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 260, Friday, October 10, 1997. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (September 24 - October 8) Government Presents Balanced 1998 Budget Following complicated meetings (see Carolina 259), the government unanimously approved September 25 a balanced 1998 budget of 536.6 billion crowns. Finance Minister Ivan Pilip of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) said the budget proposal means that outlays for investment and state-sector wages will be practically frozen. However, money for the defense, agriculture and foreign ministries is to increase. The Cabinet plans to raise taxes on cigarettes to supply the extra 1.2 billion crowns for these areas. Independent Josef Wagner, whose vote often tips the balance in Parliament, said he supports the government-approved budget. However, because the Civic Democratic Alliance's (ODA) position is unclear, the coalition's battle is not yet won. ODA is against raising any taxes. Michal Cerny/Andrea Snyder Interior Minister Ruml to Step Down Interior Minister Jan Ruml, a member of the ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has decided to leave his post November 30. Should a replacement not be found, he will hold the post for an extra month. Labor and Social Affairs Minister Jindrich Vodicka (ODS) is said to be Ruml's probable successor. This will be the sixth change this year in the Cabinet. Ondrej Drabek/Andrea Snyder New Prague Center Supports NATO Membership The Center for Democracy and Free Enterprise foundation opened the Center for Documentation and Information about NATO September 29. The Defense Ministry, the Foreign Ministry and the Czech Atlantic Commission are cooperating on the project to inform the Czech public about NATO and inform NATO member countries about the Czech Republic. The new center should boost support for Czech NATO membership. Opinion polls here have shown that 51 per cent of respondents support NATO membership, as opposed to 80 per cent of respondents from Poland supporting their country's membership. Katerina Murlova/Andrea Snyder Prague Taxis to Be Regulated Again The City of Prague will begin to regulate taxi fares again December 1. Meters will be set at 25 crowns for the basic fee, and 17 crowns per kilometer and 4 crowns for every minute of waiting will be the standard rates. The City Council approved the proposal September 29. Although the Ministry of Finance made it possible for all Czech cities to regulate their taxi services, Prague is the only one to take advantage of the opportunity. The regulation does not apply to contracted transportation, such as that at the airport. Prague Mayor Jan Koukal, Minister of Finance Ivan Pilip and Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, all of the ruling Civic Democratic Party, met to discuss the new changes. Taxi service has been deregulated for about a year. Recently, well-known Czech expatriates, led by director Milos Forman, addressed an angry letter to Koukal, denouncing Prague taxi drivers who unabashedly cheat their clients, particularly tourists. Anna Kadava/Andrea Snyder New City Speed Limit Since October 1, the new speed limit in cities is 50 kilometers per hour. Statistics from the first week of enforcement show that the number of deaths and auto accidents have decreased. The Police Presidium said that objective statistics will be available during the first week of November. Interior Minister Jan Ruml proposed the new speed limit. Drivers are required to have rear fog lights on their vehicles. Police officers will not be slapping fog-light fines until January, though; the change was not officially announced and fog lights have been unavailable at many stores. Filipa Sebova/Andrea Snyder Christian Democrat Party Congress Adopts Leftist Economic Conception The Christian Democrats approved September 27 at its party congress a document called Christian Democratic Policy for the 21st Century. The document emphasizes global demographic, population and information trends. It bases its concept on tradition and realpolitik, filled out with a spiritual element. In foreign policy matters, NATO and EU membership receive priority. Social doctrine springs from a state-centered concept. Christian Democrat Chairman and Agriculture Minister Josef Lux said by the end of the year he will propose meetings for coalition party chairmen to discuss future government positions. "I see the matter simply: if there is no change in policy, there will be a change in government," said Lux. Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, who was present at the congress as a guest, called Lux's words too strong. Lenka Jindrlova/Ivona Pulkrabkova ODA Fraction Threatens Departure from Coalition Conflict continues inside the governing coalition's smallest party, the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA). Differences of opinion between the rightist fraction, led by Ivan Masek, and the moderate party chairman, Michael Zantovsky, threaten perhaps the dissolution of the party. The result of the meetings of the fraction held September 27 in Hradec Kralove is a stronger call for the departure of the party into opposition. Its remaining in the coalition and the continued existence of the party itself was made conditional to the acceptance of radical reforms of the legal, tax, and social systems. The central assembly of ODA held in Prostejov October 4-5 confirmed the efforts of the alliance to enact strong reform steps, nevertheless they rejected the notion of departure from the coalition. The assembly later supported the proposal of a balanced budget for 1998 and promised not to allow any further tax increases (ODA ministers had previously supported an increase in cigarette taxes). The national ODA conference, where party leaders will be elected, was called on Zantovsky's initiative for November 29-30 in Brno. The extraordinary conference thwarted Masek's plan to postpone confrontation until the beginning of the next year. Milan Eisenhammer/Ivona Pulkrabkova Zeman Says Social Democrats Should Fear Loss in Municipal Elections At the Social Democrats' Central Executive Committee session October 7, party Chairman Milos Zeman declared that his party, today atop the polls, is in a creative crisis and should fear failure in next year's municipal elections. Zeman has reached his conclusions after the party unable to provide candidates for all the communities which held extraordinary elections for administrative organs this year. The leader criticized the stagnation of growth in the party's membership base. Ondrej Drabek/Ajla Zinhasovic NEWS IN BRIEF * The courts rejected charges brought against two Communist politicians, Milos Jakes and Josef Lenart, who were charged with treason in connection with the Warsaw Pact occupation of the former Czechoslovakia in 1968. * According to Charles University Rector Karel Maly, students from the flood-damaged regions will receive special flood scholarships. * Ten senators from the ruling Civic Democratic Party (ODS) who proposed, independently from negotiations with other parties, the re-nomination of President Vaclav Havel withdrew their proposal October 7, because their move did not meet with understanding. * The editorial staffs of some Czech media received faxes informing them that before 1989 National Property Fund Chairman Roman Ceska (Civic Democratic Alliance) was suspected of auto theft. The issue was not taken seriously. Jan Puncochar/Ajla Zinhasovic INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Kinkel's Visit Dashes Hopes of Nazi Victims German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel came to Prague October 3, the day of the seventh anniversary of German reunification, to discuss the realization of the Czech-German Declaration (see Carolina 235) with his Czech counterpart Josef Zieleniec. The politicians said the Fund of the Future mentioned in the text of Declaration is going to be established at the beginning of next year, but they did not specify methods of compensation for the roughly 8,500 Czech victims of the Nazis. Czech daily MF DNES October 4 published some voices of disappointment and hopelessness from those left empty-handed again. "We are departing this world with a feeling of injustice. We are always forgotten," said Vera Zahourkova, who was interned in Theresienstadt. Prokop Havel/Milan Smid Havel Visits USA President Vaclav Havel did not have an opportunity to feel the warmth of the home. As soon as he finished his journey to the Middle East (see Carolina 259), he flew October 2 for a personal visit to the United States. From American Secretary of State Madelaine Albright he received October 2 a prestigious award from the Fulbright Association for extraordinary contribution to the international understanding. The president used his visit to propagate the membership of post-Communist countries in NATO. Gabriela Podzimkova/Gabriela Pecic Canada Resumes Visa Requirement for Czechs Starting October 8, Czech citizens traveling to Canada will need a visa. "Canada justified this step by the growing number of applicants for refugee status from the Czech Republic," said Czech consul in Ottawa Eva Hendrychova. Last year, Canada recorded 189 refugee status applications; for the first 9 months of 1997, there have been 1,285 applications, of which more than half were submitted by Romanies (Gypsies) during August and September (see Carolina 257 and 259). A one-time visa costs about 1,800 crowns. According to Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus, the Canadian administration could have found other ways to restrict the flow of undesirable persons, but he acknowledged any country's right to prevent uncontrolled immigration. The Czech government considers the visa requirement to be unfortunate, but it has not taken any reciprocal steps. Madiyar Magauin/Denisa Vitkova FROM SLOVAKIA Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Controversy (Un)decided The International Court in the Hague September 24 gave its verdict on the Slovak-Hungarian conflict over the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros dam. It ruled that Hungary, by its unilateral withdrawal from the waterworks system construction, had broken international law, and therefore it might seem the Slovaks had won the lengthy battle. However, the second part of the verdict says Slovakia had no right to dam the flow of the Danube River nor to continue with the construction by itself and thus deprive Hungary of a sizable amount of water. At the end of the verdict, the court recommends the two sides come to an agreement, expressing damages in numbers and compare outstanding debts. A definitive end to the controversy still depends on bilateral negotiations, which observers view pessimistically, considering the tense relationship between the countries and the politicization of the problem. Jana Ciglerova/Denisa Vitkova Gaulieder Will Not Return to Assembly Frantisek Gaulieder, the former National Assembly member for the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia stripped of his mandate December 4, will not return to the assembly. That was the decision of the assembly September 30, as representatives decided not to respect the July decision of the Constitutional Court. In connection with this case of breaching the constitution and human rights there is talk not only of one assemblyman, but of a constitutional crisis, the end of the rule of law and further damage to Slovakia's international position. Paula Majorova/Denisa Vitkova ECONOMY Brewery Situation Heats Up The brewery industry has recently seen a number of significant ownership changes. The Dutch company IMP Finance, connected to Japanese investment giant Nomura (which recently was sold the state's share in the Investment and Postal Bank), gained from the Investment and Postal Bank a purchase contract for 35 per cent of the shares of Radegast Brewery, as well as a promise of cooperation from shareholders representing 22.5 of share capital, thereby gaining practical control over the Moravian enterprise. Companies connected to Nomura already control the Pilsener Urquell Brewery. The joining of these two groups means control of more than 50 per cent of the Czech brewery market. Prague Brewery, the other major group of breweries, protested at the Anti-Monopoly Office. Prague Brewery is controlled by the British company Bass, which also holds some shares in the Radegast Brewery. Bass threatened it will leave the Czech market if its protest is ignored. Through the media, both parties are trying to influence the Anti-Monopoly Office. However, critics of Nomura admit the Japanese investor simply outdid Bass, which had planned similar moves. Some speculate that Nomura bought shares in Radegast only to sell later to Bass. Jakub Svab/Matej Cerny Skloexport Versus Razlova The situation in glass exporter Skloexport Liberec has come to a stalemate. The firm has two boards of directors, and untangling the case will probably be left to the courts. Regina Razlova, former chairwoman of the board and a former actress, has been accused of financial machinations to her benefit at the company's expense (see Carolina 259). The question of what will happen to the 67-per-cent share of Skloexport will now be a matter of litigation. Part of the share is frozen in the Commerce Bank (Komercni banka), to which Skloexport owes 880 million crowns. Through her family members, Razlova allegedly transferred the rest of the shares to a related third party. The general meeting planned for October 4 brought no solution - it was not held at all. Ondrej Hanzal/Matej Cerny ECONOMY IN BRIEF * In September the level of an unemployment in the Czech Republic reached 4.9 per cent, the highest figure in the country's four-year history. "There will be a record level every month now, this year it will evidently pass 5 per cent and next year will approach 6 (per cent)," said Tadeas Kokotek from the Labor Ministry. Work offices registered a quarter of a million unemployed people, which is almost 80,000 more than last year. * Three times in one week Eurotel's GSM network in Prague collapsed for a number of hours because of overloaded software; the first collapse was called a "once-in-a-century" event. Jan