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 179, Friday, November 17, 1995. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 8-15) French President Sees Czech Republic as EU and NATO Candidate French President Jaques Chirac promised Premier Vaclav Klaus support in the Czech Republic's struggle to join the European Union. Klaus met with President Chirac and Premier Alain Juppe November 14 on a one-day official visit to Paris. The French president said the Czech Republic is a first-rate candidate for both the EU and NATO. Chirac has been publicly pushing for Eastern European integration the past five years. Premier Juppe said the Czech Republic joining NATO is a political process that should follow integration into the EU. Klaus said that the French side is also interested in realizing the projects of certain French companies in the Czech Republic, mainly in the areas of energy and telecommunication. David Vozdecky/Andrea Snyder Government Approves Family Rights Amendment The government ratified the amendment in the Civil Code dealing with family rights November 8. A church wedding and a civil wedding are the same but, to be officially accepted, the matrimony has to be announced to the matricular department. The wife has the right to use her maiden name along with her husband's name. Renewed is the Institute of Common Property. Those engaged will have the opportunity to make a prenuptial agreement on property. The amendment also concerns divorces, simplifying procedures for divorces agreed to by both partners. This will be the case if the wedded couple have lived separately for at least six months during a period of one year. They have to put together an agreement about how they will deal with mutual concerns after the divorce (For example, the rights of using an apartment). The couple will also have to let a court decide what will happen with their underage children. A divorce where one of the partners does not wish it will be more problematic. The proposed five-year waiting period for such cases to divorce was not ratified. The government assured that the ex-spouse who opposed divorce because of financial concerns should will be protected. Parental approval of adoption will not be necessary in the case that the parents show no interest in the child for six months. The government did not approve the proposal to create an Institute of Registered Companionship, which could include homosexual couples. Natasa Hajkova, Jitka Motejzikova/Katerina Rus A Happy Family Is Most Important According to a poll taken by the Institute for Public Opinion, 96 percent of respondents say a happy family is of the greatest value. Friends came a close second with 95 percent. Married men and women see family as being most important, while the younger generation supports friendship. Natasa Hajkova/Andrea Snyder Do Striking Doctors Break Confidentiality? During their administrative strike, doctors are sending documentation (death announcements, disability reports and others) to the Ministry of Health, by which they are breaking the law about the health of the people, according to Deputy Minister of Health Ales Dvoulety (quoted in Lidove noviny, November 11th.) This law requires doctors to maintain confidentiality. That includes, for example, the announcement of 20 abortions together with names and addresses of the women and their families' medical history, or the information about the patient suffering from cancer, both of which were sent to the Ministry. Dvoulety further stated that, by this behaviour, doctors not only risk a reduction of their fees but also discharge from their jobs, depending on negotiations with the directors of the respective hospitals. According to Police Spokesman Ales Svoboda, a doctor risks prosecution if he doesn't maintain confidentiality and his diagnosis falls into the wrong hands. The patient may also then file charges against the doctor. Physicians' Union Club Chairman Dr. David Rath denied the charges of breaches of confidentiality. Rath said many non-doctors have contact with such documents, such as insurance agencies or directly in the Ministry. Rath added that if any doctor is punished, the club will recommend all doctors on strike to discontinue emergency services. "Now, at the end of the year, we have all served enough." Dvoulety responded that contracts of all ministry and insurance agencies' employees automatically contain confidentiality regulations. After Carolina's deadline, the strike was called off at the request of President Vaclav Havel. Zora Kasikova, Lucie Chytrackova/Klara Schirova Death of Arnost Gellner Renowned philosopher and professor at several prestigious universities Arnost Gellner died suddenly November 5 at the age of 70. He spent his childhood in Prague in a German-speaking Jewish family, and after World War II graduated from Oxford University with a degree in philosophy. From 1949 to 1984 he taught philosophy at the London School of Economics. After the revolutionary events of 1989 he returned to the Czech Republic and served as director and a professor at the Center for the Study of Nationalism at the Central European University. Gellner