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.cz Fax: (+422) 24810987 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 115, Monday, April 25, 1994. EVENTS FROM THE LAST WEEK (13. - 20. April) Seven Presidents Talk About the Future of Central Europe Presidents of Hungary, Austria, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czech Republic came to EastBohemian town Litomysl for two days meeting on Friday, April 15th. "We are here to contribute to the unification of the West of Europe with its central part", defined the basic idea of the meeting Richard von Weizsacker, the president of Germany. The subject of Central European identity definition connected all the common meetings at the Litomysl castle. On the second day the presidents held a TV discussion with French politologist of Czech origin Jacques Rupnik as a spokesman. Bilateral talks were held besides common dinner and Saturday lunch. During the talk with Vaclav Havel, the Austrian President Thomas Klestil mentioned, that the issue of Temelin nuclear power plant too much complicates the mutual relationship of both the countries. Havel said later, that Klestil was probably satisfied by the arguments of Czech side in favour of finishing the power plant construction. The Czech President also accepted the invitation for the meeting of Presidents of Austria, Switzerland and Italy at Alpbach. The Slovak President Michal Kovac during the Friday press conference said, that the new government is being succesful in changing the unpopular opinion of foreign countries on Slovakia. Kovac also held talks with the Hungarian president Arpad Goncz on the nationalities issue in the mutual relationship of Hungarians and Slovaks. Although the presidents do not have the executive power, similar meetings could create a good atmosphere for further government talks, Vaclav Havel said. The following meeting shall be held according to the agreement in Hungary the next year and in 1966 in Poland. The media noticed, that the Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus was not present at the festive evening. Klaus accepted the invitation on Tuesday, but he apologized on Thursday because of the preparation for a more important mission to Southern America. The invited Chairman of the Parliament Milan Uhde excused himself as well as Josef Zieleniec, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was on a mission in Asia. Filip, Viktor/ Daniela Seminar about European Union On Monday April 18th took place in Prague's Cerninsky the 2 days seminar about parliamentarism and European integration. At the introduction of the seminar took part the chairman of European Parliament Egon Klepsh, chairman of Czech Parliament Milan Uhde, the chief of the Prague's delegation Liopoldo Giunti and 50 other participants. The seminar was organised by Institute for European politics in Bonn, Pragues's Institute of international relations and Association for Trans European studies in Brussels. According to E. Klepshe the structure of the Czech Parliament is compatible with the structures of highest legislative organs of European Union. Aram/Clara Magda Vasaryova Discused the Problems of Her Country in Prague The former Czechoslovak ambassador in Austria and an actress Magda Vasaryova introduced as the director the new organization called The Slovak Society for the Foreign Policy. During the discussion on the contemporary international role of Slovakia she said that the society wants to help the people to understand the foreign policy. She spoke also about some hot problems of Slovakia. One of them is the disunity of the contemporary Slovak society when they regard the history of their own country. The former Czech premier Petr Pithart and the ambassador of Czech republic on Slovakia Filip Sedivy joined the round table. Magda Vasaryova also met the foreign affaires minister Josef Zieleniec and the president Vaclav Havel the same day. Viktor/Zuzka With demonstration of trade unions agrees more than a half of questioned On April 19th Rude pravo brought the results of the survey of public opinions about the April demonstration of trade unions against the new Code of work (we wrote about it in number 111). The Institution for public opinion research (IVVM) asked to 809 citizens the question "Do you agree with the demonstration?". Yes have annswered 57% of the questioned people. No said 23% and 20% were not able to make any statement to the problem. The supporters of the demonstration were mainly