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 222, Friday, November 8, 1996. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (October 30 to November 6) DOMESTIC SCENE ODS and CSSD Battle for Senate Elections The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) will hold a majority of the future Senate's 81 seats, reported the daily MF DNES November 5, with the newest public opinion poll. Current estimates say only a minimum of candidates from other parties will pass through the first round of voting November 15-6. ODS party members have a real chance to enter the November 22-3 second round in 80 districts. Seventy-three of CSSD's 79 candidates could also move on. The survey of 12,000 people, conducted for MF DNES, Czech Broadcasting (Cesky rozhlas) and Premiera TV, showed that in the second round, the two leading Czech political rivals could go head to head in 72 voting districts. In 35 of these districts the public is sure about the front-running candidate. The Civic Democratic Alliance, the Christian Democrats and the Communists have their best shot at winning only in areas where they are running celebrities. For example, the actress Helena Ruzickova holds the most interest in Lounsko, where she is running as an independent for the Communists. The neo-Fascist Republicans will be the only parliamentary party not to run in the Senate elections. The only candidates who might be elected in the first round are Commerce Bank (Komercni banka) General Director Richard Salzmann in Brno and Zdenek Klausner in Prague 4. Both are running on the ODS ballot. ' Michal Schindler/Andrea Snyder Slovak Border Law Passes into Second Reading Parliament passed the constitutional law concerning Czech borders with Slovakia into a second reading October 30. One-hundred-and-forty-four members of Parliament, including 46 Social Democrats, two Communists and the coalition supported the law. In return for their support, the Social Democrats are demanding individual talks with residents of U Sabotu, the controversial Moravian community which would be turned over to Slovakia. They are also demanding an increase of the compensation fee from the approved 50 million crowns to 60 million crowns for their support of the law, which Interior Minister Jan Ruml rejected. The Czech government is offering each U Sabotu homeowner moving to the Czech Republic 1.5 million crowns for new housing, and they will also maintain ownership of their old properties. Each resident over 18 years of age will receive 400,000 crowns and children will get 200,000 crowns apiece. Petition Chairman Martin Lajza October 31 criticized the Social Democrats, who had originally promised the community full support. He said residents are not interested in increasing compensation, but in maintaining the borders as they are. A constitutional majority, or 120 of 200 votes, will be necessary to pass the third reading. Czech and Slovak interior ministers signed an agreement January 4 to set the border, which will be valid 30 days after the parliaments of both countries pass the constitutional law. Although the Slovak Parliament already approved the law in the spring, their Czech counterparts were not able to do so. The coalition only had 112 votes and was defeated by the opposition. Pavel Novak/Andrea Snyder Republican Leader Demolishes Bench in Parliament When Parliament Vice-Chairman Jiri Vlach called the Republican's interpellation (when Parliament deputies request government representatives to answer questions) a carnival, Association for the Republic-Czechoslovak Republican Party Chairman Miroslav Sladek reacted by demolishing his desk. Sladek first swept his papers from the desk, then ripped the top of the desk off and began beating the body of the table with it. Other deputies called a doctor and an ambulance in reaction to his behavior. Vlach had criticized the far-right Republicans, saying their questions again were too broad. After earlier criticism they had specified about 90 of their 500 requests, saying that the particular issue is one of culture, honor, labor, usefulness, etc. Some deputies expressed concern after one Republican was seen in possession of a gun. Parliament Chairman Milos Zeman said it will be necessary to discuss the topic of gun control. He said deputies should turn weapons in at the reception, because the safe there is big enough for "even 200 guns." David Vlk/Andrea Snyder Poldi Parliamentary Committee Chosen Jan Cerny, Civic Democratic Party Parliamentary Club vice-chairman, was voted in as the head of the Poldi Kladno Steelworks investigation committee. His goal will be to determine the conditions of the company's privatization and financial functioning. In a round of secret voting, 91 of 175 deputies voted in his favor, while Communist counterpart Vaclav Exner received 60 votes. Lucie Podesvova/Andrea Snyder Compensation of Gulf War Veterans to be Decided in March Minister of Defense Miloslav Vyborny (Christian Democrats) has admitted that five years ago the army did not act properly towards veterans of the Persian Gulf War and underestimated its impact on their health. The ministry is to finish its investigation