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) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 24810987 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 304, Friday, October 16, 1998. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE LAST WEEK (October 7 - October 14) Government Supports NATO Steps in Kosovo; No Decision on Czech Role The Czech government would support NATO military intervention in Kosovo to force the Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosevic withdraw his army from the Serbian province. However, the Cabinet October 12 postponed its decision on dispatching a Czech field hospital. The government only expressed its agreement with NATO flights over Czech territory. Sending soldiers to Kosovo would have to be approved by Parliament. Ministers said they would prefer a peaceful solution to the crisis. Czech politicians are not of a unanimous opinion on NATO intervention. President Vaclav Havel said considers an attack necessary under the given conditions and called for "a broadly based diplomatic-power operation, which would globally solve the problem of the Albanian minority in Kosovo and Macedonia." Parliament Chairman Vaclav Klaus expressed a more reserved opinion - he said bombs cannot resolve the situation. The Communists Party decidedly opposes a NATO attack and Czech participation. Their parliamentary club Chairman Vojtech Filip said he considers military intervention interference in the internal affairs of a foreign state, because Kosovo is an inseparable part of Yugoslavia. He also pointed out the fact that the UN Security Council has not expressed its approval of the attack. Veteran soldiers from the Persian Gulf War pointed out the inadequate legislation concerning participating in such an international operation. According to them, Czech soldiers do not have a definite legal status and therefore might be in serious danger as war prisoners. Jan Mates/Denisa Vitkova Hillary Clinton Biggest Name at Forum 2000 Conference The second year of the conference Forum 2000, initiated by President Vaclav Havel and writer and human rights activist Elie Wiesel, took place October 11-14 with appearances by 50 international experts on economics, politics, law and ecology. Among the guests were former American Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Polish Prime Minister Hanna Suchocka and the chief rabbi of Israel Meir Lau. The Czech media, however, lavished the most attention on American first lady Hillary Clinton. The main topics of the conference were the rise of violence, the problems of globalization and the spiritual dimension of contemporary civilization. Russian human rights activist Sergej Kovalev presented his opinion that the 20th century will be labelled as "the age of the greatest mass violence." Clinton, whose speech was about the civil society, said there is no need to give in to pessimistic visions because of the current economic crises in the world. It was the only time she spoke in public. She did not speak with journalists, and she also decided not to arrange a press conference. During her visit Clinton met with Havel, Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Josef Lux, who resigned as chairman of the Christian Democrats in September because of leukemia. Jan Martinek/Jan Martinek Government Has to Submit New Budget Bill The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament October 14 did not pass the first reading of the budget bill, which proposed a 26.8-billion-crown deficit for 1999. Only the Social Democrats and the Communists voted for the bill. The minority Social Democrat cabinet has to submit a new draft in 30 days. According to a resolution suggested by the Christian Democrats, the new draft of the budget shall precisely define pro-growth spending and separate these expenditures from other spending. The fact that the resolution was approved by the Chamber of Deputies gives Zeman's Cabinet hope that the new budget, still with a deficit, might be passed. The Christian Democrats' support was indicated earlier by acting party Chairman Jan Kasal, who said that drafting a balanced budget on the paper is simple, but the truth is more important. staff/Milan Smid Moldavian Refugees at Ruzyne Airport The landing of a Moldavian airplane caused a enormous disturbance at Prague's Ruzyne Airport October 12. On board the TU 134 with a capacity of 76 passengers were 106 refugees. None of them had any identification, and in such a case the airline is required to return the passengers to the country of departure