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 283, Friday, April 3, 1998. FROM EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 25 - April 1) Czech Republic Opens EU Membership Talks The Czech Republic March 31 took another step toward membership in the European Union, as talks in Brussels began among the EU and the top six applicants for new membership (Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Slovenia, Cyprus and the Czech Republic). The negotiations participants concurred on the unique character of European integration while emphasizing that a period of tenacious work is beginning for the applicant countries. Foreign Minister Jaroslav Sedivy said accepting the European legal system should not cause any substantial problems in the Czech Republic. He expressed his conviction that negotiations could be closed by the year 2000 and that the Czech Republic could enter the EU soon after. While in Brussels, he also submitted the Czechs' national program of preparation for EU membership. This document deals with a majority of the problems cited by the European Commission in its appraisal of the Czech Republic's application for membership, the problems including legal harmonization, its application and enforcement, reforms in the economic sphere, agriculture and environmental protection. Sedivy admitted the Czech Republic does not have the money to realize the reforms in transportation and the environment required by the EU. Conflicts could arise concerning the sale of land to foreigners, which is limited in the Czech Republic and Poland, and with securing the eastern borders of the enlarged EU. Sedivy said he fears the process could lead to the end of the Czech-Slovak customs union, however, he said he believes Slovakia will step up its efforts at EU integration. Katerina Murlova/Denisa Vitkova DOMESTIC NEWS Social Democrats File Criminal Complaint in Bamberg Affair The Czech Social Democrat Party (CSSD) submitted a criminal complaint to the Prague District Attorney's Office accusing an unidentified person of sabotage. Attorney Jiri Teryngel, who will represent the Social Democrats in the case, said "an unidentified person organized the 1995 meeting in Bamberg with the goal of signing a document which was to have discredited CSSD before the parliamentary elections." Teryngel went on to say the same person created a memorandum and turned it in to Czech Television. One of the station's programs showed that Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman and former Vice Chairman Karel Machovec were to have met with Czech-Swiss businessmen in Bamberg in 1995 and offered them influence in Czech political decision-making in exchange for a loan (see Carolina 281 a 282). Zeman requested President Vaclav Havel and Prime Minister Josef Tosovsky to have the secret service (BIS) investigate the case. BIS Spokesman Jan Subert said the president asked BIS to investigate not only because the affair is threatening the political stability of the country, but also because of the suspicion that an attempt was made at corruption which could have endangered the country's sovereignity. Machovec said on the March 29 TV NOVA discussion program Seven or 7 Days that the Bamberg affair has been cleared up, because the meetings took place and CSSD made no "incorrect commitments." Jan Vizek, the main figure in the scandal, lives in Bern, Switzerland. He said he sent the party about 8 million crowns in 1995 and started the affair to keep Zeman from coming to power, according to the March 30 edition of daily MF DNES. Social Democrat leaders deny Vizek's claim and say no one ever said anything about money. Machovec told MF DNES "I do not remember anything like that." Former CSSD member Jozef Wagner said the affair is aimed at discrediting Zeman and knocking him out of his position as chairman, so a post-election coalition could be created among the Social Democrats with the Freedom Union and the Christian Democrats. Machovec vehemently rejected this theory. Nora Novakova/Andrea Snyder Christian Democrats Name Economic and Social Priorities The Christian Democrats chose this weekend to present a party platform which supports lower taxes, an extension on vacation time, and a challenge to the government to enter more discussions with the Czech National Bank (CNB). The party said the way to solve problems is by bringing impartial and party experts together for talks. The Christian Democrats said their main economic goal is to stop economic growth from stagnating. They propose a quick end to privatization, and opening the country to more foreign capital. The CNB should remain