into the matter by March. The then-Czechoslovak anti-chemical unit measured threshold levels of chemical poisons yperite and sarin (see Carolina 220) in the sector they were working in. Today this fact is taken to be the main cause of the disorder called Gulf War Syndrome. American soldiers were also serving in the same area of northern Saudi Arabia in 1991. Last month the Pentagon announced that approximately 20,000 of the soldiers have had post-war health problems. If the Ministry of Defense establishes that the health problems of Czech soldiers as well are related to their work in the Gulf, the veterans will have the right to financial compensation in the amount of 60,000 crowns to 125,000 crowns. This amount can then be doubled by the court. The total amount which the ministry would have to pay out could then reach tens of millions of crowns. Parliamentary deputies are also interested in the problem of veterans. The head of the parliamentary defense and security committee, Peter Necas (Civic Democratic Party) has asked the minister of defense to explain whether his ministry's officials were not guilty of high-handedness when five years ago they prohibited veterans from donating blood, without giving the reason. Petra Kuskova/Andy Faust Military Aircraft Down A Suchoj 22 M4 bomber crashed November 1 in Tasovice na Blanensku. The pilot died instantly. On February 1 an Aero L-39 crashed near Pardubice, and the army lost a MIG-21 near Usti nad Orlici September 2. One witness was quoted as saying, "the airplane exploded while still in mid-air. Not too high above the ground it turned into a fireball about 10 meters (32 feet) in diameter. The pilot had no chance of survival." In its descent, the plane damaged the tops of trees and one of 17 cottages in the area. Circumstances surrounding the crash are being investigated. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Jiri Nekvasil has forbidden additional use of other Suchoj military aircraft. This tragedy brings the state of the Czech army's air force into the limelight once more. Funding is not sufficient for proper training, fuel and spare parts. General Ladislav Klima denies connections between lack of funds and the increase in accidents, saying "only first-class aircraft and experienced pilots are a allowed to take off." Pavel Novak/Andrea Snyder 1,000 Days Of The First Private TV Station Nova On October 30, TV NOVA, the first private TV station in the Czech Republic, celebrated 1,000 days from its first broadcast. Popular newscasters, commentators and other stars of the screen and faithful Nova viewers celebrated the anniversary throughout the country, with the necessary assistance of Nova cameras. A decorated airship flew above Prague, Nova's new logo in the corner of the screen was inaugurated and viewers were treated to a slate of special programming, mainly from Nova's own studios (and highly populist programming, one might add). Many people hold many things against Nova, but in fact it attracts almost 70 per cent of all Czech TV viewers and the commercial station takes the lion's share of the advertising market in the Czech Republic. Nova's programming is similar to typical American stations, with tabloid reporting and attractive films and series (Dallas, M.A.S.H., Chicago Hope). According to General Director Vladimir Zelezny, one of the mistakes in the short-but-successful history of the new TV station was an attempt to create its own sitcom series about an ordinary Czech family called Novaks, which failed because of its poor quality. Besides Nova and the two public channels of the Czech Television there is one other private TV station, Premiera, which is struggling with a number of problems, above all a lack of viewer interest. Jaroslav Schovanec/Jan Majer Strasky Supports Macek's Health Care Reforms On November 3 immediately upon returning from a three-week vacation, Minister of Health Jan Strasky met with Secretary Miroslav Macek, who had proposed a new financial structure for the health care system (see Carolina 221). The minister, whose reaction had been eagerly anticipated, supported Macek in the face of several critics. Macek himself refuted the suggestion that the entire proposed structure was only his own creation, which Strasky confirmed by saying dozens of people at the ministry had been working on it. November 6 press reports, however, carried a statement by Strasky saying Macek had violated ministry confidentiality in making the proposal public before its discussion at the ministry and while Strasky was out of the country. Libuse Kolouchova, Bohdana Rambouskova/Petra Sevcikova, Andy Faust Czech Physicians' Chamber Calls Macek's Proposal Unworkable At its weekend congress in Olomouc November 2-3, the Czech Physicians' Chamber (CLK) also concerned itself with Macek's proposal (see above). The delegates welcomed the proposal's detail, although they described it in its present form as unrealizable. They nevertheless considered the document to be "a very good starting point for changes in the area," according to CLK Chairman Bohuslav Svoboda. According to the CLK, Macek's scheme does not completely solve the basic problem