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 53, Friday, December 14, 1992. FROM LAST WEEK EVENTS (December 2-10) Bugging Device at the American Consulate in Bratislava According to the American Ambassy in Prague, the United States have irrefutable evidence of the bugging device revealed two weeks ago at the American Consulate in Bratislava being active at the time of its discovery. The Czech press broke the story Thursday according to the Czech Press Agency. According to the same source, this bugging device was not found during the recent renovation since it had been very well concealed. The device is now in the possession of the American government. Its photographs were presented to the Federal Minister of Interior and are available for the Slovak Minister of Interior as well. Czechoslovak Minister of Foreign Affairs, J. Moravcik said on Wednesday, December 9 at the briefing of the federal government, that according to the government's knowledge no Czechoslovak authority is responsible for the bugging devices at the American Consulate - meaning that the installation and monitoring of these devices are illegal. Minister Moravcik also said that both Czechoslovak and American sides would like to settle this matter as quickly as possible and not let it interfere with mutual interstate relations. Former Minister of Interior, R. Sacher deduces that the bugging device could not have been installed and monitored at the Consulate by foreign espionage groups except for the KGB or the Czechoslovakia. Although he said that the American side has access to perfect technical equipment capable of detecting these kinds of device everywhere - on the ceiling, on the wall or in the floor. The ex-minister also questioned who would profit from this affair and who would be injured. No one on the level of the Minister of the Interior of the Slovak Republic might have give an order to use the bugging device, says the spokesman for the Ministry. "Such a device had never been available to the Minister of Interior. It is available exclusively for the Federal Ministry of Interior and The Federal Security Information Service (FBIS), " the spokesman said in an interview for the Czech Press Agency. FBIS has also disassociated itself from the bugging device found in Bratislava, its director P. Novak has declared. Federal Minister of Interior, P. Cermak directed his first undersecretary to investigate the matter. He is required to find out when and by whom the device was installed, how long was it in effect, who abused it and why was it not dismantled in 1990, according to the order of the former Minister of Interior of Czechoslovakia Investigation was also taken up by the General Prosecution of Czechoslovakia. The discovery of the bugging device was intially reported on the TV, Saturday, December 5. The problem has been occupying the covers of the daily press since Monday, December 7. Attempted Murder of Jiri Svoboda Chairman of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia and a member of the Federal Assembly, Jiri Svoboda was assaulted on the evening of Saturday December 5 in his flat by an unknown disguised man who stabbed him twice. One stab wound led to the heart and the other reached the liver. Svoboda, who was immediately operated on, is reported to be in satisfactory condition. His 18-year old daughter who had suffered light stab wound of chest when attempting to rescue her father, was already released from the hospital. According to Czech Premier Vaclav Klaus this deed - no matter what was its motive - is a big disaster for fragile situation in the creation of the Czech state, as well as for its reputation abroad. In a statement provided for the Czech Press Agency, Klaus emphasized that a case like this is exceptional in this country. However, local media reported on two political assaults which happened seventy years ago. According to Chairman of the Party of Democratic Left Wing and first Deputy-Chairman of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Peter Weiss, the real source of the assault of Jiri Svoboda is the policy of intolerance. On Tuesday, Jiri Svoboda was visited by Czechoslovakian ex-president Vaclav Havel. To his question whether in the background of the this assault is a political motive, the chairman of the communist party of Bohemia and Moravia answered that he could not think of any other reason. The Czech Flag as Federal This headline from Thursday December 10 in the daily Mlada Fronta Dnes, brings information that the state symbols of the seperate Czech Republic should stay the same as the current federal symblols. The Czech Republic should use the Czechoslovak state flag and the present red and white flag of the Czech Republic should lose its validity. This is stated in the bill of state symbols which was dealt with the Czech National Council. The University of Trnava Still Without Money The door lock wrenched out by Minister of Culture of the Slovak Republic, Dusan Slobodnik, was sold at auction for 11 thousand crown (400 USD). D. Slobodnik, at the time charged also with managing the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, exchanged the lock during his visit to the University of Trnava (UT) on September 9 to unable rector A. Hajduk access to his office. The auction was a part of the St. Nicholas' Eve Party held on December 5 by the students of UT. Its yield should contribute to the university whose bank account has been blocked since September 25 by Minister of Education of the Slovak Republic, M. Kucera. Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Czechoslovakia, E. Valko, Chairman of the Christian Democratic Movement, J. Canogursky and deputy-chairman of the Civic Democratic Alliance, D. Kroupa, were present at the party. Pieces of World Graphic Art for Sale Leger, Picasso, Warhol, Vasarely, Matta, Appel, and Calder are the authors of the pieces from the selling exhibition Graphic Art of World Masters which has been opened on the Bethlem Square in Prague. The exhibition will last till January 13, 1993. International Festival of Film Debuts The international film festival called Forum 92 took place last week in Bratislava. The first prize was awarded to the Ukrainian experiment "Gloomy Morning". Alain Robbe-Grillet who was also present at the festival, assisted at a retrospect of his work. The festival was also in Prague since December 7. ECONOMY Fourth Round of the Coupon Privatisation Over Shares sold better in the fourth round than in the third one. 37.2 per cent of the shares for sale were sold in comparison to 24.5 per cent from the last round. Thirty six privatisation funds of investment have already invested all their points and twenty two of the funds have no more than 100 points any longer. In possession of holders of the coupons of investment (people who take part in the privatisation) there is still 330 000 000 points (220 000 000 in the Czech Republic, 110 000 000 in the Slovak republic.) Over-all demand for the fifth round is 620 000 000 points if investment. Fight for Rescue of Skoda Plzen, Czech Biggest Machine Enterprise Sale of the disputable 60 engines was the main topic of the top-management's negotiations with the Central Director of Czechoslovakian State Railways (CSR). Skoda prefers selling the engines to a leasing society which would gain her spot cash, and CSR would have a possibility to pay the goods in instalments for several years. Preliminary consideration that the leasing society woulp pay to Skoda 1 100 000 000 crown and CSR 1 400 000 000 in instalments has not been made into contract yet. The talks should continue on December 9. Skoda's management has also negotiated with the management of the Commercial Bank of the issue of obligations, which should assure to Skoda capital ready cash 1 600 000 000 crowns. The troubles of the Pilsen's enterprise were at issue in Carolina n. 42. New Rates of Car Insurance The rates of insurance will rise since January 1, 1993 at some kinds of motor vehicles. According to the announcement of the Czech Ministry of Finance the new yearly rates of insurance will be 624 for Kcs for car up to 3500 kg in weight and with the contents of the cyplinderup to 2000 cubic metres. Contents above 2000 cubic metres will be charged with 1992 Kcs. The average monthly wage in Czechoslovakia is about 4300 Kcs. Foreign motor vehicles are not effected by this change. More Expensive Livelihood Living expenses of households in the Czech Republic increased in the past ten months by 9.8 per cent this year in comparison to 12.7 per cent from last year's survey. During this October, food prices rose the most by 3.4 per cent. SPORT In the 25th round of the federal hockey league both leading teams lost 4:3 - Ceske Budejovice succumbed on ice to Prague's Sparta, and Litvinov in the end gave in to Slovak Poprad in a well started match. The most interesting result of the round is the overwhelming victory of Pardubice above Vitkovice 7:2. Pardubice thus succeeded to the next-to-last place, the last Pilsen is behind by two points. The sequence of the teams in the head of the chart remains intact (first Litvinov 33 points, second Ceske Budejovice 29 bodu), only their advantage decreased - third Zlin 28 points, fourth Kladno 27 points. One more round is due till the end of the basic part of the league. Football League Contest between Slovan Bratislava and Sparta Praha for suviving in the head of the chart was won by Sparta having beaten Slovan 3:0. The third place is occupied by Dunajska Streda after a huge victory over Bohemians Praha 5:0. The fourth is Slavia Praha which drew Inter Bratislava 0:0. Dukla Praha continues to occupy last place with only 8 points. WEATHER According to a piece of weather-lore, St. Nicolas (December 6) brings frost and snow. This year the folk wisdom confirmed itself at least partly - Southern Moravia got some snow with rain, ski-centres of Nothern Moravian Mountains Jeseniky announce up to 50 centimetres of snow. Daily temperatures keep narrowly above the freezing point, nightly sink up to 7 degrees below zero when the sky is clear. EXCHANGE RATE of the Czechoslovak Crown purchase sale USA 1USD 27.73 29.13 FRG 1DEM 17.75 18.67 GB 1GBP 42.97 46.11 CAN 1CAD 21.34 22.90 FRA 1FRF 5.18 5.50 AUT 1ATS 2.51 2.63 The rates are as of November 26, 1992. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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