workers (65%). Geografically 65% of the Central-Czechs and North-Moravians were for the street perfomance. On the contrary the citizens of Prague were mainly against - 30%. Radim/Clara The entire wording of Hausing law was published On May 1th will come into validity the Law of the ownership of flats. The entire wording was recently to be found in the press (for ex. Lidove noviny April 8th, Rude pravo April 5th). The law arranges some joint ownership ralationships of flats and non hausing spaces and completes the present legislative system. As the passed law says every house owner, for ex. community or privite owner of the rent-hauses, has the right to sell single flats and does not have to sell only the entire house any more. From the law also results that the heirto existing tenats have the pre-buy right for buing the community or pravite flat. The price of the flat will be fixed by atreement and the upper price limit is not set by law. The law was accepted by the Parliament on April 24th. Martin/Clara 30 kilograms of heroin in a truck On Wednesday April 13th was hold up 30 kg of heroin at Folmava border-pass by the Czech custums officers. The consignment hidden in a Turkish truck was watched by Interpol, which was searching for his addressee. By finding the consignment the customs officers made it therefore imposssible to find the addressee, said the spokesman of the General managment of customs Karel Thiele. Then he informed that the responsible officials had not been informed about the passing international action. The customs managment refered to the fact that till today the Agreement of Wienna has not been screened into national legislative system and no international agreement between the corresponding sections has been concluded. The UNO agreement against non legal drug material trade was signed in Wienna in 1988. The Czech republic joint the agreement in 1989. Fatema/Clara The Basic School For Pupils With Rests Of Vision The basic school for pupils with partial eyesight, the only school of its kind in all of Europe, was established in Prague in 1967. The school, at Sporkova street 12, educates and brings up children whose vision is in the range of 3,5/50 and less. Obligatory school attendance lasts 10 years (a preparatory year plus nine years of elementary school). After finishing the basic school, most students continue in high schools for visually impaired young people (Gymnazium, Academy of Business, School of Business, Conservatory, and a school for tuning musical instruments along with the Conservatory). The rest of the students have the chance to study at vocational schools for the visually impaired, learning about such skills as masonry, upolstery or bookbinding. The school teaches tecniques of reading and writing with the Braille system and with blackprinting, a computer program that allows the viewer to controll contrast. Students use special textbooks and compensating aids, such as Agfa and television magnifying glasses, turmons, Eureks, Optacons, writing machines. Eureka A4 is a remarkable eight-key computer with voice assistance, compatable with an IBM personal computer. Eureka has many functions and costs about 44,000 Czech crowns. Optacon II (model R2) is a portable reading aid. This machine changes blackprinted information into relief info. A basic machine, without extra equipment, costs about 5,000 U.S. dollars. The school teaches the same subjects as other schools but the education is based on intensive teaching with an individual approach to every pupil. School-rooms are equiped with high-intensity lights. The teachers collaborate with ophtamologists and children's physicians and also with psychologists. In the school there is a youth centre and a boarding-house. The youth centre can be visited by students who attend the day school. Those who live too far from Prague to commute daily stay in the boarding-house through the week and return home on weekends. In their free time students play chess, do cross-country ski, play piano, sing in a chorus, go swimming, occupy themselves with athletics, recitations and taking long thematical walks all over Prague. In the school students play a special game called Goalball. It is the only collective ball game for visual-impaired young people. Three years ago in Hungary's tournament the school team came in second but two years ago the school won a Berlin tournament. The win allowed the Czechs to play host to an international tournament of Goalball November 13, 1993. The