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: (+4202) 24810804, ext. 252, fax: (+4202) 24810987 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 244, Friday, April 25, 1997. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (APRIL 16-23) Russian PM in Prague Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin spent two days in the Czech Republic meeting with Czech Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus and the heads of both chambers of Parliament, Milan Zeman and Petr Pithart. His April 20-21 meetings touched on economic, financial and political relations between the two countries. Chernomyrdin paid his first visit, however, to Skoda Pilsen Director Lubomir Soudek in Pilsen (Plzen) in support of the joint venture project to build a Skoda plant in Russia. They also discussed opening a joint venture to manufacture and assemble Tatra-ZIL and Tatra-Kamaz trucks. Chernomyrdin emphasized Russia is prioritizing the development of Czech-Russian business relations, and that political relations should not stand in the way. Two documents were signed April 21. An amendment to the 1994 contract concerning the payment of Russian debts specifies that the 1995-97 interest on the 3.5-billion-USD debt will be paid partially in currency and partially in merchandise (the debt was to be paid off by 2003, but the payment calendar was extended to 2020). Deputy interior ministers of both countries signed an agreement to cooperate in fighting organized crime. Concerning security issues, Chernomyrdin said Russia is not forbidding anyone NATO membership, but that this may not be the proper time. Klaus said he believes the difference in opinion over NATO entry will not complicate the two countries' relations in the future. Petra Sevcikova/Andrea Snyder Pope John Paul II to Visit Pope John Paul II will arrive in Prague April 25. This is his third visit to the Czech Republic, having come to Czechoslovakia in 1990 and both the Czech and Slovak republics in 1995. His visit is to commemoration of the 1,000-year anniversary of the death of Saint Adelbert (Svaty Vojtech), the first Czech bishop from Bohemia. Adelbert is celebrated as the most important Czech saint, preceded only by Saint Wenceslas. He was the single surviver of the massacre of the powerful Slavnikov clan. Two years later, while working as a missionary among the pagan Prussians, they murdered him April 23, 997. Because he spent half his life abroad, historians call Adelbert the first Czech European. Head Abbott at the Benedictine Monastery in Brevnov Anastaz Opasek was published in Tyden magazine saying that because of his constant wandering, Adelbert became "one of our first great expatriates, for whom there was no place in his own country and who, after his death, the nation celebrates as a hero." Recently, conflicts between three cities: Prague, Aachen (Germany) and Gniezdno (Poland) have arisen. Each of the three cities claims the right to Adelbert's remains. Pope John Paul II will arrive in Prague two days after the anniversary. He will ride through Prague in the Popemobile, greeting the populace. He will also bless believers at two outdoor ceremonies. Following an April 26 mass in Hradec Kralove, he should meet with President Vaclav Havel and visit the Brevnov monastery. Eight cardinals, 58 bishops and 900 Czech priests will assist the Pope with the service on the Letna plains April 27. Zuzana Kawaciukova/Andrea Snyder Zeman Calls Them Cowards Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman calls the government-prepared economic package a bundle of chaotic measures. "If this government is trying markedly to correct its current business policies, and is not capable of determining either collective or individual responsibility, then it is a certain form of cowardice and hypocrisy," Zeman was quoted as saying in the April 17 edition of Czech daily Pravo. Zeman says that the government's steps will lead the country into the ground. Although Zeman is not pushing for early elections, he announced a "100-day inauguration of the government reforms." He says that people need time to realize how unsuccessful the social and economic policies are. Prime Minister and Civic Democratic Party Chairman Vaclav Klaus told Czech daily MF DNES, "these measures are not easy, but they mean taking a positive, healing step forward. We believe in these measures." Christian Democrat Chairman and Agriculture Minister Josef Lux said the steps were "unpopular but necessary." Civic Democratic Alliance Chairman Michael Zantovsky says the document is a "fundamental signal of the coalition's new energy." MF Dnes published a poll showing that 45 per cent of respondents support the new measures. Of those, 16 per cent are sure, and 29 per cent have reservations. About 42 per cent disagree, and 20 per cent of those disagree entirely. More than 70 per cent are calling for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ivan Kocarnik and Health Minister Jan Strasky. One of the economic package's main points is the introduction of import deposits for most consumer