published more than 20 monographs and became famous with his 1959 book World and Things. Only one of his books was published in Czech - Nations and Nationalism, which has been translated into more than 20 languages since it was originally published in England in 1983. Marketa Skodova/Alida Kassymova Policeman Who Fatally Wounded a German Driver Last Year Has Been Sentenced Czech policeman Pavel Sach has been sentenced to eight months' imprisonment and five years' prohibition from service in any armed force for fatally wounding German citizen Markus Rankel. The case, decided November 8 by the West Prague County Court, stems from the road check Sach conducted on Rankel's auto in front of the Asia Hotel in Pribram last year (see Carolina 134). Contradictory witness reports could not be clarified by expert evidence. Experts said it was possible though improbable that a policeman's service gun would go off unintentionally. Sach remained in active service in the Czech Police's Pribram district until the sentence was given. Marketa Skodova/Alice Ticha Auction at the Railway Station An auction of forgotten things from trains and railway stations took place in the cultural hall of the Main Railway Station in Prague between November 13 and 16.The bidding often began at very low prices, so many older and poor people could renew their wardrobes. Suitcases with clothing are among the items most frequently lost and never sought. Among the participants were also those who saw here their last chance to discover their lost things. Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova FROM SLOVAKIA Slovak National Party Doesn't Want to Investigate President's Treason Slovak National Party (SNS) Representative Vitazoslav Moric announced November 8 that SNS, in the interest of calming the domestic political situation, will not propose a motion for inquiry into the alleged treason of President Michal Kovac (see Carolina 176). Petr Pabian/Maria Tripoliti Petition to Recall Meciar Enterpreneur Robert Krajnak has launched petition procedures aimed at recalling Premier Vladimir Meciar. Krajnak purchased a full-page advertisement in the daily SME, in which he writes "I was born in totalitarianism, I don't want to die in it." Krajnak intends to gather by the end of the year the 350,000 signatures necessary for a referendum. Petr Pabian/Maria Tripoliti Arguments in Coalition about Foreign Policy Minister of Foreign Affairs Juraj Schenk, confirmed that membership in the EU and NATO is still the long-term aim of coalition foreign policy, in his November 10 speech in Parliament. He didn't respond to the demarches from the EU and USA (see Carolina 177), but instead asserted that the foreign political situation is favorable for Slovakia. However, some coalition deputies still adhere to the view that Slovakia, rather than entry into the EU and NATO, should strive for the status of a neutral country. Petr Pabian/Maria Tripoliti Slovak Doctors Will Not Strike Although the Slovak Medical Chamber expressed its support of the Czech Physicians' Union Club (LOK) and "is considering a strike in accordance with their colleagues' example," Slovak doctors are not preparing a strike. According to Slovak journalist Petr Schutz, the majority of doctors in Slovakia prefering "certainty in modesty" to the risk of confrontation. While in EU countries 1,000 inhabitants share four doctors, in Slovakia the same number of people share eight. According to Schutz, the potential for the social revolt of Slovak doctors is low also because of the absence of a Slovak leader with a personality equivalent to LOK Chairman Dr. David Rath. Marketa Skodova/Maria Tripoliti A Czech Movie with Slovak Subtitles Shown in Bratislava The Union of Slovak Film Distributors and the Cooperative of Slovak Cinema Proprietors showed the Czech movie Once There Was a Cop with Slovak subtitles November 9. They wanted to draw the public's attention to the absurdity of a proposed language law, according to which Czech films would have to be translated or given subtitles. Czech-dubbed versions of foreign films still dominate in Slovakia without protest. Passing the bill would bring distributors higher costs, and for audiences a tragedy could become a comedy. The humorously intended November 9 showing took a number of absurd liberties in subtitling some uniquely Czech phrases, according to Czech daily MF DNES. This was the distributors' last attempt to block passing of the bill on propagation of audiovisual works, which is a part of the official language law. The law would also require cinema proprietors to show minimums of 15 percent European and 15 percent Slovak productions, although few films are produced in Slovakia. If the bill is passed, it would become valid in 1997. Olga Huderova/Klara Schirova ECONOMY Motoinvest Gains Control of Agrobanka The Investment and Postal Bank (IPB) sold its share in Agrobanka to Motoinvest. Already in control of Pilsen Bank, Motoinvest has now gained control of the country's fifth-largest bank. The Motoinvest group, which had about 13 percent of Agrobanka's shares, now owns about 31 percent, which functions as controlling