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 Faculty of Social Science of Charles University Smetanovo nabr. 6 110 01 Prague 1 Czech Republic e-mail: CAROLINA@cuni.cz tel: (+42 2) 24810804, ext. 252, fax: (+42 2) 24810987 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 158, Friday, May 5, 1995. EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 26-MAY 3 German President on Private Visit to Havel German President Roman Herzog met with Czech President Vaclav Havel Monday at the presidential chateau in Lany. Havel's spokesman, Ladislav Spacek, said the visit had no connection with the 50th anniversary of Europe's liberation from Nazism. Tuesday Herzog took part in a commemoration ceremony at the National Cemetery in Terezin, laying flowers for the men and women who were executed during World War II in the Terezin concentration camp. On this occasion he also declared himself in favor of compensation for Czech victims of Nazism. In their talks Monday the two presidents focused on Czech-German relations. Havel said that talks between politicians and experts from the two countries should culminate in the adoption of political declarations by the Czech and German parliaments, saying that they will no longer concern themselves with issues of the past from a legal and political standpoint. Martina Vojtechovska/M.V. Havel on Czech Admission to NATO President Vaclav Havel voiced his country's willingness to share in the defense of European values and to accept all of the responsibilities connected with NATO membership in a speech Thursday to the SHAPEX-95 conference at the NATO Supreme Command headquarters in Mons, Belgium. Attending the conference as a "special guest," Havel became the first president of a non-NATO country to address the alliance's annual meeting. Prior to his departure, Havel said he could hardly imagine Russia as a NATO member, but that the more democratic Russia became, the closer its relations with NATO would be. He also pointed out that Russia was already a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, which has its own security aims. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus is expected to discuss the Czech Republic's admission to NATO in talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton at the White House on May 4. Vera Vitkova/V.V. Klaus Comments on Czech-U.S. Relations Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus described relations between the Czech Republic and the U.S. as very stable in an interview with Czech Radio before his departure April 30 for a five-day visit to the States. Also Klaus said he appreciated the U.S. position on the admission of the Czech Republic to NATO and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Tomas Kopecny/T.K. Leftists Dominate May Day Celebrations Nearly 10,000 people turned out at Prague's Dzban swimming pool complex on Monday for the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia's celebration of International Labor Day. KSCM chairman Miroslav Grebenicek criticized the current government for "incompetence and arrogance," describing it as "obsessed with stealing from the wallets of the socially weakest" and calling for the restoration of socialism. "The time for our dream is arriving," he said. Another speaker at the celebration was Bohuslav Chnoupek, onetime foreign minister of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. During speeches in which the Communists focused on health care, industry and agriculture, the crowd, composed mainly of middle-aged people and senior citizens, chanted slogans such as "What they privatized, we will nationalize!" and "Stop the lies!" At about 1 p.m., ultra-leftists of the Anarcho-syndicalist Movement gathered on Prague's Strelecky ostrov (Sniper's Island) under the leadership of Andrej Funk and "A-Kontra" editor in chief Jakub Polak. Some 300 anarchists with red-and-black flags then moved into the city center for an unauthorized demonstration. They broke windows with stones at two McDonald's restaurants in downtown Prague. Two police officers and two anarchists were slightly injured when the police intervened; seven protesters were detained. The police arrested one of the anarchists on charges of disturbing the peace and assaulting a public official. Jiri Chvojka/J.C. Kozeny May Have Been Foreign Agent, Claims Ex-Interior Minister Viktor Kozeny, former president of the Harvard investment funds, which played a major role in the Czech Republic's coupon privatization program, may have been the "functionary" of a foreign intelligence service, according to Richard Sacher, who served as Czechoslovakia's first post-revolution interior minister, from