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 122, Friday, June 10, 1994. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (JUNE 1-8) Creation of Senate Not Approved At the June 2 session the Deputy Parliament did not pass the draft of a bill on Senate elections to create a second chamber of Parliament. Currently, a two-chamber Parliament is stipulated in the constitution. Coalition parties verbally agree with the creation of a Senate body but they did not manage to agree on an electoral system for the body. The most powerful coalition party--the Civic Democratic Party (ODS)--supports 81 one-mandate districts rather than 27 three-mandate districts. Opposition parties have not supported the creation of a Senate. The Social Democratic Party proposed deleting reference to a Senate from the constitution, but this suggestion was not supported. The June 2 vote effectually delaying the creation of a senate was described as "the biggest victory for the opposition since 1989" in the June 3 edition of Mlada fronta Dnes. Reaction to the rejection of the bill varied. In remarks made to Czech TV, President Vaclav Havel said there is not enough political support for the creation of a Senate. Minister of Interior Affairs Jan Ruml (ODS) said he believes it will be possible to redraft the bill and pass it after Parliament discussion. ODS chairman Vaclav Klaus confirmed that his party strongly supports the creation of the Senate, in compliance with the constitution of the Czech Republic. Klaus described statements by some political parties calling the bill unconstitutional and their suggestions that some senatorial powers should be passed to the president in the event that the creation of a Senate is abandoned as "bluffing and grandstanding" Martin Nearly Half of Czech Citizens Support a Single-Chamber Parliament Forty-five percent of respondents to a poll conducted by the Institute for Research of Public Opinion prefer a single-chamber Parliament. Eighteen percent prefer a two-chamber Parliament and 37 percent were unable to answer the question. The poll was conducted in April and May. Lida Augustin Pinochet Ends Visit to Czech Republic June 4 A Chilean military delegation headed by General Augustin Pinochet concluded discussions with Czech munitions and military technology suppliers on June 4. Pinochet's visit prompted extensive media coverage spurred by criticism of the Czech government for allowing him to enter the country in light of his actions as former Chilean head of state. Frantisek Kurka, deputy general director of joint-share holding company Omnipol--which hosted the Chilean delegation--expects to continue negotiations with the group. Kurka said the Chileans discussed the possibility of purchasing military technology discarded by the Czech army as well as new technology produced by Czech manufacturers. (We informed you of reactions to Pinochet's visit in the last edition.) Premier Vaclav Klaus said that too much attention and speculation surrounded the visit, which was not arranged by or supported by the Czech government. He called the letter protesting Pinochet's visit and signed by 28 foreign journalists accredited in Prague "strange". He emphasized that it bothered him that a much greater game was played around Pinochet than he deserved, and that much of the speculation surrounding the visit was created by journalists. Each country must deal with the past in its own way, he added, and he sees no reason why Czech companies shouldn't conduct arms trade with Chile, where all possible democratic conditions are ensured. Vice-Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party (KDS), Vaclav Benda, said he doesn't regard Pinochet as a criminal but rather as a courageous man who saved his country from revolution and civil war. He extended a luncheon invitation to Pinochet, explaining that he wanted to make clear that not everyone in this country is a victim of Goebbels' propaganda. General Pinochet politely refused the invitation. KDS Chairman, Ivan Pilip, reacted to the announcement of the luncheon invitation by saying that the statements of some KDS members don't express the official party standpoint. Martin Income Statements of Deputies and Government Officials Made Available to the Public The Chamber of Deputies accepted a court ruling making the income statements of Deputies and government officials available to the public. The income statements, reflecting private earnings and gifts that total more than 16,000 Czech crowns (the amount of a deputy's monthly paycheck), were first made available to the public on June 6. . Only notes can be made of the documents, and they can't be xeroxed or otherwise copied. Martin Masaryk-Benes Correspondence To Be Published Unknown correspondence between Thomas Garrigue Masaryk and Edward Benes from October 1918 through December 1919 will be published for the first time by the Archive of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. "Masaryk and Benes in Their Letters During the Period of The Paris Peace Meetings," was edited by Zdenek Solle. Solle said that the correspondence chronicles a seminal period in Czech history, when a sovereign Czechoslovakia was recognized for the first time in 100 years. The ninety-seven letters reflect Masaryk's and Benes's ideas on how to "deal with the Czech thing" as Lidove Noviny wrote of the book. The paper added that much of the correspondence reads as "orders and commands" which enabled Benes,based in Paris, to make Masaryk's ideas for the country a reality. Martin Welcome to Prague! The City of Kafka and Svejk... ...A Cautionary Tale Students of journalism are capable of writing about everything. In order to change words into actions, or better said again into words, I will give you a mathematics lecture on how the bill in the fish restaurant in Prague's Betlemske square is prepared. The author of the bill is definitely not trying to lure the visitor for a second visit. My original dilemma, whether or not to order something to eat, ended when I saw the menu. For between 50 and 150 Czech crowns the restaurant offered different kinds of fish and even (for a higher price) frogs legs, something that is very unusual for a "downtown" restaurant. In the midst of my dinner, I heard an English woman say she didn't understand the bill. The fact that numbers aren't internationally understood was something I realized later. But for