independent, but consult its steps with the government. This would stop problems between the government's budget policy and the Czech National Bank's interest policies. The party platform calls for tax reforms. Direct taxes should be decreased (e.g., income taxes to 29 per cent for individuals), indirect taxes, like the Value Added Tax, are to be raised. The Christian Democrats call for basic food goods not to be taxed, other foods and costs of living to have a tax of 5 per cent, and the rest to be taxed at 19 per cent to 20 per cent. The Christian Democrats say this would add about 30 billion crowns annually to the state budget. The party emphasizes social work instead of direct financial support. The party platform also proposes an extension of vacation time from three weeks to four weeks. Now, only after 15 years of employment is one eligible for four weeks of vacation. The party wants to increase supplements for children, which would raise the state budget annually by an estimated 1 billion crowns. Jan Puncochar/Andrea Snyder Freedom Union Calls for Changes in Electoral System The Freedom Union (US), the most-popular non-leftist Czech party, proposed at its March 28 party meeting that the lower chamber of Parliament be elected by majority vote and that senators be elected by a proportional vote. Elections are now conducted in the opposite manner. Government spokesman and US leader Vladimir Mlynar said the step would stabilize the political scene and make it more transparent. He said the move would remove extremist parties from Parliament and leave more room for democratic parties. US Chairman Jan Ruml said a Senate elected proportionally would ensure its role in the system of checks and balances. Although the US does not expect the electoral system to change overnight, the party says that discussions will start intensively after the early elections June 19-20 shake the political scene. Former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus' Civic Democratic Party supports the change, while the Social Democrats, d the Christian Democrats, Communists and the neo-Fascist Republicans are against it. Freedom Union is divided on whether the President should be elected directly or by Parliament, as is the practice in the Czech Republic now. Party Chairman Jan Ruml said he supports direct election. Ondrej Drabek/Andrea Snyder Miners' Unions Cancels Strike Emergency The crisis staff of the miners' union accepted April 1 the government's guarantees of employment and decided to put an end to the strike emergency. About 25,000 northern Bohemian miners declared strike readiness last week to protest the planned privatization of the three coal mines. According to the Cabinet's proposal, the Most Coal Corporation (Mostecka uhelna), the Sokolov Coal Corporation (Sokolovska uhelna) and the Northern Bohemian Mines (Severoceske doly) are due to be privatized before the June elections. Ivan Dzida, general director of the OKD mining company, summed up the anxiety of the companies' managements and the unions: "The state should not sell the mining companies before it adopts a conception for the energy and raw materials sectors." Union leader Cyril Zapletal March 27 threatened a strike. The government reacted with an official declaration that "the miners unions' methods are irresponsible and redundantly confrontational" and sent Trade Minister Karel Kuhnl and the Agriculture Minister Josef Lux as negotiators. Ivona Pulkrabkova/Ivona Pulkrabkova President Calls on Political Prisoners to Testify More than 1,000 former political prisoners visited Prague's Zofin March 31 to celebrate the 30th anniversary since the founding of the K 231 club of political prisoners. President Vaclav Havel attended the celebration and called on political prisoners to testify on violence and dictatorship. He also conceded that insufficient settlement with the Communist past is one of the results of the "velvet" aspect of the change of regimes eight years ago. At the beginning of his speech, Havel apologized to the visitors for not being present at their meeting in Prague Castle February 24 (see Carolina 278). Some of those in attendance felt offended that Havel had time to meet with the Czech hockey players one day after he was released from the hospital but did not have time to visit them. "Stupidly I listened to my doctors, who forbid me to go. I am very sorry," said Havel to the Czech daily MF DNES April 1. Lenka Jindrlova/Sofia Karakeva Sladek - the Only Candidate - Re-elected Republican Chairman Miroslav Sladek was re-elected chairman of the neo-Fascist Union for the Republic - Republican Party