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 CZECH REPUBLIC 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 171, Monday, September 11, 1995. EVENTS FOR AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 6, 1995 Dear friends and readers of Carolina! We have not succeed to arrange a supervision of English version done by English native speaker this week. Under a preasure of time, I decided to translate Carolina into my poor English. Once more, I do apologize for all misunderstanding and unpreciseness and for general violence against the rules of language I admire but am not able to use properly. Yours Jan Jirak Vaclav Klaus Meets Vladimir Meciar Officially Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus will meet Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar on Monday Septemebr 11 in Brno, Czech Republic. It will be the first official meeting since last fall when the parliamentary elections took place in Slovakia. The largest Moravian city, Brno, has been chosen because both Prime Ministers will arrive there to participate in the session of Prime Ministers of Central European Zone of Free Trade (CEFTA). Foreigners Will Not Be Requested to Show the Money on the Border As we informed you in Carolina No. 169, the Ministry of Interior confirmed and anounced an edict according to which any foreigner visiting Czech Republic should show an equivalent of 7.000 Czech Crowns (about $270) on the border. The edict supposed to be valid since September 1, 1995. The Embassy of Poland protested against the edict and Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus met with Polish Prime Minister Josef Olexy afterwards (see Carolina No. 170). Vaclav Klaus promised that the edict will not go for Polish turists and that Czech government will discuss the edict once more. The discussion took place on August 30 and after that the goverment announced that the edict has been cancelled and will not be valid since September 1. However, according to minister Igor Nemec, Czech governemt is still thinking about some similar arrangement. The Brothers Masins' Case Postponed Brother Ctirad and Josef Masins cannot be charged or arrested in Czech Republic any more. The Attorney General postponed the investigation of their case because of forfeiture, announced Prague Attorney General Josef Kretba on August 30. Masins, who live in the USA for many years, were members of resistance group in fifties and killed 6 people during their escape from former Czechoslovakia. The School Year Started Without Strikes The new school year on primary and secondary schools started on September 4 (because September 1, the traditional beginning of the school year, was Friday). Originally, the trade unions (the Czech-Moravian Trade Union of Employees Working in Schools) announced a strike, which should take place on September 4, but cancelled it on August 25. The strike was supposed to support the increase of incomes of teachers, but the goverment gave 735 millions Czech Crowns to increase teachers salaries beforehand (see Carolina No. 170). The average salary in school system will increase for 16.5 % comparing to last year and will reach the level of 7962 Czech Crowns (about $306), including all employees, like cooks or school caretakers. The Marriage of Vaclav Klaus's Older Son On Friday September 1, Vaclav Klaus, Jr. (27, teacher of mathematics and geography), married Kamila Pojslova (23, student of journalism, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, and reporter of Lidove noviny). Congratulations! The Chairman of Czech Socker Union Has Been Probably Kidnapped Since Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, Frantisek Chvalovsky, the Chairman of Czech socker union was missing. According to his own testimony, Mr. Chvalovsky was kidnapped by three strangers who introduced themselves as policemen. They let him go on September 6, 24 hours after kidnapping. Chvalovsky (41) is an owner and co-owner of a number of food factories and the press has quoted policemen who believe in linkage between the kidnapping and economical activities of Mr. Chvalovsky. The relation between the kidnapping and the socker is not very probable. BRIEFLY * The Czech delegation to world conference on women rights in Beiing, China, is led by Ms. Jirina Vonkova, the deputy of Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. Members of the delegation are Ms. Katerina Lojdova, former anchorwoman on Czech television, and Ms. Marta Hubova, both members of Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA). According to Czech press, it was extremely difficult to find proper representatives - there is not a single woman in Czech goverment and there are only 19 women of 200 members of Czech parliament, but none in any important position. * Social democrats decided that the physical insultation initiated by Josef Wagner (who slapped his colleague Vaclav Grulich to face - see Carolina No. 170) will be judged by Comittee of consiliation od Social Democratic Party. FROM SLOVAKIA Slovak Government Abolished Custom-Duty and Import Fees on Small Cars On Tuesday, September 5, Slovak goverment passed a new list of custom-duties and import fees, which abolish aby duty or fee on imported small cars (up to 1500 cubic centimetres). The change will cause 25% decrease of prices of these cars, which will weaken the position of Czech cars Skoda from Mlada Boleslav on Slovak market (there was no import fee on Skoda up to now, and therefore the decrease of their prize will be remarkabely smaller). Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus said that the decision is very unfortunate and that he will discuss the whole issue with Slovak Prime Minister Meciar during their meeting on September 11 (see above). Czech journalists started to investigate whether it might better for Czech citizens to buy Czech cars in Slovakia or not. Son of Slovak President Kidnapped to Austria Michal Kovac, Jr., (34), son of Slovak President, was kidnapped to Austria on August 31. Some unknown offenders attacked him and crossed Austrian border with him at Svaty Jura, off Bratislava. Michal Kovac, Jr., was arrested by Austrian police afterwards. Michal Kovac, Jr., is a suspect of huge financial swindles and looked for by German police (see Carolina No. 152). Slovak President Kovac asked Slovak goverment for intervension but did not succeed. We do understand feeling of a father in such situation, said Prime Minister Meciar, but the government is not willing to ask for return Michal Kovac, Jr., in this stage officially. President's Report on Situation in Slovakia Michal Kovac, President of Slovakia, read his Report on Situation in Slovakia in Slovak Parliament on September 6. "There is no progress, and instead of dialogue, we are facing a continuous political confrontation," said the President. Mr. Kovac is pushed towards resignation by members of Movement for Democratic Slovakia (Meciar's party HZDS) for more than a year. Mr. President said that the election (which took place last March) very undoubtably legal and regular and there was no danger of constitutional crisis. Mr. Kovac also critised the slow process of privatization in Slovakia. Not a single member of Slovak government came to the buliding of Parliament to follow the speech. However, the Members of Parliament from coalition parties were present. ECONOMICS CULTURE Vaclav Neumann Died Vaclav Neumann, the former chief conductor of Czech philharmony and one of the biggest Czech musicians, died in Wien during the private visit on September 2. Vaclav Neumann would celebrate the 75 birthday on September 29. Mr. Neumann was a chief conductor of Czech Philharmony for almost 25 years. He conducted also Prague Symphonic Orchestra, The Comic Opera in Berlin and the Gewandhausorchestra and State Opera in Leipzig. The Old Testament Festival in Prague 'The Old Testament in Art' festival is taking place in Prague. "There is not a better place for such biblical festival than multicultural city of Prague," said the Israeli Ambassador, Mr. Moshe Yegar. The program of the festival includes seventy events covering all genres: music, visual arts, books, theatre, poetry, movies. The symposium discussing the role of the Old Testament as a source of inspiration will take place during the festival. A New Editor-in-chief of Czech Edition of Playboy Czech writer Arnost Lustig (68) accepted an offer to become a new editor-in-chief of Czech edition of Playboy magazine. "The role of the magazine Playboy is to celebrate the beauty of women," said the new editor-in-chief in an interview for Lidove noviny daily on August 29. SPORTS Qualification for European Socker Championship: Czech Republic : Norway - 2:0 On Wednesday September 6, Czech socker players won on Norwegians and made a small but important step towards European Socker Championship. Two authors of the goals were Skuhravy (7th minute from penalty) and Drulak (87th minute). The Legendary Coach Vaclav Jezek Died On Sunday night, August 27, Vaclav Jezek (72), one of the most famous Czech socker coaches, died because of heart attack in Prague. Vaclav Jezek (b. on October 1, 1923) coached Czechoslovak socker team in 1976, when Czechoslovakia won the European Championship in Beograd. Vaclav Jezek led Prague team Starta to the first place in the Prime League for five times and coached some foreign teams (Feyenoord Rotterdam, FC Curych) very succesfully. WEATHER Last week of August was remarkably chillier that the week before. The average temperature dropped bellow 13 degrees Celsius and on the first day of September (the official beginning of heating period in large housing projects), the heaters started to radiate some warmer air (some of us welcome it very warmly). This week, the temperature has increased once more and we return to short sleeves (and welcome it very warmly, too). *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Today's edition of Carolina is brought to you by Lida Truneckova (Czech edition), and Jan Jirak (English edition). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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