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 236, Friday, February 28, 1997. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (February 19-26) Social Democrats Quibble over Country's NATO Entry The Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) is not united on the issue of a NATO referendum as to whether the Czech Republic will join the international organization. Both liberal and conservative Social Democrats are against the referendum, which would require a majority of public voter support before joining. Although CSSD Chairman Milos Zeman supports the referendum, he says the country has no alternative to joining NATO. "I always tell supporters of neutrality that (neutrality itself) is twice as expensive as membership in a collective security system," he told Czech daily MF DNES. CSSD Parliament Deputy Pavel Dostal said, "In a situation where Russia is taking a very agressive standpoint, the security umbrella is sacramentally necessary for us, and that is how it should be explained to the citizens." The Czech Republic's NATO entry is just part of a wide-ranging debate unleashed in the Czech media over the past two weeks. Polemics over whether or not the Czech Republic is capable of joining NATO have taken the place of Zeman's commentaries on the Czech-German Declaration. Even in his weekly radio program Talks from Lany, President Vaclav Havel blamed the West for dragging its feet in NATO expansion. "That old, ancient fault of western democracies in the form of hesitation, postponment and an insufficiency of generous solutions, continues returning to us," he said, adding, "Three, four years ago, Russia did not care at all whether the Alliance expanded or not." Matej Cerny/Andrea Snyder Social Democrats Considering Coalition with Christian Democrats Chairman Milos Zeman is preparing his Social Democrat Party (CSSD) for a coalition with the Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak Peoples' Party (KDU-CSL). Until the Czech daily Pravo published February 21 the newsletter the CSSD leader had prepared for his party's congress in March, the information had been under wraps. In a sharp reaction, Christian Democrat Chairman Josef Lux initiated a meeting with Zeman the same day where he emphasized that the KDU-CSL is part of the government coalition, after having signed a binding coalition contract. He says that such statements are damaging his party in its relations with both the coalition and the opposition. "We do not want anyone to deal with these speculations without our participation," said Lux. Zeman wrote that although both parties may deny it during the pre-election campaign, KDU-CSL is the party with the platform most similar to the CSSD, including emphasis on a socially oriented market economy, solidarity and social guarantees. Their opinion differ on the topic of restitution of church property. The Social Democrat head recommends non-confrontational relations with the Christian Democrats and the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA), but also not to compromise with the ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Senator Jan Koukal (ODS) told Pravo in an interview that the Social Democrat-Christian Democrat coalition is already functioning in the Senate. However, members of both parties denied the statement. Bohdana Rambouskova/Andrea Snyder Union Still Wants Railway Management Changed Chairman of the Union Association of Railway Workers (OSZ) Jiri Kratochvil says that the extraordinary committee created to inspect the Czech Railways' (CD) finances and fund utilization has made it possible for the railways' Executive Board to recall company management, including General Director Rudolf Mladek. Kratochvil is a member of the committee, which acknowledged eight of the nine points of concern submitted by OSZ. Mladek reacted by saying that current management does not carry responsibility for the financial problems. He only recognizes two of the eight OSZ points. He stated that the inspection committee is biased, because he was not allowed to speak during their investigation. The Ministry of Transportation also considers only two of the OSZ points new material. The inspection committee included members of the the ministries of finance, transportation and trade, and of the High Inspection Office, OSZ and the CD General Inspection. Czech Railways' Executive Board will review the committee's findings this week. After deadline: The board decided February 27 not to recall management. Bohdana Rambouskova/Andrea Snyder Devaty Wins Court Case Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman lost the case concerning personal security to former Security and Information System (BIS) head Stanislav Devaty February 24. The Social Democrats (CSSD) are to pay Devaty 1 million crowns and publicly apologize. The party's legal counsel has appealed. The Prague City Court knocked the CSSD leader out in a relatively short period of time (see Carolina 224). Charges were filed November 14. Devaty had initially demanded the apology and 5 million crowns in response to Zeman's accusation