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 188, Friday, February 2, 1996. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (January 24-31) Olga Havlova Dies Olga Havlova, wife of Czech President Vaclav Havel, died January 27 at age 62 after a long bout with cancer. After her condition worsened, she was admitted to the hospital until Vaclav Havel returned her to their home January 24. The funeral will be for close family members only, said presidential spokesman Ladislav Spacek. The public will be able to visit her coffin and sign a condolence book February 2 from 11 a.m. till 8 p.m. at Prague Castle. Havlova founded the Goodwill Foundation, which has managed to collect and distribute among the needy nearly 450 million crowns. The foundation will continue its activity with Havlova's name. The Czech public recently voted Havlova the country's most outstanding woman. Petra Rubesova/Andrea Snyder Condolence Messages to Vaclav Havel "I know what a support Olga was for you, and I believe that you will have enough strenght to come to terms with this loss,' wrote Prime Minister Vaclav and Livie Klaus in a condolence telegram. Parliament Chairman Milan Uhde said "few peple are as strong as was Olga Havlova," and her work should be an example to others. Journalist and former dissident Petr Uhl, a long-time friend of the president, said it was because of his wife that Havel maintained strong social ties. "Olga was in daily contact with people who had social problems. In the past few years, she talked to hundreds and hundreds of these people, which definitely influenced President Havel," added Uhl's wife, Anna Sabatova. Slovak President Michal Kovac also sent a condolence letter. "We share in your sorrow and are thinking of you often in these difficult times," he wrote. The audience in the theater "Divadlo Na Zabradli" held a moment of silence January 27 evening in Havlova's memory. The Havel's couple worked closely with the theater in the 1960's. Many other well-known figures sent their condolences, including US President Bill Clinton, Queen Elizabeth II, Pope John Paul II and Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar. Compiled from the Czech press by Petra Rubesova/Andrea Snyder "Three Strikes and Out" Doesn't Pass The proposed law "Three strikes and Out," which would have made sentences for repeated serious crimes (murder, extortion, rape) more severe, was turned down by the Cabinet January 24. The Christian Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL) proposed the amendment. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus said it would mean abandoning the basic principle of Czech Penal Code - individual judgment of the offender and his crime. The Cabinet rejected also the amendment proposed by Pavel Severa (KDU-SL) to punish possession - not only dealing - of drugs. Matej Bartosek/Andrea Snyder Dr. David Rath Becomes Election Leader of SD-LSNS in Eastern Bohemia Physician's Union Club Chairman Dr. David Rath, who iniciated November's doctor's strike, will be the the elections leader of the Free Democrats - Liberal Socialist National Party (SD-LSNS) in eastern Bohemia, where his rival is Minister of Health Jan Strasky of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Rath considers the SD-LSNS a politically neutral party and is pleased by running against Strasky. According to the daily Lidove Noviny, SD-LSNS co-Chairman Jiri Dienstbier regards LOK's alternative healthcare transformation program as a serious attempt at improvement, and regards the union of LOK and SD-LSNS as a hopeful for doctors and healthcare workers, for whom a political change is urgent. The members of LOK view the situation differently - some think LOK's activity should not be related to any political party. According to Jaroslav Strofa, LOK chairman at Prague's Bulovka Hospital, LOK contacted more political parties, but only SD-LSNS expressed interest in uniting. Petra Rubesova/Petra Rubesova Republican Deputy Jan Vik Charged Parliamentary deputy for the rightist Assembly for the Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party (SPR-RSC) Jan Vik was charged with spreading alarming information. According to the prosecutor, Vik was to spread the pamphlets about the alleged preparation of