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 280, Friday, March 13, 1998. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 4-11) Havel Visits Poland President Vaclav Havel marked his first official visit of Poland after his re-election by meeting Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski March 9. The main issue during the three-day talks was the countries' integration into NATO and the European Union. The presidents said they agreed on the necessity of strategic Czech-Polish cooperation in the process of joining the EU. They also discussed the floods which severely damaged the countries last summer and about the necessity of taking preventative steps in this area. They also made a common appeal to the government of Bosnia to open a constructive dialogue with representatives of Albanians in Kosovo. On the second day of his visit, Havel and his wife Dagmar attended a reception in his honor organized by the Czech Embassy, where the first couple met with a number of leading Polish politicians, including former Prime Minister Suchocka, popular editor of the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza Adam Michnik and Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek. Havel was warmly received in the town of Zelow, the largest Czech enclave in Poland. After a tour of its evangelical church and Jewish cemetery, Czech residents treated Havel to a rendition of Czech song. Jana Ciglerova/Michael Bluhm Solana Urges Czech Republic to Approve NATO NATO Secretary General Javier Solana met with leading Czech politicians during his two-day visit to the Czech Republic (see Carolina 279). He met with both coalition and opposition party representatives, dined with President Vaclav Havel and spoke in Parliament. In a speech to Czech senators and Parliament deputies, Solana said the country should not let NATO membership slip away. He said it is too valuable a goal to play with or to risk not meeting. Solana tried to appeal to the undecided Czech public by emphasizing the difference between NATO and the former Warsaw Pact. NATO is not a military block, but a security community between countries which have joined it of their own free will, he said. The NATO leader spoke very diplomatically and was not shaken when Social Democrat Jan Kavan asked if it was possible for a country to ratify NATO entry, but then not join after a negative referendum result. Solana answered that it would be very strange for the other member countries. Although the Social Democrats have been calling for a referendum to decide the issue, the party's Parliament club announced March 10 that it would vote to ratify NATO membership. Jan Puncochar/Andrea Snyder Zeman and Klaus Put Election Cards on Table, ODA on the Decline Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman made public five points of his party's election program during his regular Friday press conference March 6. The five commitments to the electorate are taking politics out of state administration, immediate launching of a "clean hands" operation, protection of the "bottom 10 million citizens," generating a favorable climate for small entrepreneurs and creating new jobs. Those five points immediately became the target of the other parties' criticism. Civic Democratic Party (ODS) spokesman Vaclav Musilek called the points "empty promises" and "populist cliche." One day later, March 7, at a meeting of ODS mayors in Podebrady, Civic Democratic Party Chairman Vaclav Klaus laid down the four major themes representing the "axis of the ODS election program:" an indisputable ownership, an inexpensive state, an unindebted future and a limited redistribution of resources. Despite the mass departure of many well-known politicians in the wake of still unsettled financial scandals (see Carolina No. 277, 278), the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) does not rule out the possibility of running on a single ODA ballot without any alliance with another right-wing or conservative party. That was the opinion stated by caretaker ODA Chairman Daniel Kroupa at the ODA central assembly in Jihlava March 7. Three days later, March 10, the Institute for Public Opinion Research (IVVM) announced the results of February voter-preference research, according to which ODA received 1 per cent of respondent support. Surprisingly, the Social Democrats' voter preferences declined considerably in February - from 29 per cent in January to 25 per cent - while the Freedom Union (US) increased their potential electorate from 10 per cent to 13 per cent. The research turned up 27 per cent of undecided voters. Milan Smid/Milan Smid Unemployment Close to 6 Per Cent The Ministry of Labor and announced Czech unemployment in January reached a record high of 5.6 per cent of the working population, which means about 290,000 people without jobs. Although a warmer February may bring more jobs in agriculture and construction, analysts say the figures mean a change in unemployment trends. Experts say the main problem is not not total unemployment, but rather structural and geographical divisions of unemployment. Traditionally, the highest unemployment has been in the northern part of the country. The industrial