December 1989 to June 1990. Sacher made this statement Monday on TV Nova, referring to Kozeny's service as a consultant in the Czechoslovak Ministry of Interior's technical section in 1991. Sacher said the only way Kozeny could have been capable of evaluating the products of the ministry's technical section was if he were familiar with similar products from other countries. "Given that intelligence agencies are the only ones who own such technology, the question is how Kozeny could have acquired this knowledge," the former interior minister said. According to Sacher, Kozeny was allowed to move about freely in the technical section, even though that was where the ministry produced top-secret machines in collaboration with the Czech scientific intelligence service. "If I were the state attorney," said Sacher, "I would be calling a hearing with the persons responsible in order to learn who, how and to what extent they have looked into whether or not Kozeny was the functionary of a foreign intelligence service." Social Democrat Stanislav Gross, who serves on Parliament's Defense and Security Committee, said there were indications that Kozeny may have worked for a foreign secret service. Said Gross: "I intend to interpellate Prime Minister Klaus as the coordinator of the secret services." Stepanka Kucerova/Jiri Chvojka KAN May Merge With Christian Democrats The non-parliamentary Club of Engage Non-Communist Party Members (KAN) approved a partnership pact with the Christian Democratic Party (KDS) at its congress on Saturday. The pact, which received support from 90 percent of the delegates to the congress, is intended to be the first step toward the merger of the two parties. KAN delegates also charged party leaders with talks on further integration. There was no discussion of what the new party would be called. KAN chairman Emil Dejmek said the KAN-KDS merger congress should take place by the end of the year. KDS vice chairman Vaclav Benda expressed satisfaction with the new agreement, calling it the beginning of a process that in 10 to 15 years should lead to the creation of one single party at the non-socialist end of the political spectrum. From Denni Telegraf by Michal Vynohradnyk/Andrea Snyder Plaque in Memory of Karel Havlicek Borovsky Unveiled in Italy Czech Parliament Chair Milan Uhde last week unveiled a plaque dedicated to the memory of Karel Havlicek Borovsky in Brixen, Italy. The text reads: "In this house, from 1852 to 1854, lived Czech patriot, journalist, and satirical poet Karel Havlicek Borovsky (1821-1856), expelled here by the Austrian government, and until his return to Bohemia accepted with friendship by the the residents of Brixen. The town of Brixen dedicates this plaque to the memory of a Czech national hero and a great citizen of Austria." As it turned out, Havlicek was unable to live in seclusion and bear the loneliness of a failed politician and author of wonderful commentaries, Uhde said in his speech. In the house on Kachlerausstrasse, Havlicek wrote his satirical poems "Tyrol Elegies" and "The Baptism of St. Vladimir," among others. The plaque's anti-Habsburg Austria text is written in both German and Italian. From Mlada fronta Dnes, Lidove noviny and Rude pravo by Andrea Rihova/Andrea Snyder Strict Ban on Medication Advertising Created by Mistake A new law on advertising effectively bans the advertising of medicines on Czech television and radio. Since April, the Ministry of Health has been able to assess fines of up to 2 million Kc for advertising medicine on radio or television. But while such advertising has yet to disappear from TV screens and the airwaves, no one has been fined yet, as the ministry believes the new law was created by mistake. Under the 1966 Press Law, which the new legislation replaces, only the news and commentary portions of radio and television programming are considered mass media, and those are the only forums in which advertising for medicine can appear. This, however, contradicts the law on radio and television broadcasting, which states that advertising must be separate from individual programs. The Ministry of Health and the Council for Advertising are now searching for a solution. Martina Krizkova/Andrea Snyder Education Minister Turns Down Teachers' Petition Minister of Education Ivan Pilip refused a petition Tuesday signed by 44,000 Czech teachers and calling for changes in the standards that govern their profession. The petition, drawn up by a committee of teachers from Zlin and Breclav, calls for a new law that would raise pay scales by as much as 100 percent, institute regular cost-of-living adjustments, and place teachers in the same professional