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 189, Friday, February 9, 1996. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (January 31 to February 7) Funeral for Olga Havlova Family members and close friends bid farewell to first lady Olga Havlova February 3 at the Motol Crematorium. Havlova died January 27 after a long bout with cancer. Catholic priest Vaclav Maly said on behalf of the family that "she was always a straight-talking woman who hated pretentiousness." The urn will be placed in the Havel family tomb at the Vinohrady Cemetary in Prague. The public was able to view the coffin and sign a condolence book February 2 at Prague Castle. Thousands of people came, forming a line of more than one kilometer (.6 mile) long. The room was to have been open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., but closed long after midnight. Mourners continue burning candles and leaving wreaths at the Havels' private address in Prague's Stresovice neighborhood. By the end of last week the President had received more than 5,300 condolences. He thanked everyone during his weekly radio comments "Talks from Lany (Hovory z Lan)." Michaela Vysoudilova/Andrea Snyder Klaus Critizes EU's Agricultural Policies At the World Economic Forum in Davos February 3, Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus challenged western countries to abandon stereotypes of central and eastern Europe connected with their communist past, and accept them as standard political democracies with liberalized economies and high degree of private enterprise, capable of working together. Much attention was called to the exchange of opinions between Klaus and EU Comissioner Hans van den Broek. Van den Broek had mentioned, while speaking on EU expansion, that negotiations with central and eastern Europe will begin after the 1998 intergovernmental conference. He said one of the stumbling blocks for these countries may be their demands on money used for EU agricultural and regional policies. Klaus disagreed, asking why countries of the former East Bloc should attain western standards by way of agricultural grants and emphasized that if anything needs to be changed, it is the EU's agricultural policy, which devours most of its budget. The prime minister said, "when our farmers ask me when they'll have the same funding as their colleagues in the Union, I answer, 'when the Union lowers it as we have.'" Klaus' performance met with a stormy response - Van den Broek answered that the "Czech Republic is joining the European Union, not the other way around," and added that in the Czech Republic, agriculture employs not even 4 per cent of the population, while in Poland and Hungary more than 20 per cent. At the end of the discussion, Klaus declared the EU does not need to fear the membership of central and eastern European countries; it should be easier than the transition from Communism, which they have already managed. Matej Husek/Andrea Snyder Admission to European Union Not Dependent on Church Restitutions The Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the February 2 statement of Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, who said in a radio interview that the Czech Republic did not fulfill conditions for applying to the European Union, because it has not returned confiscated church property. According to Ministry spokesman Vit Kurfurst, the EU resolution to which Vlk had referred is not legally binding. A vast majority of political parties criticized Vlk's declaration, while only the Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party (KDU-CSL) supported it fully. Livia Savelkova/Klara Schirova The Czech-Moravian Union of the Center Coalition Unites into One Party Parties represented in the Czech-Moravian Union of the Center Coalition - the former Czechmoravian Party of the Centre, the Agrarian Party, the Liberal Social Union and the Christian Social Union - decided to unite into a single political party at their February 3-4 weekend congress. They will thus try to raise their chances of staying in Parliament after this year's elections. To enter Parliament, the former coalition would have needed at least 11 per cent of votes, while only 5 per cent of votes will suffice for the new party. Jan Jegla, the standing chairman, was voted leader of the party, which will continue to carry the name Czech-Moravian Union of the Center. The party platform emphasizes free education, fair evaluation of work in the budget sphere and support of small and medium-sized enterprise. Michaela Vysoudilova/Klara Schirova Number of University Students up 50 Per Cent from 1989-90 About 50 per cent more students attend Czech universities this year than they did six years ago. In the 1989-90 school year, 96,000 people filled the limited university spaces, while October 1995 statistics show 145,000 students. This numbers correspond with the 1992 recommendation of a group of experts from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Before November 1989, 15 