the Sudeten Germans' return to the Czech Republic. An unnamed witness, who is a member of the Republican regional association, confirmed that Vik signed a letter appealing to the witness to distribute pamphlets falsely confirming an agreement between the Czech government and the Sudeten German Landsmannschaft. The witness informed Republican headquarters about the course of the activities, refused to carry out the request and alerted authorities. Vik was stripped of his parliamentary immunity by Parliament last summer, which made his prosecution possible. If he is found guilty, he may be sentenced to prison for up to a year, or fined. Petra Rubesova/Petra Rubesova Lizner's Sentence One Year Shorter The Prague Municipal Court January 30 shortened former Center of Coupon Privatization (CKP) Director Jaroslav Lizner's original seven-year sentence to six years. Lizner may not work in the public sector for 10 years and must pay a fine of 1 million crowns. Lizner, who was first sentenced in October, is the highest state official to be charged criminally since 1989. He was convicted of accepting a bribe of about 8.3 million crowns (roughly 300,000 USD) October 31, 1994 from Lubos Sotona, the managing director of the TWI company. In exchange, Lizner was to have influenced the sale of the dairy Mlekarny Klatovy (see Carolina 136, 137, 176). Lizner and his attorney Jan Linda consider the verdict unjust. Lizner should start to serve his sentence one month after receiving the sentence in writing. With time off for good behavior, he could be released after three years. Matej Bartosek/Andrea Snyder FROM SLOVAKIA Slovak Foreign Trade Ends in Surplus The Slovak trade balance showed a surplus of about 1.8 billion slovak crowns, although the December balance ended up with deficit of 1.8 billion Slovak crowns. According to Slovak Minister of the Economy Jan Ducky, the deficit was determined by seasonal factors and does not represent a long-term trend. Foreign trade increased 18.8 per cent from 1994, reaching 506.4 billion Slovak crowns. Slovakia's highest volume of trade was with the Czech Republic, while the biggest deficit came from trade with Russia. Despite the positive foreign trade indicators, Ducky said the 10-per cent import tariff will remain in place. Marketa Skodova/Katerina Zachovalova Meciar Wants to Sell All Slovak Banks by Mid-February According to a January 25 announcement from Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar, the privatization of all Slovak banks except the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) should be completed by mid-February. NBS Governor Vladimir Masar said at a press conference that he knows nothing about any specific negotiations about the sale of individual banks, and he advised journalists to ask Meciar directly about possible bank buyers. NBS spokesman Jan Onda declared that completing bank privatization by mid-February is utterly out of the question. Marketa Skodova/Katerina Zachovalova Famous Bratislava Hotel Carlton to Be Renovated The oldest and most celebrated hotel in Bratislava, the Carlton, will probably soon undergo a reconstruction. The Slovak National Property Fund contacted the Belgian firm T.E.I. Group International, which bought the hotel and the grounds, according to Czech daily MF DNES. Overall investment in the turn-of-the-century building, today almost destroyed, should exceed 2 billion Slovak crowns. Carlton went bankrupt in 1992. Until that time it was the official accommodation for important state visitors and celebrities. Marketa Skodova/Katerina Zachovalova ECONOMY/BUSINESS 1995 Czech Foreign Trade Deficit Exceeds 100 Billion Crowns The Czech foreign trade deficit exceeded 101.7 billion crowns in 1995, according to a preliminary report from the Czech Statistic Office made public this week. A later correction is possible, though 1994 final data was worse than the preliminary report. Lida Truneckova/Milan Smid Panasonic To Build Factory in Pilsen In 14 months construction should begin on a television-manufacturing factory, built on Borske Pole in Pilsen (Plzen) by Panasonic, a division of Matsushita Electric Industrial. The annual capacity of the factory, which will cost 66 million USD to build, should quickly increase from an initial 