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 287, Thursday, April 30, 1998. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (April 22- April 29) Vaclav Havel Will Be Back Soon (and Live Long) The condition of Czech President Vaclav Havel improved in spite of a series of small, non-life-threatening surgical procedures. The day after the president was taken off from a respiratory machine, April 23, the medical team applied a tracheotomy (an artificial opening below the throat) to enable independent breathing and to remove the plastic pipe from his throat which was causing painful irritation. Deep stitches from Havel's abdomen were removed April 28. Havel has been hospitalized in Innsbruck since April 14, the day of the emergency surgery on his perforated colon. According to medical reports, Havel had no fever April 30, he was ready to swallow both liquids and solid food and to start physical therapy. Chief surgeon Ernest Bodner said he expects Havel may return to Prague at the end of the week, the exact date of the transport is to be set May 1. Nonetheless, Bodner recommends not to hurry because of Havel's restlessness. If the popular superstition that anybody who was erroneously reported to be dead will live a long time comes true, Havel's future is going to be bright. A news story about the death of the president leaked out from the database of the Czech press agency CTK for half an hour. Due to a technical error, Havel's profile, led by news of his death dated April 14, slipped from the stand-by position into the part of the database accessible to some of CTK's subscribers. No one passed on the news to the public. Jana Ciglerova/Milan Smid Tosovsky Meets Santer and Solana in Brussels European Commission Chairman Jacques Santer agreed April 28 in Brussels with Czech Prime Minister Josef Tosovsky that the Czech Republic would from June repeal its quotas on apples imported from EU countries. According to the daily Pravo, Santer voiced his request for consolidating state administration and justice in the Czech Republic before its entry into EU. The European Commission also advised the Czechs to enact stricter supervision over the banking and insurance sectors and the capital market. On the other hand, Santer complimented efforts at a macroeconomic recovery and the Czechs' approach to the EU. Tosovsky assured Santer that privatization would continue after the early elections. During their short meeting, Tosovsky acquainted NATO Secretary General Javier Solana with the positive result of the Czech Parliament's vote on Czech NATO membership and the individual legislative steps necessary for membership which have already been taken. Erik Tabery/Denisa Vitkova Holocaust Day According to the Jewish calendar, April 23 was the Yom HaShoa - Holocaust Day. A ceremony in the memory of Holocaust victims took place at the Pinkas Synagogue in Prague. During the memorial meeting, led by the chief Czech rabbi Ephraim Karol Sidon and the high cantor of the Jewish Community Viktor Feuerlicht, candles were lit in memory of the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust. During the afternoon hours a similar ceremony took place at the Jewish cemetery at the former Theresienstadt (Terezin) camp, where the names of the hundreds of victims of the crematorium were read. The aim of this tradition, which began eight years ago, is to read gradually the names of all 35,000 Theresienstadt victims. Czech daily Lidove noviny April 24 published a poll taken for them by the Median agency which found that 3.7 per cent of respondents consider the Holocaust an invention and 11.3 per cent believe the number of 6 million victims to be exaggerated. Chairman of the Jewish Community Federation in the Czech Republic Jan Munk said, in connection with the continuing attacks against Romanies (Gypsies), that the Jewish minority also feels endangered by the growing racist mood. He also appealed to the Czech government to take a more active role in the case of the extradition from Germany of war criminal Anthon Malloth, a guard at Theresienstadt. Jakub Svab/Ajla Zinhasovic Human Rights Report Critical of Czech Republic The Czech Helsinki Committee published April 21 its 1997 annual report, according to which the Czech Republic did not pay appropriate attention to the observance of human rights, namely in respect to legislation against racism and the sloppy approach to the prosecution of racially motivated crime. Minister Vladimir Mlynar, responsible for ethnic and minority affairs, declared his basic acceptance of the report, in that Romany unemployment data are correct, he said. Mlynar is going to present in six weeks at the Cabinet meeting a program encouraging Romany employment. According to the Czech media, the program assumes that up to 5 per cent of the contracts commissioned by the state should be awarded to Romany companies, on the condition that these companies would posses the approval of the Inter-ministerial Commission for Romany Affairs. Mlynar said he disagrees with the report on its critical stance toward Czech observance