now, count with me: I had a broiled trout (mmm...mmm...), which was listed on the menu as only 65 Czech crowns. However, on the bill the charge was 130 Czech crowns. "The rest is supplement charge" said the waiter in a sweet voice. So according to my calculations--watch closely--the original price was 65 Czech crowns, the supplement charge was 72 Czech crowns. I realized that in the menu there truly was a note saying that each additional gram of fish was 3 Czech crowns above the menu price. But there was no note that the fish could be twice as heavy as the listed 150 grams. The English woman,with a hurt smile, paid. I also had no other option but to pay, but I was sure to look angry. For her it wasn't such a big difference in price, but she definitely has a good memory. She will keep in mind that her bill contributed to the hundred towers of Prague. Radim Phone Booth Cheaters at the Main Post Office Some people are abusing public phone booths and making long-distance international calls for next to nothing, according to employees of the Main Post Office, where many of the booths are located. The cheaters use coins covered by adhesive. The coins are designed to get stuck inside the change slot and register repeatedly as newly inserted coins. Post Office employees estimate that some of the cheaters can make calls worth 2,000 Czech crowns for four to six Czech crowns. A one minute long-distance call to Germany is 25,20 Czech crowns, to Spain 31,50 Czech crowns and to the USA 63 Czech crowns. Aram ECONOMY Russia to Pay 3,5 Billion Dollar Debt by 2003 On June 8 the Czech cabinet approved a plan for Russia to repay outstanding debts to the Czech Republic by the year 2003. The agreement was finalized by the Czech Deputy Minister of Finance Vladimir Rudlovcak and Russian Deputy Minister of Finance Andrej Vavilov a week earlier. The debt will be paid with goods valued at 330 million US dollars and by levelling surplus stand-by credit of 32 million US dollars. The goods payment schedule is broken down into 52 million US dollars in 1994, 101 million US dollars in 1995, and 391 million US dollar in 1996. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus considered the Czech-Russian negotiations on debt payment successful. He cited as positive that the 1:1 exchange rate of the former "convertible" rouble and the US dollar remains valid, and that the terms of the yearly installments and the interest rates of 2,75 to 5 percent, had been firmly set. He also added that "a hint of approval by Russian Prime Minister Chernomyrdin to the Czech suggestion that the list of bartered goods include oil and gas could come at any time." Martin The Pensions Seems to Be Higher by the End of the Year Monthly pensions for retired citizens should increase by 200 Czech crowns (5 percent) beginning December 1994, said Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus following the June 1 Cabinet meeting. Data from the Czech Social Security Office states that the average pension in 1993 was 2,806 Czech crowns, with male pensioners receiving an average of 3,143 Czech crowns per month and females receiving 2,480 Czech crowns monthly. Lida Salaries Are Highest in Prague The average monthly salary for citizens working in Prague is 858 Czech crowns higher than average salaries in the rest of the country, according to data released by the Prague Municipal Statistics Office. Average gross income for individuals in Prague is 6,688 Czech crowns. According to the newly released figures, Prague families spend nearly 30 percent of their income on food and 10 percent on rent. The country's lowest average monthly income is 4,642 Czech crowns in the Moravian district of Vyskov. In Bohemia, the lowest average monthly incomes can be found in the eastern regions (5,258 Czech crowns) and in the southern regions (5,448 Czech crowns). Employees of banks and insurance companies earn the highest average salaries (over 10 000 Czech crowns per month), with civil servants earning the next highest (about 8000 Czech crowns). Retail business employees and laborers earn the lowest salaries not exceeding 4300 Czech crowns. In the business sector, the highest salaries are earned by employees of foreign joint-venture firms (nearly 9000 Czech crowns), with employees of domestic private companies earning an average 6,025 Czech crowns per month. Lida EXCHAGE RATES OF THE CZECH NATIONAL BANK (valid from June 8) CHECKS CASH country Buy Sell Middle Buy Sell ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Australia 1 AUD 21.408 21.624 21.516 20.45 22.59 Belgium 100 BEF 84.866 85.718 85.292 82.59 87.99 Great Britain 1 GBP 43.926 44.368 44.147 42.73 45.57 Denmark 1 DKK 4.463 4.507 4.485 4.29 4.69 Finland 1 FIM 5.270 5.322 5.296 4.80 5.80 France 1 FRF 5.121 5.173 5.147 4.95 5.35 Ireland 1 IEP 42.954 43.386 43.170 41.17 45.17 Italy 1000 ITL 18.039 18.221 18.130 17.36 18.90 Japan 100 JPY 27.747 28.025 27.886 26.59 29.19 Canada 1 CAD 21.323 21.537 21.430 20.54 22.32 Luxemburg 100 LUF 84.866 85.718 85.292 82.29 88.29 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.577 15.733 15.655 15.18 16.14 Norway 1 NOK 4.034 4.074 4.054 3.90 4.20 New Zealand 1 NZD 17.249 17.423 17.336 16.59 18.09 Portugal 100 PTE 16.829 16.999 16.914 15.73 18.09 Austria 1 ATS 2.483 2.507 2.495 2.44 2.56 Greece 100 GRD 11.707 11.825 11.766 11.06 12.48 Germany 1 DEM 17.465 17.641 17.553 17.09 18.01 Spain 100 ESP 21.292 21.506 21.399 20.40 22.40 Sweden 1 SEK 3.675 3.711 3.693 3.53 3.85 Switzerland 1 CHF 20.607 20.815 20.711 20.21 21.21 USA 1 USD 29.187 29.481 29.334 28.63 30.03 EC-ECU 1 XEU 33.720 34.058 33.889 -- -- IMF-SDR 1 XDR 41.093 41.505 41.299 -- -- Slovakia 1 XCU -- -- 33.889 -- -- WEATHER The weather has not changed much since last week. Mornings are cool with temperatures below 10 degrees Centigrade. The forecast for Wednesday, our deadline day, is 25 degrees Centigrade, but during the second half of the week it should get colder. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.cz To subscribe to CAROLINA you send an e-mail message to the address LISTSERV@CSEARN.BITNET or to the address: LISTSERV@EARN.CVUT.CZ 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. To delete your subscription from the list you send the following message to LISTSERV@EARN.CVUT.CZ: SIGNOFF CAR-ENG or SIGNOFF CAR-CS Please, don't send automatic replies to our list. 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