per cent of high school graduates were accepted into universities; last year, this number rose to more than 18 per cent. The OECD recommended the percentage raech at least 25 per cent by the year 2000. Approximately one-fourth of the country's university students are enrolled solely in three-year bachelor's programs, but no official recognition exists for this degree as a university qualification in determining wages. According to Ministry of Education representatives, technical colleges should be developed in future years. More than 100 such schools should operate next year. Livia Savelkova/Klara Schirova FROM SLOVAKIA Slovak Parliament Passes Law Concerning Illegality of Communist Regime The Slovak Parliament passed a law February 2 concerning the immorality and illegality of the Communist regime. The law defines the regime founded on communist ideology illegal, and restricted communism to the February 25, 1948 to November 17, 1989. Representatives of the Christian Democratic Movement and the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia were amongst the strongest supporters, while opposition was led by the Party of the Democratic Left (SDL). The law was changed many times during parliamentary debate. First, the communist regime was called criminal, illegitimate and despicable. Also the part stating that the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSC) and the Communist Party of Slovakia (KSS) are responsible for the manner of government from 1948-1989, was change to read that the parties "did not stop their members and their assistants from committing crimes." Chairman of SDL Parlimentary Club R. Fico said his party plans to take the law to court. Fico says the law is unconstitutional because it introduces ex-post-facto criminality and breaches the statute of limitations. He added that the law is in conflict with international agreements to which Slovakia is bound. Petr Pabian/Andrea Snyder Slovakia Interested in Consulting with NATO In an official letter from the Slovak Ambassador to NATO Jan Lisuch to General Secretary Javier Solan Janurary 24, Slovakia confirmed its interest in bilateral consultation with NATO. By doing so, Slovakia responded to NATO's request to partner countries to announce whether they were interested in individual talks. Petr Pabian/Andrea Snyder ECONOMY Million-Crown Fines for Gas Cartel Three major gasoline distributors received fines of more than 60 million crowns (more than 2.3 million USD) for a running a cartel over gasoline prices. Minister for Economic Competition Stanislav Belehradek leveled a 50-million-crown fine at the private Benzina company, while the state-owned Benzina was fined 10 million crowns and the Cepro company was hit with 250,000 crowns in fines. Belehradek considered the result of a December 15 meeting of the three companies with Trade and Industry Minister Vladimir Dlouhy as a cartel agreement; at the meeting, the distributors agreed to make up for a tax increase on unleaded gas by raising prices of all brands. The firms maintain their innocence and are considering an appeal. Dlouhy and Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus criticized Belehradek's decision. The goal of the price changes discussed, according to the firms, was to maintain the lower price of ecologically friendly unleaded gas in spite of the tax increase. Radim Wolak/Michael Bluhm Question Mark Hangs Over Kladno's Poldi Steelworks Closing an agreement to let Skoda Plzen (Plzen) step into Kladno's Poldi Steelworks is evidently the last chance to keep Poldi in General Director Vladimir Stehlik's hands. The February 7 meeting between Skoda General Director Lubomir Soudek and Stehlik, whose Bohemia Art is Poldi's majority shareholder, did not produce an agreement. The two men are scheduled to meet again during the weekend. If an agreement with Skoda cannot be reached, the state will put the steelworks and its 6,000 employees into a public tender, which should result in payment of Poldi's debts through finding a new owner. Poldi's debts, which total approximately 4 billion crowns, are owned to its trading partners, to Commerce Bank (Komercni banka) to cover loans and to the state in employee insurance payments. Carolina first wrote about this in issue no. 178 (released January 26), under the headline "Vladimir Stehlik has not payed yet to increase his share in Poldi Ocel." Stehlik should have paid the 746.5-million-crown debt by January 19. That date was followed negotiations with the National Property Fund, which had its bank-run consolidation program refused by Stehlik. Radim Wolak/Petra Sevcikova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from February 9) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 20.608 Belgium 100 BEF 89.340 Great Britain 1 GBP 41.709 Denmark 1 DKK 4.746 Finland 1 FIM 5.922 France 1 FRF 5.347 Ireland 1 IEP 42.938 Italy 1000 ITL 17.249 Japan 100 JPY 25.447 Canada 1 CAD 19.904 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.340 