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 193, Friday, March 8, 1996. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (February 28 - March 6) Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec in Moscow Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec met with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin and Russian Foreign Minister Jevgenij Primakov in Moscow March 4 and 5. The meeting demonstrated both sides have the same opinions on most foreign issues, while differences persist over the question of NATO expansion. The ministers discussed Russia's debt to the Czech Republic, and exchanged ratification documents for a Czech-Russian agreement on friendly relations and cooperation. Petra Rubesova/Andrea Snyder Prime Minister Klaus Visits Former Yugoslavia Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus paid a visit to the United Yugoslav Republic (JSR) March 4. During negotiations with JSR Prime Minister Radoj Kontic, the decision was made that Czech tourists will still have to pay for a visa this year when entering the JSR. Klaus said the cancellation of visa requirements would be conditional to Belgrade's closing a readmission agreement on the return of undesirables with the Czech Republic. He also said both sides would welcome closing the gaps in mutual relations. Klaus continued to Croatia March 5, where he and his counterpart Zlatek Matesa agreed their countries are interested in signing a free-trade agreement. Zbynek Vicar/Andrea Snyder Czech and Polish Prime Ministers Meet in Giant Mountains Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and Polish Prime Minister Wlodzimier Cimoszevicz met March 3 in the Polish Karpacz mountain retreat. Talks mainly concerned bilateral relations and the political situation in Europe. Klaus said there are many things of mutual interest in which Poland and the Czech Republic do not compete, and that it would be worthwhile to exchange information and take a uniform approach. Klaus further emphasized that it is not possible to view Polish and Czech attempts to enter the EU as competition. The prime ministers agreed that the Czech Republic and Poland support expanding Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) to Bulgaria, Romania and Lithuania. Klaus said CEFTA cannot become an "exclusive" club - member countries often reproach the EU for closing ranks before countries of central and eastern Europe interested in membership. Matej Husek/Andrea Snyder Czech Defense Minister Signs Defense Cooperation Agreement in USA Czech Defense Minister Vilem Holan and his American counterpart William Perry signed an agreement March 1 concerning cooperation between their insitutions in military research and development. Perry said foreign ministers would meet in December to discuss NATO expansion, and it will be decided next year who will be accepted and when. Zora Kasikova/Andrea Snyder Vaclav Havel Sends Birthday Card to Mikhail Gorbachev Vaclav Havel sent a congratulatory telegram to former Soviet president Michail Gorbachev on the occasion of Gorbachev's 65th birthday March 2. Havel wrote that what Gorbachev did for his country and the world will remain in human history forever. Havel also wished him health and success in his life and work. Marketa Hudkova/Alice Ticha Czech Law Clears Soldiers of Rape Charges against American A female soldier from the American IFOR unit reported March 2 that she had been raped by two Czech soldiers. The woman had to be taken to the American field hospital in Kaposvar, Hungary. Capitan Oldrich Holecek from the Czech section of the IFOR unit said that both soldiers claim sexual intercourse took place upon "mutual agreement." Hungarian doctors found no signs of violence on the woman. American female soldiers allegedly refuse to sleep in all-woman barracks, claiming they are used to sleeping amongst men. USA unit spokeswoman Leela J. Dawson-Hamm, quoted in the Czech daily Denni Telegraf, said soldiers can be sure that all incidents of this type will be thoroughly investigated and rapists will be prosecuted within the full scope of the law. David Vozdecky/Andrea Snyder Parliament Chairman Uhde Receives Czech Representatives from Slovakia Czech Parliament Chairman Milan Uhde met representatives of the Club of Czech Citizens and the Association of Czech Compatriots from Slovakia February 29 in Prague. The subject of the meeting was the position of Czech citizens in Slovakia and the sluggish approach of the Czech Embassy in Bratislava to the resolution of formalities concerning their citizenship. Some of the 500 Slovak residents who kept Czech citizenship want to return back to the Czech Republic. Deputy Interior Minister V. Zeman promised at the meeting that his ministry will deal with these issues effectively and immediately. Some problems of Czech nationals (e.g., dual citizenship) are still unresolved. Uhde responded that "the Czech Republic will not introduce the institution of dual citizenship and Parliament does not plan on any iniciative in this respect." The chairman also referred to the recommendation of the Council of Europe which labels the establishment of dual citizenship undesirable. Klara Schirova/Alice Ticha Will Slovaks Have Special Schools in the Czech Republic? The third session of the National Association of Slovaks living in the Czech Republic-The Slovak Community took place in Karlovy Vary March 3. President Peter Liptak announced that the Stefanik High School in Prague, named for the Slovak general who served in 1918 as Czechoslovakia's first war minister, will probably not be opened in September. The proposal for establishing the school, where subjects are taught in Slovak and Czech is a main graduation subjects, was submitted by the association last year. According to Liptak, the reason for the delay is the "lax approach of officials." He is also considering the teaching of Slovak as an elective subject in certain grade schools. Klara Schirova/Alice Ticha Amendment of Czech Citizenship Law on Way to Parliament The Human Rights Section of the Czech Committee of the Helsinki Civic Assembly (HCA), as well as its Romany Section, welcome the draft amendment of the Czech Citizenship Law submitted by Deputy Jiri Payne and approved by the government February 7, though they consider it insufficient. This was the content of the HCA statement published at a Prague press conference February 29. The Czech Committee has repeatedly pointed to the negative legal and social consequences of the law, that made many former Czechoslovak citizen foreigners in their own land. According to Romany Section representative Karel Holomek, at least 10,000 people live in the Czech Republic without any legal status in either the Czech and Slovak Republics, because of red tape or shortage of money. The amendment to the law, the third one since its approval in 1993, is to ease the requirements for acquiring citizenship concerning criminal record and permanent residency, nevertheless it did not fully eliminate the discriminatory elements of the law. "We are of the opinion that all citizens living on Czech territory on the date of December 31, 1992, should posses the right to become citizens of our republic if they wish to," read the HCA statement as quoted by Vaclav Trojan, the chairman of the Human Right Section of the Czech HCA Committee. Lida Truneckova/Milan Smid Presidential Office Lineup Changes President Vaclav Havel appointed Ivan Medek presidential office chief February 29, one day before Medek's term began. Medek, who was serving as director of the Domestic Policy Department, replaces Lubos Dobrovsky, who took the post of ambassador to Russia. Medek was replaced by Jan Solc, who had served as chairman of the Academic Senate and deputy head of the Department of Philosophy at the Mechanical and Textile University in Liberec. Matej Husek/Alice Ticha Trust in President and Parliament Increases Four-fifths of the nation's citizens trust the President, up 7 per cent fromh January's 73 per cent, according to a February poll conducted by the Institute for Public Opinion Research (IVVM). Faith in the Parliament is found in 29 per cent of the nation, 2 per cent more than in January. Faith in the government, at 51 per cent, did not change. According to IVVM, the president is trusted foremost by people from 15 to 19, well qualified people and people with a good standard of living. Alida Kassymova/Petra Sevcikova NEWS IN BRIEF * Libor Kudlacek to Be ODA Leader in Central Bohemia - The March 3 annual conference of the central Bohemian organization of the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) decided on its election leaders. * F.R. Cech Second on Prague's Social Democrat Ballot - Top place in the voting of the Czech Social Democratic Party's (CSSD) Prague organization was taken by musician, artist, and painter Frantisek Ringo Cech. After the March 1-2 session he became number two on the Prague CSSD ballot, after party Vice-Chairwoman and parliamentary Deputy Petra Buzkova, who was earlier voted election leader. * The results of the primaries must be ratified by later party conferences. Petr Mrzena/Petra Sevcikova Zeman Baptizes Zemak The Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) February 29 baptized their campaign bus, in which party Chairman Milos Zeman intends to travel the country before the elections. "It not only means an abbreviation of Zeman's name, but it is also a synonym for potato - and CSSD has always been a party talking to people who consume the basics - potatoes, milk and grain, rather than those who prefer caviar and champagne," Zeman said in the March 1 edition of Czech daily MF Dnes. Zeman's theme