of Czechoslovakia (SPR-RSC) during the party's fourth national congress. The only candidate for the position, Sladek received the votes of 200 delegates out of 203 (he abstained from voting). The congress took place in the "hermetically" sealed Polish House in Ostrava, where no journalists were allowed. The Vice Chairman post was won by Parliament deputy Martin Smetana, and Jan Vik was re-elected party secretary. Vik said to the Czech daily Pravo that his party, which has 8-per-cent support in voter preference polls, would like to win 15 per cent of the vote in the election and take part in forming the next government. Vik said he expects the coming election campaign will see scandals thrown at his party. He also added that in his opinion the Republican party "is the only one shining with its purity." Anna Kadava/Sofia Karakeva Former ODA Members Unite in Ark Some former members of the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA) who left the party because of its financial scandal (see Carolina 275-278) have established a civic association called the Ark (Archa). It is supposed to become a home for former ODA members and an integral element of the Czech non-leftist scene. Martin Dvorak, the mayor of Hradec Kralove and former ODA leader, was elected president of the Ark, while vice president will be Pavel Bratinka, a Parliament deputy and former minister in the government of Vaclav Klaus. According to Bratinka, the Ark is not coming into existence as a party in order to complicate the political scene further. Justice Minister and Ark member Vlasta Parkanova said the Ark will not seek any legislative mandates in the upcoming elections. Nevertheless, Bratinka said he would not rule out the possibility that Ark members could run as members of other parties (e.g., Trade Minister and Ark member Karel Kuhnl is leading the Freedom Union's ballot in northern Bohemia). Ludvik Pospisil/Ajla Zinhasovic Wagner Chairman of Political Club Jozef Wagner was elected chairman of the Political Club at its nationwide conference March 29. Wagner is a former Social Democrat who now chairs Parliament's Budget Committee as an independent. The Political Club - Party of the Democratic Center was formed as an association in December and, on Wagner's initiative, was in mid-January registered as a political party. First vice chairman is Martin Palous, a member of Helsinki Committee, and among the other three vice chairmen film director Jan Kacer. Wagner said the Political Club is negotiating with 10 political subjects about election campaign cooperation and forming an election platform. Conference participants also decided to shorten the party name to the Political Club. Anna Kadava/Gabriela Pecic NEWS IN BRIEF * The government decided to create a special commission that would examine the purchase of several hotels by the Corinthia Group (see Carolina 282). Members of the commission should be officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, regional development, trade and justice. The intelligence service (BIS) will also cooperate with the commission. * The Prague District Attorney's Office started investigating the purchase of hotels by the Corinthia Group. Investigators will try to find out to what extend the company is controlled by Libyans and whether the contract can be invalidated. * The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament did not approve a bill April 2 to register the partnership of persons of the same sex. According to the draft, homosexuals couples would have the same rights as heterosexual couples, except for the right to adopt a child. * Former Vice Chairman of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Libor Novak was released from police custody after 41 days March 26. However, he still faces charges of tax evasion in the amount of 500,000 crowns. * The Cabinet decided April 1 that hospitals will get 4 per cent more money in the second quarter than in the same period last year. * The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament adopted a resolution March 25 which asks the government to stop the liquidation of hospitals. Eva Fronkova a Paula Majorova/Matej Cerny FROM SLOVAKIA Third Round of the President Elections Has Two Candidates Two candidates are to compete in the third round of presidential elections. The Party of the Democratic Left (SDL') proposed Brigita Schmognerova, its vice chairwoman, economy expert and former vice premier in Jozef Moravcik's government. Leadership of the ruling Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) decided March 28 to propose Milan Secansky, vice chairman of the National