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.403 Norway 1 NOK 4.212 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.338 Portugal 100 PTE 17.707 Austria 1 ATS 2.612 Greece 100 GRD 11.121 Slovakia 100 SKK 90.139 Germany 1 DEM 18.365 Spain 100 ESP 21.826 Sweden 1 SEK 3.870 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.464 USA 1 USD 27.195 ECU 1 XEU 33.749 SDR 1 XDR 39.776 CULTURE Czech Philharmonic Leadership Agrees to Albrecht's Resignation The management of the Czech Philmarmonic Orchestra accepts the decision of Gerd Albrecht to resign from his position as general conductor and braek off immediately all contacts with the orchestra, quotes the press February 1 from an orchestra statement signed by General Director Jiri Kovar. Livia Savelkova/Petra Sevcikova David Bowie Performs in Prague British singer David Bowie introduced himself February 3 to a Prague Sport hall filled by about 6,000 spectators. on Sat., Feb.3. It was in the Prague's sport Arena where came about 6.000 visitors. The concert, part of Bowie's European tour, favored songs from his new album Outside, though it also included older songs. Bowie also used his Prague stay to record some shots at Barrandov Studios for his new video Hello Spaceboy. Michaela Vysoudilova/Petra Sevcikova SPORT Hockey: Extraleague Regular Season Ends The last and 40th round of the regular season, played February 4, decided that Sparta, Vsetin, Ceske Budejovice and Litvinov (the top four teams) will have a bye in the first round of playoffs. The two last-place teams - Pardubice and Brno - will play for their first-league lives against the top two teams from the second league. The remaining teams will meet in the first playoff round (best-of-five format): Zlin - Trinec, Slavia - Plzen, Olomouc - Jihlava, Kladno - Vitkovice. Results of the 39th round: Pardubice - Zlin 0-5, Trinec - C. Budejovice 1-1, Brno - Sparta 2-4, Jihlava - Vitkovice 7-8, Plzen - Kladno 3-10, Litvinov - Vsetin 4-4, Slavia - Olomouc 2-5. Results of the 40th round: Sparta - Brno 8-1, Zlin - Pardubice 8-4, C. Budejovice - Trinec 5-1, Vitkovice - Jihlava 1-4, Olomouc - Slavia 4-2, Kladno - Plzen 4-2, Vsetin - Litvinov 6-4. Final Standings: 1. Sparta, 2. Vsetin, 3. C. Budejovice, 4. Litvinov, 5. Zlin, 6. Slavia, 7. Olomouc, 8. Kladno, 9. Vitkovice, 10. Jihlava, 11. Plzen, 12. Trinec, 13. Pardubice, 14. Brno. Karel Bartek/Klara Schirova SPORTS IN BRIEF * Czech Zdenek Mlynar won the bronze medal in the under-22 category in the Cyclocross World Championship in Montreuil, France. In the main race, the top Czech finisher was Radomir Simunek (11th). * Frantisek Jez became the Czech ski jumping double champion in Jested near Liberec last weekend. * The markedly weakened Czech Republic soccer representation (Drulak, Berger, Nemecek, Kuka, Nemec and Latal were missing) lost a preparation game against the German Bundesleague's Kaiserlautern 1:2. Poborsky scored the lone Czech goal. * Czech soccer representation Coach Dusan Uhrin and under-21 Coach Ivan Kopecky extended their contract with the Czech-Moravian Soccer Federation for another two years. Karel Bartek/Petra Sevcikova TV Premiera Wins NOVA CUP 96 On February 4 the second annual soccer tournament NOVA CUP 96 began. TV Nova, the most popular television station in the country, organized the contest to mark its two-year broadcasting anniversary. Eight teams met in two groups: the Nova star team (celebrities), Parliament, radio Bonton, TV Premiera and Nova (technicians), Czech TV, Radio Nova Alfa, and the national women's representation squad. The teams were strengthened by allotted international players. For example, 1976 European champion Antonin Panenka played for Parliament, as did deputy members of government parties Jiri Payne, from the Civic Democratic Movement (ODS), and Marek Benda from the Christian Democratic Party (KDS), while opposition parties were represented by Stanislav Gross of the Social Democrats (CSSD) and Jiri Ortman of the Left Bloc (LB). In the final, TV Premiera defeated the Nova technician team 3:1 in a shootout after a 0:0 regulation tie. In the third place game, Czech Television beat Bonton. Ondrej Trunecka/Petra Sevcikova WEATHER It is rather cold, considering typical local conditions (minus 10 to minus 15 degrees Celsius/14 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit). But it is still idyllic compared to the minus 50 degree Celsius/minus 58 degree Fahrenheit arctic frosts plaguing one-third of the USA. The Brno area was caught by the floods from the Svratka River, blocked for 1.5 kilometers (about 1 mile) by ice floes as thick as 3 meters (about 10 feet). The floods caused serious damage in the village of Stepanovice. The freezing weather has brought some happiness to children, though, who can skate on frozen lakes (this holds true also for the Prague branch of the Moldau (Vltava) frozen at the National Theater). Karel Bartek/Petra Sevcikova 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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