song will be the composition of French chanconier Gilbert Becaud, "Look, the Rose is Blooming" (CSSD's logo has a rose), while next to the bus should always stand a figure of Zeman. CSSD has not been successful so far in getting any popular artist or singers for campaign shows, so they will make do with majorettes and a brass band. On top of the bus, which cost more than 1 million crowns to purchase and prepare, is a message for Zeman's rival, Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus. The sign "Have a nice flight, Vaclav. Milos", will, the Social Democrats imagine, be read by Klaus every time he flies in his campaign helicopter over the bus. Darina Coufalova/Petra Sevcikova Election Platforms on Internet Internet users will be able to acquaint themselves with the election platforms of political parties. So far, accessible information exists for the Czech-Moravian Communist Party, Association for the Republic-Republican Party of Czechoslovakia, and Free Democrats-Liberal Social National Party. Political parties are limited to five pages, which may also contain pictures. Jitka Motejzikova/Petra Sevcikova Doctors to Strike in March in Spite of Frequency Even the newest plan from the Ministry of Health (called Frequency) did not succeed in discouraging the Physicians' Union Club (LOK) from declaring strike plans for March 25-6. The strike decision was made at the Prague LOK congress February 29. During the strike, which aims to raise doctors' tariff payments by 40 per cent, services in medical institutions will be limited to weekend schedules. Another form of protest will be the strict observation of regulations, such as the annual limit of 150 overtime hours. Instead of new tariff rates long demanded by healthcare workers, the Ministry came up with the Frequency plan. According to Frequency, doctors will not numerically perform any more activities than in 1995, but will receive more money per act thanks to an increased healthcare budget. Health Minister Jan Strasky also proposed that the state would raise the basis for calculation of state health insurance from 65 per cent to 80 per cent of the minimum wage. According to representatives of the Czech Medical Chamber (CLK) the Minister's plan only maintains the bad current system and does not offer a solution. The CLK will not join any protest action because, as said CLK Chairman Bohuslav Svoboda, CLK is not a union. However, he agrees with the strike, with the presumption it will not endanger patients. The strike is supported foremost by organizations of mid-level healthcare workers. Jitka Hejtmanova, Lucie Dvorakova, Jitka Motejzikova/Klara Schirova Dana Nemcova to Lead Good Will Committee Olga Havlova will be replaced as head of the Good Will Committee by psychologist and former dissident Dana Nemcova. According to Executive Director Milena Cerna, Nemcova was elected by the committee's board of trustees February 19. The Good Will Committee-Olga Havlova Foundation has collected almost 500 million crowns since 1990 for the handicapped and poor. Nemcova has been a board member since January 1995. Arsen Kocarjan/Jitka Hejtmanova Cocaine Worth 20 Million CZK Captured in Ostrava Police seized eight kilograms of high-quality cocaine March 2 in the "Flake" anti-drug operation. The worth of drug was estimated at about 20 million crowns. During the raid police arrested a Czech and a citizen of the former Yugoslavia. The drug, known as Peruvian Flake, is pure cocain, and was sent from Peru as a consignment of decorative goods to an Ostrava address. It was the largest single capture of the drug in the last five years. Maria Tripoliti/Jitka Hejtmanova Poisonous Gas Kills Two A March 4 accident in Olomouc's Farmakon pharmaceutical factory, during which 200 liters of disulphuric acid (H2SO4) leaked into city sewerage, caused the death of two people and poisoned of two others. The gas hydrogen sulphide, released from the acid, reached three technicians working in the plant's sewerage canals at the time of the accident. One of the technicians died. Though Farmakon did not inform a nearby military hospital about the accident, a nurse who breathed in the poisoned gas in the bathroom died one day later. The cause of the accident, now being investigated by police, was probably a technical defect in the pumps. Michaela Vysoudilova/Jitka Hejtmanova Czech Students Abroad Join in Signing Petition More and more students studying abroad feel discriminated against by the current social policy of the Czech government. Czech students from Scotland's University of Edinburgh have joined the reaction of students from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA (see Carolina 191). They, too, have decided to form a petition against the new social support system. The Carolina editorial staff of the received a request to publish the e-mail