category as state employees. The minister said he would not negotiate with a pressure group that did not represent teachers as a whole. Petr Hosek/Andrea Snyder Charles University Swamped With Applications Some 35,400 potential students have applied to Charles University (UK) for full-time studies for the 1995-96 school year, with another 1,000 applicants for its other programs. However, due to a lack of finances, qualified workers, and building space, the university has room for only 6,000 new students next year. The Faculty of Law attracted the most interest (of 6,500 candidates probably 660 will be accepted), followed by the Pedagogical Faculty (6,120 applicants, 950 spaces), and the Faculty of Social Sciences (2,800 potential students, 350 places). Next comes the Faculty of Natural Sciences with 2,600 applicants - come September, probably 530 of them will begin studies there. Approximately 1,200 would-be students have applied to each of UK's other 11 faculties. The five medical faculties in Prague, Plzen and Hradec Kralove will accept around 1,200 students, the Pharmacological Faculty in Hradec Kralove about 230, the Faculty of Physical Fitness and Sport 320, the Mathematics-Physics Faculty around 500, the Catholic Theological Faculty 130, the Hussite Theological Faculty 60, and the Evangelical Faculty will take 90 students. All of these numbers are approximate, because the entrance exams have yet to be held. Karolina Polakova and Tereza Hadrova/Andrea Snyder Minister of Defense Speaks With Future Journalists Minister of Defense Vilem Holan met with students at Charles University's Faculty of Social Sciences last week for an informal discussion with the aim of recruiting students to come work for the ministry's information department when they graduate. During an informal discussion on the problems of the Czech Army, Carolina asked about the ministry's bad reputation and why it has not hired a public relations agency to improve its image. Holan answered that there was not enough money for that. The defense minister also talked about the army's future, saying his goals included a new personnel policy, the merger of two of the current three military colleges into one, a new legal status for the military, expanded cooperation with NATO in preparation for admission to the alliance, and improved discipline among the soldiers. The students were interested in how to get rid of hazing in the army, the proposed shortening of obligatory military service, and the professionalization of the armed forces. Holan said he was not expecting full professionalization, but that obligatory military service would probably be shortened by the end of the century. Jirka Schneider/Katerina Rus Olga Havlova and Petra Buzkova Most Noticeable Czech Women A public opinion poll by AISA last month showed Olga Havlova, President Havel's wife, and Petra Buzkova, vice chair of the Social Democrats and member of Czech Parliament, as the most prominent women in the Czech Republic. Twenty percent of the respondents listed Havlova first, while 19 percent named Buzkova. Following them were the actresses Ivana Chylkova, Jirina Bohdalova (each with 4 percent) and Prime Minister Klaus' wife, Livia Klausova. Muhammed Shah/Katerina Rus NEWS IN BRIEF * According to the U.S. Embassy in Prague, starting May 1 the validity of tourist visas to the U.S. for Czechs will be extended to 10 years (from the current two). Business visas, too, will be extended to 10 years (from the current one). * Representatives of the Christian Democratic Youth made a show of smoking in the Third Courtyard of Prague Castle to protest Parliament's adoption of an amendment to the law on alcoholism, smoking and drug use. In a letter to President Havel, who is a heavy smoker himself, the asked him not to sign the strict legislation, which restricts smoking in public. * Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec left April 27 for a 10-day visit to Latin America. * A memorial to Karel and Josef Capek, sculpted by Pavel Opocensky, was unveiled Saturday on Prague's namesti Miru (Peace Square). Tomas Kopecny, Martina Krizikova and Jirka Schneider/ /Eftychia Damianidou FROM SLOVAKIA Slovaks Won't Recognize Debts From Czechoslovak Bank Split Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar announced last Friday that Slovakia would never recognize the 24 billion crown debt that resulted from the split of the Czechoslovak State Bank (SBCS) and the split of the Czechoslovak crown into separate Czech and Slovak currencies. Meciar made this statement during a discussion with Slovak students at the university in Zvolen. He also rejected the Czechs' demands for the revaluation