of the International Treaty on the Elimination of All Forms of Racism. He said the Czech Republic's attitude toward the issue is far from perfect, but other countries' situations are not ideal, either. Tomas Mls/Milan Smid Black Week for Czech Railways Two minutes before 2 p.m. April 28 two passenger trains collided head-on in Stritez near Jihlava. It is not known yet who caused the disaster in which 27 people were injured, eight of those seriously. This crash was the fourth railway accident during the past week. Seven days earlier in Brno, a cargo train derailed; two gas tanks overturned, and gasoline leaked into the area. On April 24 a brakeless express passenger train with one passenger and no crew left the station in Brno. The train was stopped in Skalice nad Svitavou using a special derailing machinery after a 40-kilometer ride. A few hours later, in Morkovice near Kromeriz, more than 200 standing cars of cargo started into motion; 30 fell into a field. There were approximately 700 unused wagons were left standing on an unused regional line, and the presumed cause of the accident was the removal of their brakes by an unknown person. Jaroslav Mares/Denisa Vitkova NEWS IN BRIEF * Prime Minister Josef Tosovsky promised to meet representatives of the 10 largest unions of state administration employees May 19, after the previously scheduled meeting was cancelled because of the state employees' demonstration in front of the Office of the Government April 7 (see Carolina 285). * The Senate, the upper chamber of the Czech Parliament, approved the new Higher Education Act passed already by the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate did not try to incorporate into the bill any provisions concerning mandatory tuition, rejected by the lower chamber of of the Czech Parliament. The act, which will go into effect January 1, will allow for the establishment. * Only a few politicians observed Earth Day in the Czech Republic. One of the few was Environment Minister Martin Bursik, who came to his office April 22 on his mountain bike, instead of in his government limo. * Petr Studenovsky, former head of the news department at the public Czech Television, became the new Cabinet spokesman April 22. Minister Vladimir Mlynar left the position after joining Jan Ruml's new party the Freedom Union. * Two policemen participating in a raid on organized crime suspects in Prague's Zizkov area were gunned down in an apartment house when a member of the gang alerted by mobile phone attacked two armed plainclothes policemen from behind in the corridor of the house. One policeman was killed, the second managed to escape after being shot in the leg. The gang is allegedly involved in auto theft and blackmail. * Jiri Payne, Civic Democratic Party (ODS) deputy in Parliament, caused an automobile accident April 22 which resulted in serious injury to his daughter Rachel, 11, and the driver of the second vehicle. The head-on crash with an ambulance happened at a crossing in the village of Svetice, east of Prague, when Payne did not yield to the ambulance, which had the right-of-way. * Eighteen-year-old Katerina Stocesova from Podlesi near Pribram won the jubilee 10th-annual Miss Czech Republic pageant April 25 in Ostrava. Stocesova attends a botanical high school, has blond hair and is 177 centimeters/5' 9" tall. Two Prague brunettes finished behind Stocesova - Alena Seredova and Petra Faltynova. Ondrej Hanzal, Karolina Kucerova/Milan Smid, Mirek Langer FROM SLOVAKIA Vladimir Meciar Elected HZDS Chairman Again The 7th Republican Congress of the ruling Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) took place in Kosice April 25-26, where Premier Vladimir Meciar was re-elected to the position of chairman. Augustyn Marian Huska, Sergej Kozlik and Milan Topoli were elected vice chairmen. A fourth vice chairman was not elected. Expectations that the Slovak ambassador to the Czech Republic Ivan Mjartan would be elected vice chairman were not fulfilled. During his speech Meciar, who has led HZDS for seven years, estimated that his party has to win more than 50 per cent in the upcoming elections. "Let's be honest. We have no other option than to win the elections," said Meciar, according to the Czech daily MF DNES. He also added that by 2010 Slovakia will be among the most developed European countries. Prokop Pavel/Sofia Karakeva ECONOMY 93 Per Cent of Airplane Producer Let Kunovice to Ayres Corporation The government confirmed the sale of the state share in strategic small-airplane producer Let Kunovice to the American firm Ayres Corporation. The Americans will pay 4.5 million USD for 93 per cent of Let. Trade Minister Karel Kuhnl said the sale is a success, because of Let's bad financial state. He rejected charges that Let could have been sold at a better price. Let's chief, Zdenek Pernica, said that nobody could expect a better bid. Let's debt, which Ayres assumes, is 50 million USD without the amount that Let owes to the state for social and health insurance. Ayres will invest about 15 million USD into Let and already gave