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 THE CZECH REPUBLIC Charles University in Prague Faculty of Social Sciences Smetanovo nabr. 6 110 01 Prague 1 Czech Republic e-mail: CAROLINA@mbox.fsv.cuni.cz tel: (+4202) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 24810987 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 331, Friday, May 7, 1999. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (April 21 - May 5) May Day Festivities: Anarchists' Molotov Cocktails vs. Police Tear Gas Prague's Shooters' Island (Strelecky ostrov), a memorable place in Prague May Day history, was occupied May 1 by neo-fascist skinheads who legally notified their planned rally with municipal authorities beforehand. Because the police were concerned about possible clashes between anarchists and the skinheads, Legionnaires' Bridge (Most Legii) was closed for pedestrians in the morning. However, when a group of about 200 skinheads began marching from the island through the city toward Peace Square (Namesti Miru), about 300 anarchists waiting at the end of the bridge next to the National Theater tried to stop them. To prevent a clash between the traditional foes, police asked the anarchists to clear out. After the anarchists refused to obey police orders, the police tried to disperse them by using police horses followed by policemen on foot armed with truncheons and shields. Anarchists shouting "Gestapo" responded with a hail of cobblestones, Molotov cocktails and wooden sticks. They destroyed five police cars and overturned one of them, which they tried unsuccessfully to set on fire. The police, with the help of tear-gas bombs, started to push the enraged anarchists down National Avenue (Narodni trida) and arrested the most violent members in the crowd. After dispersing the anarchists in Spalena Street, the crowd of skinheads, surrounded by a police cordon, marched through Prague. On their march they shouted slogans like "Death for drugs," "Nothing but the nation" and "The Czech Republic for Czechs". At the head of the skinhead column was a banner reading "Against capitalism, against communism." On Peace Square the skinheads thanked the police for their intervention against the anarchists and parted ways after the words "Hail to victory". Although some of them used the illegal Nazi salute in front of policemen, they were not arrested. The police claimed they had not seen it. They charged one skinhead after a few days. During the riot, nine policemen were injured and 20 people arrested, including some casual bypassers. Two journalists accused the City Police of having attacked them, while some citizens filed charges over allowing the skinhead demonstration. Four demonstrators are accused of attacking a public official and damaging private property. The police intervention was immediately denounced by Government official Petr Uhl's criticism of police security for the skinheads. On the contrary, Parliament Chairman Vaclav Klaus supported the police action. Radan Dolejs/Jan Martinek Communists Celebrate May Day, Zeman Visits North Bohemia The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) held its traditional May Day demonstration on Prague's Letna Plain. KSCM Chairman Miroslav Grebenicek spoke to a crowd of some 20,000 and supported the anti-government atmosphere of the celebration. He criticized NATO's air raids on Yugoslavia, the high rate of unemployment here and Czech President Vaclav Havel. According to the daily MF DNES, Grebenicek said that Havel "is no humanitarian, he's suddenly become a warrior... he's turned into a dime-a-dozen militarist." According to the daily Pravo, Grebenicek understands people who chant "Clinton is a murderer." The ruling Social Democrats (CSSD) also celebrated Labor Day. CSSD Chairman and Prime Minister Milos Zeman, along with Union chief Richard Falbr and police protection, laid wreaths on Prague's Strelecky Island in honor of May 1, 1890. In the afternoon Zeman went to visit to northern Bohemia, while CSSD's Prague organization held a rally at the Prague Fairgrounds. Tomas Kohout/Sofia Karakeva Head of State Home Again After his nine-day trip, during which he visited Reykjavik, Washington, Minneapolis, New York, Winnipeg and Ottawa, Czech President Vaclav Havel returned to Prague May 1. He attended the NATO 50th anniversary summit, met with presidents, prime ministers, Czech emigres and friends like emigre director Milos Forman and rock star Lou Reed. The main subject of discussion was the situation in Kosovo and Yugoslavia. Havel stated his position on NATO intervention in Ottawa April 29 before both chambers of the Canadian Parliament; he said the war against "the genocidal regime of Slobodan Milosevic is ethical." His visit served to prompt the Canadian Government to review whether Czech citizens travelling to Canada should require a visa. Canada is said to be considering canceling the visa requirement. Michaela Prokopova/Sofia Karakeva Zeman Presents New Federal Property Division Plan to Dzurinda Prime Minister Milos Zeman presented Slovak Premier Mikulas Dzurinda with a surprising new plan to divide the rest of the former Czechoslovakia's federal property. Zeman and Dzurinda met April 29 in Uherske Hradiste, the leaders refused to comment. "The suggestion is surprising. I will submit it for review and our reaction will be quick," said Dzurinda. The most controversial point of federal property division is Slovak debt of 24.7 billion crowns resulting from the division of the former Czechoslovak State Bank's assets and liabilities. The Czech Republic is blocking 4.5 tons of Slovak gold. The biggest progress, according to Zeman, was made in negotiations on the exchange of