300,000 television sets to a million. The factory will initially employ 350 people, but that amount should grow to 1500 workers, with production expanding to other audiovisual devices, said City of Pilsen spokeswoman Z. Kubalova to the daily Plzensky denik. Roznov-based Tesla, currently the sole producer of color TV sets in the Czech Republic, is shocked by the aims of Matsushita. It is a threat to the existence of Tesla, said the director of Tesla to press agency CTK. Marketa Skodova/Katerina Rus Konsolidacni Banka Becomes Ekoagrobanka's Owner State-owned Konsolidacni banka became the majority shareholder of Ekoagrobanka when it underwrote Ekoagrobanka's 500=million-crtown share issue. Konsolidacni's participation in Ekoagrobanka will probably last three to four months. "It will be a while before the healing program will have an effect and also before Konsolidacni, in cooperation with the Czech National Bank (CNB), will find a solid investor," said Konsolidacni spokeswoman Helena Zachystalova to Czech press agency CTK January 25. CNB helped Ekoagrobanka out of its recent crisis with an injection of 3 billion crowns (see Carolina 187). Marketa Skodova/Katerina Rus IN BRIEF * According to the Czech National Bank, direct foreign investment from 1990 to September 1995 reached 5.3 billion USD. By the end of 1995, it should be 5.5 billion USD. The most foreign investment was recorded in 1995, at 2.5 billion USD. * Russia's Gazexport and Czech Transgas signed an agreement ensuring 8 billion to 9 billion square meters of Russian gas will annually flow into the Czech Republic until 1998. The agreement was signed in Moscow January 25, and assures Transgas of financial security through 2008. * Last year the Prague brewery Prazske pivovary increased beer exports by 65 per cent from 1994, increasing its market share by 10 per cent. Prague's Staropramen is sold in Germany, the USA, Canada, the former Soviet Union and last year it sold well in Britain as well. * The German publisher Springer took over most of the shares of the Czech weekly magazine Tyden, according to Editor-in-Chief Karel Hvizdala. According to Hvizdala, Springer is thus securing its position on the European market. Marketa Skodova/Katerina Rus Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from February 1) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 20.372 Belgium 100 BEF 89.258 Great Britain 1 GBP 41.211 Denmark 1 DKK 4.742 Finland 1 FIM 6.004 France 1 FRF 5.344 Ireland 1 IEP 42.735 Italy 1000 ITL 17.115 Japan 100 JPY 25.583 Canada 1 CAD 19.809 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.258 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.385 Norway 1 NOK 4.193 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.338 Portugal 100 PTE 17.705 Austria 1 ATS 2.610 Greece 100 GRD 11.106 Slovakia 100 SKK 90.318 Germany 1 DEM 18.348 Spain 100 ESP 21.763 Sweden 1 SEK 3.935 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.526 USA 1 USD 27.366 ECU 1 XEU 33.685 SDR 1 XDR 39.795 CULTURE Czech Philharmonic without a General Conductor The problems of General Conductor Gerd Albrecht in the Czech Philharmony Orchestra (see Carolina 186, 187) culminated at a press conference in Prague's Rudolfinum January 30. "I announce my immediate resignation," said Albrecht. As the main reason Albrecht cited the change of the Orchestra's statute which limits the general conductor's authority by subordinating him to the Orchestra's general director. Albrecht hopes for the quick abolition of this amendment, because it is undignified and unacceptable for every general conductor. He added that he had needed time to contemplate this painful step. He came to Prague because of music, with the naivete that good music can overcome everything evil, he said. Paradoxically, he accepted the function to strenghten Czech-German relations; but these, in his case, "broke into flame." Albrecht also pointed to the attitude of the media, emphasizing some of his statements at the expense of others, e.g. creating the illusion of "a German martyr". Albrecht does not consider hiumself a martyr, nor does he want to be pitied. Among possible successors to Albrecht are Libor Belohlavek, Charles Mackarras of Great Britain, Ken-Icir Kobaisi of Japan and Jiri Pesek, according to the January 31 edition of Czech daily MF DNES. Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova F.X.Salda Prize The first F.X.Salda Prize was awarded to essayists Milan Jungmann and Josef Vohryzek. They received the award for "excellent results in the field of art criticism and critique writing" from the F.X.Salda Society foundation in Prague's Viola club January 30. Matej Bartosek/Katerina Zachovalova Director Zeno Dostal Dies The creator of the film Golet in the Valley (Golet v udoli), writer and the Prague Jewish Community Chairman Zeno Dostal died January 30 at the age of 62. His poetic film Golet will be at the least nominated for some of the 1995 Czech Lion film awards. He did not have enough time to realize his plans to film another short story by Ivan Olbracht, About the Sad Eyes of Hana Karadzicz. Dostal, who served as an assistant director for many years, had also filmed documentaries for the Febio film society. Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova SPORTS Hockey Extraleague Playoffs Approaching Two rounds remain until the beginning of extraleague playoffs. Results of the 37th round, January 26: Zlin-Vsetin 1-1, Trinec-Slavia 4-3, Sparta-Litvinov 0-4, Brno-C.Budejovice 0-4, Olomouc-Jihlava 8-0, Pardubice-Kladno 2-2, Plzen-Vitkovice 0-4. Results of the 38th round, January 30: Vsetin-Zlin 3-1, Slavia-Trinec 7-1, Litvinov-Sparta 2-6, C.Budejovice-Brno 11-1, Jihlava-Olomouc 2-1, Kladno-Pardubice 4-4, Vitkovice-Plzen 0-5. Postponed game from 33th round: Vitkovice-Vsetin 1-7. Extraleague standings after 38 rounds: 1. Sparta 53, 2. Vsetin 52, 3. Litvinov 48, Budejovice 46, 5. Zlin 42, 6. Slavia 41, 7. Olomouc 36, 8. Kladno 35, 9. Vitkovice 35 10. Jihlava 33, 11. Plzen 31, 12. Trinec 29, 13. Pardubice 28, 14. Brno 23. Adam Kotalik Novacek Accused of Taking Drugs Czech tennis player Karel Novacek and the world's former number one, Mats Wilander of Sweden, are accused of taking cocaine during the 1995 French Open. Both players deny the allegations, which were first published in the British weekly News of the World. According to their lawyers, both submitted to lie detector tests, which supported their denials. Novacek and Wilander are asking for 100 million USD to 200 million USD in damages from the International Tennis Federation for breaching anonymity regulations concerning drug accusations. Adam Kotalik/Jitka Sevcikova Financial Problems for Sparta Soccer Club The management of Sparta Soccer Club found itself in trouble thanks to recently uncovered substantial debts to SPT Telecom, Prazska energetika and Prazska telparenska, three Czech utilities. Also the bank Investicni a Postovni banka (IPB) announced Sparta is not capable of repaying its 100-million-crown loan, which was confirmed by Sparta President Petr Mach. Sparta borrowed 300 million crowns from IPB at 16.5 per cent interest to reconstruct its stadium. Andrej Barcak, regional director of Sparta general sponsor General Motors Europe, does not believe Sparta is threatened by collapse. According to Barcak, bankruptcy is not an issue, because Sparta's assets outweigh its debts. Sparta Coach Vlastimil Petrzela declared that the economic problems do not influence players, and that preparation continues according to previous plans. (Sparta played to a tie with the German Bundesleague's Bremen 0:0 January 30) Adam Kotalik/Jitka Sevcikova SPORTS IN BRIEF * Petr Korda and Stefan Edberg of Sweden won the men's doubles title at the Australian Open. * Because of his weak condition and lack of discipline, the FC Sporting Lisabon soccer team fired Czech attacker Tomas Skuhravy. He was on loan till the end of the season from FC Janov. According to Skuhravy, the reason of his firing was different: financial problems on the Portuguese team and loss of the chance to win the championship. * Biathlete Eva Hakova became the European champion at 7.5 km Adam Kotalik/Jitka Sevcikova WEATHER Chilly but bright (even sunny), minus 10-15 degrees Celsius (14 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit) at night, up to 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) during the day. English version edited by Michael Bluehm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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