school also has a Special Pedagogical Centre that gives ambulant care to highly visually-impaired children attending a normal type of elementary school. Information is also given to their teacher and parents. Members of the centre provide advice on how to work with these children in school and at home, give information about psychological care, aquaint caretakers with special aids, lend textbooks and manuals, and inform about financial matters. Members of the school and the centre are united by a common interest; to teach the children to strenghten their self-confidence and to prepare them for life as well as possible. Sofi/Sofi What Will Happen With the School for Children With Rest of Vision? School's building (being described in the above article) was taken from the state in restitution (law number 298/1990) by the Congregate of Merciful Sisters of St. Charles Boromejsky. it should serve as hostel for monastery sisters working in the hospital nad Petrinem. The building in Sporkova street serves children since 1832, when it was taken over by the association of St. Notburga. In 1938 the association donated the building along with the orphanage to the merciful Sisters, in order to take care of the abandoned children. The building was donated to the state in 1958 and served as a House for youth. In the years 1970-1974 the school for children with rest of vision took over the re-constructed building. It was offered to the Merciful Sisters to take over along with the building the school also. Inviolata Krupkova, the general superior of the Congregate of Merciful Sister, said to the defense of the school moving out, that if they would agree with this proposal they wouldn't have a place to sleep. She also said that the state has taken from them 40 buildings. So it is logical that the holy order want's the building that's nearest to the hospital nad Petrinem. The Merciful Sisters visited the school April 17, 1990 to announce to the leading team of the school that the definite term of the school moving out is until August 31, 1993. The Congregate is familiar with the fact that it won't be easy to find a place for the school for children with est of vision, but the holy order has to think about its problems also. Before the end of the moving out deadline the Merciful Sisters made a rent deal, June 19, 1992, with the School's commission in the price of 57, 703 Czech crown for each instructional month and 45, 953 a month during holiday period. This high rent is twice higher than the Ministry of Education is willing to pay. So the only thing the school can do is to look for new places to move in. The Merciful Sisters offered the school to move into the building of the convent in Repich. This building belong in the past to the holy order but until now it hasn't been returned to them. Contemporary they are renting it from the state. The building in Repich was once serving children, but in 1865 they had to leave it due to the extension of eye disease and some blindnessies. That's the reason why the commotion of the school so logically refused to move into this disconsolated building. The school didn't make it to the moving out deadline, because until that time no other suitable potion was fount. By the end of 1993 it was offered to the school with its 60 students to move into the substitutional building in Nove Butovice (in the south-west part of Prague). There is still no solution to this problem. The children with rests of vision and the school in Sporkova street seems with no future. If the school won't manage to find more financial donations there is the possibility of closing down. Financial contributions can be send to this account: NADACE PALATA, Zbytky zraku-28433-051/0100-Commercial Bank (CB) Prague 5. Sofi/Sofi FROM SLOVAKIA The Slovak government relieved 26 local districts chairmen and the director of TA SR from the office. On Tuesday, April 19, the Slovak government relieved from the office 26 local districts chairmen, who signed a petition against Prezident's Kovac Parliament speech in March. Kovac criticized the then Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar. The statement accused Kovac from purpose destabilization and discreditation of the preceeding government. The office of Moravcik asked the chairmen to resign at first and when they did not react, it undertook this step. The offical statement quoted by the Czech press says, that the state officials "have to have the same loyalty for the President, Parliament, Government