of BIS following opposition and coalition politicians. He later lowered the amount, and was content with the court's decision. "It is impossible for someone to create a bubble and then not carry responsibility for it," he told Czech daily MF DNES February 25. CSSD Counsel Tomas Malek argued during the case that Zeman's charges were aimed at BIS, and not at Devaty personally. The court decided, however, that these unsubstantiated charges damaged Devaty to the extent of resignation. He is now working as a legal apprentice, another reason the damage charges were so high. The Social Democrat camp is fuming. Jaroslav Basta, Social Democrat chairman of the Parliament Committee for BIS Investigations, says that the court's decision was too politically motivated and and dubious legally. "The BIS provisional director cannot personify the service," said Basta, adding that no witnesses were heard. Devaty expects an apology from Christian Democrat Chairman Josef Lux, who was first to charge BIS in the fall. "I think that Mr. Devaty cannot be serious. As a member of the government, I drew attention to a impropriety in the work of the intelligence service. The impropriety was then disclosed, and I really do not intend to apologize to the person who is responsible for the management of this service, and in turn, for the impropriety," said Lux. Pavel Novak/Andrea Snyder Police President Tomasek: Kalma Not Assassinated Police President Oldrich Tomasek February 21 denied the possibility that the tragic death November 24 of Ludvik Kalma, the Skoda Mlada Boleslav autoworks chairman of the board, could have been planned in advance. In accordance with Interior Minister Jan Ruml's request, Tomasek ordered a new investigation after the German magazine Der Spiegel published speculation about a possible assasination, considering Kalma's initiative in Skoda's corruption scandal investigation. "Police specialists checked all circumstances of the accident and investigated the case in greater detail," said police press spokeswoman Ivana Moosova for the February 22 edition of daily MF DNES. However, Skoda does not consider the case to be concluded, as it has filed charges against the Peugeot driver passed by Kalma's Octavia just before it hit a truck. Skoda spokesman Jiri Hrabovsky refused to announce details because it could affect the police investigation. Pavel Novak/Denisa Vitkova Unisys and IDOM Back in Battle for Army Tender Defense Minister Miloslav Vyborny decided February 24 to return the Unisys and IDOM companies into the tender for establishing a staff information system for the Czech Army. This is one of the most important army bids, worth about 4 billion crowns. Creating information and communication systems compatible with NATO standards is of key importance for accepting the Czech Republic into the organization. The minister's decision, which could evoke protests from the remaining two companies (IBM and EDS) bidding for the tender, is not, according to press information, very surprising. Unisys and IDOM were excluded from the competition because of the lack of a company seal on the bid envelope. The whole matter is complicated also by the fact that Unisys has evidence of having everything in order when submitting its bid, which could provoke doubts about the manipulation of the tender. Pavel Novak/Denisa Vitkova NEWS IN BRIEF * After deadline: The Czech village U Sabotu will be ceded to Slovakia and the Slovak village of Sidonie to the Czech Republic as the result of Parliament's approval of the change of the Czech-Slovak border February 26. The constitutional amendment is to be considered by the Senate and president. * Head Physician of the Central Army Hospital's (UVN) first internal ward Ilja Kotik became President Vaclav Havel's attending physician. The agreement about a new approach to the president's healthcare was signed by representatives of the Presidential Office, Health Ministry and UVN February 20. * Civic Democratic Alliance Chairman Jan Kalvoda was elected February 26 to a two-year term as chairman of the party's Prague branch. He replaced Michal Prokop, the blues singer and former deputy culture minister. According to information from the CTI agency, 82 of 102 voting members supported Kalvoda, who, after the scandal with his misusing the title doctor of law, gave up his mandates as Parliament deputy and justice minister. Zuzana Kawaciukova/Denisa Vitkova FOREIGN BRIEFS Klaus Visits Iceland and Canada Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus began his five-day official trip February 19 in Iceland. He met with Icelandic Prime Minister David Oddsson, who assured him again that the Icelandic position toward NATO expansion is more accepting than the position of other NATO members. Klaus then spent four days, beginning February 20, on an official visit of Canada. At a press conference after the prime ministers' meeting, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien said Canada supports the Czech Republic's entrance to NATO, and he complimented the Czech economic transformation. Klaus met February 21 