at its own cost. But when the airplane was awaiting permission for takeoff to Kisinev, the passengers started to destroy the plane, threatened the pilot and threatened to burn the plane. Finally the refugees were allowed to enter the Czech Republic and filled out applications for refugee status. They were then transported to a refugee camp in Vysni Lhoty. It is not clear where they are from (most likely they are from Afghanistan) nor how they got on the plane in Kisinev. "I am utterly aware that this might be a case of hijacking. But because it is for now only supported by the words of pilot, I cannot at this time specifically characterize the act," said Deputy Interior Minister Jaroslav Kopriva. As a result the Czech government is considering visa requirements for Moldava. Marketa Lajdova/Zuzana Janeckova Minister Basta Will Become Anti-Corruption Whip The Czech government October 7 appointed Minister without Portfolio Jaroslav Basta chairman of the coordination and analysis group in the government's Committee for Protection of Economic Interests. Basta replaced Jan Sula, who resigned a week ago after receiving death threats, although he has since admitted his resignation was for political reasons (See Carolina 303). The government approved the statute of the committee as well, but committee Chairman and Prime Minister Milos Zeman said the names of analysis group members will be kept secret. Linda Kholova/Milan Smid Marijuana Fans Demonstrate in Prague About 500 people demonstrated October 10 in Old Town Square for the legalization of cannabis. The demonstration, organized by the Anti-Prohibition League, was the largest yet in the Czech Republic and will likely be followed by others. This year Parliament approved anti-drug legislation which made possession of "more than a small amount" of marijuana illegal. President Vaclav Havel vetoed the law, but Parliament overrode his veto. Not only has the public protested but also experts has expressed disagreement, considering some of the medical and other uses of cannabis. Demonstration organizers asked participants to sign a petition against the new laws and invited them to a demonstration the next day in support of one of Prague's squats. Music was piped through a massive sound system and demonstrators smoked marijuana as mounted police carefully observed the event. No incidents occured and rain brought the demonstration to an early close at 7 p.m.. Klara Nedvedova/Sofia Karakeva Skinheads Sentenced for Racially Motivated Murder The Ceske Budejovice court October 8 sentenced the three murderers of Tibor Danihel, a Romany (Gypsy) from Pisek. For the racially motivated murder Jaroslav Churacek, Zdenek Habich and Martin Pomije were sentenced to prison terms ranging from seven-and-a-half years to eight-and-a-half years. All three appealed the verdict. The case of the fourth accused will be tried separately. In September 1993 a dozen armed and masked skinheads herded four Romanies to the Otava River. The skinheads were standing around the banks of the river and by throwing stones at the Romanies did not allow them to come out of the water. The 18-year-old Danihel drowned. The investigation of his death took several unexpected turns over the years. The court started dealing with this case a year after 18 skinheads were accused. Fourteen of them were released for insufficient evidence. The four remaining accused, who were almost all underage in 1993, were last March sentenced to short sentences for violence against a ethnic group and for extortion. Former Justice Minister Vlasta Parkanova lodged a complaint against the court's verdict. The Supreme Court agreed with Parkanova and opened the case again. Tomas Polacek/Sofia Karakeva FROM SLOVAKIA Great Britain to Require Visas for Slovaks, Slovakia Returns the Favor The British Home Office decided October 7 to introduce a visa requirement for Slovak citiziens. The reason was the growing number of Slovak Romanies (Gypsies) requesting asylum in Britain. Just since the beginning of this year it was 1826 of them. British citizens will from October 15 need visas to enter Slovakia, according to a decision made by the exiting Slovak government October 13 as a reaction to the British visa move. However, the opposition, now trying to form a new government, criticized the Slovak government's step. Opposition leader Pavol Hamzik, who once served as foreign minister under outgoing Premier Vladimir Meciar, would not rule out the new government cancelling the visa requirement. Lenka Nejezchlebova/Lenka Nejezchlebova Smerek