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 178, Friday, November 10, 1995. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 1 - 8) Czech Politicians React to Assassination of Israeli Premier The November 6 funeral of Israel Premier Yitzhak Rabin was attended by Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus. He and many world political figures attended the funeral in honor of the memory of the Middle East peace warrior. The daily Denni Telegraf quoted Klaus, from the telegram of condolence written to Minister of Foreign Affairs and the new Premier Shimon Peres, as saying he believes that Rabin's death will "incite a decisive approach to the realization of existing agreements and consolidation of new agreements." Rabin's death deeply touched Czech President Vaclav Havel, who had recently spoken with Rabin about the prospectives for peace in the Middle East, at the United Nations General Meeting in New York. Presidential Spokesman Ladislav Spacek said "Havel is, together with the Israeli people, shocked by the assassination." Natasa Hajkova/Alida Kassymova Doctor's Paper War with Ministry of Health Since November 2, all health centers and hospitals have restored their normal regimens. However, the strike caused by doctors' dissatisfaction with the present state of health care system continues as an "administrative" strike. Some doctors and hospitals are sending documents (e.g., disability reports and death certificates) to the Ministry of Health for further processing. According to Physicians' Union Club (LOK) Chairman Dr. David Rath, the administrative strike will be called off only when Minister of Health Jan Strasky submits to the list of changes requested by doctors. Jan Palicka/Milan Smid Parliament Approves Conflict of Interest Law Parliament approved a law November 2 to keep political functionaries from exploiting their positions. Under the law, which goes into effect January 1, functionaries will not be able to have second jobs, start businesses or be company board members. They will have to announce gifts and side activities. Petr Mrzena/Andrea Snyder Forests Stay Open to Public Parliament approved a Forest Law November 3, to go into effect January 1. The law guarantees public access to all privately owned forests, and, for personal use, the staples they provide. Owners are not to fence wooded lands, and can limit access only exceptionally, in the cases defined by law. Zora Kasikova/Andrea Snyder Amendment to the Trade-License Law Liberalizes Entrepreneurial Activity Parliament approved the Ninth Amendment of the Trade-License Law November 1. Minister of the Economy Karel Dyba said the law is to loosen up regulations and make starting a business easier. The amendment places many professions out of the reach of the trade-license law, and decreases the amount of craft and concession conditioned trades. This means many entrepreneurial activities will be registered as free trade. Starting a business will be limited only in the case of a chosen classical craft, or when public interest requires special regulations. Something new in the amendment is the category called "operation of trade in an industrial manner," which makes issuing trade licenses to large companies simpler. Now a simple trade license for the final product will be enough, whereas before the company needed a trade license for every step of production. Foreigners will also have different conditions to meet before being granted a trade license. The candidate will have to prove, through documents from his country of birth or from the country he lived in the last three years, that he is not under any warrant. Also, he needs to speak Czech. Within a year, he must prove that he is capable of giving a summary of and correctly reacting to the contents of the daily press. If someone starts a business without the necessary trade license, the guilty party is to be slapped with a fine of up to 50,000 crowns. Operating crafts without a license merits a fine of 100,000 crowns, and concessions can be fined for up to 200,000 crowns. Matej Huska/Andrea Snyder Firearm and Ammunition Law Parliament approved a law November 3 which regulates weapons ownership. The law is more strict in regards to the registration and possession of arms. It will go into effect March 1, however, people who illegally possess weapons will have until the end of 1996 a chance to legalize their possession and aply for gun licenses. Zora Kasikova/Andrea Snyder Prime Minister Wants to Eliminate Some Ministries Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus announced he wants to reduce the Ministry of Privatization, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry for Economic Competition into two ministries. He has proposed eliminating the Ministry of Culture after the June elections. Minister of Culture Pavel Tigrid was surprised by the announcement. The daily MF DNES quoted him as saying "to end the activities of his ministry is a process that would take several years." Klaus says it will be neccesary to incorporate certain activities of the Ministry of Culture into other areas. Head of the Legislative Advisory Board Jan Kalvoda and President Vaclav Havel both expressed their doubts. Michaela Vysoudilova/Andrea Snyder International Society for Human