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: (+420 2) 24810804, ext. 252, fax: (+420 2) 24810987 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 297, Friday, July 17, 1998. EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (JULY 1-15) FROM THE CZECH REPUBLIC CSSD and ODS Sign Opposition Contract, Cabinet to Belong to CSSD Negotiations on a new Czech government came to an end July 9 with an opposition contract signed between the election winner Social Democrats (CSSD, 74 seats in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies) and runner-up Civic Democratic Party (ODS, 63 seats). Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman thus managed to fulfill the task entrusted to him by President Vaclav Havel. In the Contract for the Creation of a Stable Political Environment in the Czech Republic both sides are bound: - to respect the election victor's right to set up a government and to demonstrate that respect with the absence of the runner-up's deputies during the vote of confidence in the government (article I), - to respect the right of the second-strongest party to be the opposition with the right to occupy the function of chairman in both Parliament chambers (articles II, III), - to proceed by agreement in establishing the organs of Parliament and to respect the right of the opposition party to chair Parliament's organs of control (Commission for the Control of the Security Information Service, Commission for the Control of Military Defense Intelligence) and the Budget Committee, as well as the presidency of the Supreme Control Office (articles IV, V), - during the term of office not to call for a vote of no confidence in the government nor support such an initiative, although the parties are not bound for any votes on legislation, including the budget (article VI), - within 12 months of the signing of the contract to submit proposals for changes to the Constitution and other laws (see below), which that will name more accurately the competences of constitutional offices (art. VII), - in case of a need to consult subjects of foreign and domestic policy before being discussed in Parliament (art. VIII), - during the contract's validity not to join a coalition or to come to an agreement with a third political party which could thus gain a place in the government or a position covered in the contract, nor to close a long-term agreement on voting in Parliament and not to propose without previous consultation a non-party member for a spot in the government (art. IX). The last article is about cancelling the contact in case of a breach of one of the above articles and about settlement proceedings in the case of non-fulfillment of the contract. After Zeman and ODS Chairman Vaclav Klaus signed the contract they emphasized that this is not a coalition agreement and their parties remain political rivals. Christian Democrats and Freedom Union Protest against Contract Chairmen Josef Lux of the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and Jan Ruml of the Freedom Union (US) consider the contract between the two most powerful parties undemocratic and unconstitutional. They said the contract forces Social Democrat and Civic Democratic Party deputies to vote according to the wishes of party headquarters and not according to their own conscience. "We are convinced that this contract, which is to be the basis of the new government, is undemocratic and unconstitutional. I think that the train of this agreement is heading toward Slovakia," said Lux after the contract was signed, according to the Czech daily MF DNES June 10. According to the daily, Ruml compared this document to the totalitarian constitution. "The only difference is that in the communist constitution the leading role belonged to one party, today the leading role belongs to two parties," said Ruml. Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman offered KDU-CSL and US positions in his government immediately at the beginning of government negotiations, including offers to name Lux prime minister and the right for any party to veto proposals. Ruml refused the generous offer, Lux refused to join a government with Zeman alone, and both parties thus fell into the opposition. A majority coalition between the ODS, KDU-CSL and US (102 seats) had no chance for formation because of demands by US and KDU-CSL for representation in the government and for the absence of Vaclav Klaus. Lux and Ruml asked President Vaclav Havel July 9 not to accept the contract. Havel asked legal experts for advice. Director of the Institute of the State and Law Vladimir Ballas said he found nothing unconstitutional in the contract. CSSD and ODS Prepare Changes in Czech Constitution The chairmen of the two most powerful parties - the