with Canada Foreign Trade Minister Arthur Eggleton and was given an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto for his role in the Czech Republic's economic transformation. Pavel Novak/Mirek Langer Foreign Ministers Zieleniec and Kinkel in Saxony The fourth official Czech Republic representative in Germany (besides the embassy in Bonn, its branch in Berlin and the general consulate in Munich), the general consulate in Dresden was opened by Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec and German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel February 22. During their first meeting after the Czech-German Declaration's ratification in the Bundestag and the Czech Chamber of Deputies, they talked about the realization of the Future Foundation. In about one month, the work group which will undertake the preparation of the projects (social or ecological, as well as youth exchanges) will meet. Lida Truneckova/Mirek Langer Havel Stays in Belgian Spa President Vaclav Havel traveled February 21 with his wife Dagmar to Belgium, to spend the last week of his convalescence in the Spa baths. According to presidential spokesman Ladislav Spacek, they went to Belgium also because they want to spend their honeymoon there. "It is the Havels' first common trip - they will live this week through in privacy. It could be called a honeymoon," Spacek said to daily MF DNES. According to press agency CTI, President Havel will receive Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov in Prague February 28. Zuzana Kawaciukova/Mirek Langer FROM SLOVAKIA Not All Slovak Theaters Support Strike Only 13 of 21 Slovak theaters supported strike which called February 22. Actors will perform and after the performance they appraise the audience of their demands to Culture Ministry. They are asking for the return of sovereignty to all theaters, they want only the winners of competitions to become directors, and they are demanding a freeze on the approval process of the Theater Act, which would then be created by an independent committee. At the last second, Miroslav Fischer, general director of the Slovak National Theater in Bratislava, prevented the strike when he named Juraj Slezacek to the post of drama director. Slezacek is supported by actors in opposition to Leopold Haverl, previously named to the post in spite of not winning the search. After deadline: From February 28 two-thirds of Slovak theaters began to strike. Jan Potucek/Magdalena Vanova Czech-Slovak Declaration Slovak Premier Vladimir Meciar met Rudolf Slansky, the new Czech ambassador to Slovakia, for the first time. They talked about a possible Czech-Slovak Declaration, which would solve the problem of the dividing of finances after the split of the former Czechoslovakia. Meciar suggests the "zero-alternative" - erasing the Slovak debt of 24 billion Czech Crowns left after dividing of State Bank of Czechoslovakia. The Slovak government does not acknowledge this debt and leading Slovak politicians have repeatedly demanded the return of part of the gold reserves belonging to Slovakia still in the deposit of the Czech National Bank in Prague. The idea of a Czech-Slovak Declaration was mentioned for the first time in an interview for Lidove noviny News by Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus February 14. The planned meeting of Klaus and his opposite number in April or May should bring some resolution in the question of declaration. It will be their first official meeting after the split of Czechoslovakia. Jan Potucek/Magdalena Vanova ONE-SENTENCE NEWS * Governing-coalition member the Slovak Workers Association is going to support again the opposition's plan for freezing bank privatization till 2003 (see Carolina 235), and early parliamentary elections are not out of the question, according to the Association. * Slovak President Michal Kovac said he is considering combining a referendum on the entrance of Slovakia into NATO with a referendum on direct presidential election, which Premier Vladimir Meciar opposes. * Eastern Slovakia Ironworks (Vychodoslovenske zelezarny - VSZ) of Kosice will enter the Hungarian steel market and likely have significantly influence in the sector there. An agreement from 1994 limits VSZ to exporting only 50,000 tons of steel per year. * From March 1 there will be a new country code for international telephone calls to Slovakia - 421 (the new Czech Republic country code will be 420). * The government of Slovakia accepted a 20-per-cent increasing in the prices of domestic mail services beginning April 1. Jan Potucek/Magdalena Vanova ECONOMY Strike in Poldi Kladno About 200 key employees of Poldi Kladno steel mills, among them workers of the Drin rolling mill, went on strike February 25 because of their long-deferred salaries. According to Vladimir Salac, chairman of the Drin Strike Committee, his union threatened Poldi management with legal action and the disclosure of evidence of the draining money from the company. Salac admitted that the majority of Drin employees are not going to strike longer than until February 28, after