interest. The daily Pravo mentioned November 9 that "according to well-informed sources, the sale was not made under pressure but after consultation with other large banks." Lucie Dvorakova/Alice Ticha October Inflation Satisfactory Consumer prices in October rose by 0.6 per cent in comparison with September, with inflation from last October standing at 8.1 per cent. Last year's rise in prices from September to October was 1.3 per cent and 12-month inflation was 8.6 per cent, in each case at least 0.5 per cent higher than this year's figures. The October increase of the consumer prices index was influenced mainly by higher prices for food, beverages, tobacco and clothing. The biggest yearly increase (in comparison with last October) was noted with housing expenses (12.9 per cent), clothing and education expenses (more than 10 per cent) and free time activities (9.6 per cent). Alice Ticha/Alice Ticha Companies Refuse Entrance to Highest Inspection Office The Czech Savings Bank refused last week to cooperate with a tax audit conducted by the Supreme Control Office (NKU). The bank's spokesman said the inspection could break confidentiality laws. The Czech Savings Bank used the examples of the Investment and Postal Bank and the companies Konstruktiva, Ferona and Kwety ceske, which refuse inspection on the grounds that the NKU has no legal right to inspect the economic policies of private organizations. The NKU plans to fine all of the aforementioned companies. Czech dailies Svobodne slovo and Lidove Noviny wrote that the interpretation of the law that enables the NKU to inspect only organizations that do business with state property is unclear. The opinions of the government and the NKU, which met to discuss the problem, markedly differed on the topic of whether the NKU has the right to audit the paying of taxes by individual taxpayers. The press spokesman for the Ministry of Finance said only the public tax office can audit individual tax payers. Marketa Skodova/Andrea Snyder Financing for Czech Ecological Construction According to data from the Czech Office of Statistics, 8.113 billion crowns were used for buildings with ecological specialization in the first six months of this year. More than half the amount (50.7 per cent) was covered by the investors, while state grants covered another significant portion (26.4 per cent). Credits (13.9 per cent) and foreign sources (6.2 per cent) helped defray costs as well. The remaining 2.8 per cent was paid by unspecified sources. Alice Ticha/Jitka Motejzikova CULTURE Czech Films More Expensive for TV A new model for trade with Czech films from 1965 to the present was agreed upon by directors of TV stations Ceska televize, Nova and Premiera and AB Barrandov film production company, at a November 9 meeting initiated by Minister of Culture Pavel Tigrid. AB Barrandov, which the Ministry of Culture permits to trade Czech movies in return for giving 90 per cent of profits to the State Fund for Support and Development of Czech Cinematography, thus ended its temporary suspension of sales. The prices of these pictures will probably rise from 10 per cent to 15 per cent. In reality this means a fairy tale will cost about 380,000 crowns and a feature film about 450,000 crowns. Titles which attract the most interest from TV stations will be more expensive and their price will be determined by auction. Today there are about 60 such films. The only person who expressed satisfaction with the new arrangement AB Barrandov Director Vaclav Marhoul. He said those making new films will benefit most from the raising of prices. On the other hand, Czech TV Director Ivo Mathe said the situation could cause big financial problems for his station. Vladimir Zelezny, director of the private TV station Nova, considers these changes as "small amendments". Jiri Mejstrik, director of the other private TV station, does not like the fact that the new conditions apply equally to his station and Nova, which already has a superior position on the market. Matej Bartosek/Katerina Zachovalova Legends of Czech Culture Honored Seventy-four of the nation's artistic elders received the Senior Prix 95 November 12 for lifetime achievement. Awards were given for the long-term activity in broadcast, TV and film. Among the recipients were actors Otakar Brousek, Josef Langmiler, Milos Nesvadba, Ilja Prachar and Slavka Budinova, and musicians Stepan Konicek and Ferdinand Havlik. The whole project was put on thanks to the support of Czech Broadcasting's Fund for the Artist's Life, the Foibos agency and the Intergram agency. Marketa Hudkova/Katerina Zachovalova Laurense's Cubism in Prague An exhibit of French sculptor Henri Laurense entitled The Cubist Era opened in Prague's House of the Black Madonna November 9 and will continue until January 14. Visitors have the chance to see 20 sculptures and 12 drawings belonging to the style termed "the quiet branch of Cubism". Marketa Hudkova/Katerina Zachovalova Marathon of Contemporary Music One of the week's interesting and well organized events was the Marathon of Contemporary Classical Music in Prague's Church of St. Simon and Juda November 9. The Society for the New Music, which put the event together, concentrated four ensembles which play and study such music into one concert lasting from 6 p.m. till midnight. Visitors could leave or come back any time between compositions. The music marathon, a form more common to rock festivals, proved its ability to present an unknown music style very well. Ensemble L'art pour l'art from Hamburg, Moyzes' quartet from Bratislava, Prague's Agon Orchestra and Jiri Barta with the Moscow Contemporary Music Ensemble performed pieces from unknown authors or freshly written compositions. Their "games with tones" required the use of recorded music, various noises and sounds and the tearing of paper. Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova Lubos Andrst Blues Band Debuted its New Album The Lubos Andrst Blues Band and Tanya Graves appeared in Prague's Malostranska Beseda November 14 to debut their new album. The band did not mark the debut with any champagne or fanfare and instead treated the evening as a more of a common performance. The voice of American singer Tanya Graves, in addition to the repertoire, gave the atmosphere of a New Orleans club to Beseda. Graves, who arrived in Bohemia five months ago, has become the queen of Prague blues thanks to the power of her voice and the charm of her expression. Ondrej Konrad's harmonica solos, traded with the Andrst's traditionally excellent guitar work, also powered the evening. The band treated the crowd to renditions of Hoochie Coochie Man, Rock Me, Baby and I've Got Nothing but Blues, among others. Klara Schirova/Jitka Motejzikova New Depository Waits for Approval of Building The National Library Depository should be built during the next few months on the grounds of the former state company Vystavnictvi in Prague's Hostivar neighborhood. The project, financed by the state, will be the reconstruction of the factory hall, and plans on further construction on the five-and-a-half hectare property. These new buildings, which should house the depositories of other Czech libraries, will rise only if restitutional discrepancies are resolved. The depository, which should eventually rescue books from the moist setting of the Clementinum, was created according to the plans of the American firm The Hillier Group for 267 million crowns. Because of the modernization of the depository system, the annual costs for running the institution are estimated at 14 million crowns. That sum wrinkles the forehead of the National Library, which is afraid of not being able to pay the entire amount. Defending the future of the depository should fall to the Society of the Czech National Library, which was established for that purpose November 14. Klara Schirova/Jitka Motejzikova SPORT The Road to European Soccer Championship in England is Free! The Czech national soccer team defeated Luxemburg 3-0 in its last qualification match November 15. This victory cleared the way for the Czech team to the 1996 European Championship 1996 in England, after a 16-year absence. Due to the defeat of Norway by the Netherlands 3-0, the Czech team advanced to the final group as winner of the qualification group. Prague's Letna Stadium was sold out (20,239 paid attendance). The beginning of the match showed nervousness on both sides, and only after 37 minutes of the game was the first goal scored by Drulak. After that the nervousness disappeared and the Czech side began playing well. In the first minute of the second half Drulak scored again, and after 10 minutes Berger has cleverly deceived the Luxemburg goalie again. The end of the game was greeted by fireworks, the national hymn was played and Premier Vaclav Klaus congratulated players in the locker room. Karel Bartek/Milan Smid Czech Soccer Juniors In European Quarterfinals The Czech junior soccer team defeated Luxembourg team 4:0 in Prague November 14 and will continue into the European Championships, which serves as the qualifying round for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Jan Palicka/Jan Palicka Vsetin in Final Group of European Cup Ice-Hockey Last year's Czech League champion Vsetin now stands among the best six teams in Europe. Vsetin's group includes Jokerit Helsinki (Finland) and HV 71 Jonkoping (Sweden). The other group consists of Feldkirch (Austria), Dynama Moscow (Russia) and Kolner Haie. The final tournament is held from 25th to 30th December in Germany. Petra Rubesova/Jan Palicka Suprises In The 20th Round of the Extraleague Results of the 19th round: Olomouc-Zlin 1:3, Vsetin-Jihlava 7:1, Livinov-Plzen 3:3, Sparta-Brno 4:2, Trinec-Kladno 4:5, Pardubice-Slavia 8:4, Ceske Budejovice-Vitkovice 4:0. Results of the 20th round: Vitkovice-Pardubice 6:2, Kladno-Ceske Budejovice 1:5, Brno-Trinec 9:3, Jihlava-Sparta 6:1, Zlin-Litvinov 5:3, Slavia-Olomouc 6:4, Plzen-Vsetin 1:0. Petr Mrzena/Jan Palicka WEATHER Snow disappeared from city streets, while in the mountains the ski lifts have been turned on. Meteorologists consider the snowfall unseasonal and call it the largest early November snowfall in some years. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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