Social Democrats (CSSD) and the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) - agree that changes have to be made in the Czech Constitution. The changes, mentioned in the contract signed between the two parties, should define more precisely the authorities of constitutional offices and related procedures, as a way to strengthen the meaning of election results. The proposals being discussed focus on changing the proportional election system for Parliament into a majority system and also a more accurate definition of the president's powers. According to the Czech daily MF DNES, the Social Democrats would gladly add to the constitution the position of protector of human right protection - an ombudsman - and bring into practice the referendum. ODS is mainly concerned with changes to the Election Act. Both parties agree on the necessity of modifying the president's powers. According to Social Democrat deputy and possible future Interior Minister Vaclav Grulich, many of president's authority powers are "unclear and nonsensical." "The procedure for the president foremost during the post-election period should be defined more clearly. The constitution should definitely contain deadlines that the president will have to adhere to, for example in naming a prime minister," said ODS deputy Vlastimil Tlusty. CSSD and ODS, with 137 seats in the Parliament, should not have any problems in passing in Parliament. According to the Czech daily Lidove noviny, the Freedom Union was the first party to advocate changes in the Constitution because of the "permanent danger" of the return of extremist parties into Parliament. Czech Media Speculate about Positions in New Government In recent days the Czech media have speculated about the nominees in the coming Social Democrat (CSSD) Cabinet. The only confirmed news is that President Vaclav Havel is to name Social Democrat Chairman Milos Zeman prime minister on the evening of June 17. The Cabinet should be named July 22, before Havel undergoes a colon-related operation. The Czech daily Pravo published its version of the coming government June 7, while the daily MF DNES (MFD) brought out a similar list June 9: - Prime Minister: Milos Zeman, CSSD chairman, Parliament deputy - Minister of Industry and Trade: Pravo suggests CSSD deputy Miroslav Gregr, MFD mentions Jan Vrba, an independent and CSSD consultant - Minister of Justice: Pavel Rychetsky, CSSD senator (Pravo adds that Rychetsky decided to join the government after his wife's approval) - Minister of Labor and Social Affairs: Vladimir Spidla, CSSD vice chairman - Minister of the Interior: Vaclav Grulich, CSSD deputy - Minister of Finance: Ivo Svoboda, CSSD vice chairman - Minister of Defense: according to Pravo this position remains uncertain, with possible candidates including CSSD consultant and sociologist Antonin Rask, a non-party member, MFD has no doubts that this position will be taken by Rask - Minister of Foreign Affairs: Pravo mentions Jan Kavan, CSSD deputy, MFD Egon Lansky, CSSD senator - Minister of Culture: Pavel Dostal, CSSD deputy - Minister of Transportation: both dailies agreed on CSSD expert spokesman Antonin Peltram, although MFD and television also mention former CSSD deputy Kvetoslava Korinkova, Peltram's wife - Minister of Agriculture: Jan Fencl, CSSD expert spokesman - Minister of Environment: Milos Kuzvart, CSSD member - Minister for Regional Development: Pravo mentions Jaromir Cisar, an independent(? - the Czech article does not mention), MFD suggests Vlasta Stepova or Stanislav Krecek, CSSD deputies - Minister of Health: Ivan David, CSSD deputy, MFD also mentions Vladimir Kocandrle, an independent - Minister of Education: Eduard Zeman, CSSD deputy - Minister without Portfolio, intelligence services: Jaroslav Basta, CSSD deputy. Newly Elected Deputies Have First Meeting The first meeting of the new Parliament took place July 15. Deputies took their vows from presiding Chairman Milos Zeman - of the 200 deputies, 89 are new. The election of a new legislature leadership is scheduled for July 17. Former Prime Minister Vaclav Klaus should be elected as chairman of the lower house of Parliament, according to the contract signed by the Social Democrats and Klaus' Civic Democratic Party, which together hold 136 seats. Calendar of Other News Events in Early July * July 1: The government of Prime Minister Josef Tosovsky, disappointed with the increased expenses for the construction of the Temelin (JETE) nuclear power station and with the regular delaying of its completion, decided that the economic aspects of JETE should be evaluated by an independent team of Czech and foreign experts. Trade Minister Karel Kuhnl and Environment Minister Martin Bursik should propose the body of this team by July 