and food goods. Although it will not apply to citrus fruits, bananas, coffee and tea, it will affect cosmetics, household cleaners, furniture, carpets, clothes, cars, consumer electronics and others - the goal obviously being to decrease the volume of imported goods. Large companies are expected to deal with the situation more easily than smaller companies, which may have problems paying the 20 per cent of the import price as a deposit. David Vlk and Petra Sevcikova/Andrea Snyder Zeman's Party on Edge of Financial Bankruptcy All the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) bank accounts were blocked April 21 because the party has not paid income taxes since 1991. The freezing of party financial assets, which prevents party representatives' access to party money, could lead to the party's inability to making any payments and, eventually, to its bankruptcy. The Social Democrats are the strongest opposition party. The decision was made by the Prague 1 Financial Office because the CSSD has not paid 1991 income taxes of 10.4 million crowns, and is now increased by 8 million crowns in penalties. Commerce Bank (Komercni banka) was the first bank to carry out the ruling. CSSD representatives were very upset with the Financial Office's decision. "In a situation where the economy of this state is in jeopardy because of massive tax evasions in the business sector and other criminal phenomena, the Ministry of Finance decided intentionally to punish its political rival," said CSSD advisor and Senator Egon Lansky to daily MF DNES April 23. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus sharply rejected any speculation about a political motivation for the blocking: "I consider it utterly scandalous if anybody claims that there is political persecution," said Klaus in an interview for Czech Radio April 22. "The decision was made by the specific Financial Office. The Minister of Finance (Klaus' party colleague Ivan Kocarnik) did not intervene at all in this case, I asked him about this issue immediately." Klaus' claim was confirmed by Milan Rehak, a Finance Office representative. Besides unpaid taxes, CSSD owes money to several banks. Party financial experts admitted loans of 61 million crowns in the annual party report. CSSD explains its financial difficulties with the long-time legal dispute concerning the ownership of the party's traditional residence, the People's House (Lidovy dum). Incomes from the rent of the party headquarters were part of the party budget till 1993, when the Ministry of Finance called the party's ownership of the property into question and the court process blocked the account where the rent was deposited. The dispute is pending because, on the one hand, the Ministry of Finance did not prove state ownership of the building, while the Social Democrats have not submitted evidence of their ownership. The building, where the Czechoslovak Communist Party was founded, now houses the American Cultural Center. Pavel Novak/Milan Smid More Czechs Interested in NATO Membership, but Still in Minority According to the newest polls, 42 per cent of Czech respondents support the entry of the Czech Republic into NATO, which is 4 per cent more than half a year ago. Thirty-two per cent do not agree. One-third of Social Democrat voters and 61 per cent of ruling Civic Democratic Party agree with membership. The Institute for Public Opinion Research (IVVM) also released the results of polls on voter confidence in the president, the government, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate last week. Sixty-six per cent of Czech people trust President Vaclav Havel, in comparison to 86 per cent in January. Both houses of the Parliament retained their 25-per-cent (lower house) and 23-per-cent (upper house) ratings. Thirty-eight per cent of respondents have confidence in the government, 5 per cent less than in January. Two polls on political party preference done by IVVM and the Center for Empirical Research (STEM) in mid-April show different results: Civic Democratic Party 23 per cent (IVVM) and 22 per cent (STEM), Social Democrats 23 and 24, Civic Democratic Alliance 11 and 13, Christian Democrats 10 and 12, Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia 8 and 11 and the Republicans 6 per cent (STEM). Roman Jedlicka/Jan Majer Ivan Masek Founds a Fraction in ODA Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) parliamentary club Chairman Ivan Masek announced April 17 he was founding a party faction. It was the result of recent disputes between the party's founding fathers and liberals who have gained control of ODA leadership (see Carolina 240, 242). The new wing in the party intends to compete with the new leaders in creating and promoting the party's platform. A group of 20 of Masek's supporters discussed his proposal April 16. According to some of them the fraction has not been founded yet. "It will come into being only if all 20 participants of the meeting decide the new party management is not fulfilling the platform of the party," said Karel Ledvinka, vice chairman of the