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 STUDENTS' E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECH REPUBLIC School of Social Sciences of Charles University Smetanovo nabr. 6 110 01 Prague 1 Czech Republic E-mail address: carolina@n.fsv.cuni.cs Fax: (+422) 231 7391 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 68, Friday, March 26, 1993. FROM LAST WEEK'S EVENTS (March 17-24) Havel's visit to Austria in the shade of Temelin The dispute over the construction of the Temelin nuclear power station in Southern Bohemia affected the official visit of president Vaclav Havel last week in Vienna. As Havel said after the negotiation with Austrian president Thomas Klestil, today our country certainly would have decided not to construct the power plant at all, but regarding the state of the construction and the expert opinion proving safety of the object, the Czech government decided to activate the power station. Thomas Klestil expressed the worries of Austrian inhabitants about the existence of a nuclear power station. The minister of the environment M. Rauch-Kallate even warned the Czech side about economic sanctions. Post-war deportation of the Sudeten Austrians was described as unjust by Vaclav Havel, but he added that it is impossible to break the restitution deadline of February 25, 1948 accordingly. Premier Klaus: Government will not talk to the Sudeten Germans Czech government will in no case talk to the Sudeten German, said Vaclav Klaus at Monday's meeting with Bavarian Prime Minister Max Streibel. Yet he did not deny that there can exist a small Czech party that could do so. The problem of the Sudeten Germans, according to Klaus, exists only with the western neighbours. Bavarian Prim Minister hopes to meet the demands more easily "as soon as the Czech Republic will join the European Community." Yet definitely he does not regard the Sudeten problem a obstacle in the cooperation with the Czech Republic. M. Streibl confirmed the effort of his cabinet to start the construction of the Ingolstadt-Kralupy oil pipeline as soon as in 1994. The new source should extensively substitute for the supply of this material from Russia. Crisis of the coupon privatization Distribution of shares of Czech enterprises gained by Slovakian shareholders in the coupon privatization will be postponed, decided Czech government on Wednesday, March 17. The aim of this measure is to make the Slovak government launch a serious negotiation on the property settlement. Governor of the Czech National Bank, Josef Tosovsky confirmed that thus a claim of 24.700.000.000 crowns arose. Slovak shareholders gained in the first wave of the coupon privatization a property of 26.280.000.000 crowns in the Czech Republic. "If we accepted this step and reacted to it, that would mean to launch a commercial war between Slovaks and Czech," said Slovakian premier Vladimir Meciar as a reaction to the Czech government's decision. FROM SLOVAKIA One-party government created Pushed by premier Meciar, Slovakia president Michal Kovac removed yesterday, March 19 minister of foreign affaires, Milan Knazko. Along with him also minister of economy, Ludovit Cernak from Slovak National Party (SNP) abandoned the government. As a reason of his resignation he presented the unwillingness of the premier to cooperate and his disapproval with Imrich Andrejcak being appointed the minister of defence. Slovak national party several times pointed out Andrejcak's communist past. In connection with that observers talk about Meciar's not fulfilled promise. He promised the chair of the minister of defence to SNP if they support M. Kovac to in the run for Slovak presidency. Thus the only minister in the Slovakian government who was not a member of Movement for Democratic Slovakia (MDS) has left. Vladimir Meciar threatened that if the minister of foreign affaires is not removed, he will go himself. Knazko called this repeted blackmailing: "I think that in Meciar's case it is relapse", he said. At the same time he accused the premier of totalitarian practices. In his last parlamentary speech the former minister of foreign affaires said that he had been removed because he was an uncomfortable critic. A different notion of the policy statement of the government, he says, was not involved. The post of the minister of foreign affaires was taken the same day by Jozef Moravcik (MDS - last