address of the main petition iniciator, Irena Raichova, in case other students would like to join. This address is the following: 9447087@lewis.sms.ed.ac.uk Marketa Hudkova/Klara Schirova FROM SLOVAKIA Russian Foreign Minister in Bratislava Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jevgenij Primakov visited Slovakia February 29. He met, among others, President Michal Kovac and Premier Vladimir Meciar. Primakov and Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Juraj Schenk discussed first of all the possibility to intensify mutual economic relations, and possible NATO expansion. While Primakov repeated that Russia is and will be against NATO expansion, the Slovak side insists on integration into the EU and NATO. Petr Pabian/Alida Kassymova ECONOMY/BUSINESS Crown Exchange Rate Set Free The banking committee of the Czech National Bank (CNB) decided February 28 to let the exchange rate of Czech crown float from the current 0.5 per cent daily to 7.5 per cent. The arrangment went immediately into effect. The fact that after five years and two months the CNB unexpectedly changed its exchange rate policy and abandoned its system of keeping the crown stable should the CNB to keep inflation under control and preserve currency stability. This decision will give domestic business the opportunity to compete better against foreign companies. The arrangment will also mean companies can no longer count on paying stable crown prices for imported raw materials . CNB Governor Josef Tosovsky said the central bank has enough means for keeping crown rate within the set range. The rate will be set free only for a temporary period. "Later we will strive for a close connection between the crown and the currency which is going to be dominant in the European Community. By this I mean the ECU or German mark," Tosovsky was quoted in the Czech daily MF Dnes 29. Widening the range for movement of the exchange rate is a very important step in currency sphere. Premier Vaclav Klaus was convinced that CNB decision was timed correctly, and will not be a reason for a marked deviation of the exchange rate against the preceding state. Petr Pabian/Alida Kassymova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from March 8) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 20.884 Belgium 100 BEF 89.662 Great Britain 1 GBP 41.729 Denmark 1 DKK 4.772 Finland 1 FIM 5.938 France 1 FRF 5.384 Ireland 1 IEP 42.878 Italy 1000 ITL 17.493 Japan 100 JPY 25.933 Canada 1 CAD 19.944 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.662 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.460 Norway 1 NOK 4.235 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.408 Portugal 100 PTE 17.762 Austria 1 ATS 2.621 Greece 100 GRD 11.281 Slovakia 100 SKK 90.608 Germany 1 DEM 18.422 Spain 100 ESP 21.856 Sweden 1 SEK 4.013 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.683 USA 1 USD 27.354 ECU 1 XEU 34.186 SDR 1 XDR 40.021 CULTURE Slovak Film Earns Five Czech Lions During a festive evening at Prague's Lucerna Hall March 1, the prestigious prizes of the Czech Film and Television Academy (CFTA) - the Czech Lions - for 1995 were awarded. The Slovak-Czech-French film The Garden (Zahrada) was by far the most successful work. It took awards in five categories: for art direction, script, male supporting actor (Marian Labuda), director (Ondrej Sulik) and best film of the year. Two prizes were given to the films Golet in the valley (Golet v udoli) - for music and cinematography - and The Dance Teacher (Ucitel tance) - soundtrack and best male actor. A strange situation came at the announcement of the best actor award because the evening's master of ceremonies, Martin Dejdar, won the category. The best female actor's prize received Jirina Bohdalova. Director Karel Kachyna received a special prize for lifetime contribution to Czech cinematography. The prize for audiovisual work, awarded for the first time, was given to the authors of documentary series What We Fought For (Zac jsme bojovali). Makers of the film Wild Beer (Divoke pivo) received the Plush Lion for the worst movie of 1995. CFTA designated the French film Leon for the best foreign film running in the Czech movie theaters in 1995. The American film Waterworld (Vodni svet) was the most visited film last year. The American film Apollo 13 received the readers' prize from Cinema and Kinorevue magazines. Michal Kubal, Alice Ticha/Jitka Motejzikova Miss Bohemia Iva Kubelkova, an 18-year-old student from Prague, won the title Miss Bohemia in Teplice's House of Culture March 2. She was also voted as the most popular contestant among the audience members. Nineteen-year-old model Zdenka Zadrazilova from Jindrichuv Hradec took second place in the competition. Twenty-year-old student Veronika Krizova from Kostelec nad Cernymi Lesy won the bronze. Winners in