Chamber of Deputies. The management of ODA believes founding the faction is useless. The party would do better to unite and work together, people are not interested in internal disputes, said ODA Vice Chairman Michal Prokop in the daily Denni telegraf April 18. Recently elected ODA Chairman Michael Zantovsky, former Czech ambassador to United States, believes Masek's activity is just a manifestation of his abundant energy. Karolina Cebrovska/Jan Majer New Faction Gets Little Attention Only 35 Social Democrats expecting the foundation of a new faction by the party's ex-vice chairman Karel Machovec attended a meeting April 19 in Prague called For a New Style of Social Democrat Work. However, because of such small interest in cracking the dominant position of Social Democrat and Chamber of Deputies Chairman Milos Zeman, the faction was not founded. "If the faction is to be founded, it should be done only from the demand of the members," said Machovec about the unsuccessful attempt to liberalize the party. Intention to create a non-confrontational faction was not much appreciated by the leadership of the party. For instance, Stanislav Gross, chairman of the Social Democrat's parliamentary club, criticized the idea as an attempt to draw attention in a different direction. Petra Sevcikova/Matej Cerny Wiesenthal Honored by Charles University Simon Wiesenthal was awarded an honorary degree and a gold medal April 16 at Prague's Charles University for lifetime achievment in his fight against Nazism. Charles University thus followed Olomouc's Palacky University and dozens of other universities and institutions throughout the world which have awarded similar honors to the director of the Jewish Documentation Center in Vienna. Wiesenthal was born in 1908 in Galicia, Poland and studied architecture in Prague and Lvov. He worked as an architect till the beginning of the World War II. During the war he survived about a dozen concentration camps and managed to escape several times. As he said in interview in the daily Pravo on April 21, when he was liberated by the Americans in Matthausen he did not know what to do. He did not want to go back to Poland, where everything reminded him of the deaths of almost 90 relatives, from which only his wife survived the Holocaust. Therefore he decided to work with the Americans in pursuing Nazi war criminals. Wiesenthal said to the daily Pravo, in answering whether his memories have something to say to the young, "in recent years many young people have come to me asking for advice how to talk with their grandparents. They know that they were in the Nazi Party, but they don't want to tell them anything about it. Those young ones, however, let's say between the ages of 16 and 32, they want to know the truth." Libuse Kolouchova/Matej Cerny Long Sentences in Orlik Case One of the most serious criminal cases in postwar Czech history - the so-called Orlik murders - finished in Prague's Regional Court April 18. Ludvik Cerny (32) a Vladimir Kuna (33) were given life sentences. Karel Kropac (37), a former police swat-team member, got 21 years, his sister Irena Meierova (35) got 12 years and Petr Chodounsky (32) 14 years. Some of the convicted have appealed to the High Court. According to charges, those convicted were contract killers and killed five people from 1991-93 - businessman Ales Klatovsky, Vlastimil Hodr, Anna Medkova (the owner of an erotic club and the mother of one of the convicted), waiter Leorent Lipoveci and Meierova's husband Jaroslav. The man who actually killed the victims was Ludvik Cerny, who shot them in the back of the head. The others convicted found guilty of assisting, preparing and attempting murder, for illegal possession of firearms and fraud. The whole case reach public in July 1995, when police fished out from the bottom of Orlik dam a soldered-shut barrel containing the body of one of the victims. In September 1995 divers found another two victims, in a barrel and in wire mesh, in the same location. The court also proved that accused persons sent the owner of the erotic salon a package containing explosives, which killed her instantly. The last murder was the murder of Meierova's husband. David Simonik/Ondra Provaznik Republicans Again Face Trial for Disturbances Neo-fascist Republican deputies Josef Krejsa and Rudolf Smucr stood together with party official Lubomir Votava before the County Court in Litomerice April 21 for disturbing the peace at the National Cemetery in Terezin in July 1994. The State prosecutor has accused them of throwing eggs at people taken part in a commemorative ceremony, kicking into bushes and shouting anti-German slogans. Terezin was the site of the Nazi Theresienstadt deportation camp in World War II. One of the accused, Lubomir Votava, is being charged with disturbing the peace for the second time. In early March a Prague court sentenced him to 16 months in prison with three years' probation for assaulting a TV reporter during a Republican demonstration on the anniversary of the founding of Czechoslovakia. Marketa Kropacova/Zdenek Janda