28. The new cabinet formed by the early Parliament elections should receive by the end of the year the results of this evaluation and could make an objective decision about the future of JETE. * July 2. The first mosque in the Czech Republic was officially opened in Videnska Street in Brno. Because of the protests of local citizens the Building Office did not allow the construction of a minaret or dome. The construction of the mosque lasted about a year and cost 4.5 million crowns. According to Mohamed Ali Silhavy, chairman of the Central Office of Muslim Communities, 400 Muslims live in the Czech Republic, but also students, businessman and other followers of the Islam religion are estimated to be in the thousands. The mosque was to be built in Teplice but local citizens were against it. Another mosque will be built in Prague and in another Czech city as yet unknown. * July 2: Journalist Jiri Kanturek, born March 13, 1932 in Pisek, died in Prague. After the year 1968 he could not work as a journalist and was a member of the dissident movement. After the Velvet Revolution in 1989 he was one of the spokespersons of the Civic Forum and became the last director of the Czechoslovak Television (he remained in the position until 1992). In recent years he was Social Democrat spokesman, later spokesman for party Chairman Milos Zeman and this year he worked as Zeman's advisor. * July 3: President Vaclav Havel and his wife Dagmar received from the Regional Court in Brno a judgment of 5 million crowns as compensation for the billboard known as Vaclavka and Dasenka. The billboard advertises Ravelli shoes and shows a fox terrier (Dasenka is a famous canine hero of writer Karel Capek) licking a mushroom-shaped bust of Vaclav Havel. The creator of the billboard is Milan Knizak, rector of the Academy of the Arts. The Havels said they felt offended by the advertisement and especially by the motto "Wear Ravelli - Fuck the World." Presidential spokesman Ladislav Spacek confirmed the information given by the Czech daily that the Havels will give the money to the victims of last year's floods. * July 4, 5: The first meeting of the Coordination Council of the Czech-German Discussion Forum was held in Pilsen (Plzen). The council scheduled the annual meeting of the Discussion Forum for December 4-5 in Dresden. According to the Czech daily Pravo, the subject to be discussed is the responsibility of the Czech Republic and Germany in European unification, cooperation in border areas and the possibilities of the social and political activization of youth. The daily also stated that Franz Neubaeur, chairman of the Sudeten German Association, did not speak about the demands of Sudeten Germans expelled after World War II but about youth exchange programs. The Discussion Forum was founded through the Czech-German Declaration and the council is to ensure balance in the dialogue between the countries. * July 8: President Vaclav Havel announced that Senate elections will be held November 13-14, with the run-off round to take place one week later. The elections will take place in the 27 of 81 election districts in which senators were elected to two-year terms in the fall of 1996. Another third of the election districts gave their representatives four-year terms, and the other third six-year terms, six years being set in the Constitution as the term of office for a senator. In future elections, one-third of the Senate will be up for election every two years, while terms of office for all senators will conform to the Constitution. * July 12: President Valcav Havel accused the Civic Democratic Party of thinking about impeaching him on charges of high treason during an interview provided to TV Prima. The plan was, Havel said, being prepared in the ODS Senate club. Havel himself has not verified this information, but said that it comes from a reliable source. ODS said it considers the accusations as another act of malice by Havel against the party. ODS Vice Chairman Miroslav Macek said, "in medicine it's called paranoia." FROM SLOVAKIA National Assembly Transfers Some Presidential Powers The Slovak National Assembly July 14 approved the government's proposed changes to the Constitution which transfer the president's ability to name and recall the government to the chairman of the assembly in the event that the position of president is unoccupied. The changes were approved by all 131 present assemblymen. They thus avoided the potential constitutional crisis which could have arisen after the fall elections, when the government would have no one to whom it could submit its resignation. Slovakia has been without a president since March 2, when Michal Kovac's term of office ended, as it has not been possible to elect a successor. ECONOMY Unemployment Rises in June from 5.3 Per Cent to 5.6 Per Cent Unemployment compared with June 1997 rose by 1.6 per cent. The lowest unemployment continues to be in the Prague area (ranging from 0.8 per cent to 1.4 per cent) and in the area of Mlada Boleslav, where the Skoda car manufacturer is located (2.4 per cent). The highest rates are in the north - in the counties of Most (13.6 per cent), Chomutov (12.2 per cent) and Karvina (11.6 per cent), and also in central Moravia, in the Prerov region (10.3 per cent). The numbers were released July 10 by the Labor Ministry. Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid July 17) country currency ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 20.267 Belgium 100 BEF 86.653 Great Britain 1 GBP 52.451 Denmark 1 DKK 4.693 Finland 1 FIM 5.878 France 1 FRF 5.330 Ireland 1 IEP 44.950 Italy 1000 ITL 18.124 Japan 100 JPY 23.000 Canada 1 CAD 21.576 Luxemburg 100 LUF 86.653 Hungary 100 HUF 14.744 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.854 Norway 1 NOK 4.225 New Zealand 1 NZD 16.990 Poland 1 PLN 9.285 Portugal 100 PTE 17.474 Austria 1 ATS 2.540 Greece 100 GRD 10.710 Germany 1 DEM 17.870 Slovakia 100 SKK 91.578 Slovenia 100 SIT 18.910 Spain 100 ESP 21.058 Sweden 1 SEK 4.022 Switzerland 1 CHF 21.287 USA 1 USD 32.094 ECU 1 XEU 35.301 IMF 1 XDR 42.687 Note to the Exchange Rates: The Czech National Bank, which this week intervened against the rise of the crown, stated that the rate of less than 18 crowns to the deutschmark has no basis in economic developments. Experts believe the crown's strength springs from the advantageous interest rates given by Czech banks. CULTURE Karlovy Vary Film Festival Filled with Highlights The 33rd Karlovy Vary International Film Feivtival, which ran from July 3-11, will forever be remembered for director Jiri Menzel's premeditated attack on producer Jiri Sirotek, but the week also saw hundreds of films and thousands of satisfied festivalgoers. The assualt took place July 9 in a theater full of spectators, when Menzel appeared with a cane and began thrashing Sirotek, who was treated for a concussion at a local hospital. Menzel said he planned the incident to punish Sirotek for depriving Menzel of the chance to film recently deceased novelist Bohumil Hrabal's I Served the King of England. Menzel and Sirotek have been fighting over the rights to the film since Hrabal's death, with the result being that neither man will probably be involved in the film, if it is ever made. Menzel had been something of a court director for Hrabal's works, as his version of Closely Watched Trains won the 1968 Oscar for best foreign-language film; Menzel also filmed Hrabal's Cutting It Short (Postriziny). The festival was abuzz after the attack, and a photo of Menzel with cane held high appeared on the front page of the tabloid daily Blesk the following day. Menzel has been charged with assault. Highlights planned by festival organizers included an appearance by Lou Reed at a screening of the documentary Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart (the festival also showed documentaries about Neil Young, filmed by Jim Jarmusch, a documentary of Bob Marley's last concert and a documentary on the history of electronic dance music, Modulations). The biggest reaction, however, might have been created by the star of the film Slam, which won the main prize at the Sundance Film Festival and deals with a young black writer's time in jail. The actor, after the midnight showing of the film, recited his rapid-fire, high-volume verses to the 1,000-strong audience for some minutes, and then moved with some of the audience to the dance club in the the basement of the Thermal Hotel, where most festival events take place. The main prize of the festival was taken by the Canadian film Heart in the Hand. Aside from the section of competing films, the section Horizons featured new films from well known directors, some of the films already sporting awards from other festivals, while the section Another View showed films from the farthest reaches of Asia and other regions, while the section East of the West showed new films from this area of Europe. Another big success was the section of films chosen by the critics of Variety magazine. Altogether the festival showed 265 films to some 15,000 festivalgoers, while festival organizers showed boasted of 465 film showings and more than 125,000 tickets. Jubilee 40th Year of Smetana's Litomysl Finished by Slovak Singers A concert by Slovak soloists Peter Dvorsky and Lubica Vagicova July 5 closed the 40th year of the musical festival Smetana's Litomysl (composer Bedrich Smetana was born in 1824 in this eastern Bohemian city). The excited crowd awarded long standing ovations to both singers. As the daily