Assembly's Constitutional Law Committee. The elections are to take place April 16, although neither candidate is likely to receive enough votes to be elected. Paula Majorova/Denisa Vitkova ECONOMY Boeing to Buy Aero The Cabinet April 1 gave its approval to the merger of Aero Vodochody, the biggest domestic military aircraft producer, with the Boeing-Czech Airlines (CSA) consortium. In spite of contrary proposals from last spring, the government also increased its guarantees of Aero's foreign loans to 42 billion crowns. This was criticized by some of the ministers, as Agriculture Minister Josef Lux pointed out the discrepancy between the guarantees and the 1 billion crowns that Boeing will invest in Aero to increase the firm's capital. Boeing Ceska, the Czech branch of Boeing, is to get 35 per cent to 45 per cent of Aero's shares. The state-owned Consolidation Bank (Konsolidacni banka) and the Letka company will keep a majority Aero's shares. Jan Kozanek/Matej Cerny CROWN NOTE * The Czech National Bank (CNB) intervened on the currency market to stop the continuing rise of the crown. The CNB knocked the crown down from 18.25 per Deutschmark to 18.50 per Deutschmark. CNB spokesman Martin Svehla said he believes the intervention was successful. Jan Kozanek/Matej Cerny Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from April 4) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 22.487 Belgium 100 BEF 89.885 Great Britain 1 GBP 57.387 Denmark 1 DKK 4.866 ECU 1 XEU 36.905 Finland 1 FIM 6.107 France 1 FRF 5.535 Ireland 1 IEP 46.632 Italy 1000 ITL 18.814 Japan 100 JPY 25.680 Canada 1 CAD 24.209 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.885 IMF 1 XDR 45.814 Hungary 100 HUF 16.064 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.457 Norway 1 NOK 4.482 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.879 Poland 1 PLN 9.932 Postugal 100 PTE 18.103 Austria 1 ATS 2.636 Greece 100 GRD 10.630 Germany 1 DEM 18.550 Slovakia 100 SKK 96.907 Slovenia 100 SIT 19.887 Spain 100 ESP 21.854 Sweden 1 SEK 4.276 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.378 USA 1 USD 34.331 CULTURE Thalie '97 Awards The Thalie '97 prizes for extraordinary performance in drama, opera, musical and ballet were awarded March 28 in Prague's National Theater. The ceremony was hosted by famous Slovak actor Milan Lasica, who won a Thalie two years ago. To great applause from the audience, Lasica noted the presence of the first lady Dagmar Havlova this year with a bodyguard, whereas last year she was with her husband. The best female actress in a drama prize was awarded to Alena Vranova, a member of the Ungelt Prague Theater, for her role as Gertrude Matthews in Arnold Wesker's Stormy Spring. National Theater actor Josef Somr won in the category of best male drama performance for his role of Mr. Frank in Frantisek Hrubin's Horn Romance (Romance pro kridlovku). The winners in the opera category accepted their awards by telephone. Eva Urbanova, on a guest stint at The New York Metropolitan Opera, was awarded for her performance as Kostelnicka Burijovka in Leos Janacek's Jenufa in the National Theater. The Thalie for best male opera singer was given to another National Theater member, Ivan Kusnjer, for his role of George III in Eight Songs for a Mad King by P.M. Davis. The category of ballet, pantomime and contemporary dance was dominated by Carmen Ou La Tragedy de Don Jose, reworked by A. Schneider-Rossmy, and its main performers Tereza Podarilova (Carmen) and Petr Zuska (Don Jose). All the prizes were awarded to Prague theaters except one - best female performance in a musical, which went to Ludmila Machytkova for her role as Marie Anna Elisa in Franz Lehar's operetta Paganini, which was performed at the Moravian Theater in Olomouc. The prize for best male performance in a musical went to Lubomir Lipsky, who played Billy Kipp in Gustav Oplustil's Dreams from New York, performed at the Karlin Music Theater. Ivo Zidek won the award for lifetime achievement in opera, dancer Victor Malcev in ballet and comedian Vlastimil Brodsky for acting. Actor Svatopluk Benes, who recalled how 61 years ago he stood on the stage of the National Theater for the premiere of Karel Capek's White Disease (Bila nemoc), won the special Thalie Collegium prize. The prize for actors under 33 was awarded to 23-year-old Drama Theater (Cinoherni divadlo) member Petra Spalkova. Karolina Kucerova/Jana Ciglerova SPORTS Better Play Brings Win for New Soccer National Team Coach Chovanec A good shot by Lasota at the end of the match determined that the premiere of new national team coach Jozef Chovanec against Ireland