Fails to Form Government Jan Smerek, the 44-year-old supervisory board chairman of the East Slovak Ironworks (Vychodoslovenke Zelezarny, VSZ) in Kosice entrusted October 8 with setting up a government by the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), failed. Only the Slovak National Party (SNS) was willing to enter negotiations. The opposition parties are now expected to form a government with Slovak Democratic Coalition Chairman Mikulas Dzurinda as the new premier. Tomas Polacek/Katerina Kolarova Kovac Might Run for President Again Former Slovak President Michal Kovac is considering running for president again as an independent candidate, he said October 8 while participating in the Dialogues about Europe arranged by the Bohemiae Foundation. Kovac met privately with Czech President Vaclav Havel as well. The Slovak National Assembly has not been able to elect a president since Kovac's term ran out in March. However, all the opposition parties, which received a majority of the votes in the September elections and are trying to form a government, promised in their election platforms the direct election of the president. Lenka Nejezchlebova/Lenka Nejezchlebova ECONOMY International Criticism for New Import Duty After protests by farmers against cheap food imports and a threat to block the border, the Czech government decided to impose a new import duty on Hungarian wheat. The Hungarian government expressed its deep disagreement with the move and Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi said he will contact the World Trade Organization about this problem. The price for a ton of Hungarian wheat was about 2,575 crowns before the new tariff, while the Czech government buys each ton from Czech farmers for the subsidized price of 4,000 crowns. This year there have been more than 13,000 tons of Hungarian wheat imported to the Czech Republic. Marketa Lajdova/Jakub Jirovec Agrarian Chamber Not Content with Import Duty The Czech Agrarian Chamber continues with protests against state agricultural policy, especially against the import of subsidized food, despite the introduction of a new import duty (see above). Representatives of the chamber threaten that if government does not prohibit the import of such products (particularly milk, meat and wine) by October 15, farmers will obstruct the borders, surround state offices and destroy the imported food. Not all farmers agree with the Chamber. The Association of Private Farmers announced its disagreement with this plan, calling such actions undignified. The police are ready to prevent any destruction of private property. Marketa Lajdova/Jakub Jirovec Unemployment Records Fell in September At the end of September the unemployment rate reached 6.8 per cent, 2 per cent more than a year ago. The increase is attributed to unemployed new high-school and university graduates. According to Labor Minister Vladimir Spidla, by the end of 1998 the rate of unemployment might increase to 9 per cent. Among the most affected areas are three northern Bohemia counties: Most (15.3 per cent), Chomutov (13.7 per cent) and Louny (13.4 per cent), as well as Karvina in northern Moravia (13 per cent). On the contrary, the lowest unemployment rates are in central Bohemia - in Mlada Boleslav with with the Skoda automobile factory (2.8 per cent) and in Prague (1.9 per cent). According to economists, the increase in unemployment is largely caused by the restrictive politics of companies trying to lower wage costs by decreasing the number of jobs. To decrease the rate of unemployment and remove disadvantages (age, sex, graduates without practice), Spidla's ministry worked out a National Plan for Detecting Unemployment which supposes double increase of state grants for active employment politics. Pavlina Hodkova/Denisa Vitkova ECONOMY IN BRIEF * Finance Minister Ivo Svoboda said this year's budget deficit will be about 20 billion crowns, according to his report on the fulfillment of the budget in the first six months, approved October 12 by the government. Marketa Kaclova/Katerina Kolarova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid October 15) country currency -------------------------------------------- Australia 1 AUD 18.200 Belgium 100 BEF 85.517 Great Britain 1 GBP 49.173 Denmark 1 DKK 4.642 Finland 1 FIM 5.800 France 1 FRF 5.263 Ireland 1 IEP 44.029 Italy 1000 ITL 17.841 Japan 100 JPY 24.229 Canada 1 CAD 18.665 Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.517 Hungary 100 HUF 13.411 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.654 