FROM SLOVAKIA Slovakia Also to Introduce Import Deposits May 1 The Slovak government was very disturbed by Czech economic measures which will affect exports to the Czech Republic, and the Slovaks prepared a number of restrictions which would make export to Slovakia for Czech firms harder. The package of counter-measures will, among others things, mean stronger ecological standards and it will also be more complicated for Czech businessmen to get an import license. The steps of the Slovak government are not only a reaction to the import deposits enacted by the Czech government (see above). Their purpose is also to lower Slovakia's perpetually increasing trade deficit, which was reported at 15.9 billion crowns for the first three months of 1997. Marketa Kropacova/Zdenek Janda Anniversary of Tiso's Execution The government-coalition Slovak National Party and Slovak Foundation organized celebrations in honour of the 50th anniversary of Josef Tiso's execution. Originally, the Catholic priest a deacon in Banovce, and in the 20's he became involved in politics (from 1927-29 he was a ministry of health and physical education). From 1939-45 he served as president of Slovakia, which was granted the independence by Nazi Germany (in the wake of annexing the territory of the Czech Republic to Germany), but was merely a puppet of the Nazis. In 1947 Tiso was sentenced to death by the National Court as a traitor. This anniversary was celebrated during a commemorative ceremony attended by Slovak National Party Chairman Jan Slota April 19 in Zilina. Historians there said Tiso's trial was manipulated and they called for a re-evaluation of Tiso. They consider him a prisoner for his occupation and a martyr of conscience, they said. There was also a commemorative ceremony the same day in Bytec, birthplace of the first Slovak president. On this occasion a bust of Tiso was unveiled on the house where he was born - the bust had once been placed in the interior of the wartime Slovak Parliament. There were a number of masses for the deceased during the weekend in Slovakia, the biggest one officiated in Nitra's cathedral by Cardinal Jan Chryzostom Korec. Onrej Slavik/Zdenek Janda ECONOMY Economics University Honorary Doctorate for Milton Friedman Prague's Economics University conferred an honorary doctorate upon 1977 Nobel Prize-winning American economist Milton Friedman. Friedman fan and Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus was not able to congratulate founder of monetarism until April 18, because Klaus was busy discussing economic measures (see above) with the government. Czech daily Lidove noviny then published April 19 Klaus' article "Milton Friedman And Time Delay," where the prime minister pointed out that, in spite of conferring the doctorate at Friedman's 85 years of age and 20 years after the Nobel Prize, Friedman's visit to the Czech Republic had come just in time. Klaus cited Friedman's theory that "in reality the healing of any illness in a complex system, there objectively exist - unlike in simple technical systems - time delays which cannot be eliminated or overcome." Friedman refused to talk about the government's economic measures, saying he does not know the Czech economic situation in detail, but in his two Prague lectures he said the country was only halfway to a market economy. According to Friedman, the Czech Republic still has to finish privatization, improve laws to protect private ownership, restrict the state's influence and establish a stable currency. Libuse Kolouchova/Denisa Vitkova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from April 25) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 23.642 Belgium 100 BEF 85.981 Great Britain 1 GBP 49.351 Denmark 1 DKK 4.655 Finland 1 FIM 5.908 France 1 FRF 5.261 Ireland 1 IEP 47.022 Italy 1000 ITL 17.872 Japan 100 JPY 24.168 Canada 1 CAD 21.917 Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.981 Hungary 100 HUF 16.830 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.762 Norway 1 NOK 4.318 New Zealand 1 NZD 21.080 Poland 1 PLN 9.679 Portugal 100 PTE 17.690 Austria 1 ATS 2.520 Greece 100 GRD 11.172 Slovakia 100 SKK 91.170 Germany 1 DEM 17.732 Spain 100 ESP 21.046 Sweden 1 SEK 3.979 Switzerland 1 CHF 20.756 USA 1 USD 30.484 ECU 1 XEU 34.586 IMF 1 XDR 41.769 CULTURE Glenn Miller In Lucerna Hall A classical swing ball took place in the Great Hall of Prague's Lucerna Palace April 19 - with the Glenn Miller Orchestra calling the tune. Prague residents have had the chance to meet this ensemble a few times already, including a concert at the Rudolfinum (a site so stately it was the seat of the Czechoslovak Parliament between the world wars). However, this time the audience could enjoy the music as it was intended - while dancing. Miller became famous with his compositions in the late 30's. The orchestra was popular especially among young people, but it also brought an unusual perfectionism into the swing genre. During the war, the band organized many concerts for the American units in Great Britain. During one flight in 1944, their