in the funding of the health care system, but the chamber agrees it is necessary for the state first to clear the existing debts of the insurance companies to health-care providers and only then launch the new system of financing. Libuse Kolouchova/Petra Sevcikova, Andy Faust Czech and German Parliament Deputies Play Soccer Intending to advance the prolonged discussion of the Czech-German declaration, some members of the Czech and German parliaments met on a soccer field November 3. The home Prague Elite squared off with the German Green Tulip, formed by members of the Green Party. The Czech Republic was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Alexandr Vondra as team captain, Minister of Education Ivan Pilip (Civic Democratic Party - ODS), or Parliament Deputies Michal Lobkowicz (ODS), Jaroslav Orel (Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party) and Karel Machovec (Social Democrat). The gala kick-off was made by Antje Vollmer, vice-chairman of the German Parliament, and Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec. The ball struck the ground on the Czech side of the pitch, and unfortunately, stayed there for most of the match. The final score concurred with this fact: 3:0 for the Tulips. Tulip Captain Joschka Fischer said both sides could congratulate themselves, because they had put Czech-German relations into motion. Lucie Vackova/Denisa Vitkova FOREIGN AFFAIRS Italian Prime Minister Visits Czech Republic On November 5, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi came for a one-day visit to Prague. At a meeting with Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, Prodi emphasized that in deciding conditions for the planned eastward expansion of NATO, member countries must have regard for the opinion of Russia; however, Moscow will definitely not have veto power concerning the admission of new countries. In answering whether Italy agrees with expansion in 1999, Prodi said it was not necessary to stress the final date. Italy supports the Czech Republic's efforts to enter the EU and NATO, and requests the acceptance also of Hungary and Slovenia into both organizations. During his stay in Prague, Prodi also met with President Vaclav Havel, Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec and Parliament Chairman Milos Zeman. Denisa Vitkova/Denisa Vitkova FROM SLOVAKIA Prime Ministers Meet in Piestany Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar, Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn and Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky met in the Slovak spa town of Piestany November 4, following up on last year's meeting in Rust, Austria. The main point of the Piestany discussion was the entrance of central and eastern European countries into the EU. Vranitzky pointed out that prospective Slovak and Hungarian entry, along with the expected first wave of Poland and the Czech Republic, would be beneficial for Austria. The only controversial topic was the Slovak atomic power station Mochovce, in regard to which Vranitzky said it is possible to produce energy in other ways, and he reiterated Austria's continuing disagreement with its construction. Jan Potucek/Zuzana Kawaciukova ECONOMY Big Bank Privatization Discussions Heat Up Excited discussion about privatization of four the largest banking houses have started on Czech politic stage in the end of October. Opinion at the way of revitalisation of the Czech banking sector are different between the coalition and opposition, but also between the government parties and even inside the politic parties. The biggest problem erupted between the Czech National Bank (CNB) and the government when the CNB proposed merging the Czechoslovak Trade Bank (Ceskslovenska obchodni banka) and the Czech Savings Bank (Ceska sporitelna). This would mean the establishment of the largest banking house in central Europe and competition for the Commerce Bank (Komercni banka). Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus criticized the idea in the November 2 edition of daily MF DNES: "It's an utterly nonsensical idea. It's the same as if somebody wanted to merge Sparta and Slavie and thought they would play better." The most hopeful prospects appear for the Investment and Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka - IPB). Japan's Nomura International, the most active world investor, has expressed interest in buying the state's share of the bank. Nomura declined to comment on the October 31 meeting between Nomura and IPB. It is clear that the resolution of IPB's future is not a question of days or weeks but months, at least. Besides Nomura, which also acts as adviser to the Slovak National Bank, interest in IPB's privatization has been expressed by the Dutch ING Bank. Supporters of quick bank privatization hope to see an increase in Czech banking efficiency, which stands at about one-fifth of that of more developed countries. Chairman Milos Zeman of the Social Democrats, the largest opposition party, said the country should wait with privatization until the capital market becomes more transparent, so the sale of bank shares would be as advantageous as possible. Matej