of the Slovak crown in clearing trade between the two countries. Meciar described this as an obstacle for his meeting with Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus later this month. Lukas Zentel/Eftychia Damianidou BUSINESS/ECONOMICS Czechs Back in Debt on Clearing Trade With Slovaks The Czech Republic overdrew its clearing account for trade with Slovakia by a record 163.4 million ECUs in April. Czech National Bank spokesman Martin Svehla told Carolina that the Czechs have an upper limit of 130 million ECUs (about 4.5 billion crowns). "This sum (roughly $217 million US) will now have to be paid to Slovakia in dollars or marks, whichever the Slovaks prefer," Svehla said. This is the 10th time the Czechs have exceeded the 130 million ECU limit since the Czechoslovak crown (Kcs) split into the Slovak (Sk) and Czech crown (Kc) in early 1993. In February Czech Finance Minister Ivan Kocarnik told the Slovaks that this would be the last year of trade using the clearing system, adding that he considered the 5-percent variation in the Slovak crown's exchange rate a discriminatory obstacle to Czech imports. Slovak Deputy Premier Sergej Kozlik said a new payment system with a maximum 2-percent variation should take effect starting July 1 of this year. The exact form of payments remains to be decided at the meeting between Czech and Slovak prime ministers Vaclav Klaus and Vladimir Meciar, scheduled to take place this month. Petr Hosek/Martina Vojtechovska Exchange Rates of the Czech National Bank (as of May 5) Checks Cash country buy sell middle buy sell Great Britain 1 GPB 41.495 41.913 41.704 40.28 43.12 France 1 FRF 5.245 5.297 5.271 5.07 5.47 Italy 1000 ITL 15.413 15.567 15.490 14.72 16.26 Japan 100 JPY 30.579 30.887 30.733 29.43 32.03 Canada 1 CAD 18.826 19.016 18.921 18.03 19.81 Austria 1 ATS 2.653 2.679 2.666 2.61 2.73 Germany 1 DEM 18.667 18.855 18.761 18.30 19.22 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.616 22.844 22.730 22.23 23.23 USA 1 USD 25.659 25.917 25.788 25.09 26.49 Slovakia 1 XCU -- -- 34.362 -- -- CULTURE Director of Modern Art Museum Dismissed National Gallery chief Martin Zlatohlavek dismissed Trade Fair Palace (Veletrzni palac) director Jiri Sevcik from his post on Tuesday, citing differences over the reconstruction of the palace, which is to house the Czech Museum of Modern Art. Minister of Culture Pavel Tigrid backed Zlatohlavek in his decision. According to the original plans, the Modern Art Museum was to open in September of this year with the Biennale show from the Whitney Museum in New York City. But given that Joe Williams, the coordinator of this exhibition, was relieved from his post along with Sevcik, it now seems likely that Czech art lovers will be disappointed. Sevcik's proposal was to complete the reconstruction in two phases, with the gallery space to be readied first, using funds from the state. The other rooms, then, were to be finished in 1996 with the money coming from private sources. Miroslav Masak, who designed the reconstruction, agrees with Sevcik's plan as a feasible one. But Zlatohlavek has decided to hold a tender, with the project going to the firm that can have the entire building ready to use by the end of this year. Martin Kupka/Martina Vojtechovska The Most Requested Songs on Czech Radio "Over My Shoulder" by Mike & the Mechanics is the most requested song on Czech radio stations. The most recent rankings compiled by the Foundation for the Support of Czech Music look good for the Czechs, who placed four songs in the Top 10: "Sen" ("Dream") by Lucie took second, "Hrobar" ("Gravedigger") by Premier took third, "Amsterdam" by Ilona Csakova finished fourth, and "Sametova" ("Velvet") by Zluty pes took seventh. Tomas Kopecny/T.K. "Paint War" Is This Year's 14th Czech Movie "Valka barev" ("Paint War"), the latest film by director Filip Renc, premiered Thursday at Blanik cinema on Prague's Wenceslas Square. Story: The hero is a photographer named Ondrej who is also interested in flying lightweight planes. On one of his flights he witnesses a murder near a luxury villa, and as he photographs it he is spotted by weapons dealer Waltr Rychman (played by Tomas Hanak). Ondrej and his girlfriend Viktorka run into Rychman at a discotheque. Rychman wants the negative, but it has been ruined. Eventually Ondrej learns that what he saw was not a murder but a paint ball game. But he also finds out that Viktorka, who claims to love him, is actually in on Rychman's intrigues against him. And at the end of the movie Ondrej becomes witness to a real murder. Compensating for the movie's weak plot are the graphic animations of Milos Kohout and the music by Ondrej