which they would simply quit. There are three strike committees in Poldi Kladno which had a meeting (without the presence of Poldi owner and CEO Marko Stehlik) on the very first day of the strike, but were not able to formulate the terms and preconditions for ending the strike. Poldi has not paid salaries to employees since November 1996 (see Carolina 235). About 4,300 people are employed in Poldi Kladno, however, only half of them have the chance to get their salaries. The Poldi staff was divided, on instructions of Stehlik and without trade union consent, into three categories as to their claims on salary. About 400 preferred professionals were put into the first category, which is entitled to payment of full salary or 80 per cent of it when staying idle at home. The second group is comprised of about 1,800 employees necessary for restarting production in the mills. This staff should be paid by the end of April under the same conditions as the first category, but after May they will not get any salary. The people in the third category will not get any salary even for December 1996, though they will not be fired and management is letting them hope production will start again. Petra Sevcikova/Milan Smid NEWS IN BRIEF * The Czech crown improved its position on the interbank market during the week February 24-28 when the market reacted to the better-than-predicted data about the January trade deficit, and about developments in issuing the Czech crown's eurobonds. The Czech January balance of trade ended in a 13.6-billion-crown deficit. Imports reached 60 billion crowns in January, while exports were 46.4 billion crowns. The trade deficit a year ago was 7.9 billion crowns. * Among the most pressing problems of the Czech capital market is the very low share of initial public offerings, said Minister of Finance Ivan Kocarnik at the 1997 Prague Managers' Forum, devoted to the topic of the Czech capital market. Corporations complain about the non-standardized nature of the Czech capital market, and their interest in acquiring new capital through public offerings is negligible. * The Ministry of Finance rejected February 25 the farmers' demand for a 50 per cent return of the gasoline consumption tax paid on the "green gas" consumed during field work. This is one of the demands which the Agricultural Chamber is ready to push through negotiations with the government by means of civil disobedience. According to the daily Pravo, the 50 per cent return of the gasoline consumption tax should compensate farmers for the disproportionately increasing gap between the rising prices of inputs into agriculture and declining selling prices of agriculture products. Petra Sevcikova/Milan Smid Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from February 28) country currency ------------------------------------------ Britain 1 GBP 46.855 France 1 FRF 5.054 Japan 100 JPY 23.771 Canada 1 CAD 21.070 Austria 1 ATS 2.422 Slovakia 100 SKK 86.497 Germany 1 DEM 17.040 Switzerland 1 CHF 19.476 USA 1 USD 28.784 ECU 1 XEU 33.102 SDR 1 XDR 39.978 CULTURE Havlova Bids Theater Farewell Czech President Vaclav Havel's wife Dagmar Havlova took leave of the theater February 19, as she played Strindberg's Queen Christina for the last time. The president attended the performance. At the end, Havlova was moved by the massive ovation. "I am really leaving the theater now," she said. "I don't know for how long. Anyway, be sure that if I am leaving you as an actress, I am not leaving you as a citizen. On the contrary, I want to use my position that fate gave me, for the benefit of all of us. It is all the same whether I will do it directly, through my own acts, or indirectly through supporting my husband." Havlova did not rule out returning to the theater. Michaela Klevisova/Jan Majer Forman's People Vs. Larry Flynt in Czech Cinemas The first public showing of the new film by Milos Forman in the director's native country took place February 22. His film The People Vs. Larry Flynt was introduced to Forman's friends, at Prague Castle last October, though only in English. The film, nominated for an Oscar for best director, was awarded the Golden Bear at 47th Berlin Film Festival February 24. "European audiences understand the film is about something more than the story of the publisher of pornography," Forman said. According to him, the film is not a story of a man doing business from human weakness. It is about his and everyone's right for freedom of speech. The first run at the Prague Castle was put on especially for President Vaclav Havel, though he never made it, saying he was busy. It was said Havel did not want to meet face to face with Flynt, who also arrived in Prague with Forman and the stars of the film, Woody Harrelson and Courtney Love. Michaela Klevisova/Jan Majer CULTURE APPENDIX Prague Looks into Glorious Chapter of Ballet History Famous Russian ballet-dancer Maya Plisetskaya prepared for Prague audiences not one but two performances, thanks to enormous spectator interest. The 71-year-old legend danced in the National Theater not long after another