Cerny/Zuzana Kawaciukova MARKETS AND COMPANIES * The Prague Stock Exchange suffered another decline last week, this time a particularly bad one. The PX 50 index stopped at 501.6 points November 6, 16 points less than a week ago. Thus it reached the psychologycal barrier of 500 points. Approximately one-fourth of all stocks reached a 1996 low and another quarter is dangerously coming close to new lows. The KOBOS (Stock Exchange Continual Trading) system accepted Skoda Plzen to its ranks this week. * One of the biggest Czech companies, SPT Telecom, which carries the most weight in calculating the PX 50 point value, has announced 1996 gross profits of 6 billion crowns. * Olomouc Milo ranks among titles resisting the stock exchange's downward trend. This company suffers from continuously excessive accesive demand, and, considering the fact that demand approaches the company's share capital, it is clear the price is being artificially manipulated upwards. The majority owner and uncrowned king of central Moravian investors, Emgrup company (see Carolina 221), can be almost surely identified as the force behind the machinations. * New Ostrava Steelmill, which started construction last year of its famous and long-expected mini-steelmill, is raising the necessary amount of 8 billion crowns at home and abroad. Besides loan negotiations with an unknown international financial house, the company has decided to issue seven-year bonds bearing 12.7 per cent interest. * Northern Moravia's Trinec Ironworks are having a problem with an unexpected loss. A new audit pointed out a 750-million-crown profit overvaluation in last year's final accounting. The 741-million-crown loss will have to be covered by future profits, thus acutely lowering the company's attractiveness. Also, charges of dumping, a limited domestic market and unresolved property issues are among their other problems. Due to this situation, a demand to integrate the steel industry is growing, for example in the case of Vysoke pece Ostrava, which all the northern Moravian steel companies are looking to co-opt. * The bad news does not end there for northern Moravian factories - Tatra Koprivnice will probably come up short in Libya. To explain, there are 500 Tatra trucks in this northern African country as the remnants of a deal gone bad. The current, strong attempt to get Tatra's vehicles back could be complicated by the prepared law on relations with Libya, through which the Czech Republic will join in UN sanctions against Ghaddafi's empire. * The Czech environment's enfant terrible, Spolchemie from Usti nad Labem, is thinking of participating in the privatization of the Bulgarian firm Orgachim. Spolchemie has made an offer for a majority share of the company, and tender results should be announced in November. Bulgarian environmentalists have not yet commented. Martin Cermak/Katerina Zachovalova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from November 6) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 21.169 Belgium 100 BEF 86.204 Great Britain 1 GBP 44.395 Denmark 1 DKK 4.623 Finland 1 FIM 5.915 France 1 FRF 5.248 Ireland 1 IEP 44.387 Italy 1000 ITL 17.682 Japan 100 JPY 23.577 Canada 1 CAD 20.089 Luxemburg 100 LUF 86.204 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.843 Norway 1 NOK 4.231 New Zealand 1 NZD 19.104 Portugal 100 PTE 17.529 Austria 1 ATS 2.524 Greece 100 GRD 11.279 Slovakia 100 SKK 86.387 Germany 1 DEM 17.762 Spain 100 ESP 21.095 Sweden 1 SEK 4.058 Switzerland 1 CHF 21.149 USA 1 USD 26.853 ECU 1 XEU 34.083 SDR 1 XDR 38.877 CULTURE Sweet Theresienstadt Does Not Try to Reproduce Camp The first November evening was the first night of the Czech-American production Sweet Theresienstadt in Prague's Archa theater. This is the result of the three-year long cooperation of Archa - known for its avantgarde projects - and the theater En Garde Arts of New York. The script, written by Arnost Goldflam (playwright and director of Brno's Ha Theater) was arranged for the stage by Damien Gray, art director of New York's Workhouse theater. The main impulse for realization of this play was the discovery of the controversial diary of Willy Mahler, a journalist in the Czechoslovak First Republic and a prisoner in the Theresienstadt (Terezin) detention camp. Mahler's perception of ghetto issues relies foremost on his romantic adventures, which changed according to how often the transports were leaving the camp. After all, as the author says, nothing can approach the Holocaust better than documentation, and thus any artistic rendering of Theresienstadt facts would be weaker than reality. "That's why I preferred to write a play about the illusions of individuals who, in the deepest despair, try to find faith in life itself," Goldflam said. Besides the diary, the plot also includes about the creation of the German propaganda film about Theresienstadt, which was directed by Kurt Gerron, one of Mahler's fellow prisoners. The actors include many leading Czech theater personalities. Lenka Javurkova/Magda Vanova The House Of Usher Falls in Prague Philip Glass' opera The Fall Of The House of Usher, based on Edgar Allen Poe's story, made its Czech premiere