Soukup. Tomas Kopecny/T.K. "The Final Postponement" at Cinemas "Posledni presun" ("The Final Postponement"), the first motion picture by Krystof Hanzlik, premiered May 1 in the Prague cinema U Hradeb. Besides directing the film, Hanzlik also wrote the screenplay. Working with him were Jaroslav Brabec, the popular director of photography, and actor Jiri Bartoska as the movie's hero. "Postponement" is the first film by Anet Pictures in association with Petr Koliha's team from Czech Television, and is also the first Czech film to be edited digitally. Acting alongside Bartoska are Ladislav Mrkvicka, Sandra Novakova and Zbynek Fric. The story is set in the near future, in an underground community where a few individuals are hiding from evacuation. Jakub Knezu/Eftychia Damianidou SPORTS Czech Skaters to Meet Russia in World Quarterfinals After uninspired play in their opening round group, the Czech hockey players reached the quarterfinals at the world championships in Sweden. Following a 4-2 loss to the U.S., Czech coach Ludek Bukac went with his strategy of changing goalkeepers, putting Roman Cechmanek in the nets after Roman Turek and Petr Briza. Norway was the Czechs' next opponent. Though the Czechs seemed to have clear sailing to a win at the outset, with a goal from Pavel Janku in the first minute of play, the match soon turned dramatic. After going ahead 2-0, the Czechs gave up an unnecessary goal and began to get worried. In the end, Radek Belohlav from Ceske Budejovice made the final score 3-1. The Swedes, skating on home ice, were the Czech Republic's last opponents. With Roman Turek back in goal, the Czechs got off to a good start, leading 1-0 after the first period on Otakar Vejvoda's goal. Bad play in the second period, however, determined the final outcome, as the Swedes scored twice and went on to win 2-1. This loss placed the Czechs fourth in their opening round group, so they now meet Russia in the quarterfinals. Tomas Kopecny/Mirek Langer Only Seven Rounds Left in First Football League Following a break for play by the Czech national team, the first football league went on with its 23rd round. No important changes took place in the standings. Top-ranked Slavia Praha defeated Drnovice, an excellent side this spring, 2-0, while second-place Sparta Praha came away from Plzen with three important points after a 1-0 win. After an eight-game winning streak, Ceske Budejovice fell to Brno, still ranked third in the standings. Meanwhile, in the north Bohemian derby, Liberec was more successful, defeating Jablonec 2-1. Viktoria Zizkov and Union Cheb got their first spring wins in their home stadiums. Results: Slavia Praha - Petra Drnovice 2:0, Viktoria Plzen - Sparta Praha 0:1, Boby Brno - Ceske Budejovice 3:0, Viktoria Zizkov - Sigma Olomouc 2:0, Slovan Liberec - FK Jablonec 2:1, Union Cheb - Svarc Benesov 4:0, Svit Zlin - Bohemians Praha 0:0, Hradec Kralove - Banik Ostrava 4:0. Rudolf Cernik/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * The Czech Republic defeated Russia 2-0 on goals by Jiri Kucera and Otakar Vejvoda goals in the world championship quarterfinals Wednesday. The Czechs meet Finland in the semifinals Friday evening. * Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins was awarded the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player, the first European ever to receive the honor. Jagr had 70 points (32 goals and 38 assists) in the 1994-95 regular season. * Slovak skater Peter Bondra scored 34 goals to lead all scorers in the NHL regular season. * Czech champion Fox finished 22nd in the European duathlon championships in Veszprem, Hungary. Seidl was shooting for the title but did not even finish the run. * Martin Koloc in his SISU truck leads the European championship series after two weekend wins in Dijon, France. * World runner-up Josef Dressler became Czech cyclotrial champion for this year. Mirek Langer/M.L. WEATHER More than 100 years ago (May 3, 1850) at the Prague Clementinum they measured the lowest temperature ever for that day: -0.4 degrees Celsius. Probably this year's weather will not break the record, as after cold mornings, daytime temperatures are now hovering around 15 to 18 degrees. Martina Krizkova/Mirek Langer P.S. We are sorry you probably got the Vicemiss 95 K. Kasalova's picture. It happened because we had (really small) problems with sending Miss-photos. You can understand it as an example what you can get. If you want to have photo(s) of our most beautiful girls, write to Carolina@cuni.cz. All who already sent their messages will get photos they want. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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