and all the constitutional bodies".Dusan Kleiman, the director of the Press Agency of the Slovak Republic (TASR) was withdrawn as well. Natalie /Daniela Trencin Won the Slovakia Cup The winner of this yer Slovak Hockey league is Dukla Trencin. Dukla used the advantage of homefield at the fifth round of play off and beat Kosice 5:1. Dusan/Daniela CULTURE Rudolf Hrusinsky Died On Wednesday March, 13 one of the most remarkable actors, the national artist, Rudolf Hrusinsky died. He died after a long and serious illness in one Prague hospital at the age of seventy-four years. Rudolf Hrusinsky was born in October, 17 1920 in the family of actors. Since he was very young he acted both in theatre and film. In his early film roles he played mostly lovers, romantic young men, and students. In 1957 played the role of Swejk in the film The Good Soldier Swejk. His qualities as an actor were also seen in films The Burner of Corps and The Humorous Summer made according the book by Vladislav Vancura. Unforgettable was also his performance of the country doctor in the comedy Vesnicko ma strediskova? Since 1960 Rudolf Hrusinsky was a member of the National theatre in Prague. Except of acting he also directed some plays. The theatregoers remember him as Ecdal in Ibsen's The Wild Duck, Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV., or the Khubla Chan in O'Neill's The Million Marco. His last role was the character of the Czech president during the Nazi occupation Emil Hacha. The TV film The Night of Decision was broadcasted in March, 10. Houndreds of people came to the National Theatre in March, 20 where the coffin could be seen. The official ceremony was then taken place in the Theatre. Pavel B./Zuzka New head of AB Barrandov On 8th April, the board of directors of shareholding company AB Barrandov relieved Vaclav Marhoul from the office of director general. Marhoul also resigned for the offer to stay the chairman of the board of directors as well. The purpose of the change was to stop the confusion in further ways of development of the biggest Central Europe film studios. The confusion was created by the situation when Marhoul held both the offices. at once. The new director general became Jindrich Goetz, who had already proved his qualities at the same post in branch of Barrandov, Film Studios Hostivar. As the chairman of the board of directors was elected Miroslav Urban, up to now the chief of Film laboratories Barrandov. Jindrich Goetz, originally a set designer believes, that he will contribute to the development of Czech film with his thorough knowledge of filmmaking and genuine experience.One of the first goals at present is to earn money to pay the first50 million crowns installment of the National Property Fund loan and try to produce first Barrandov film before the end of the year. For Marhoul's opinion, that it is hopless to produce Czech films, because you cannot make a film for less than 15 million crowns in our conditions, Goetz reacts:"A good film can be made even for less than this amount, but you nedd to know where the money is needed and where they are wasted. After having been filmmaker for past thirty years, I fortunately know it". Daniela/Daniela A Good Event for a Good Thing On Sunday, April 16, the Refugees Help Organization (OPU in Czech) together with a Czech-American rock band Dirty Pictures put on the rock marathon called Rock for Refugees in order to both raise funds to help refugees and inform public on situation of refugees in the Czech Republic. There were several sponsors contributing to a successful course of events, Repre club and the Pilsen beerbar provided space and free service, all bands were performing without a right to be paid for. Rock marathon began in the afternoon in front of almost empty hall. Repre club and the Pilsen beer bar were connected to each other. One band played the allowed time (30 minutes) on one stage while the other band was preparing on the other. Throughout the afternoon the halls were gradually filling up by mostly foreign audience which could , beside the music production, more closely get acquiented with organizers or buy goods made in refugees' camps. The pre-midnight performance of Joe Strummer, former musician in bands Clash and Pogues, was such a highlight of the whole event. Despite playing only four songs accompanied by Dirty Pitures and a power blackout, he totally impressed people in the full hall. Marathon then went on with following performances up to early morning