Rights Talks about Racism The Czech branch of the International Society for Human Rights held a three-day seminar entitled Racism, Yesterday and Today. The November 8-10 seminar is organized at the 60th anniversary of the so-called Nurnberg Law. President Vaclav Havel is overseeing the occasion, which is being organized by the Prague Mayor's Office, the Charter 77 Foundation and other organizations. Head of the Czech branch Vaclav Vrabec told Carolina: "Racism is a monstrous and criminal philosophy which brought suffering to millions of people in Europe. That is why it is neccesary to draw attention to discriminatory demonstrations today. I can't come to terms with the fact that skinhead havoc and Romany discrimination aren't being properly punished." Lecturers from five European countries are focusing on the theme of Jewish and Romany genocide during World War II, and on the theme of limiting these national minorities today. David Vozdecky/Andrea Snyder Czech Population to Grow Old during Next 25 Years The number of inhabitants of the Czech Republic will fall below 10 million in the next 25 years (that is, at least 330,000 less residents than today), according to a study performed by the Czech Office of Statistics (CSU) quoted in the daily MF DNES. The cause of the situation lies in a dramatically low birth rate. "Last year, less children were born than during the extremely low birth levels of World War I, and in absolute terms the least since 1785, when the number of births began to be monitored," said Jan Fisher, vice-chairman of the CSU. Experts believe the situation was effected by a change in the population's behavior, given by the economic and social transformation of society. It is expected that this year, for the first time in the history, less than 100,000 children will be delivered. Abortions have decreased as well - 120,000 abortions were performed in 1990, while only 64,640 abortions were recorded in 1994, the least since 1964. Lifespan continues to lengthen. The average lifespan has risen in comparison to 1990 - men: 69.5 years, up from 67.5 years, and women: 76.6 years, up from 76 years. By the year 2020, the number of inhabitants younger than 14 will be doubled by the number of inhabitants older than 60. There will be one retiree for every two residents of working age. Experts do not expect similar development in other European countries. Jitka Motejzikova/Jitka Motejzikova KDS Platform Against Merge With ODS Seven of the Christian Democratic Party's (KDS) 11 regions represented in Parliament supported the preservation of the KDS platform, at the the constitutional meeting held November 4 in Prague. KDS can play an important role on the political scene, so there is no reason for the dismantling strived for by party leadership, according to KDS spokesman Rostislav Gargulak. Gargulak doesn't believe an independent KDS would exceed in future elections the five-percent barrier required to hold seats in parliament. KDS, a member of the governing coalition, succeeded in the previous election only thanks to a common candidacy with the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL). Voter preference for KDS hovers stablely around 1 per cent. KDS never researched the opinion of its membership base on a potential merger with ODS. According to daily Svobodne Slovo the KDS chairman Ivan Pilip reacted thusly to the decision: "There is no sense commenting on this kind of activity". Pilip realizes that 30 per cent of KDS members are against the merger, but he believes a majority of delegates will confirm the leadership's support of the merger at the party congress November 18 in Svitava, where the issue should be decided. Petra Rubesova/Arsen Kocarjan Ministry of Education Supports Teacher Certification "Certification will be a voluntary thing, by which good teachers will prove their abilities, for which they will then be compensated with higher salaries," said Minister of Education Ivan Pilip, according to MF DNES. After five years of work teachers could apply for the first level of certification, and the second level would be attainable after 10 more years. Certification would mean the possibility of claiming a higher salary progress and of selecting their position from a range of educational functions. Certification commissions will probably start working next year, while the Ministry of Education will decide on the commissions' make-up. Zbynek Vicar/Katerina Zachovalova German and English the Most Wanted Languages in Czech Schools While German is the predominant foreign language taught in elementary schools and technical high schools, English is the prevailing foreign language in elementary-level language schools and high schools. Those interested in using the language immediately after school prefer German, while those interested in continuing their studies are choosing English. The statistics of the European Commissison for Education show the favorite language in elementary schools to be English, followed by French, German, Spanish and Italian. Viktorie Reschova/Sofia Karakeva TV and Radio Advertisement for Medicine Possibly Illegal The Ministry of Health has taken legal action against the TV station Nova because of the broadcasting of an advertisement for medicine. Current Czech law allows