places one through seven from the Bohemian regional contest will go on to the final competition for the title of Miss Czech Republic, which will take place in Pilsen (Plzen) April 20. A. W. Isar/Jitka Motejzikova Arnost Lustig Receives Karel Capek Literary Prize Czech writer Arnost Lustig was awarded the Karel Capek literary prize february 29 in the representative rooms of Prague's City Hall. The prize was instituted by the Czech branchof the International PEN Club and the Association of Czech PEN Friends in 1994. The prize is awarded every other year for prose, drama and essay work. A life achievement prize is also awarded, preferably to a Czech author. Lustig, author of the books A Prayer for Katerina Horovitz, The Diamonds of Night, Dita Sax, and The Unloved received this year's prestigious life-time achievement award from President Vaclav Havel. Lustig, the editor of the the Czech version of Playboy, draws for his work mainly from his experience as a child in Nazi concentration camps, where he once met Dr. Joseph Mengele. Writer Adolf Branald (The Sisters, The Grandfather Automobil, and Attention, Round!) also won the Crystalline prize of the PEN Club, which was awarded this year exceptionally. Natasa Hajkova/Jitka Motejzikova Prague Phiharmonic Performs Dvorak and Beethoven in Rudolfinum A gala concert of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra sponsored by the Association of Czech Lawyers (VSEHRD), under the patronage of Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, took place in the Rudolfinum Concert Hall March 2. Works by world-renowned classical composers appeared in the program, which was conducted by Libor Pesek. Among them were selections from Antonin Dvorak's Slavic Dances and the Fifth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven. Natasa Hajkova/Klara Schirova SPORT Slavia Soccer Team Close to Semifinal of UEFA Cup? The two goals scored by Poborsky and Vagner won the game for Slavia over AS Roma 2:0. The match took place March 5 at Prague's Strahov Stadium. The grass was well prepared but still frozen. The Czech players maneuvered on the pitch quite well despite the slippery surface, and scored their first goal in the 11th minute. From a free kick, Poborsky, one of the best players on the field, scored a goal. The second half started off better for Slavia. In the 51st minute, Lerch passed the ball from the right, the goalie deflected the ball out in front of him, and Vagner did not hesitate to take the chance to score. By the end of the match players from AS Roma attacked the Slavia team, but goaltender Stejskal did not allow them to score. Slavia Praha - AS Roma 2:0 (1:0) Goals: 11. Poborsky, 51.Vagner. Red card: Petruzzi (81.) Attendance: 14,372. Jan Palicka/Petra Sevcikova Brno Has Not Yet Touched the Ball Also in the 18th round of the Czech First League, three games which were originally scheduled did not take place. The games in Brno and Liberec were postponed because of the poor quality of the playing surface. The Opava team did not arrive in Prague due to a traffic jam on the Brno-Praha highway caused by an accident during a snowstorm. The league commission decided later that Slavia won the game 3-0 in the absence of the other team. The Boby Brno team has not yet played a game this year. Results of the 18th round: Ostrava - Sparta 4-1, Hradec Kralove - Zizkov 2-0, Drnovice - Cheb 3-0, Uherske Hradiste - Jablonec 0-4, Ceske Budejovice - Plzen 2-2, Slavia - Opava 3-0 (default), Brno- Olomouc a Liberec - Zlin postponed. David Sprincl/Arsen Kocharian WEATHER Same old, same old. The sun which shone for a couple days above Prague is now gone. March entered with cold wind and occasional rain and a snow shower. Temperatures during the day were between minus 3 and 1 degree Celsius/26 degrees to 34 degrees Fahrenheit, and night temperatures fell to minus 12 degrees Celsius/12 degrees Fahrenheit. On March 1, three chain car accidents took place on the D1 motorway. Altogether almost 140 vehicles crashed, one man died and another one was injured. Maria Tripoliti/Maria Tripoliti English versione edited by Michael Bluhm and Michael Wagner The third part of WHO IS WHO IN CAROLINA will be in Carolina No 194 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. Send them please to the address: CAROLINA@cuni.cz To subscribe to CAROLINA news you send an e-mail message to the address LISTSERV@earn.cvut.cz The text of message for subscription of the English version must be: SUBSCRIBE CAR-ENG First name Last name or for the Czech version SUBSCRIBE CAR-CS First name Last name To delete your subscription from the list of subscribers you send the following message to the address LISTSERV@earn.cvut.cz: SIGNOFF CAR-ENG or SIGNOFF CAR-CS We ask you not to send automatic replies to our list. 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