Puncochar, Pedro Afanador/Gabriela Pecic Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from October 10) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 24.115 Belgium 100 BEF 90.540 Great Britain 1 GBP 53.080 Denmark 1 DKK 4.907 Finland 1 FIM 6.230 France 1 FRF 5.560 Ireland 1 IEP 47.677 Italy 1000 ITL 19.006 Japan 100 JPY 27.061 Canada 1 CAD 23.820 Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.540 Hungary 100 HUF 16.806 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.590 Norway 1 NOK 4.644 New Zealand 1 NZD 21.131 Poland 1 PLN 9.623 Portugal 100 PTE 18.348 Austria 1 ATS 2.656 Greece 100 GRD 11.851 Slovakia 100 SKK 97.352 Germany 1 DEM 18.685 Spain 100 ESP 22.129 Sweden 1 SEK 4.337 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.643 USA 1 USD 32.723 ECU 1 XEU 36.597 SDR 1 XDR 44.752 CULTURE Jara Cimrman Theater Celebrates 30th Birthday October 4 marked 30 years from the premiere of the Jara Cimrman Theatre's first play, The Nude (Akt). The best proof of the lasting popularity of the theater's dry, intelligent humour are its 7,865 performances and never-ending lines for tickets, as Czechs hope finally to see shows they already know by heart from record. Cimrman, an explorer, inventor and unrecognized genius, is the product of the imaginations of a creative group now symbolized by Zdenek Sverak (who wrote and starred in Oscar-winner Kolya) and Ladislav Smoljak, who wrote most of the plays. The birthday party took place in the theater, located in Prague's Zizkov neighborhood. In a section called What Fell under the Table, the audience, including Interior Minister Jan Ruml, was treated to scenes which never made it into the final versions of some plays. The high point of the evening was a march of all 70 characters from the Cimrman plays. Erik Tabery/Veronika Machova CULTURE IN BRIEF * The American Dance Company, founded by the late Alvin Ailey, began a series of performances in Prague October 7. * English saxophonist Courtney Pine, one of the leading figures in the movement blending jazz with other forms of music such as hip hop, performed in Prague October 8, his second show here this year. * First lady Dagmar Havlova began a series of benefit performances for flood-damaged regions of Moravia. Havlova, who gave up her acting career after her marriage to Havel, will perform the role of Queen Kristina in August Strindberg's play. * Miroslav Donutil was voted the country's favorite radio actor at the Prix Bohemia festival, held at the beginning of the month in Podebrady. Eva Fronkova, Karolina Kucerova and Jan Puncochar/Michael Bluhm SPORT Czech Women Volleyball Players Win Bronze in European Championships Czech Women volleyball players unexpectedly took home a bronze medal October 5 from the European Championships, which were held in Brno. The Czechs defeated Bulgaria 3:0 (13, 10, 7), and finished behind Croatia and Russia, which won its 13th European title. David Kozohorsky/Michael Bluhm Soccer Extraleague: Despite First Tie Sparta Still on Top Results of the 8th round (October 3-6): Opava - Jablonec 3-0, Ostrava - Olomouc 1-0, Bohdanec - Zizkov 0-1, Brno - Hradec Kralove 0-0, Liberec - Plzen 3-2, Slavie - Teplice 0-0, Drnovice - Sparta 2-2. Extraleague Standings 1. Sparta 8 7 1 0 20:7 22 2. Slavia 8 3 4 1 13:5 13 3. Ostrava 8 3 4 1 13:12 13 4. Liberec 8 4 1 3 12:14 13 5. Brno 8 3 3 2 14:8 12 6. Teplice 8 3 3 2 12:8 12 7. Drnovice 8 3 3 2 11:10 12 8. Hradec Kral. 8 3 3 2 7:9 12 9. Olomouc 8 3 2 3 7:5 11 10. Opava 8 2 4 2 12:12 10 11. Zizkov 8 2 3 3 4:6 9 12. Jablonec 8 2 3 3 7:11 9 13. Dukla 8 2 2 4 8:13 8 14. Plzen 8 2 1 5 8:11 7 15. Ces.Budejovice 8 1 3 4 8:13 6 16. Laz. Bohdanec 8 1 0 7 3:15 3 Results of European Cups Soccer Games Champions Extraleague: Borussia Dortmund - Sparta Praha 4-1 (October 1). Sparta still has not won in the competition. Cup Winners Cup: FZ Lucerne - Slavia Praha 0-2 (October 2), Slavia advances. Slavia defeated Lucerne in the first match, in Prague, 4-2. World Championships Qualification The Czech Republic soccer team defeated Malta 1:0 in Malta September 24. The only goal was scored by Radek Bejbl in the 33rd minute. WEATHER Despite the onset of October, a few final warm currents dawdled in the Czech Republic. The mercury reached 22 degrees Celsius/73 degrees Fahrenheit last weekend. The evenings were seasonably chilly, though we were lucky enough to see the sun all of the afternoon of October 7. A cold front, however, is rumored to be on its way. Jaroslav Mares/Michael Bluhm Dear Readers, With this issue a new school year has begun and Carolina will resume its weekly release schedule. English version edited buy 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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