hours. Both stages saw about 20 music bands, of which the most successful were Hypnotix, Support Lesbiens and Tony Duchacek and Garage. The Refugees Help Organization is a non-commercial, independant and non-religious organization. Its goal is "to help foreigners who applied for asylum or received it or took a refuge on the land of CR because of political, ethnic, religious or racial persecution or war." However organizers expected a larger audience, the results of the happening was satisfactory. Saturday event and OPU as it is got a high publicity, about 1,500 people saw the concert and a pay-off is roughly 200,000 Kc. The money will be used on supporting journal of Bosnian refugees "Mostovi", on university education of refugees and on the new housing project.(Quotation taken from the OPU Newsletter). Honza K./Zbynek ECONOMIC The New Banknote Valid From March, 20 The banknote of the value of twenty crowns has a portrait of the Czech prince and king Premysl Otakar I. (died in 1230, his importance was in attaining of the heriditary title of the Czech king) on one side and the seal of the Golden Sicilian Bull, a document from 1212 which guaranteed the royal degree to the Czech king and to his offsprings, on the other side. Milos Ondracek is the author of the engraving copy of the portrait, the other side was made by Vaclav Fajt. There is mostly the blue colour and its shadows in the banknote, the gray completes it. The water-gauge is placed in the central broad free margin and it is the lesser portrait of Premysl Otakar I. Fatema/Zuzka EXCHANGE RATES OF CZECH NATIONAL BANK DEVIZY VALUTY zeme mnozstvi kod nakup prodej stred nakup prodej Australie 1 AUD 21.095 21.307 21.201 20.13 22.27 Belgie 100 BEF 84.297 85.145 84.721 82.02 87.42 Britanie 1 GBP 43.683 44.123 43.903 42.48 45.32 Dansko 1 DKK 4.421 4.465 4.443 4.24 4.64 Finsko 1 FIM 5.347 5.401 5.374 4.87 5.87 Francie 1 FRF 5.055 5.105 5.080 4.88 5.28 Irsko 1 IEP 42.508 42.936 42.722 40.72 44.72 Italie 1000 ITL 18.071 18.253 18.162 17.39 18.93 Japonsko 100 JPY 28.546 28.832 28.689 27.39 29.99 Kanada 1 CAD 21.309 21.523 21.416 20.53 22.31 Lucembursko 100 LUF 84.297 85.145 84.721 81.72 87.72 Nizozemi 1 NLG 15.457 15.613 15.535 15.06 16.02 Norsko 1 NOK 3.997 4.037 4.017 3.87 4.17 Novy Zeland 1 NZD 16.733 16.901 16.817 16.07 17.57 Portugalsko 100 PTE 16.957 17.127 17.042 15.86 18.22 Rakousko 1 ATS 2.470 2.494 2.482 2.42 2.54 Recko 100 GRD 11.845 11.965 11.905 11.20 12.62 SRN 1 DEM 17.369 17.543 17.456 17.00 17.92 Spanelsko 100 ESP 21.194 21.408 21.301 20.30 22.30 Svedsko 1 SEK 3.711 3.749 3.730 3.57 3.89 Svycarsko 1 CHF 20.455 20.661 20.558 20.06 21.06 USA 1 USD 29.470 29.766 29.618 28.92 30.32 EMS-ECU 1 XEU 33.517 33.853 33.685 -- -- MMF-ZPC-SDR 1 XDR 41.395 41.811 41.603 -- -- Slovensko 1 XCU -- -- 33.685 -- -- Valid from April 21. SPORTS Liberec Strikes for Leading of Soccer League In a postponed 15th autumnal round Brno lost to Ostrava O:1 in the Moravian contest. Quite unexpected victory O:2 and two points gained Viktorie Zizkov in Drnovice. Enthusiastic performance surprised the Prague Slavia. Not even return of a famous forward Ivo Knoflicek prevented them from a O:2 defeat. The following match of Plzen in Vitkovice ended in tie 1:1. No goals were achieved in Cheb and Hradec Kralove, where Sparta Prague and Bohemians Prague played, respectively. Olomouc won in Zlin 3:0 and Dukla Prague lost in their homefield match against Ceske Budejovice 1:2. In the 22nd spring round Slavia Prague after the defeat with Liberec confirmed their lowering present shape in a tie with Drnovice. Sparta Prague was convinced of the strength of Liberec and lost on Liberec field 1:2. After a lost point on homefield Dukla Prague lost again in a tie with Brno (1:1) and Viktoria Zizkov with Zlin (2:2). In spring undefeated Cheb also confirmed their good shape and won O:2 in Vitkovice. In the following matches all points stayed on homefield. Ceske Budejovice won against Bohemians Prague 2:0, Viktoria Plzen defeated Banik Ostrava 1:0 and Olomouc Hradec Kralove 2:0. Sparta Prague stands on lead before Slavia Prague and Ceske Budejovice. Mainly the Prague Dukla and Vitkovice are threatened with getting off the highest league. Dusan/Zbynek WEATHER We do not have to bother with much clothes this week. Temperatures reached up to 20 Centigrades. Warmer weather will stay roughly up to the end of week. Aram/Zbynek ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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