November 3 as part of the exhibit Dawn of the Medicine Men, in which Prague's Veletrzni Palace presents art about the end of the second millennium. Musicians of the Agon ensemble, interested in interpretation of contemporary serious music, performed a chamber adaptation of the opus in one of the huge halls of the functionalist palace. Glass is considered one of the greatest living composers and his name is nearly synonymous with minimalism, a musical style working with schematic or even monotonous motives. The composer admits he found inspiration in Indian music and other non-European music, making his music more exotic. The Czech public first met Glass, 59, when he visited Prague this spring to introduce a sampling of his work (in cooperation with poetry recited by Allen Ginsberg) tastefully arranged for solo piano. Martin Cermak/Jan Majer European Snowboard Event in Prague with Prodigy's Accompaniment A concert by the British group Prodigy was the big attraction at Ballantine's Urban High festival at Prague's Fairgrounds (Vystaviste) November 2. The funk-metal Crazy Gods Of Endless Noise and Czech groups Plexis and Slut also appeared on stage. Actually, the main feature of the first November Saturday at the Fairgrounds was a competition and exhibition of snowboard champions among the world's top 16, for which a 71-foot/22-meter-high and 227-foot/70-meter-long U-ramp was built (the ramp was the largest ever created for this purpose). For a large audience, which got in for free, other attractions included a snowboard fashion show and a competition on a smaller skateboard ramp. Lenka Javurkova/Jan Majer Jara Cimrman's Time Finally Comes The renaming of the TGM Theatre in Prague's Zizkov neighborhood to the Zizkov Theater of Jara Cimrman was announced by Zdenek Sverak and Ladislav Smoljak (the creators of the Cimrman myth) and Theater Director Jana Pazdernikova October 31. Cimrman, one of the most famous Czech myths, is a person who (through the mediation of his creators and the actors of Zizkov Theater) has entertained the Czech public for several generations. The fact that the theater has been hopelessly sold out for any of the 12 plays about Jara Cimrman for the last five years paints an accurate picture of the Czechs' love for Cimrman. Lucie Podesvova/Magda Vanova SPORT Czech Handballers Defeat Israelis in 1997 World Championship Match The Czech handball team is close to ensuring its participation in the World Championship after a clearly defeating Israel in Prague November 3, 27-19. The Czechs are at the top of their qualification group and for advancement into the world championship in Japan 1997 they need only two points from two remaining games with Belarus. The Czech handball team was also victorious in the first match in Tel Aviv, 25-23. Honza Mazak/Milan Smid Sparta - Fiorentina 1-1: All Czech Teams Out of European Soccer Cups The Czech Soccer Cup winner Sparta tied its the return match with the Italian team AC Fiorentina 1-1, in Prague October 30, and was thus eliminated from the European Cup's Winner Cup competition. Sparta, the last Czech representative in the European Soccer Cups, lost the first match in Fiorentina 2-1 two weeks ago. Roman Jedlicka/Milan Smid Czech Soccer League Results of the 12th round (November 1-4): Drnovice - Opava 2:1, Ostrava - Slavia 1:0, Liberec - Ceske Budejovice 0:2, Brno - Viktoria Zizkov 1:1, Olomouc - Karvina 3:0, Sparta - Teplice 4:2. The match Bohemians - Jablonec was stopped in the 61th minute after an explosive was thrown on the field and Jablonec goalie Janos was injured. Plzen - Hradec Kralove is to be played November 8. Standings after the 12th round (not complete): 1. Liberec 22, 2. Drnovice 21, 3. Brno 20, 4. Slavia 19, 5. Olomouc 18, 6. Ostrava 18, 7. Opava 18, 8. Jablonec (-1) 17, 9. Sparta 17, 10. Budejovice 17, 11. Teplice 15, 12. Karvina 12, 13. Plzen (-1) 10, 14. Zizkov 9, 15. Hradec Kralove (-1) 8, 16. Bohemians (-1) 8. Czech Hockey Extraleague Results of the 17th round: Plzen-Vsetin 3-1, Olomouc - Litvinov 2-3, Zlin - Slavia 4-2, Pardubice - Vitkovice 2-1, Opava - Kladno 4-4, Sparta - Jihlava 10-2, Trinec - C.Budejovice 2-1 Results of the 18th round: Litvinov - Trinec 4-1, Vsetin - Sparta 5-1, Pardubice - Olomouc 4-1, Slavia - Vitkovice 0-4, Jihlava - Zlin 3-1, Kladno - Plzen 4-2, C.Budejovice - Opava 3-2. Standings after the 18th round: 1. Vsetin 25, 2. Pardubice 23, 3. Vitkovice 22, 4. Trinec 21, 5. Kladno 19, 6. Budejovice 18, 7. Zlin 17, 8. Litvinov 17, 9. Sparta 16, 10. Opava 15, 11. Slavia 15, 12. Plzen 14, 13. Olomouc 11, 14. Jihlava 11. WEATHER While the weather at the end of last week, with its cold drizzle and temperatures around 8 degrees Celsius/46 degrees Fahrenheit, quite corresponded to the calendar and All Souls Day atmosphere, after the weekend it looked like spring had returned. In many Czech locales, the mercury reached 20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit and the blue sky and the warming sun suggested we would not have to think about scarves and gloves yet. Denisa Vitkova/Denisa Vitkova 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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