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 46, Friday, October 23, 1992. FROM LAST WEEK'S EVENTS (October 14 - 21) Presidential jurisdiction to Vladimir Meciar Since Wednesday October 14, Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar has been granted some jurisdiction of the presidential post of the Slovak Republic. He was given the authority through the constitution of the Slovak Republic by the Slovak government. This jurisdiction includes negotiating and ratifying international contracts, accepting and appointing ambassadors, distribution of official decorations, granting amnesty, and the excusing, softening and rescinding of punishments imposed by criminal courts. Federal Premier Jan Strasky proclaimed this decision a change in the constitutional state in Czechoslovakia, since the law to grant amnesty is an apparent contradiction with the so far valid constitutional state. According to Strasky, only the president of the Czech and the Slovak Federal Republic is permitted to grant amnesty. After Vaclav Havel's resignation his jurisdiction was taken over by the federal government and also by the federal parliament. In some cases the president is represented by Federal Premier Strasky. When asked how he regards the fact that the Slovak premier took over some presidential jurisdiction, Czech premier Vaclav Klaus said: "I do not intend to take over similar jurisdiction in the Czech Republic." According to the Party of Democratic Left Wing, the president of Slovak Republic should be elected within one month since the contemporary state of power concentrated in the hands of the premier is only provisional. The Party will initiate the presidential election in the National Council of the Slovak Republic (the new name of the Slovak National Council according to the constitution of the Slovak Republic.) Opposition supports direct presidential election The representatives of the opposition from the Czech National Council - the Czechoslovak Democracy, Liberal Social Union and Movement for Self-governing Democracy Association for Moravia and Silesia - met with ex-president Vaclav Havel on October 20. Havel said the opposition clearly understands that the process of dividing the state is inevitable and wants to cooperate constructively, but would be delighted if the coalition paid more attention to the opponents. They also agreed with Havel's proposal of electing the first Czech president in a direct and general election. Damming up of Danube postponed to November 7 Allegedly for technical reasons, the damming up of the bed of the river Danube will be postponed. The original plan of constructing the Gabcikovo - Nagymaros waterwork purely on the Czechoslovakian ground (so called variant C) was supposed to come into force as early as Tuesday October 20. The postponement was imposed by the Slovak government. Its spokesman B. Geci said, according to Wednesday's daily Lidove Noviny, the river will not be dammed because of high water. According to the same source, the Slovak government reminds that in the case of Gabcikovo, the construction is entirely Czechoslovakia's enterprise, making the federal government responsible in dealing with the Hungarian cabinet. It is not assumed that the federal government would make a decision whether the Danube should be dammed or not and whether all works will keep to the plan. Minister of the Environment of the Slovak Republic Jozef Zlocha said on Tuesday to the reporter of the daily Lidove Noviny, that there are no real technical reasons. The Slovak government regards the main problem in bilateral, respectively lateral talks, which are due between Czechoslovakia, Hungary and the European Community. The headline "Antall appeals to world to help Hungary" presented information according to which Hungarian premier Jozsef Antall allegedly sent a letter abroad demanding support of the Hungarian approach in the case of Gabcikovo "as to prevent building a conflict situation." Antall accuses Czechoslovakia of breaking the international law, particularly the Hungarian teritorial integrity, with continuing the works on the Dunabe. Antall appeals to statesmen to exercise their political, moral and human influence to prevent Czechoslovakia from damming up the Dunabe at least until the final decision of international institutions. The addressees of the letters include Presidents Bush, Jelcin, Mitterand and Premiers Kohl and Major and the European Community Premier Delors. 30-40 opposers to the Gabcikovo waterworks protested yesterday against the final work on the construction by going down the river Dunabe on rubber boats from Bratislava up to the dam near Cunov where the river-bed is planned to be dammed up. Czech studies in Slovakia and Slovaks in Bohemia There are 2,899 Slovak inhabitants studying in Bohemia and 2,707 Czechs studying in Slovak universities. From January 1, 1993, when two states become independent and until the end of the 92/93 school year, there should not be any change in the numbers stated above. Changes will only occur through individual student request. In the following school year, the study of Slovaks in Bohemia and the Czech in Slovakia should be modified through inter-governmental cultural agreements on the grounds of reciprocal relations. According to the information from the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Physical Education, the number of students studying in the different republics will drop. Students of the Film Academy of Musae Arts oppose Jiri Menzel To protest against formal participation of director Jiri Menzel in the post of the Head of the Department of Direction at the Academy, students went on strike as of Thursday, October 15. They demand the removal of both Menzel and his Deputy, whose professional quality is disputed by students. Menzel, who interrupted his bussiness tour in France, describes the problem as students' unwillingness to subordinate to study-discipline. He says that in the case of his departure he will be followed other outstanding Czech directors Dusan Klein and Vera Chytilova. The Dean of the Academy proclaimed the strike illegal and demands an apology to J. Menzel. Both of them were invited by students to a session of the Academical Senate. Slovak University Students Protest Slovak University Union protests against the decision of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic, blocking the accounts of the University of Trnava. The appeal is to all students to contribute as much as possible to the account of the Foundation Universitas Tyrnaviensis, number 4-000-173-305/3100 at the General Credit Bank