Norway 1 NOK 3.819 New Zealand 1 NZD 15.609 Poland 1 PLN 8.244 Portugal 100 PTE 17.209 Austria 1 ATS 2.509 Greece 100 GRD 10.241 Germany 1 DEM 17.650 Slovakia 100 SKK 80.394 Slovenia 100 SIT 18.498 Spain 100 ESP 20.767 Sweden 1 SEK 3.651 Switzerland 1 CHF 21.797 USA 1 USD 28.913 ECU 1 XEU 34.783 IMF 1 XDR 40.708 CULTURE Marsalis and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in Top Shape Prague's Lucerna saw the longest jazz night of the year October 9. The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra performed, led by trumpet player Wynton Marsalis. Fans who did not get inside the sold-out hall had the opportunity to watch the concert live on video screens on Old Town Square. The band of excellent musicians played jazz mainly of an older date, including compositions from Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams and Gerry Mulligan. Before the concert, Marsalis' bandmates presented a clinic for musicians. After the show, there was a jam session with Czech musicians lasting until the early morning. The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra was founded in 1988, and Director Rob Gibson said it has never been in better shape. Jan Martinek/Jan Martinek International Jury Selects Photograph of the Year In this year's Czech Press Photo competition a photograph of a Romany (Gypsy) mother grieving over the death of her children in the July floods in eastern Slovakia was declared the winner. The photograph, taken by David Neff of the daily MF DNES, was chosen by an international jury from among 2,532 works by 199 photographers. The Czech Press Photo 98 exhibit will be open to the public at the Old Town Hall from November 19. Sasa Jokic/Michael Bluhm Moravian Autumn Music Festival, Dedicated to Janacek, Finishes in Brno The Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra from Ostrava October 10 ended the 33rd international musical festival Moravian Autumn with Leos Janacek's Sinfonieta. In Brno's Janacek Theater, where the festival was held, conductor Leos Svarovsky also presented Adaggio from Gustav Mahler's 10th Symphony and Concert for Clarinet by Carl Gustav Nielsen with soloist Sabine Mayer. The festival was not confined to Brno, as Kubin's Quartet played in the chateau in Namest nad Oslavou and the Moravian Teachers' Choir performed in Luhacovice. Other festival performers included the the National Theater Opera, orchestras from Russia, Italy, Croatia and domestic and foreign chamber groups. The festival also organized a competition for interpretations on the double-bass. Jan Moravek/Radan Dolejs SPORTS Peruan Wins 108th Velka Pardubicka Steeplechase The 108th Velka Pardubicka Steeplechase Cross Country, the most difficult steeplechase on the European continent, finished with a win for nine-year-old gelding Peruan, ridden by Zdenek Matysik in Pardubice October 11. The race was tainted by a massive collision on the sixth fence, the Popkovice jump, while the Taxis jump, the toughest fence in the race with a 1.6-meter hedge and a 2-meter long ditch, was overcome by every horse but one. The Popkovice jump, a hedge row with a ditch over which the horses must jump from a dirt runway, ended the hopes of 13 horses. Almost all the favorites were among them: 1996 winner Cipisek with five-time winning jockey Josef Vana on board and the guests from Britain - Irish Stamp and Superior Finish. The unprecendent heap was caused by swerve by Cest, which lost its rider on Taxis, and a fall by the inexperienced horse Sumak with amateur rider Peprna, who was then in the lead. The 7-year-old bay Damion broke its leg and had to been destroyed. Another favorite, famed English jockey Richard Dunwoody on Risk of Thunder, was briefly in the lead but lost his bearings on the course and then fell on the Small Gardens jump (Male zahradky). Marketplace, which led the race for some time, was then passed by eventual winner Peruan and runner-up Devil. After a veterinary examination the Russian horse Grego was not allowed to race, so 50-year-old jockey Vaclav Chaloupka lost his chance to participate in the race. Chaloupka has won the Velka Pardubicka four times. Petr Wilfer/Mirek Langer Soccer Team Leads Euro 2000 Qualification Group before Winter Break The Czech team won its second game in the Euro 2000 ninth qualification group against Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 in Sarajevo October 10. Surprising team member Miroslav Baranek, a substitute for injured Karel Poborsky, returned coach Jozef Chovanec's trust with a nice opening goal. Baranek became the