shares of the Czech Republic's Commerce Bank and Slovakia's General Credit Bank. The property division should by finished by the fall. Jakub Jirovec/Jakub Jirovec Havel and Kavan Discuss Role of Czech Soldiers in NATO Military Actions The statement of Foreign Minister Jan Kavan that Czech soldiers would not participate in a NATO ground operation in Yugoslavia, presented at the NATO summit (see Carolina 330) was the subject of his two-and-a-half-hour meeting May 2 with President Vaclav Havel in the Lany chateau. Kavan said they agreed on almost all points, mainly on sending Czech soldiers for a potential peacekeeping mission. Kavan rejected Havel's criticism of Kavan's speech in the USA as "embarrassing and a big step toward discrediting the Czech Republic." "At least eight NATO foreign ministers with whom I discussed this matter are of the same opinion I expressed at the Washington summit," said Kavan, according to the daily Lidove Noviny and pointed out that French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin is against a ground operation. Prime Minister Milos Zeman repeated April 30 that the Government will not support the participation of Czech Army units in a ground operation in the Balkans and said he informed Havel and Kavan. Robin Rohrich/Sofia Karakeva Anonymous Author Threatens Czech Catholic Church Representatives An anonymous letter threatens Czech Cardinal Miloslav Vlk and the Czech Bishop's Conference spokesman Daniel Herman with a beating for their attitude on NATO actions in Yugoslavia. In the letter, sent from Great Britain, the author wants Herman to recant his standpoint on the Kosovo crisis or he will be beaten such that he "will require plastic surgery." Herman and Vlk have been under police protection since April 30. The Czech Catholic Church, unlike, for example, the Polish Catholic Church, supports all NATO actions in Yugoslavia. Herman said the bombing is the only possible solution after the failure of diplomacy. Jakub Jirovec/Jakub Jirovec Minister Gregr Voted Oil Gobbler of 1998 The well known Oil Gobbler (Ropak) award, given for transgressions against the environment, was won by Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr. Gregr was chosen by a commission of 119 ecologists, journalists and non-government organizations for his role in promoting the Temelin nuclear power plant and his intention to build another nuclear power plant in the Czech Republic. The Green Pearl Prize for the most stupid statement about the environment was awarded to former Professional Hunters Association Chairman Libor Rehak, who said, "The uncontrolled spread of lynx is in contradiction with the Bill of Rights." Jakub Jirovec/Jakub Jirovec TV NOVA Affair Still Unclear CET 21, the licence holder for the TV NOVA television station, voted at its general meeting May 4 to change its name to the TV NOVA company and appointed new executives. While Mrs. Josef Alan and Vlastimil Venclik resigned from their positions, former television station General Director Vladimir Zelezny remains an executive. The new executives are the second biggest shareholder, director Peter Krsak, and the company's attorney, Ales Rozehnal. The changes have to be approved by the regulatory and licensing body, the Czech Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting (Rada Ceske republiky pro rozhlasove a televizni vysilani). Until now the TV NOVA name has been used only for the television station broadcast by CET 21 in cooperation with the Czech Independent Television Company (CNTS - Ceska nezavisla televizni spolecnost). After a fight with CNTS (see Carolina 329), CET 21 evidently wanted by changing its name to strengthen in the public's eye its position vis a vis the CNTS service organization, 99-per-cent owned by the American company Central European Media Enterprises (CME). A temporary ceasefire was declared in the media skirmish between CME and Zelezny. The parties maintained their original standpoints: Zelezny claims that the Czech law is on his side, while CME claims to have been defrauded by Zelezny, formerly the CEO of CNTS, who failed to uphold past agreements and to make the cooperation of CET 21 with CME in broadcasting TV NOVA more consistent and transparent. The demand arose from the recently announced takover of CME by another media corporation, the Scandanavian Broadcasting System, SBS. A book called The Manhunt, written by Zelezny about the present battle, is to be published May 10. Petra Machova/Denisa Vitkova NEWS IN BRIEF: * The Czech Republic accepted more than 200 Kosovo refugees from a camp in Macedonia. * Doctors have probably found a suitable donator of bone marrow for former Christian Democrat Chairman Josef Lux, who is suffering from leukemia. If the donor's suitability is confirmed, the transplant from the Italian donor could take place within one or two months. Because of his illness Lux resigned as chairman but kept his seat in Parliament's Chamber of Deputies. * Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Senator Vaclav Benda is in hospital in Prague. According to General Faculty Hospital Director Pavel Horak, Benda is in serious condition. No more information was provided to the public because Benda's family considers it a strictly family matter. Tomas Kohout/Sofia Karakeva FROM SLOVAKIA Foreign Minister Kukan Becomes UN Delegate for Kosovo Slovak Foreign Minitser Eduard Kukan will become one of two special UN delegates for Kosovo, UN General Secretary Kofi Annan confirmed April 28. The second delegate's name is not yet known. According to the daily Hospodarske noviny, Kukan does not have any reason not to accept the offer and said he considers Annan's decision the result of