, KSCM), who stated, "the makeup of the CNR is the result of democratic elections, and the composition of the praesidium should correspond to it." Election of the praesidium of the CNR by the plenum was postponed. In a secret vote, the candidate nominated by the right-wing coalition for the function of Chairman of the CNR, Milan Uhde, failed to win election (in the last Czech government he was Minister of Culture). Vice-chairman of ODS, Petr Cermak said, in a conversation with reporters after the announcement of the results of the vote, that the ODS's club would stick by the candidature of M. Uhde, and emphasized that his club will attempt to negotiate with other parliamentary clubs. Who Will Be in the Czech Government? According to unofficial information from circles close to the former Czech Premier, Petr Pithart, the government of the Czech Republic will submit its resignation on Thursday, July 2. In the meantime, the names of several contestants for certain ministries have been made public: Chairman Vaclav Klaus of the ODS will be the candidate for premier of the republic. Jan Ruml (from the same party) will obviously be given the post of Minister of the Interior. The much-criticized Minister of Education, Petr Vopenka (KDS), who was rejected by the ODS, will be replaced by a Roman Catholic priest and professor at the Pedagogical Faculty of the Charles University, Petr Pit'ha (KDS). He is well-known for his suspicion of liberal education. Milan Uhde (Minister of Culture, ODS), resigned a few days ago in order to be elected chairman of the CNR. The Ministry of Privatization and Management of State Property will be left by Tomas Jezek (ODA). "Vaclav Klaus will accept in the position of Minister of Privatization anyone else than me," he said, referring probably to the conflict during the beginning of the coupon privatization. J. Vodicka (ODS) will run for the Minster of Labor and Social Affairs. And for the Ministry of the Environment the KDS has nominated two candidates: F. Benda and J. Musil. Results of the First Round of Coupon Privatization During the last week the results of the first round of the first wave of coupon privatization were announced. 299.4 million shares were offered, representing the capital of 1491 companies altogether. From this entire offering approximately 30% was sold in the first round, of which about two thirds is represented by investment funds. CULTURE SECTION Victory of The Black Byrons The festival of Czech movie comedies ended on Tuesday June 28 in Nove Mesto nad Metuji (Eastern Bohemia). The Black Byrons, film based upon famous book of M. Svandrlik was awarded the 1st prize. The story took place in early fifties in army troop of outsiders prosecuted by communist regime. The dark side of life of the so-called Black Byrons (discussed also for instance in Kundera's novel The Joke) is in the picture directed by Z. Sirovy tranformed into humorous note parodizing the stupidity of officers. WEATHER FORECAST There is a suuny summer weather now in Czechoslovakia. Clear days, high temperature up to 30 degrees Celsius. Occasional storms expected. ******************** This issue was translated with help of Hugh Agnew, GWU, Washington ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. To subscribe Carolina please send the e-mail message with subject "Carolina/Eng: Subscription" for the english version (and "Carolina/Cs: Subscription" for the czech version) on our e-mail address above. 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