and agricultural districts of Most, Chomutov, Louny, Karvina, Teplice, Prerov and Znojmo have an unemployment rate of at least 10 per cent. Prague and Mlada Boleslav, the home of carmaker Skoda Auto, owned by Volkswagen, offer the most jobs. The Labor Ministry, together with the ministries for regional development and industry, are preparing a program to assist in regions of high unemployment. The program should support small businesses and direct investors toward those regions. Potential solutions to the problem are complicated by the miserable housing situation - it is not common in the Czech Republic to relocate to find jobs, which cements the differences between regions. Karolina Kucerova/Andrea Snyder Romanies Want U.S. Asylum Romany (Gypsy) human rights organizations from Ostrava visited the American embassy March 5 and allegedly asked for mass asylum for all Czech Romanies. They asked for an audience with the ambassador, but spoke to another embassy employee. Ostrava Democratic Union Chairman Miroslav Holub said the meeting did not resolve anything, but ended with the promise of future talks. Chairman of the Ostrava branch of the Romany Civic Initiative Josef Facuna said that if the request is denied, they will turn to the U.S. Congress. Press Secretary Joselyn Green said the U.S. embassy has not received a formal request. Petra Jedlickova, an employee of Gamp, an agency which does paperwork and other formalities for Czechs who want to go to the U.S., said the United States will protest Romanies moving to the country. Each applicant must prove he has enough money to cover the cost of living in the U.S. for a certain period of time. Helsinki Committee for the U.S. Congress legal advisor Schlager visited Romany families in Ostrava March 10, and was accompanied by Carleton Bulkin of the U.S. embassy. Ostrava Romany human rights organizations held a press conference after Schlager's visit. Schlager said she cannot give any information to the media before she presents her report. Ales Bartl/Andrea Snyder Czech Ambassador to Sweden Resigns President Vaclav Havel accepted the resignation of Czech ambassador to Sweden Petr Kolar, who submitted it after a discussion with Foreign Minister Jaroslav Sedivy. According to CTK news agency, Sedivy rebuked him for making a "serious professional mistake when (Kolar) undiplomatically" commented on the Czech political scene at the end of last year. Kolar, an independent, worked as an advisor to the former Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec and helped manage the Civic Democratic Party's (ODS) election campaign two years ago. He claimed last November that ODS leadership knew about businessman Milan Srejber's financing the party. Jana Ciglerova/Jana Ciglerova Mystery of Masaryk's Death Remains Unsolved On March 10, 1948, 12 days after the Communists took power in Czechoslovakia by force, the dead body of the Foreign Minister Jan Masaryk was found in the courtyard of Cerninsky Palace (the Foreign Ministry) under the windows of his apartment. According to the Czech media, which paid much attention to the anniversary, in the following 50 years no one has managed to establish for certain whether the minister committed suicide by throwing himself out of the window - backwards - or whether he was the victim of a political assassination. Masaryk was the son of the first president of the independent Czechoslovakia, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk. He was a well-known diplomat who for many years worked as Czechoslovak ambassador to England, spoke several languages and, taking after his mother, he was also an accomplished pianist. At the end of his political career, he played an important role in Czechoslovak diplomacy when holding the position of foreign minister. After the Communists, under ringleader Klement Gottwald, took power in February 1948, Masaryk was one of the few politicians from the previous government who decided to stay on. His presence was more than desirable for Gottwald because of Masaryk's unprecedented popularity both in Czechoslovakia and abroad. When the news of his death broke on the morning of March 10, no one could connect the minister's well-known optimism and love of life with the suicide theory presented by the state police. The witnesses in the case were many and their testimonies often contradictory. Jana Ciglerova/Jana Ciglerova Charles University Awarded New Building The Education Ministry awarded Charles University (UK) a new building to be used for school's humanity departments next spring. It is in Jinonice on the outskirts of Prague, and both UK Rector Karel Maly and Education Minister Jan Sokol were present at the ceremony. Construction costing more than 250 million crowns has been finished. About 60 million crowns of construction is left, which UK spokesman Martin Bartunek says the ministry will pay. When construction is complete, a 250-seat lecture hall and 60 smaller classrooms will be available. Language learning centers and computer labs, a large library and cafeteria should also be part of the complex. Students of the College of Social Sciences, the College of Humanities and others will use the new building. Bartunek said