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 STUDENTS' 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 205, Friday, May 31, 1996. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (May 22-29) PRE-ELECTION SERVICE (Czech Parliamentary elections will take place May 31-June 1) *** Czechs Cannot Vote Abroad Czech citizens living abroad, or those who will be out of the country May 31 and June 1, will not be able to vote in the elections. According to current legislation, votes cannot be cast at Czech embassies, by mail, or in any other way. Only the new Parliament will be able to change this by ammending the electoral law. Students on study visits, people traveling on business trips, employees of foreign companies or of Czech companies with branch offices abroad, Czechs on vacation and athletes, including the soccer team currently in Switzerland and the hockey players in the Stanley Cup playoffs, are all affected by this problem. Czech diplomats also find themselves in a strange situation. Czech Foreign Ministery Spokesman Karel Boruvka told Czech daily Lidove noviny it is up to each diplomat, whether he will come to the Czech Republic to vote. Milan Vondracek, the Czech Trade Counsellor in Paris, was quoted in the same story as expressing the general opinion of those affected: "We are sorry that roughly 1,000 citizens sent abroad by the state will not be able to vote there." A survey conducted by Czech daily MF DNES interviewed 20 Czech personalities, who, with the exception of traveller Miroslav Zikmund, all replied that yes, Czech citizens should be allowed to vote abroad. "Sometimes they are more interested in the events of our country than many who live here," said actress Jitka Molavcova. Author Ludvik Vaculik answered with one sentence: "Voting rights belong to citizenship." Katerina Zachovalova/Andrea Snyder Voter Preference and Election Results May Differ The Center for Empirical Research (STEM) published its last pre-election poll May 24, showing 27.8 per cent of the Czech population would vote for the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and 21.8 per cent would vote for the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD). The poll, taken May 13-20, was conducted with 5,800 people, the largest number yet polled for these questions. In comparison to STEM results from a May 3-12 poll, ODS preference has increased by 4 per cent, and CSSD by nearly 3 per cent. Four years ago, voter preference was different from the election results. A poll conducted three weeks prior to the 1992 elections showed ODS having a 16 per cent voter preference, whereas nearly 30 per cent of the Czech populatation voted for them. Polls and Elections 1996 preference preference 1992 preference Election Party May 13-20 May 3-12 Party May 11-17 Results ODS 27.8% 24 % ODS-KDS 16% 29.7% CSSD 21.8% 19.3% CSSD 6% 6.5% KSCM 11 % 10.3% LB(KSCM) 10% 14.1% KDU-CSL 10.1% 8.7% KDU-CSL 6% 6.3% SPR-RSC 8.9% 7.1% SPR-RSC 3% 6 % ODA 7.1% 9.1% ODA 10% 5.9% The May 25 issue of daily Lidove noviny published reactions to the last pre-election polls and the expectations of the important political parties. Carolina used the newspaer's tables to prepare the summary of parties, which have more than the 5 per cent of voter preference neccessary for entering Parliament. ODS Chairman Vaclav Klaus was happy with his party's representation, saying "I hope that is not the final number. The number of our ballot is three, and I hope that our election results will also start with a three." Even CSSD Chairman Milos Zeman was optimistic, counting the pre-election increase in preference an expression of the constant growth of support. Josef Lux, Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party chairman, hopes "we will yet get ahead of the communists." Lucie Chytrackova/Andrea Snyder Klaus and Zeman Challenge People to Support Their Parties The heads of the two strongest political parties, Vaclav Klaus of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and and Milos Zeman of the opposition Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), challenged supporters of smaller parties to give the larger parties their votes. This action, taken at the expense of parties shown by polls as having no chance to get into Parliament, was taken three days before elections. Klaus specifically appealed to the feeling of responsibility of those who support smaller parties, saying ODS is the nation's guarantor of further progress. Zeman went as far as to say that the support of voters favoring low-preference parties could contribute to a social democrat victory in the elections. Lucie Chytrackova/Andrea Snyder Havel: No Extremists In his last radio show before elections, President Vaclav Havel invited Czechs to vote for parties which want to continue the transformation