outstanding performer, Mikhail Baryshnikov. Plisetskaya is accompanied on her tour by the Imperial Russian Ballet (IRB), founded in 1994 by Gediminas Taranda. Plisetskaya became the soloist of Moscow's fabled Bolshoi Ballet in 1943. Unlike Baryshnikov and Nureyev she did not leave Russia for abroad, and she created several legendary roles, most of all Odette-Odile in the Swan Lake and Carmen in the ballet of the same name. After the celebration of the 50th anniversary of her dancing in Moscow, she decided to return to active performances and started a European tour, which continues in Berlin and France after the Prague show. She had come to Prague for the first time in 1947, for her first performance abroad. The second act of the Charles Adam's ballet "Giselle" was the performance's first half (staring Nadiezhda Pavlova and Alexander Gorbatsevich). After a break, the great entrance of the star of the program, with her suite on Tchaikovsky's Onegin Polonaise and then the IRB members' variety gala followed, including pas de deux from ballets The Corsair and The Flames of Paris, the duet The Rose Ghost (with Carl Maria Weber's music), the Gopak (a Russian dance), a modern choreography to Astor Piazzola's music and the near-cabaret of Offenbach's Cancan With Surprise. Although all spectators impatiently waited for the penultimate number, Mikhail Fokin's choreography The Dying Swan to Camile Saint-Saens' music. Plisetskaya's world renown springs also from this role. The audience's ovations appreciated her inimitable mastery. Also, the farewell procession with Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's The Italian Caprice proved how great a favor Plisetskaya did to Prague with her visit. It has not seen such a perfect performance, beginning with soloists and ending with a last chorus-dancer, for a long time. In the spectators' memories, the unforgettable experience of the immediate meeting with a ballerina who will have a large chapter in all histories of ballet shall remain. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer SPORT Neumannova Third in World Championships In the Nordic skiing world championships in Trondheim, Norway, the performance of cross-country standout Katerina Neumannova represent the greatest Czech success, while the jumpers' results were rather disappointing. Neumannova finished third in the first discipline (15-km classic) February 21 and thus got her first "great" medal. She had been second for a while, but in the end she finished after Valbe from Russia and Italy's Belmondo. The next races brought Neumannova no medals. In the 5-km classic she finished seventh, but after the disqualification of Russia's Egorova for doping she moved to sixth place. In the combined discipline she finished fourth, losing the medal fight with Gavriliuk (Russia) on the slope in front of the stadium February 23. The next best Czech woman finisher wound up in the second dozen in the results, but recent junior Zuzana Kocumova helped Neumannova to push the relay team into fifth place February 27. Korunka's 21st place in the 30-km freestyle and Buchta's 18th place in the combined were the best finishes for Czech men. In the nordic combined, Rygl was seventh after the jumps, but because of a poor cross-country performance fell to 12th place. On the contrary, an excellent performance in the combined's second half moved Frantisek Maka into ninth place. In the team competition, the Czech Republic started the relay in second place almost thanks to first-timer Jan Matura, but then sank to the fourth. Jumpers flamed out in the K-90 ski jump competition and in the team competition, too. In the former, only Suchacek advanced to the second round, but there he finished 30th, i.e., last. In the team competition, Matura, borrowed from the nordic combination team, was the best, though the squad finished ninth among thirteen teams, the Czechs' worst result ever. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Czech Soccer Players Win First 1997 Game, against Belarus The Czech national team began its 1997 season in Podebrady February 26 against Belarus, represented by only five "A-team" players complemented by under-21 representatives. After a promising beginning for the Czechs, when they opened the scoring thanks to Rapid Vienna member Wagner (10th minute), the Belarussians got satisfaction on Razumov's goal before the break. In the second half, Olomouc defender Rada scored twice (63rd and 68th minute) and after the next three minutes Liverpool player Berger closed the match score to 4-1. Coach Dusan Uhrin saw this match as preparation for the qualification match with Yugoslavia April 2, although the team still has a match with Poland before the Yugoslavia game. He complained about the nerozehranost of some players, particularly goalie Kouba. The Czech under-21 team tied an exhibition match in Lebanon 3-3. Goals: Nehoda (10th) and P. Siegl (56th, 80th). Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Olomouc Defender Rada Scores First Spring League Goal With Olomouc's 1-0 win over Liberec, the spring session of the top soccer league started February 21. Leader Slavia Praha got only one point in Opava's stadium, while its probable top challenger for the title, Sparta Praha, defeated another strong squad, Brno, 5-0. In the standings, Drnovice is second and Liberec third, but even 10th-place Ostrava is only seven points behind Slavia. Zizkov, until this round in last place, defeated Ostrava thanks to Zelenka's head shot and jumped into 13th place. Bohemians Praha are now in last, trailing Hradec Kralove. Results: Olomouc - Liberec 1-0, Sparta Praha - Brno 5-0, Teplice - Plzen 1-1, Opava - Slavia Praha 1-1, Hradec Kralove - Jablonec 0-2, Ceske Budejovice - Bohemians Praha 2-1, Zizkov - Ostrava 1-0. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Sparta's 13-Game No-Loss Streak Ends in Hockey Extraleague Against Litvinov in the 47th round, Sparta Praha lost after 13 straight games without a loss. The competition for eighth place, the last spot in the playoffs, continues to be dramatic. Results from the 45th round: Vitkovice - Zlin 2:1, Opava - Litvinov 2:4, Vsetin - Jihlava 7:2, Plzen - Ceske Budejovice 4:1, Olomouc - Slavia Praha 2:2, Trinec - Pardubice 5:4, Sparta Praha - Kladno 6:0. Results from the 46th round: Ceske Budejovice - Sparta Praha 4:4, Slavia Praha - Trinec 2:4, Jihlava - Vitkovice 1:3, Litvinov - Plzen 1:3, Zlin - Olomouc 3:2, Pardubice - Opava 7:2, Kladno - Vsetin 2:8. Results from the 47th round: Sparta Praha - Litvinov 3:6, Trinec - Zlin 8:3, Kladno - Jihlava 3:1, Vsetin - Ceske Budejovice 3:1, Plzen - Pardubice 7:3, Opava - Slavia Praha 2:5, Olomouc - Vitkovice 4:1. Standings: 1. Vsetin 66, 2. Sparta Praha 60, 3. Vitkovice 55, 4. Pardubice 52, 5. Trinec 51, 6. Kladno 49, 7. Litvinov 48, 8. Ceske Budejovice 46, 9. Slavia Praha 46, 10. Zlin 45, 11. Plzen 42, 12. Olomouc 41, 13. Jihlava 31, 14. Opava 24 (Sparta and Vitkovice have each played one game less). After the regular season, the first eight teams will advance to the playoffs, while the two last-place teams will play a tournament with the two best teams from the lower league. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * Czech table-tennis players, after a 1-4 loss in Italy, also lost the return match 3-4 and failed to return to the Superdivision, the highest level of the European League. * The Czech men's basketball players defeated Finland 99-75 in the final European championship qualification match, but they will not advance from their fifth place. * The only Czech basketball-player in the NBA, Jiri Zidek, was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Denver Nuggets. * Katerina Pivonkova, the european 200-meters backstroke champion in the 25-meter pool, was voted the 1996 Czech Swimming and Diving Union top athlete. * Road racer Jan Svorada was named the 1996 Czech Cycling Sport King. * Dutch cable television conglomerate Nethold will stop broadcasting in the Czech Republic, although it owned broadcasting rights for the soccer league's from the 1998-9 season. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer WEATHER Athough spring officially arrives March 21 this year as well, the pussy willows are already out in the parks, and crocuses are blooming in the flower-beds. The sun shone, temperatures rose to 12 degrees Celsius/53.6 degrees Fahrenheit and people left their winter coats at home. A strong wind was blowing February 25, and, along with the rain, brought the temperatures down a little, but it still seems that spring is coming closer with loving steps. Michaela Klevisova/Andrea Snyder Czech version edited by Michael Bluhm. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Study In Prague Next Summer From July 12 to August 3, 1997, the Faculty of Social Sciences, together with Georgetown University and The Fund for American Studies, will sponsor The American Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems for the fifth consecutive year. The Institute will take place at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Prague, and will include lectures by professors from both Georgetown University and Charles University, as well as guest appearances by notable political and cultural figures. All lectures and site briefings will be held in English. In 1996, over 100 students from 22 different countries attended the Institute. In 1997 the School hopes to maintain the same number of students. The institute offers an equally diverse and interesting program by combining lectures with site briefings around Prague and an exciting program of social activities. Scholarships are available for students from Central and Eastern Europe. For further details and an application form, contact either Ann Erker at The Fund for American Studies or Cyril Simsa at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the following e-mail addresses: Ann Erker: aipes@tfas.org Cyril Simsa: SVOZ@mbox.fsv.cuni.cz Please remember to include your full postal address, as well as your e-mail address, since the applications will have to be sent by post. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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