Let the plans for production of wing parts for the Loadmaster transport plane. Let's general meeting at the end of April will have to authorize the sale and then the purchase documents can be signed. Jakub Svab/Mirek Langer Czech State Lost Control in Mostecka Uhelna The Most Coal Company (Mostecka uhelna - MUS) is almost certainly in foreign hands. The National Property Fund (FNM), as the sole representative of the state, controls 46.29 per cent of MUS' shares but was unable at the general meeting April 23 to recall the company's general director from its board of directors because of management's alleged attempt to take over the company secretly and its mismanagement of funds. The FNM's minority position will make it difficult for the state to sell its share favorably, although the planned sale will continue being prepared. The FNM was outvoted by a coalition of Czech, Swiss and American companies, who control 49.98 per cent. According to unconfirmed information, the Swiss company Investenergy is representing the American Appian Group, which in the Czech Republic is represented by the subsidiary Synergo. The small shareholders who own about 5 per cent of the shares supported Investenergy at the general meeting. Ludvik Pospisil/Milan Smid Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid from May 5) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 21.484 Belgium 100 BEF 89.127 Great Britain 1 GBP 55.052 Denmark 1 DKK 4.821 ECU 1 XEU 36.345 Finland 1 FIM 6.058 France 1 FRF 5.484 Ireland 1 IEP 46.384 Italy 1000 ITL 18.609 Japan 100 JPY 24.985 Canada 1 CAD 23.010 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.127 IMF 1 XDR 44.407 Hungary 100 HUF 15.640 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.333 Norway 1 NOK 4.421 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.333 Poland 1 PLN 9.714 Portugal 100 PTE 17.942 Austria 1 ATS 2.614 Greece 100 GRD 10.437 Germany 1 DEM 18.385 Slovakia 100 SKK 95.418 Slovenia 100 SIT 19.720 Spain 100 ESP 21.651 Sweden 1 SEK 4.263 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.007 USA 1 USD 32.995 CULTURE Prague As It Never Looked In the Architects' Hall of the Old Town Hall the exhibit Prague in Plans and Projects from the Middle Ages to Today is being held. Until the end of April visitors can see how Prague could have looked if some architectural projects had been realized. The exposition starts with Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV's plan for the construction of New Town, and a significant part is comprised by plans for demolishing and rebuilding the historical center from the beginning of this century and the exhibit ends with plans for suburban prefabricated communities. The exhibit is organized by the Institute for Prague's Development in connection with the approval of the new urban plan for Prague until 2010. Jaroslav Mares/Sofia Karakeva Buttoners Fascinate at the Pilsen Finale 1998 The Golden Kingfisher main prize of the 11th-annual festival of Czech films, the Pilsen (Plzen) Finale, was given to Petr Zelenka's debut film Buttoners (Knoflikari). A five-member jury, among them the actress Iva Janzurova, was to decide on best Czech film shown in the Electra Cinema from April 14-20. "In comparison with last year's festival, where every jury member had a favorite of his own, this time the situation was easier. That doesn't mean that there is a decline in the quality of Czech films. On the contrary, this time much better films were presented but one of them was better than the others. Buttoners is a film of higher quality than those of last year's festival," said Janzurova to Carolina. She also said she considers it a miracle that 17 films were shot since last year's festival, including festival favorites Through a Bleak Wood (Cesta pustym lesem) from Ivan Vojnar, Dead Beetle (Mrtvej brouk) by Pavel Marek and Bed (Postel) by Oskar Reif. Lenka Vochocova/Sofia Karakeva European Film Days Fill Prague Theaters The fifth-annual festival of films from the European Union, European Film Days, wound up in Prague April 25 and moved on for five days to Brno. Two Prague theaters, Lucerna and U hradeb, showed 32 feature films and 16 short films from 16 countries in 10 days, including the Czech films Buttoners (Knoflikari) and Through a Bleak Wood (Cesta pustym lesem). The 10 sold-out showings and some 17,000 Prague moviegoers (last year's total from Prague and Brno was about 22,000) demonstrated the keen interest in contemporary European film, which otherwise rarely appears in Czech theaters. "The films shown should be the best made in each given country, and they should characterize their country of origin in some way. That's why we chose Buttoners, this year's most-seen Czech film, and Through a Bleak Wood, which we wanted to introduce to a wider audience," said festival Director Eva Kacerova. The festival was opened by the English-French-German co-production Tango Lesson from director Sally Potter, who coincidentally opened the festival's first year. The most popular film was the Netherlands' Character, fresh from its Oscar