process already in progress. Although he didn't mention names, Havel warned against extremists. Havel supports parties parties which are "rational, deliberate, have a sense of equilibrium and do not submit to simple ideological schemes or various types of fundamentalism," he said. Lucie Chytrackova/Andrea Snyder SD-LSNS Hits Elections as Party The Free Democrats-Liberal Social National Party only needs 5 per cent voter support to enter Parliament. The Constitutional Court in Brno decided May 28 that the SD-LSNS ballot, which includes representatives of the Party of Entrepreneurs, Small Businessmen and Farmers, will not be considered a coalition ballot. Bypassing the Central Election Committee's April and May decisions, the Constitutional Court considers SD-LSNS to be one political party. Jiri Dienstbier, one of the SD-LSNS co-chairmen, said "the 7 per cent barrier necessary for a coalition has been broken through. People no longer have to fear it." Maria Tripoliti/Andrea Snyder Political Parties Wind Down Election Campaigns The official election campaign finished May 29 at two o'clock pm. According to law, it is illegal to promote any of the running parties during the 48 hours preceeding elections. Individual parties met last weekend, May 25-6, though more socially than politically. Organizers tempted potential voters with election goulash, a water show at Prague's Krizik Fountain and free tickets to the zoo, where politicians were baptizing young animals. Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party Chairman Josef Lux named a young camel "Pepik". Interior Minister Jan Ruml became a camel patron at the Plzen Zoo. But the first government functionaries to christen an animal were Education Minister Ivan Pilip of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman, who christened a royal crane. ODS had a surprise ready for the end of their campaign. They gave all households a small yellow and blue card with the ODS logo, a number 3, and slogans of "Go Further" and "A Decisive Step towards a Clear Goal." The Social Democrats distributed 50,000 red and pink roses among the women of Prague. The first unofficial election results are expected the evening of June 1. Lucie Chytrackova/Andrea Snyder Media and Political Parties The Council of the Czech Republic for Radio and Television Broadcasting, as the chief regulatory body in the field of broadcasting, has commissioned the A-Connect agency to monitor the presence of political parties in the news and current affairs programming on the four TV channels (CT1, CT2, NOVA, Premiera) and the nationwide public radio Radiojournal. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has occupied 32.6 per cent of the total broadcasting time, followed by Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) with 12.3 per cent, the Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party (CSSD) and Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), both having 10.4 per cent of given broadcasting time. The results for other parties: Free Democrats-Liberal Social National Party (SD-LSNS) 6.1 per cent, Left Blok (LB) 4 per cent, Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) 2.7 per cent, Czech-Moravian Union of the Center (CMUS) 2.3 per cent and the Association for the Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party (SPR-RSC) 2.2 per cent. The results were compared with voter preferences in April opinion polls, and in this respect the most favoured parties by radio and television, in terms of the percentage of air time versus voter preference, were SD-LSNS (254 per cent more time than preference), Left Blok (148 per cent), ODA (144 per cent), Retirees for the Life Security (140 per cent) and KDU-CSL (136 per cent). The ratio which roughly correspond to the voters preferences is in the case of the ODS (122 per cent) and the Democratic Union DEU (94 per cent). The most underrated parties as to media presence in comparison with voter preferences were the far-right Republicans' SPR-RSC (33 per cent), the communists' KSCM (34 per cent) and Social Democrats (50 per cent). Livia Savelkova/Milan Smid Reaction to Sudeten German Congress Czech politicians criticized the speeches of Bavarian Prime Minister Edmund Stoiber and federal Minister of Finance Theo Waigel at the 47th Sudeten German Congress in Nuremberg May 25-6. Stoiber made four demands to be included in the Czech-German declaration now being prepared: direct dialogue between the Czech government and Sudeten Germans, recognition of the postwar transfer as an unjustice, immediate recognition of rights for homeland for all Sudeten Germans and renunciation of the Benes decrees. Stoiber considers the fulfillment of these requests a pre-condition for smooth negotiations about Czech admission to the EU. Waigel demanded that rights be extended not only to the generation that experienced the expulsion. Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus told Czech daily MF DNES May 27: "I was disturbed by the words of Mr. Waigel. I would expect such expressions from Franz Neubauer (head of the Sudeten landsmannschaft), not from an official representative of the federal government. We do not need Mr. Waigel to preach us the legal code. Germans are those who should whisper about the World War II. The speech of Minister Waigel touched me even more because they came yesterday, a week before our elections." Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Josef Zieleniec, who considers the federal government the only partner in negotiations with Germany, also rejected Stoiber's requests. Chairman of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Jiri Payne called the requests unrealistic. Czech Social Democrats Chairman Milos Zeman said "the Sudeten German problem was definitively solved by their transfer" (MF DNES May 28). Former foreign minister Jiri Dientsbier also criticized the demands of Sudeten Germans and their connection with support of Czech admission to the EU. Chairman emeritus of the Left Blok Zdenek Mlynar asked the Czech government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mark the words of the representatives of the German state still before the elections as an unfriendly act towards the Czech Republic. Livia Savelkova/Klara Schirova President of Slovenia Milan Kucan in Prague Slovene President Milan Kucan, who arrived for his first official visit of the Czech Republic in Prague May 23, believes the sale of the Videm Krsko paper factory will not influence relations with the Czech Republic. He said this after his meeting with Czech President Vaclav Havel and added that the Slovene government will do everything posiible to rectify the problem. ICEC Holding Ostrava won the Slovinian paper factory in public auction. The trasfer of property has not yet taken place and the Slovene Parliament is supposed to work out the privatization of the company (a proposal has been made to cancel the contract with ICEC). The preseidents inaugurated May 24 at Prague Castle the exhibit Josip Plecnik, Architect for the New Democracy. The Slovene, considered one of Europe's greatest 20th-century architects, significantly influenced the shape of Prague Castle during the period of T.G. Masaryk's presidency, between the world wars. Isar A.W./Klara Schirova Stehlik Brings Poldi's Men to Prague General director of Poldi Kladno steelworks Vladimir Stehlik accused state officials of liquidating Poldi and all Czech industry, and accused the media of being only the servants of the government garniture. Stehlik made his declarations during the May 28 demonstration of his employees, where between 2,000 and 3,000 people (one-third to one-half of Poldi's employees) showed up to support Stehlik in his struggle against the Fund of National Property. Stehlik's hourlong tirade resounded from the balcony of the offices of the daily Prace on Prague's Wenceslas Square (the former union newspaper is owned by Stehlik). Stehlik announced he would vote for the Social Democrats in the upcoming elections. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus said before the demonstration that the meeting did not disturb him at all, and if Stehlik would have similar demonstrations daily throughout the country, it would be a wonderful thing to show how well the government was working. Isar A.W./Klara Schirova Court Considers Murder of Tibor Berki Racial The Olomouc High Court May 23 increased the punishment of Zdenek Podrazsky, murderer of Romany (gypsy) citizen Tibor Berki (see Carolina 184), from 12 to 13 years. The reason was stated in the verdict, written by the chairman of the court: "The motive of the attack was only Berki's different color of skin." Another participant in the act, Martin Komarek, will stay in prison two months longer (altogether 20 months). His words "let's get the gypsies" provoked the whole 1995 act, during which Berki beaten to death by a baseball bat in his house in Zdar nad Sazavou. Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova Caterpillar Invasion With help from a crop-dusting airplane and powdered insecticide ordered from an English company, the road maintenance service in Prostejov tried to get rid of overpopulous butterfly caterpillars. They were devouring pear-tree leaves along a 4-kilometer/2.4-mile stretch of road near Urcice in the Prostejov region. Livia Savelkova/Katerina Zachovalova ECONOMY/BUSINESS Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from May 30) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 22.228 Belgium 100 BEF 88.610 Great Britain 1 GBP 42.840 Denmark 1 DKK 4.716 Finland 1 FIM 5.892 France 1 FRF 5.376 Ireland 1 IEP 44.009 Italy 1000 ITL 18.005 Japan 100 JPY 25.978 Canada 1 CAD 20.305 Luxemburg 100 LUF 88.610 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.275 Norway 1 NOK 4.261 New Zealand 1 NZD 19.117 Portugal 100 PTE 17.670 Austria 1 ATS 2.589 Greece 100 GRD 11.509 Slovakia 100 SKK 89.792 Germany 1 DEM 18.203 Spain 100 ESP 21.641 Sweden 1 SEK 4.113 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.179 USA 1 USD 27.874 ECU 1 XEU 34.384 SDR 1 XDR 39.993 FROM SLOVAKIA Kovac Files Charges Against Meciar President Michal Kovac filed charges against Premier Vladimir Meciar May 29 for defaming the head of state. Kovac was reacting to Meciar's May 24 comments on Slovak Broadcasting, in which the premier said Kovac would be charged in the Technopol case if he did not have immunity (Kovac's son has been charged in connection with the case). Meciar and Kovac have warred for three years, but Kovac's latest step was labeled the most contentious yet by Czech daily MF DNES' Bratislava correspondent Karol Wolf. Lida Truneckova/Michael Bluhm CULTURE Theatres Between Fences The yearlong heavenly peace amidst the Bohnice psychiatric hospital buildings was interrupted during the last weekend in May (May 25-6). The NEDOMYSLENO Association for Barrier-Free Culture, in cooperation with the Bohnice hospital, other institutions and sponsors, organized the fifth-annual theater festival Between the Fences. The chamber atmosphere of the first years has changed into an almost-mass festival entertainment. The organizers' goal in establishing this kind of event in Bohnice was mainly to bring, at least for two days, fun to the patients and break the taboo hanging over the psychiatric hospital and open it to the surrounding world. Aside from theater performances from small and alternative troupes from the whole of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, visitors could also see various outdoor workshops (carving, painting, paper handcrafts) and listen to a variety of musical groups. Katerina Zachovalova/Katerina Zachovalova New Antidrug Video Slovak actor Juraj Kukura is filming a new antidrug video in Prague. Kukura is not only its director, but in it plays a father trying to free his daughter from drug dependency. The clip is being filmed in the Prague Blue Light jazz club to the music of Leonard Cohen, and it will have its premiere on Czech Television channels. Former Chairman of the multi-ministry antidrug comission Igor Nemec visited the filming. He called the video to be one of the tiny number of positive activities directed against drug abuse. Maria Tripoiti/Katerina Zachovalova SPORT Track and Field: World Record in Javelin Throw Jan Zelezny set his fourth world record in the javelin throw in Jena May 25. His third throw went a distance of 98.48 meters, meaning he improved his last record, set in 1993 in Sheffield, by almost three meters. The press thusly quoted the favorite for Atlanta Olympics: "You can set the record on any day when the circumstance are favorable, however, the Olympic gold medal or World Championship title is possible to get only on one particular day, at a given time." Lidia Savelkova/Milan Smid World Cup 1996 Nomination The names of the 22 soccer players to be members of the Czech team for the 1996 World Cup in Britain were published May 25. The selection, made by Coach Dusan Uhrin, is: - goalies: Kouba (Sparta), Srnicek (Newcastle), Maier (Liberec), - fullbacks: Kadlec (Kaiserslautern), Suchoparek (Slavia/Strasburg), Hornak (Sparta), Kubik (Drnovice), Rada a Kotulek (both of Olomouc), - center forwards: Nemecek (Servette Zeneva), Latal, Nemec (both of Schalke), Poborsky, Bejbl, Novotny (all of Slavia), Berger (Dortmund), Frydek, Nedved (both of Sparta), - forwards: Kuka (Kaiserslautern), Drulak (Drnovice), Smicer (Slavia/Lens), Kerbr (Olomouc). The Czech soccer team was defeated by the Austrians 1-0 in a warm-up match in Salzburg May 29. The goal was scored four minutes before the game's end. The Czech soccer players will play another preparatory game with Switzerland in Basel on June 1, and then will eventually move on to the UK. Jiri Trunecka/Milan Smid WEATHER If the old saying held true (a cold may - paradise in the fields), we would be looking forward to record crops this year. Mornings find the thermometer at 5 degrees Celsius/41 degrees Fahrenheit, fog is reported and there are snowfalls in the mountains. Lida Truneckova/Michael Bluhm English version edited by Michael Bluhm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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@listserv.cesnet.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@listserv.cesnet.cz: SIGNOFF CAR-ENG or SIGNOFF CAR-CS We ask you not to send automatic replies to our list. 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