finished with a hard but deserved 2-1 win March 25. Slavia's player crowned the Czech struggle to erase the Irish lead from the first half on Breen's goal. Chovanec should be satisfied with the good form once again shown by Karel Poborsky after his trade to Benfica Lisbon. Vladimir Smicer fulfilled the role of the Czech top forward, not only by his goal to make it 1-1, and sweeper Lubos Kozel's play was really a nice surprise as he started both scoring plays. "Tnhe whole team satisfied me with its approach and appetite for play. However, we are only at the beginning of our trip. We must give a chance to other players, to have a well-prepared team for the autumn qualification matches," Chovanec said. Milan Eisenhammer/Mirek Langer Hockey Extraleague in Semifinals The hockey Staropramen Extraleague playoffs continue with the semifinal battles between Vsetin and Sparta, and Vitkovice and Trinec. Vsetin beat Sparta in both games on their own ice, 4-1 and 3-1, and they can advance already after the match in Prague April 3. Sparta lost the second game due to a penalty on Petr Nedved, losing its third center forward and decisively damaging its roster. Trinec lost to Vitkovice 5-6, but by winning the second match 4-0 managed to fulfill its goal: to win at least once on Vitkovice's ice. Goalie Radovan Biegl recorded the shut-out. Trinec forward Roman Kadera was hurt after Skuta's highsticking foul at the end of the second match and was taken to the hospital. Michal Cerny/Mirek Langer Slavia Still Waiting for Win against Sparta The 133rd soccer league intracity derby between Sparta and Slavia in Sparta's Letna Stadium finished in a 1-1 tie March 31. Slavia has not defeated Sparta for five years and is 10 points behind them in the standings, alone in second place. The home team played better, but Slavia countered with fast breaks and, after an excellent pass from Labant, Vagner scored on a shot from 18 meters/58 feet. Just before the end of the halftime, Slavia's Vlcek fouled Baranek outside the penalty box, the referee Vidlak ordered a penalty kick, but Lokvenc failed to convert. Five minutes before the match ended, Lokvenc scored, although he appeared to have been offside. Vidlak's mistakes made Slavia's coach Pavel Tobias angry: "The match was the high point of the season and I think that a team such as Sparta does not need to be helped by the referee." Results of the 21st round of the soccer league: Zizkov - Dukla 2-0, Brno - Opava 1-2, Jablonec - Ostrava 2-2, Olomouc - Liberec 1-2, Plzen - Ceske Budejovice 4-1, Teplice - Bohdanec 4-1, Hradec Kralove - Drnovice 0-0, Sparta Praha - Slavia Praha 1-1. Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 52 pts., 2. Slavia Praha 42, 3. Olomouc 34, 4. Ostrava 33, 5. Liberec 32, 6. Jablonec 31, 7. Brno 31, 8. Zizkov 29, 9. Drnovice 27, 10. Teplice 25, 11. Opava 25, 12. Dukla 25, 13. Plzen 24, 14. Hradec Kralove 24, 15. Ceske Budejovice 22, 16. Bohdanec 7. Jiri Polak/Mirek Langer Czech Track And Field Hit by Doping Cases The doping control found the anabolic steroid stanozol, known from Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson's scandal, in Miroslav Menc's urine sample. The Czech shot-putter will not be allowed to compete for two years if a second test will confirm the result. Indoor European Championships bronze medal winner Tomas Janku (high jump) and also Martin Jelinek (decathlon) and Jiri Kuntos (triple jump) positively tested for ephedrine. They will be only reprimanded, because ephedrine is only a soft drug. The athletes said they did not know that they were taking ephedrine by drinking the American drink Shock It. "You could hardly explain why Janku would drink this product in front of the commissioners to give them the demanded sample as soon as possible," said doping commissioner of the Czech Track and Field Union Ladislav Knakal. The Czech distributor of the drink apologized to the athletes. Gabriela Podzimkova/Mirek Langer WEATHER In contrast to the very first spring day a week ago, when much of the Czech Republic were powdered with a layer of snow, these days the sun has vigorously taken charge and penetrated through coats and woolen sweaters to the hearts of the people. People are somehow more cheerful and friendly all of a sudden. Only the stubborn sleepers who moved their wristwatch one hour forward with disgust for the summer time shift may have been in a bad mood. On the one hand, one hour of our sleep was stolen, on the other hand we can start sunbathing at 7 a.m. Eva Fronkova/Milan Smid 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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