only print advertisement of over-the-counter medicines, and Nova's fine for not following the law could reach 2 million crowns. In relation to the same case, legal action was also taken against Czech TV. If Parliament approves the new advertisement law proposed by former Minister of Health and deputy Ludek Rubas, the whole affair could end without any fines. Pharmaceutical firms might pay up to 300 million crowns in advertising. The advertisement of over-the-counter medicines is common in European countries, according to Commission for Advertising Director Juraj Podkonicky. Livia Savelkova/Sofia Karakeva NEWS IN BRIEF * Minister of Industry and Trade, and the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) Deputy Chairman Vladimir Dlouhy was released from Bulovka Hospital November 2, after being treated for hepatitis. * TV Bingo lost about 50 per cent to 60 per cent of its participants after recent accusations of fraud in TV Bingo's related game "New Chance". * The 10-centimeter stauette of Vestonice Venus, whose origins date back approximately 25,000 years, was displayed at the Moravian Museum in Brno from November 2 to November 5. * Deputy Prime Minister and Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) Chairman Jan Kalvoda accused state and police officials for deliberately leaking secret information, on the November 5 TV program "Seven days". * The last of more than 1,100 Czech tanks to be destroyed in accordance with the European Conventional Forces Treaty was demolished November 7. Jitka Hejtmanova, Radim Volak/Milan Smid FROM SLOVAKIA President Kovac Criticizes Government Coalition Policy Slovak President Michal Kovac strongly criticized the domestic policy of the present Slovak government in connection with the EU and U.S. demarche, in a radio speech November 1. Kovac rejected Premier Vladmir Meciar's attitude to the demarche, and denied that he ordered the demarche. The demarche springs from Western countries' unease regarding the political situation in Slovakia. "The thing that should be changed is not the president, but the way of handling internal policy matters." Kovac acccused the Cabinet of centralizing power and disrespect to the law. These facts are to be covered up by the "dirty campaign" for removing the president from office, Kovac said. "A number of problematic steps of the current government coalition have not only damaged our international credibility, but have cast doubt on our direction toward European and transatlantic structures," he said. These steps are leading Slovakia into international isolation, Kovac said. In the conclusion of his speech, Kovac again challenged the government to a dialogue, saying he has long been prepared for cooperation. "It would be useful to give up plans for usurpation and the concentration of power, and concentrate on strengthening a democratic government and rights and laws," he said in closing. Meciar reacted to Kovac's speech with an announcement that the conflict between the government and the president must soon end. "There are three ways. The president may step down on his own, but he lacks the personal bravery for that. Parliament may negotiate, and in the end the citizen as well, in a referendum," said Meciar in the November 4 edition of the daily MF DNES. Petr Pabian/Michael Bluhm Journalist Investigating Kidnap of Michal Kovac Jr. Attacked Peter Toth, a reporter from the Slovak daily SME, was attacked and beaten up in front of his house on the evening of October 31. After recieving an anonymous phone call promising further information about the Michal Kovac Jr. kidnapping case, Toth left for promised meeting, but no one came to meet him. While returning home he was assaulted by the unknown attacker. The Slovak PEN club protested, declaring its fear that violence against journalists could lead to political murders. "The case of Peter Toth is a planned and cold-blooded criminal act, which is alarming," said the PEN club proclamation, according to Czech press. Petr Pabian/Katerina Zachovalova BUSINESS/ECONOMICS Motoinvest Strengthens Position in Pilsen Bank The Motoinvest group, which undertook the advertising campaign encompassing every Czech household in search of investment shares, announced November 7 it succeeded in ending the battle for control of Pilsen Bank with the Czech Insurance Company. The Czech Insurance Company, which at one time owned about 26 per cent of the bank, promised to sell to Motoinvest the remaining 12.5 per cent that it holds in the bank. Thus Motoinvest gains a majority of shares in the bank. Motoinvest this week also reinforced its position in Agrobanka. Representatives of Agrobanka, the fifth-largest Czech financial institution and the largest private bank, publicly acknowledged November 7 its part in the financial activities of Pilsen Bank, which has undertaken hostile buyouts of the country's largest investment funds. Agrobanka's Vice-Chairman of the Board Pavel Janda announced that Pilsen Bank recently tried to gain control over Agrobanka's investment funds. "When we noted these attempts, negotiations began which did not end in a fight over the funds, but on the contrary in cooperation among our institutions," Janda told daily MF DNES. He added that Agrobanka is planning to support Pilsen Bank