federal minister of foreign affaires), that of the minister of economy by Jaroslav Kubecka (MDS - minister of economy of the former Czechoslovakia). Popularity of Vladimir Meciar drops According to February's poll carried out by Slovak Statistic Office the premier lost nine percent of his devotees amongst Slovakian inhabitants in comparison with January (drop from 34 percent to 25 percent). Still he remains the most popular personality in Slovakia. Close to him is president Michal Kovac with 24 percent. Milan Knazko increased his popularity from seven to thirteen percent. CULTURE Kolar exhibition in the Kinsky palace Jiri Kolar's graphic art is displayed by the National Gallery in two storeys of Kinsky palace in Prague. One can see also 33 pieces confiscated after the author's emigration to Paris in 1984. Recently Kolar donated them to the National Gallery where they had been kept until now. This thorough exposition of one of the most famous Czech artists was prepared in cooperation with the French Institute and will last till May 2. TV and Film Awards Jan Sverak's film Basic School was chosen by the critic as well as the audience as the best Czech film in the last three years. The second film with the critics is Vojtech Called Orphan, whereas the audience liked Konec Starych Casu. The third are It Is Better To Be Rich And Healthy Then Poor And Ill (critics) and Requiem For a Doll (audience). The tittle Miss Film was awarded to Ivana Chylkova, her male counterpart became Lukas Vaculik. The anquette was announced by Kinorevue magazine. Weekly Televize arranged an anquette for the most popular personality on the screen of 1992. The absolutely first is singer Karel Gott. The most popular actors are Pavel Zednicek and again Ivana Chylkova. EXCHANGE RATE OF THE CZECH CROWN buy sell GB 1GBP 41.24 44.84 BRD 1DEM 17.21 18.13 USA 1USD 28.20 29.60 CAN 1CAD 22.43 24.03 FRA 1FRF 4.98 5.38 AUT 1ATS 2.45 2.57 TURIST RATE OF THE SLOVAK CROWN (for 100 Sk) buy sell Czech Savings Bank 95.00 98.00 Commercial Bank 83.30 86.70 Agrobank 92.00 97.00 Bank of Investments 85.00 90.00 The rates as of March 23, 1993. SPORT Football league In the 20th round Sparta Praha (28 points) played a witty and fast game and beat Blanik Ostrava 2:0 and still remains in the lead. The second Slavia Praha (27p) beat after a bewildered performance Vitkovice 2:1. Slovak Bratislava (26p) lost to Hradec Kralove 3:1 who succeded to the third place formerly occupied by DAC Dunajska Streda (26p). The latter drew 0:0 with Inter Bratislava. The last remains Dukla Praha. There were only 17 goals in 8 matches which does not prove a good spring form of the players. Quarter-final of the Cup of the Winners of the Cups: Sparta Praha - AC Parma 0:0 and 0:2 In both the matches Sparta did not manage to stand up to Parma. Sparta did not repeat its performance from the last matches, Parma was better and succeeded to the semi-final. Hockey league In the first final play-off of the federal hockey league Sparta Praha beat Vitkovice team 5:3. In the semi-final duels between Vitkovice and Litvinov Vitkovice won two times in Litvinov, in the third match they were beaten by Litvinov 8:7 and the fourth match finished 4:4, after penalty shooting 3:1 Litvinov won. In the fifth round Vitkovice beat Litvinov 3:2. The first two matches between Sparta Praha and Trencin were won by Sparta, Dukla played in Trencin 4:3 and 4:1. The fifth match was a success for Sparta - 7:2. In the first match of the beaten semi-finalists Trencin beat Litvinov 4:3. Radio Cup On Sunday, March 21 seven independent Prague radio stations played the second year of football Radio Cup. The eighth team was put up by artists, mainly actors and singers. The final was played by Radio Golem (supported by the audience) and the team of Radio Vox. The winner was announced Radio Vox, having played a balanced match 3:1. WEATHER Last week we recorded up to 18 degrees. On Monday it was rather cold, temperatures go up to 8-14 degrees during the day and in the night they drop to 4-0 degrees. It is cloudy with often rains. March 23 is the International Day of Meteorologists. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. Send them please to the address: carolina@n.fsv.cuni.cs To subscribe to CAROLINA you send an e-mail message to 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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