UK is to discuss founding a 17th college, which would offer education in social sciences and humanities. The Education Ministry began construction in 1996 and stopped in 1997 because of a shortage of funds. Later that year, Jiri Grusa, the education minister at that time, agreed to transfer the building to Charles University. Gabriela Podzimkova/Andrea Snyder NEWS IN BRIEF * Businessman and former tennis pro Milan Srejber, the donor of 7.5 million crowns to the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), was questioned by the police March 10 in connection with former ODS Vice Chairman Libor Novak's charges on tax evasion. Srejber was subpoenaed for the second time, after he failed to appear for a February 25 deposition. Four weeks have passed since Novak was taken into custody, and some say his incarceration was prolonged because witnesses are ignoring subpoenas. * Because of the latest events in Slovakia, the Czech Republic is preparing a complex analysis which should become the basis for future policy toward Bratislava, said Foreign Minister Jaroslav Sedivy. * The textile factory of the PAJA company in Trutnov exploded and burned March 9, seriously injuring five people. Two of the field spinners and a flax spinner, worth tens of millions of crowns, were completely destroyed. According to experts, the flax dust itself probably caught fire. Ludvik Pospisil/Ajla Zinhasovic FROM SLOVAKIA Czech - Slovak Relations Worsen Slovakia has officially protested against Czech President Vaclav Havel's comments on the political situation in Slovakia. The Slovak Foreign Ministry said Havel's rebukes were unacceptable interference in their internal affairs. Havel said before he left for a visit to Poland that he was worried about the latest developments in Slovakia, but expressed hope that democracy would eventually prevail. Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski supported Havel's position, saying some practices of Premier Vladimir Meciar and his government were far from the standards in democratic countries. The latest wave of criticism of the situation in Slovakia arose after Meciar took over some presidential powers, replaced 28 of 42 ambassadors, cancelled the new date of the referendum on NATO and direct presidential election and granted amnesty to any persons who may have planned or participated in the kidnapping of former President Michal Kovac's son. Jana Ciglerova/Jana Ciglerova Czech Mountain Climbers Dying in High Tatras Five citizens of the Czech Republic have died in the first half of March during their climbing tours in Slovakia's High Tatra Mountains. The unusually high number of accidents in the last two weeks was caused both by exceptional meteorological conditions, with rocks covered by a layer of snow, and by mistakes and inexperience on the side of the mountaineers. The majority of the accidents happened during descent, after slipping on the icy surface. The number of Czech tourists in High Tatras has increased in the last few years. "Czech mountain climbers and tourists are coming back to the Tatras. They travelled to the Alps after the borders were opened to the West. Now they are getting tired of the West's giants and are discovering the charm of the High Tatras," said Lubomir Jursky, employee of the Mountain Service in Stary Smokovec, to Czech daily Lidove noviny. Jana Ciglerova/Ivona Pulkrabkova ECONOMY State Sells Share in IPB After long negotiations, the state has sold its share in the Investment and Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka, IPB) to the European branch of the Japanese investment company Nomura. The contract was signed March 8. Nomura bought a 36.7-per-cent share in the bank for 3.03 billion crowns. According to the contract, Nomura will raise the capital of the bank by 6 billion crowns and possibly invest the same amount in the form of 10-year bonds. The state was in a weak position during negotiations. It repeatedly failed to participate in capital increases during the years 1993-96, weakening its share in the bank. The purchase was also complicated by rumors about the bank's assets, reserves and securities. And criminal charges against the bank's top two managers for improper transactions did not improve the image of the bank, either. (For details see Carolina 246-248.) At an IPB extraordinary general meeting held March 9, Jan Klacek (former director of the Economic Institute of the Czech National Bank) was elected general director and chairman of the board of directors. Jiri Tesar, reigning general director and one of the two charged, was elected chairman of the supervisory board. Jan Puncochar/Matej Cerny Changes in Brewery Rankings The Pilsner Urquell (Plzensky prazdroj) brewery was announced as the most successful brewery of 1997 with its production of 700,000 hectoliters more than in 1996, when it was also number one. The Nosovice-based Radegast, which had not concealed its efforts to increase production, met with failure by putting out 1.2 million hectoliters instead of the expected 2 million. Radegast thus lost its number-two position among domestic producers to Prague Breweries. Certain shares - both in Prazdroj and in Radegast - are owned by the Investment