further in its activities. Darina Coufalova/Katerina Rus Budget Surplus At October's End At the end of October the Czech budget reached a surplus of 12.3 billion crowns. According to Minister of Finance Ivan Kocarnik, the state of the budget is satisfactory. Seventy-nine per cent of budget expenditures have been paid out, as have 85 per cent of investment expenditures, by October 31. The ratio of Gross National Product to the budget dropped by 0.5 per cent from year, en exactly half of GNP was distributed by the state. Lucie Chytrackova/Alida Kassymova Czech Foreign Trade Increasing According to information from the Czech Statistical Office, foreign trade over the first three quarters is up 19.3 per cent from 1994's first nine months. Imports during ther first three quarters increased by 29 per cent, and exports by 9.3 per cent. Imports most often went to Germany (26 per cent) and Slovakia (13.2 per cent). Lucie Chytrackova/Alida Kassymova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from Nov. 10) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 19.586 Belgium 100 BEF 90.304 Great Britain 1 GBP 41.703 Danemark 1 DKK 4.791 Finland 1 FIM 6.188 France 1 FRF 5.394 Ireland 1 IEP 42.682 Italy 1000 ITL 16.583 Japan 100 JPY 25.840 Canada 1 CAD 19.508 Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.304 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.580 Norway 1 NOK 4.218 New Zealand 1 NZD 17.190 Portugal 100 PTE 17.682 Austria 1 ATS 2.638 Greece 100 GRD 11.279 Slovakia 100 SKK 89.388 Germany 1 DEM 18.567 Spain 100 ESP 21.557 Sweden 1 SEK 3.946 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.027 USA 1 USD 26.414 ECU 1 XEU 34.143 SDR 1 XDR 39.478 CULTURE After Nitra, Pilsen The international theater festival Divadlo 95 took place in Pilsen's Tyl Theater from November 2 through 5. The opera performance of Kriticka noc (Critical Night) by a group from Ceske Budejovice opened the program. Russian works were popular, expecially the immortal Chekhov: Slovenian Mestno Gledalisce Ljublansko presented The Seagull and the Theater Na zabradli presented The Inspector-general, in a stage adaption by Petr Lebl. Theater afficionados had the chance to see some of these plays at the festival in Nitra, Slovakia. One of the biggest enticements of the festival was the performance of The President by Werner Schwab, realized by the Vienna Burgtheater. The Wilma Theater from Philadelphia and Theatre Cryptic from Glasgow provided further foreign representation. Klara Schirova/Jitka Motejzikova A World Disappeared in Pictures Roman Vishniac's exhibit depicting pre-war ghettos in Eastern Europe opened in the Theresian Wing of Prague Castle November 2. The exhibit, named A World Disappeared, contains 60 photographs from Poland, Transcarpathian Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania and Czechoslovakia. The photographs, which Jewish doctor Vishniac took with a hidden camera in the years 1935-1940, show Jewish lifestyle in portraits of grocers, rabbis and schoolmasters. Only a few of the original 16,000 negatives were preserved. The large exhibit was made from negatives saved in the USA in the 1970's. The Prague exhibition lasts till January 7. Klara Schirova/Jitka Motejzikova SPORTS Stop for Hradec Kralove in Cup Winners' Cup Despite a heroic performance at home, and a victory 1-0 in the return match with the Russian team Dynamo Moskva, the Czech soccer team Hradec Kralove did not advance to the third round of the European Cup Winners' Cup November 2. Because the overall result ended in a tie - Hradec Kralove was defeated 0-1 in the first match in Moscow - the match went into overtime. After no overtime goals were scored, penalty kicks proved decisive. Hradec Kralove did not score in three tries. Karel Bartek Who Meets Whom in European Cup Competitions? In the third round of the UEFA Cup, Sparta will play one of the best Italian teams, AC Milan. Slavia will meet the Racing Lens, the third-place team in the French soccer standings. Karel Bartek Sparta Again at the Top of Standings After defeating Brno, Sparta climbed on the top of the standings again in the 13th round of the premier soccer league. Liberec lost the leading position after a draw in Drnovice. Results of the 13th round: Drnovice-Liberec 0-0, Jablonec-Cheb 0-0, Ceske Budejovice-Opava 1-1, Uherske Hradiste-Zlin 1-1, Plzen-Zizkov 1-0, Sparta-Brno 4-0, Ostrava-Olomouc 3-1. David Sprincl Czech Hockey Team Lost in Finals of German Cup The Czech national hockey team couldn't repeat last year's victory in the German Hockey Cup, losing in the finals to the Germans 1-2. Results in the group: CR-Finland 6-7 (1-3, 2-1, 3-3), CR-Sweden 3-0 (0-0, 0-0, 3-0). Finals: Germany-CR 2-1 in overtime (0-0, 0-1, 1-0 - 1-0). David Sprincl Results of Ice Hockey Extraleague 18th round: Zlin-Pardubice 1-4, Plzen-Olomouc 4-2, Kladno-Vitkovice 3-2, Slavia-Ceske Budejovice 4-2, Trinec-Sparta 7-5, Jihlava-Litvinov 2-6, Brno-Vsetin 4-10. Standings: 1. Vsetin 31, 2. Litvinov 28, 3.Sparta 25, ... 13. Plzen 10, 14. Brno 10. David Sprincl WEATHER Last week the first snow fell throughout the whole country. In the mountains, skiing has already begun. Edited by Michael Bluhm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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