victory for best foreign-language film. Knocking on Heaven's Door, the German action film which brought Germans back to theaters in droves, also registered the interest of the Prague audience. The Spanish-French film Flamenco, which has almost no dialogue, also filled theaters, as did Marcello Mastroianni's final film, Journey to the Beginning of the World, and the Norwegian-Danish-German film Mendel, about Jewish refugees in Norway in the 50's. "In Europe every year there is a massive number of films produced, and theaters can't even manage to show them all, which is why these festivals, where a certain selection is made, are good," said Petr Zelenka, the director of Buttoners. Anna Kadava/Michael Bluhm SPORTS Swedish Hockey Games Determine Nominations for World Championships The two main goals of the Czech hockey national team in the Swedish Games were fulfilled: while the players managed to win the unofficial European Champion's title, finishing first in the ongoing Euro Hockey Tour, coaches pared the nominees for the World Championships to 23 players. The Czech team, which defeated Russia, Finland and Canada and lost to Sweden, finished second in the Swedish Games behind Sweden. The World Championships' squad was complicated by injuries to defenders Jaroslav Spacek and Jan Srdinko; Srdinko will be replaced by Vaclav Burda (Sparta Praha), and Spacek's participation is still probable. Five forwards were excluded: Zelenka, Bednar, Alinc, Vlasak and Kadera. Twelve Olympic champions will be in the team, and thus far two NHL players, Martin Prochazka and Robert Reichel, have confirmed their participation. In the final preparation match April 28, the team defeated Canada 3-1 thanks to three goals from Patera's line. The Czechs will meet Japan in the first match of the championships May 1. The squad: Cechmanek (Hnilicka, Prusek) - Spacek, Kucera, L. Prochazka, Kaberle, Vykoukal, Burda, Veber, Kantor - Moravec, Dopita, Belohlav - Hejduk, Patera, M. Prochazka - Vyborny, Reichel, Hlavac - Kacir, Beranek, Lubina. Some of these will probably be replaced by players from NHL teams which lose in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Milan Eisenhammer/Mirek Langer Sparta Praha Players Still Have to Wait for League Title Celebration Sparta Praha's soccer players wanted to celebrate the title of league champions after the 25th round match. Despite their 2-0 defeat of Brno, they will have to wait at least another round, because second-place Slavia Praha defeated Viktoria Zizkov 1-0. Sparta will carry its champagne to Hradec Kralove, where it will play its 26th round match May 1. The dramatic fight to remain in the first league goes on. The situation of Plzen, Dukla and Teplice looked up as all three teams won. Drnovice, however, lost for the fourth time in a row. Results of the 25th round: Olomouc - Opava 1-0, Zizkov - Slavia Praha 0-1, Bohdanec - Dukla 2-3, Ceske Budejovice - Liberec 1-1, Plzen - Ostrava 3-1, Teplice - Drnovice 2-0, Sparta Praha - Brno 2-0, Jablonec - Hradec Kralove 3-0. Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 61 pts., 2. Slavia Praha 48, 3. Olomouc 44, 4. Ostrava 40, 5. Jablonec 39, 6. Liberec 38, 7. Zizkov 35, 8. Brno 33, 9. Teplice 32, 10. Dukla 32, 11. Plzen 29, 12. Opava 29, 13. Hradec Kralove 28, 14. Drnovice 27, 15. Ceske Budejovice 27, 16. Bohdanec 8. Gabriela Podzimkova/Mirek Langer Korda to Attack World Number-One Position in Prague If Czech tennis player Petr Korda wins the Paegas Czech Open, the clay tournament beginning April 27 on the Stvanice island in Prague, he has a chance to become the world's number-one player. However, Pete Sampras has a part to play - he has to lose before the semifinals in Atlanta. Korda's position improved when all the other seeded players were sent off before the end of the second round: Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov (6th in the ATP rankings), Slovakia's Karol Kucera (10th) and France's Cedric Pioline (15th). Korda defeated Czech junior Petr Kralert 6-2, 6-1 and will meet another Czech Davis Cup team member, Ctislav Dosedel, in the second round. Gabriela Podzimkova/Mirek Langer After deadline: Korda lost in the second round to Dosedel in two sets. SPORTS IN BRIEF * The management of Slavia Praha, holder of second place in the top Czech soccer league, unexpectedly fired coach Pavel Tobias, who began work last fall. Assistant coach Petr Rada was named interim coach. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer WEATHER Last week my colleague Ludvik was complaining about April weather, but during the weekend he changed his mind. During the last few days the sun is smiling on us, and even if it hides for a moment behind a cloud, temperatures do not drop below 20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes even reaching 30 degrees Celsius/86 degrees Fahrenheit. Forests and bushes flowered so quickly that it reminds one of sped-up pictures from nature documentaries. Karolina Kucerova/Sofia Karakeva 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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