and Postal Bank (IPB, see above) and by Nomura. Those had last fall attempted to merge the breweries and consequently push out from the Radegast group minority shareholder Bass of Great Britain, which controls Prague Breweries (See Carolina 260). The planned merger was rejected by the Office for the Protection of Economic Competition, and the appeal is now being heard. Some analysts do not consider it out of the question that Nomura would intentionally weaken Radegast in favor of Prazdroj, with the aim that BASS would leave the Nosovice company. IPB spokeswoman Barbora Tacheci denied those speculations in her March 6 interview for daily MF DNES. Jakub Svab/Ivona Pulkrabkova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from March 16) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 22.980 Belgium 100 BEF 90.529 Great Britain 1 GBP 56.763 Denmark 1 DKK 4.900 ECU 1 XEU 37.035 Finland 1 FIM 6.152 France 1 FRF 5.571 Ireland 1 IEP 46.536 Italy 1000 ITL 18.976 Japan 100 JPY 26.512 Canada 1 CAD 24.216 Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.529 IMF 1 XDR 45.793 Hungary 100 HUF 16.213 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.572 Norway 1 NOK 4.488 New Zealand 1 NZD 19.893 Poland 1 PLN 9.896 Portugal 100 PTE 18.258 Austria 1 ATS 2.655 Greece 100 GRD 11.817 Germany 1 DEM 18.670 Slovakia 100 SKK 96.853 Slovenia 100 SIT 19.958 Spain 100 ESP 22.038 Sweden 1 SEK 4.271 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.975 USA 1 USD 34.147 CULTURE Musical Academy Awards for 1997 without Surprises Prague's Lucerna March 7 hosted the Musical Academy Awards ceremony for 1997, rewarding musicians and composers of domestic popular music. This year the winged figures sculpted by Jaroslav Ron were not granted under the name Gramy for the first time, because representatives of the American Grammy award protested against the Czech name. The best singer trophy was taken by Daniel Hulka, the star of Dracula in the Prague musical. The best female singer award was given to Lucie Bila, and the award for best music band went to Ostrava's Buty. On the list of nominees there was not one surprising name. The best album award went to Emotional Investment (Citova investice) from Petr Hapka and Michal Horacek, and their hit I'm Looking, I'm Looking (Divam se, divam se) was voted best recording. Petr Novak was posthumously voted into the Hall of Fame. In the genre categories the winners were the band Kabat (hard and heavy), Lenka Filipova (mainstream), Jiri Stivin (jazz), the Slapeto chorus (traditional music), Robert Krestan (country), Jaromir Nohavica (folk) and Liquid Harmony (dance music). The award for best alternative music was given to Iva Bittova, who decided not to accept the award. In this year's ceremony there were no awards given in professional categories like sound, cover art and production. The ceremony was hosted by the Slovak singer Miro Zbirka, who lives in Prague, proving that the Czech cultural scene is in search of quality hosts. One of the hosts who performed during the evening was Slovak singer Marika Gombitova, who received a rousing ovation. Visitors could listen to recorded versions of bands like Wanastovy vjecy, Lucie, Chinaski, Buty, Daniel Hulka and also songs from the new but not yet available albums of Lucie Bila and Bara Basikova. Anna Kadava/Sofia Karakeva Thirty Million Crowns to Support Czech Cinematography The Council of the State Fund for the Support and the Development of Czech Cinematography (SFPRCK) has given 30 million crowns for the support of new projects. The main grant of 6.4 million crowns will go to the new film The Return of the Idiot (Navrat idiota) by Sasa Gedeon, inspired by Dostojevsky's characters brought into the present. In the category of documentary and animated film, the biggest amount (1.875 millions Czech crown) will be given to Jan Balej's film One Night in One City (Jedna noc v jednom meste). The council also gave 950,000 crowns for the Complete catalogue of the Czech Video Center, which will promote Czech cinematography and also gave 200,000 crowns for activities connected with nominations for the best foreign-language Oscar. The Czech daily Lidove noviny, in Vladimir Just's article, noted that the official custodians of SFPRCK film property, the companies AB Barrandov and Zlin Studios, owe the fund millions of crowns which they have received from television stations for granting broadcast rights for the films but have yet to return to the fund. Ludvik Pospisil/Sofia Karakeva SPORT After 18th Round, Bohdanec Alone Drnovice's 0-4 loss in Pribram against Dukla was the soccer league's 18th round's biggest story. Drnovice continued its trip down the standings while Viktoria Plzen strengthened its hopes to maintain league membership with another win. Lazne Bohdanec remains in last place, 11 points behind. The match between Slavia Praha and Boby Brno was played March 9. In Boby's uniform played Martin Hysky, the former Slavia player, but he did not celebrate his debut with any success. Slavia defeated Brno 1-0 on Koller's goal in the 24th minute. Results: Ostrava - Opava 1-0, Plzen - Teplice 2-0, Liberec - Hradec Kralove 0-0, Zizkov - Olomouc 0-0, Dukla - Drnovice 4-0, Ceske Budejovice - Sparta Praha 0-1, Lazne Bohdanec - Jablonec 1-3, Slavia Praha - Brno 1-0. Kucerova/Mirek Langer Slavia's Trip to Cup Winners Cup Complicated Slavia Praha tied in the first quarterfinals of the Cup Winners Cup against VfB Stuttgart 1-1 March 5. The opponent, weakened by injuries, was unexpectedly good and lost a win after a possible error by the referee. Slavia took the lead in the 40th minute, though Vacha's goal should have been disallowed for offsides. After the break, Stuttgart scored as Stejskal let Poschner's shot under his body for the goal. Vagner missed the last chance to win the match for the home team, kicking a penalty shot very poorly. The 1-1 tie moved Stuttgart closer to advancing, but Slavia can still avenge itself in Germany. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Fight for Eighth Place Continues Three rounds are left till the end of the hockey extraleague's basic season and the fight for eighth place, the last spot in the playoffs, is getting more adventurous. Pardubice is eighth now, but Jihlava, Ceske Budejovice and Zlin are in striking distance. Only two matches from this battle interested Czech fans. Trinec defeated Vitkovice in a duel of the league's second- and third-place teams, and Slavia got spanked by Sparta in the fourth Prague derby this year. Results of the 48th round: Pardubice - Slavia Praha 2-1, Sparta Praha - Ceske Budejovice 2-2, Plzen - Zlin 6-5, Opava - Litvinov 4-7, Vsetin - Karlovy Vary 7-4, Kladno - Jihlava 2-5, Trinec - Vitkovice 6-4. Results of the 49th round: Opava - Trinec 3-4, Zlin - Pardubice 3-3, Ceske Budejovice - Vsetin 2-3, Jihlava - Vitkovice 2-3, Karlovy Vary - Kladno 6-1, Slavia Praha - Sparta Praha 1-5, Litvinov - Plzen 1-4. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Successful Athletes from Nagano Olympics Get Paid Czech medal winners from the Nagano Winter Olympics took their rewards in Hrzansky Palace March 10. Cross-country skier Katerina Neumannova took two checks for 300,000 (for bronze) and for 500,000 crowns (for silver). Only one check remained for the ice hockey team, but it was for 10 million crowns. Captain Vladimir Ruzicka and coach Ivan Hlinka took it from the hands of Prime Minister Josef Tosovsky and hockey union president Karel Gut. Each member of the team will get the same amount of about 380,000. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Pole Vaulter Bartova Will Stay European No. 1 till Winter The best indoor pole vault event ever sprang from the battle between Daniela Bartova and American world champion Stacy Dragila at a track and field meet in Sindelfingen, Germany. Both athletes jumped 4.48 meters - a new world record. Dragila managed it on her second attempt, Bartova on her third. Both then tried to jump 4.53 meters, and Bartova came very close to doing it on her second attempt. European indoor championships second-place finisher Bartova became the "only" European record holder. Because the indoor season is ending, it is very probable she will maintain the record till winter. Before the season she set for herself the goal of jumping 4.5 meters. "Jumping that would make me happy, but now I am only glad," she said. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Alpine Skier Tepla Gets Medals on Paralympic Hills Katerina Tepla won two medals during the Seventh Winter Paralympic Games in Nagano. The visually handicaped skier in the B3 category won a silver in the downhill and a gold in the Super-G. Her father, Pavel Teply, is her guide. Sabina Rogie, with her guide Michal Karasek, added a bronze in the Super-G in the same category. The Czech Republic, represented by six athletes, has matched the result of the national team from the Olympics, which took place in the same venues, and the Paralympics is only halfway done. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer After deadline: Giant slalom, category B1,3: 1st Tepla, 2nd Rogie. SPORTS IN BRIEF * The lone Czech basketball player in the NBA, Jiri Zidek, signed a contract with the team with the league's best record, the Seattle SuperSonics, and has played one minute for them. * The women's basketball team IMOS Zabovresky lost in the quarterfinals of the European League to Italy's Como. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer WEATHER After a short drop in temperatures at the beginning of the week, the weather is playing with us again. The highest temperature ever recorded for a March 4 was noted in Prague - 21 degrees Celsius/70 degrees Fahrenheit, and also the rest of the territory warmed up a bit. On March 10, a strong wind blew over the Czech Republic, leaving broken roofs behind and causing one tragic car accident. It snowed in the highlands on the weekend, but all was crowned by the events of March 10's morning: it snowed throughout the republic and the snow caused memorable traffic jams (our professor came one hour late for class). On March 11 you could not find a snowflake in Prague. The forecast still talks about cold weather, but how you can trust that... Karolina Kucerova/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. 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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