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 45, Friday, October 16, 1992. FROM LAST WEEK'S EVENTS (October 7 - 14) Czech and Slovak government talk of the division of the state Negotiations on the bilateral contract between the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, which will become independent states after the 1st January 1993, were opened by the two republics' governments on Saturday, October 11, in Kolodeje near Prague. Besides the ministers of the republics, federal premier Jan Strasky, vicepremier Rudolf Filkus and the governor general of the Czechoslovak State Bank, Josef Tosovsky, participated at the meeting. Both the cabinets exchanged their proposals about trade, custom-duty, taxes and social policy. After an introductory session in Kolodeje they decided to accept the Czech proposals as a basic structure into which Slovak comments will be incorporated. The prime ministers Vaclav Klaus and Vladimir Meciar reached an agreement upon the most important principles of a customs union which would among other things also include agricultural products. The process of creating a currency union will be devided into 3 stages: After January 1, 1993 the currency will remain common, in the second phase there will be imposed a separation with a ratio of 1:1. The final rate shall be defined by the different development of both the republics. Both the delegations agreed that the first phase of the coupon privatisation which is already in process will be finished together, whereas the second phase will be under the command of the independent states. Next step towards the disintegration of Czechoslovakia The Bill of Jurisdiction proposed by the government was passed on the October 8 in both the chambers of the Federal Assembly. This Act shifts further federal jurisdiction to the level of republics. From now on the federal government will direct only the Department of Finance, Foreign Affairs, National Defence, Interior, Economy and Control. Railways, postal and communication services, the environment and security services will be under the exclusive control of the republics. The members of Parliament also approved a resolution demanding the federal government to present a Bill on the transfer of the rest of the federation's jurisdiction to the republics as soon as possible. The prospective passing of such a Bill would de facto mean an extinguishment of the joint state. Amendment to the Act of Banktrupcy An Act temporarily limiting the so-called Act of Banktrupcy was passed in the Federal Assembly on Friday, October 9. The Act declared that within a period of 6 months, i.e. until April 22, 1993 the court is entitled to announce a failure only in the case that an enterprise is overburdened with debt. It is not entitled to do so if the enterprise is only disabeled by payments. This amendment was brought up due to the fear of chain-banktrupcies now threatening more than 200 Czechoslovakian state enterprises. The federal government A broadened policy-statement was approved at the government session and now is waiting for consideration in the Federal Assembly. The current policy-statement was valid till September 30, which is the date when an agreement on the legality of the establishment of Czechoslovakia was supposed to be agreed. In its statement the government intends to present Parliament with 24 more Bills, among them amendments of the Acts of Taxes. Meciar in Italian press We are disintegrating to become Europeans - this headline in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera introduced an interview with Vladimir Meciar. The Slovak premier stated that the separation of Czechoslovakia will be peaceful. He renounced the allegation that he wants to re-establish a communist regime in Slovakia. The only potential source of tension in Central Europe could be Hungarian nationalism, according to Meciar. In his interview Meciar accuses ex-president Vaclav Havel of having a great deal of responsibility for the contemporary crisis. He labelled the ex-president " a visionary with absolutely unrealizable thoughts". Czech premier Vaclav Klaus was in his words characterised as " a difficult but fair partner." "There are two centrals running against us - one in Prague and the other one in Budapest, and those are spreading a picture of a non-tolerant and xenophobic Slovakia," Meciar said. On the top of this he added that he was always willing to reach an agreement with the oposition. UNIVERSITY OF TRNAVA The Ministry of Education and Science of the Slovak Republic falsified the rubber stamp of the University of Trnava and on the October 12 organised an illicit matriculation of three students of this school. The rest of 76 students came to the matriculation arranged in the school building by the regularly elected Academic Senate . The Ministry also blocked all the accounts of the University of Trnava, but nevertheless the Academic Senate is determinated to give lectures without a claim to salary. The management has applied to many significant European universities for moral support. (according to the dailies Lidove noviny and Prostor) WEEKLY TELEGRAPH - A MOTION ON CUSTOMS-UNION between the Czech and the Slovak republic was passed in the extraordinary session of the Slovak government on Friday, October 9. - THE FINAL BORDER between the Czech and the Slovak republics will be specified by 1994 after an agreement between both the national governments. So far the current border is valid. - ACTIVATION OF THE GABCIKOVO WATERWORKS is possible after October 15, according to the director of the state enterprise Water-supplies Constructions, J. Binder. The Hungarian side demands an independent inspection of German specialists. - THE BALANCE OF ACCOUNTS in the ratio of 2:1 in the division of the federal reserves seems to come into consideration rather more than the teritorial principle, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Czechoslovakia, J. Moravcik. At a press conference he also suggested that ambassies do not have to be established in all the countries with whom Slovakia will develop diplomatic relationships. - MORAVIA SHOULD HAVE A SPECIFIC POSITION within the Czech republic in the opinion of Vaclav Havel and Jan Krycer, the chairman of the Movement for the Self-governing Democracy Association for Moravia and Silesia (opposition party in the Czech National Council). - ALEXANDR DUBCEK, the ex-chairman of the Federal Assembly, who had a bad accident on September 1, 1992 is still in a critical state. Having undergone an acute belly operation the patient is now attached to an artifical kidney. REGIONAL NEWS SERVICE P i l s e n - The management of the biggest Czech machine works Skoda Pilsen has resigned as a consequence of the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech republic, Vaclav Dlouhy's doubting on its ability to solve the critical state of the enterprise. J i h l a v a - Academic life returned to the centre of the Bohemian-Moravian Uplands where in 1964 a pedagogical institute was abolished. An inaugural matriculation on Saturday, October 10 opened gates to 160 new students. Both the Jihlava's faculties, agronomical and gardening are a part of the University of Agriculture in Brno. WEATHER In the course of the last week it turned considerably cold. Nightly temperatures sank below zero (Centigrade) and in the morning the streets were covered with frozen puddles. If the winter is so frosty as this year's summer was hot - there is a lot to expect. Although rather cold, the days are still sunny. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. To subscribe to CAROLINA you have to send the e-mail message on the address LISTSERV@CSEARN.BITNET. 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