plane got lost and has never been found. The orchestra which appeared in Prague came into existence in 1946. Since it endeavors for being as authentic as possible, compositions like Moonlight Serenade, In the Mood, and Chattanooga Choo-Choo were played just the same as 50 years ago. Ondrej Slavik/Denisa Vitkova April Issue of Czech Dialogue Published Czech Dialogue is a Czech monthly magazine which, thanks to much institutional and subscriber support, can be found throughout the world. The April issue offers, apart from a rich outline of events in the Czech Republic during February and March, the second part of a report entitled Among Our People in Australia and an informational article about the Czech language for foreigners at the Olomouc University College of Humanities. Czech Dialogue's subscription services offer the possibility of ordering novels, specialized publications or audiocassettes. The magazine also offers interviews, reviews and historical excursions. You can order a subscription at the address of the editor's office: U Pergamenky 8, Praha 7, zip code 170 00. Michal Schindler/Sofia Karakeva New Czech Miss for 1997 Terezie Dobrovolna, a 22-year-old student from Brno, became the new Miss Czech Republic April 19 in Plzen, in the ninth year of the beauty contest. Apart from this title she was also awarded three other prizes, Miss Congeniality (voted by readers), Miss Photo (voted by photographers) and Miss Public. Photos of Dobrovolna and other contestants can be found at http://www.medea.cz/miss/ Lenka Javurkova/Sofia Karakeva Painter and Graphic Artist Andrej Belocvetov Dies Painter Andrej Belocvetov died April 19 at the age of 73. He was an artist who, because of his individual approach to art and uncompromising lifestyle, was for long years under the disfavor of the normalization political regime. The public had the opportunity to be officially introduced to nearly the whole of his work last year in Olomouc and Prague during retrospective exhibitions. The man who painted under the pseudonym Belotsvetov-Theakson was born October 8, 1923, in a family of Russian emigrants in Prague. Under the guidance of painter Grigoria Musatova he graduated from the Russian High School and entered the State Graphic School, where he attended the studio of Vlastimil Rada. After 1945 he exhibited his work together with the Art Forum. During the 50's he became a member of the creative group May '57. He started by painting landscapes, and later was influenced by surrealism and gradually turned to an expressive, abstract technique. At the age of 6O the exhibition of his works was forbidden, so he started painting in solitude in his studio in Prague's colorful Zizkov neighborhood. Among his most famous paintings is a 1953 portrait of photographer Josef Sudek. Michal Schindler/Sofia Karakeva SPORTS Soccer League Continues with 24th Round Jablonec's loss in Brno and big wins for the next three candidates for the league champion title are the results of the soccer league's 24th round, played April 18-20. Boby Brno surprisingly but deservedly defeated Jablonec 3-0 and pushed them out of third place. Liberec then stepped into third place after its 4-1 win over Hradec Kralove. Slavia Praha won in Drnovice by the same score, while the match between Sparta Praha and Opava finished 5-1 in Sparta's favor. Sparta leads the standings ahead of Slavia, Liberec and Jablonec, but the Liberec-Slavia and Jablonec-Liberec matches are yet to be played. In other matches, only Zizkov managed to score and defeated Karvina 1-0, knocking Karvina into last place in the standings. The rest of the matches (Teplice-Ceske Budejovice, Plzen-Ostrava and Olomouc-Bohemians) finished 0-0. Honza Mazak/Mirek Langer After deadline: Liberec - Slavia Praha 2-3. Hockey Players Prepare for World Championships against Finland The Czech national hockey team played its last two preparation matches before the April 26-May 14 World Championships against Finland. The Czechs defeated their opponent 6-3 in Litvinov April 19, taking advantage of several Finish defensive blunders. A much more balanced match was played April 20, and the Finns won it 2-1. Coaches Lener and Hlinka then published their final lineups for the upcoming championships. The NHL's Hamrlik, who did not arrive due to flight problems, and the injured Spacek, the most productive Czech extraleague defenseman, were dropped before the last match. The coaches then cut forwards Srsen, Kapusta and Zelenka from the squad. Roman Jedlicka/Mirek Langer WEATHER Although recent days (for the how manyeth time this year?) again foreshadow the beginning of the spring, nighttime temperatures continue to fall under 0 degrees Celsius/32 degrees Fahrenheit and last weekend the mountains (at least the Giant Mountains) reported the best snow conditions in this year's ski season. Mirek Langer English version edited by Michael Bluhm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with "CAROLINA" designation. The subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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