leader of the team and his great performance was capped by a center pass on which Vladimir Smicer scored with a header. The Bosnian team tried to tie the score after the break, but the Czech defense, directed by sweeper Tomas Votava, resisted the attack. Just before the end of regular time, young Bosnian player Topic lowered the deficit, but the Czech team replied as Pavel Kuka luckily touched Patrik Berger's free kick. The 3-1 win moved the Czech Republic into first place in the group. The Czechs padded their lead in their third qualification match, defeating Estonia 4-1 October 14 in Teplice (Czech goals: Berger 2, Nedved, Lokvenc). The team has not lost a point and will lead the standings of the group through the winter break. The under-21 team tied in Bosnia 0-0, defeated Estonia 3-0 and leads its qualification group for the European Championships and the Olympic Games. Josef Koukolicek/Mirek Langer Hockey Extraleague: Vsetin and Jihlava Hit by Epidemic A virus epidemic afflicted hockey extraleague teams Vsetin and Jihlava, causing two matches of the 12th round to be postponed. The first symptoms (intestinal troubles, fever and vomiting) arrived for 15 Vsetin players and 18 players and assistant coach Karel Dvorak of Jihlava October 10. Suspicions of salmonella were not proved, and the teams should return to competition in the 13th round. It is likely the players were infected in a restaurant in Velka Bites, where the teams dined on their way to their 11th round matches. Sparta Praha's matches were the most attractive games of the last two rounds. In the 11th round, Sparta's 2-3 loss to Vsetin in a good game was watched by 10,000 spectators. The next game Sparta played on its Prague rival Slavia's ice. Former Slavia player Jaroslav Bednar starred, scoring a hat trick as the intracity derby finished in a 4-4 draw. The western Bohemian showdown between Plzen and Karlovy Vary was played in a sold-out arena and finished in a 4-4 tie. Trinec forward Tomas Chlubna scored the second hat trick of the rounds in a game against Jihlava, won by Trinec 4-3. Results of the 11th round: Zlin - Slavia 2-2, Plzen - Karlovy Vary 4-4, Opava - Vitkovice 1-3, Sparta - Vsetin 2-3, Trinec - Jihlava 4-3, Litvinov - Ceske Budejovice 2-3, Kladno - Pardubice 3-3. Results of the 12th round: Vitkovice - Zlin 3-3, Plzen - Litvinov 1-1, Slavia - Sparta 4-4, Karlovy Vary - Pardubice 1-1, Ceske Budejovice - Opava 5-1. Games Jihlava - Kladno a Vsetin - Trinec were postponed. Standings: 1. Vsetin 17 pts., 2. Zlin 17, 3. Trinec 17, 4. Plzen 15, 5. Sparta 14, 6. Slavia 14, 7. Ceske Budejovice 12, 8. Pardubice 12, 9. Vitkovice 11, 10. Litvinov 11, 11. Karlovy Vary 10, 12. Kladno 7, 13. Opava 5, 14. Jihlava 4. Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer Czech Players in NHL Opening The 82nd year of NHL started October 9 and Czech players made themselves known. In the match between the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins, four players scored or assisted - Robert Reichel for the Islanders, Jaromir Jagr, Robert Lang and Martin Straka for the opponent. Goalkeeper Dominik Hasek's team Buffalo lost its first match, in Dallas, but in the second game Hasek caught every shot in Colorado and recorded his 33rd career shutout. Three rookies played their first matches - Jaroslav Spacek under Czech assistant coach Slavomir Lener in Florida Panthers, Tomas Kaberle for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Milan Hejduk for the Colorado Avalanche, who also scored his first goal. Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * Hockey: Results of Czech teams in the European Hockey League: Mannheim (Germany) - Litvinov 6-0, Grenoble (France) - Sparta Praha 0-3, Jihlava - Djurgaarden Stockholm postponed. * Soccer: Czech national team member Martin Frydek was loaned by the German team Bayer Leverkusen to Duisburg for one year. * Handball: The Kovopetrol Plzen men's team defeated the Macedonian club Pelistor Bitola 30-22 in a European Cup first-round rematch and advanced to the Champions League. Josef Koukolicek, Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer WEATHER To describe the weather in the Czech lands today in one word: average. When the fog lifts the landscape shows all the signs of the advancing fall. Leaves are turning yellow, nighttime temperatures are around 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit and the days are not much warmer. The constant rain does not help. 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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