Slovo wrote, this year's festival was divided into three weekends, during which about 12,000 spectators visited six operas and eight concerts. Antonin Dvorak and Bedrich Smetana's music dominated the program, Smetana's My Country performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and his opera Libuse with soprano Eva Urbanova in the title role were among the highlights of the festival. The program also contained the Czech premiere of Lancaster's version of Sergei Prokofiev's oratorio Ivan The Terrible. SPORTS Jana Novotna Wins Three Tournaments in a Row, Including Fabled Wimbledon Jana Novotna's name is written among the winners of Grand Slam tournaments after she won the 1998 Wimbledon tournament July 4. The 29-year-old Novotna was the oldest player of the world elite who had not yet won a Grand Slam title. She played her third Wimbledon final (having lost to Steffi Graf in 1993 and Martina Hingis in 1997) and defeated France's Natalie Tauziat 6-4 and 7-6. "It was a very hard match. The match against Martina Hingis compared to that was a walk in the park," Novotna said, advancing into second place in the world rankings thanks to the win. The day after, Novotna and Hingis won the doubles tournament, making Novotna the biggest winner at this year's Wimbledon. It was world number-one Hingis who lost to Novotna in the singles semifinal 4-6, 4-6. Novotna then won her third tournament in a row (after Eastbourne and Wimbledon) on the clay courts of Prague's Stvanice. In the final of the most star-studded Skoda Czech Open ever she defeated France's Sandrine Testud 6-3, 6-0. Petr Korda lost in Wimbledon in the quarterfinals to England's Tim Henman 3-6, 4-6, 2-6. Augusta Becomes National Team Coach Hlinka's Assistant Ivan Hlinka finished searching for a new assistant for the national hockey team, choosing 51-year-old Jihlava coach Josef Augusta. Augusta accepted the offer, but he will continue in Jihlava, as well. Hlinka and Augusta are popular thanks to their arguments about hockey. Hlinka wanted to continue having assistant Slavomir Lener, with whom he led the Czech national team to the Nagano Olympics gold medal. However, Lener gave priority to the post of top assistant coach with the NHL's Florida Panthers. Thirty-Eight Athletes to Go to European Track and Field Championships In spite of cold and rainy weather at the track and field national championships in Jablonec ruining an expected wave of qualifiers for the European championships, the Czech Track and Field Union decided to enlarge the existing ranks of 25 who had met the qualifying minimums. The union nominated 38 athletes to participate in Budapest. Men: Morkes, Bohman, Drimal, Krsek, Slehobr, Muzik, Podebradsky, Stejfa, Skvara, Blaha, Vydra, Pesava (track), Jan a Tomas Janku, Kovar, Kuntos (jumps), Malina, Sedlacek, Maska (throwing disciplines), Dvorak, Sebrle (decathlon), Holusa a Malysa (walks). Women: Vostatkova, Suchovska, Formanova, Benesova, Fuchsova, Burianova, Suldesova, Novotna (track), Kovacikova, Kasparkova, Bartova, Hamackova (jumps), Tomeckova, Silhava (throwing disciplines), Nekolna (septathlon). SPORTS IN BRIEF * Czech cyclist Jan Svorada won the national championship and then won the second stage of the Tour de France and wore the green jersey as best sprinter. * Both Czech teams were eliminated in the second round of the soccer Intertoto Cup - Boby Brno against Espanyol Barcelona (5-3 and 0-2) and Hradec Kralove against Hungary's Debrecen (0-0 and 1-1) went home because of a lower number of goals scored on the opponents' field. * Sparta Prague will probably meet Dynamo Kiev in the preliminary round of the soccer Champions League. Dynamo won one of the groups in the competition last year. * Three soccer first-league coaches are leaving their teams - Petr Zemlik from Opava, Jan Kocian from Drnovice and Karel Jarolim from Dukla. * The volleyball European Championships bronze medalist Czech women's team finished qualification for the next tournament with a fiasco - they won one of eight matches. * The Czech men's team won the bronze medal in the European Triathlon Championships in Velden, Austria. WEATHER Not so hot, it seems like it's always raining, but it's really more of a drizzle, so gardeners have to water anyway. Children haven't yet been able to enjoy summer vacation much, but this kind of summer probably only suits those who have yet to go on vacation. But they're growing - mushrooms, that is. This issue of Carolina was prepared by Bohdana Rambouskova, Lida Truneckova, Mirek Langer and Michael Bluhm, and was translated by Sofia Karakeva, Mirek Langer and Michael Bluhm. The next issue will be released July 31. 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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