Bratislava. Their appeal was published in Czech press as well. (The cause of the University of Trnava conflict was described in detail in Carolina 42.) Violence Against Journalists Matter of Interrogation The investigator of the inspection of the Czech Ministry of Interior ordered on Monday, October 19 prosecution for the abuse of jurisdiction of a public agent. The crime was allegedly committed by so far unknown policemen who, on Sunday October 11, "used unjustified physical violence and verbal offenses on several acredited journalists during the course of their profession" on the horse-race field in East-Bohemian Pardubice. In at least one case, some police officers deprived a photo-reporter of his film. The prosecution could be extended to include the crime of robery. The appropriation of the police action during the sport-enterprise in Pardubice belonged to broadly discussed issues in last week's mass media. To give a complete account of the situation, it is necessary to state that immediately before the start of the most difficult race on the European continent, the policemen dispersed with batons and kicked a group of young people demonstrating for animal rights. Approximately 300 anarchists and environmentalists (not only from Czechoslovakia) ran confused around the race area, blocking with their bodies the most dangerous obstacle, the Taxis ditch. The obastacle has resulted in the death of more than 20 horses throughout its history. Several young men threw themselves under the hoofs of the horses, even after the start of the race. Confused animals then approached Taxis which even finished the ambitions for the favorites. Those that had fallen included the English Cortes, the winner of the Grand National, and Zeleznik, who had previously won this race 4 times, didn't make the jump and his jockey, Vana, flew over his head. The final plane was completed by 6 horses with Quirinus in the lead. His jockey, Brecka, said that even in a direct race Zeleznik would not have passed Quirinus. The only reason why the winning horse cannot participate in Liverpool is a lack of finance. The police action was proclaimed inadequate even by the fans. The daily Mlada Fronta will take legal action since their photo-reporter Martin Ruzicka was apparently attacked without provocation. Czechoslovak Radar System Detects Invisable Aircraft In the biggest Moravian city of Brno, the Invex international fair of computers, telecomunications and office equipment takes place this week. The fair will showcase the world's premier of the Czechoslovakia system Tamara, which has the ability to detect even so-called invisible aircraft such as the American B-2 bomber. The device itself does not send any signals, but receives aircraft impulses from a radar system, navigating and telecommunications equipment, from which the signals are then selected. CULTURAL SERVICE Exhibition of Gothic Paintings A unique exhibition of 18 restored paintings by Master Theodorick from the 14th century, located in the Saint Cross Chaple on the castle Karlstejn, was inaugurated on October 15 in Prague and will run until January 31. Festival of Historic Music The first annual Czechoslovakia's International Festival of Old Music takes place in Prague from October 17 - 27. In the renderings of Czechoslovak, as well as foreign assemblies from Great Britain, United States, Italy, Austria, France and Russia, one can hear baroque, renessiance and jazz compositions. The festival is under the patronage of the European Communities, UNESCO and the Czech Ministry of Culture. Radiobroadcast in Podebrady Podebrady, a spa town in central Bohemia, hosted a festival of original radio broadcast creations Prix Bohemia 1992, for five days, beginning Tuesday, October 20. This show presented 35 Czech radio plays, including fairy-tales and artistic light programs. SPORT SERVICE As requested, we are including a new regular column to inform you of the most interesting sport results in Czechoslovakia. We presume that you are already provided with information about successes of Czechoslovakian sportsmen in international competitions. FOOTBALL Slovan Bratislava, defender of the mastery title, leads after nine rounds in all-national Football League in front of Dunajska Streda after both the teams gained 14 point each. In the following positions are Olomouc and a greenhorn of the highest competition, Brno, with 12 points. The oldest clubs of Czechoslovakia - Sparta and Slavia - rank five, respectively, and seven. The chart is closed with the Prague's army-team Dukla. From the results of Wednesday's Cup matches: -The Cup of Masters of European Countries: Slovan Bratislava-AC Milan 0:1 -The Cup of Masters of the Cups: Werder Bremy - Sparta Praha 2:3 (Sparta led already 2:0 and the second half time played without removed Chovanec.) -The Cup UEFA: Fenerbahce Istanbul - Olomouc 1:0 HOCKEY In the last year of the federal hockey league Litvinov, who after a persuasive beginning, slightly hesitated recently, is in the lead (17 points) after 11 rounds - suprisingly followed by Ceske Budejovice (14 points). Last master Dukla Jihlava is not in form and that is why it ranks seven among 14 teams. In the past, succesful Pardubice holds last place, having been beaten on Tuesday on the domestic ice by 8 goals. WEATHER This year's beautiful autumn brought along colder weather and also eagerly expected rain this week. This year's first snow appeared in the mountains. The temperature moves around 10 degrees, but night time temperatures drop below zero. Following days are expected to be even colder, preserving a clear or slightly cloudy sky. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= We would like to include in Carolina more information about Czechoslovakia and Czech and Slovak people living abroad. This information will be summarized in a special page which will be published approximately once a month. This page will consist of articles sent by the readers and we encourage your contributions. The topics can vary from the life of Czech and Slovaks, information related to events in Czechoslovakia, the attitudes of foreign readers towards Czechoslovakia and cultural, political and economic reports. The size of the contribution can extend from a few lines to several pages. -Carolina Editorial Staff ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. The text of the message is: SUBSCRIBE CAR-ENG First name Last name for the english version or SUBSCRIBE CAR-CS First name Last name for the czech version. Tu delete your subscription from the list you should send the message to LISTSERV: SIGNOFF CAR-ENG or SIGNOFF CAR-CS