a personal acquaintance lasting several years. Their relationship developed when Kukan was ambassador of the former Czechoslovakia, and then Slovak ambassador to the UN. Kukan will work full time as an envoy, but said he does not intend to leave his ministerial post. Marketa Kaclova/Denisa Vitkova FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF * The election campaign in Slovakia's first presidential election officially began. Voters will have a chance to choose from 10 candidates (not nine candidates, as stated in Carolina 330, an error for which we apologize). * The Slovak Government joined the EU in declaring an oil embargo on Yugoslavia, announced Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan April 29. The Slovak economy could lose more than 1.5 billion USD by the embargo; further economic losses should be caused by other abandoned contracts. * Slovakia will send 40 soldiers to Albania. Under NATO command, they will be used exclusively for humanitarian activities. Marketa Kaclova/Denisa Vitkova ECONOMY Budget Deficit Starts to Rise After favorable results in the first quarter of the year when the state budget was in the black (a surplus of 14.9 billion crowns in January, 7.3 billion crowns in February and 2.1 billion crowns in March), the red pens came out in April. According to Finance Ministry information released May 3, the deficit reached 2.4 billion crowns as revenues fell short of the 176.4 billion crowns spent in April. The state treasury is missing 20 billion crowns in revenue expected from the VAT and social security payments because of low consumer spending, low inflation and lower wages. If the deficit continues to grow at this rate, the 31-billion-crown deficit approved by Parliament would be exceeded; some forecasts predict a final 1999 deficit of 47.3 billion crowns. The Finance Ministry recommended other departments reduce their expenses by 5 per cent. Petra Machova/Denisa Vitkova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid April 30) ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 EUR = 37.495 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 23.329 Great Britain 1 GBP 56.877 Denmark 1 DKK 5.044 Japan 100 JPY 28.816 Canada 1 CAD 23.940 IMF 1 XDR 46.993 Hungary 100 HUF 14.944 Norway 1 NOK 4.536 New Zealand 1 NZD 19.651 Poland 1 PLN 8.936 Greece 100 GRD 11.556 Slovakia 100 SKK 83.512 Slovenia 100 SIT 19.347 Sweden 1 SEK 4.172 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.316 USA 1 USD 34.713 Exchange Rates of countries particpating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 19.171 Belgium 100 BEF 92.948 Finland 1 FIM 6.306 France 1 FRF 5.716 Ireland 1 IEP 47.609 Italy 1000 ITL 19.365 Luxemburg 100 LUF 92.948 Netherlands 1 NLG 17.014 Portugal 100 PTE 18.702 Austria 1 ATS 2.725 Spain 100 ESP 22.535 CULTURE Ballet Premiere in National Theatre The National Theatre presented April 30 and May 2 the last ballet premiere of the season - a melange of three ballet performances. The authors and choreographers are Petr Simek, Miroslav Lipinsky and Irena Janovcova, who used music from contemporary composers and also Antonin Dvorak's Requiem. The National Theater will present two more operas (including Bedrich Smetana's The Bartered Bride) and three drama premieres this season. Pavel Sladky/Jakub Jirovec Czech Avantgarde Photography Prague's House by the Stone Bell transformed itself into the home of the exhibit Czech Avantgarde Photography, which consists of 250 photographs and photo-montages from 1918-1948. The mission of the exhibit is not to show the complete work of the period, but to draw attention to the unique development of the Czech avantgarde. The collages of Czech literati Karel Teige, Jindrich Styrsky and Toyen and the avantgarde experiments of Czech photographers like Frantisek Drtikol, Jaroslav Rossler and Jaromir Funke show their original ways of expressing reality. The exhibit's curators also rendered the spirit of modernity through the character of the house's interiors - the photographs are displayed in simple wooden frames on purple, black and blue walls. Zuzana Janeckova, Jana Kadlecova/Zuzana Janeckova Eva Kanturkova Wins Hostovsky Prize In its 25th year the Egon Hostovsky Prize was given to writer Eva Kanturkova for her novel The Garden of Childhood by the Name of Eden. The prize was first given in 1974. Veronica Macias/Zuzana Janeckova Portrait of Czech Actor Vlastimil Brodsky's Comes to Cinema April 22 audiences saw the first showing of the film Healthy Unhealthy Loved-by-His-Country Brodsky (Zdravy nemocny Vlastimileny Brodsky) in Prague's Blanik Cinema. The documentary film was directed by actor and swing-orchestra conductor Ondrej Havelka. The 90-minute collage consists of dozens of scenes taken from Brodsky's films and of clever and humorous conversation between Havelka and Brodsky. Brodsky also revealed when he stood in front of the camera for the first time: as an extra Brodsky was one man in a crowd of workers in Jiri Voskovec and Jan Werich's film The World Belongs to Us (Svet patri nam). Lenka Nejezchlebova/Lenka Nejezchlebova SPORTS Hockey World Championships: Czechs Easily Advance to Quarterfinal The Czech national hockey team, last year's bronze medal winner, opened the World Championships in Norway with two games against outsiders, Austria and Japan. The players considered both games a good opportunity to train and scored 19 goals in the matches. The third match, against the United States, was much more difficult. The teams had already secured their advance to the quarterfinal group, the Czech 4-3 win meant the Czechs finished first in the opening round group. The first game against Austria May 1 was played as the Czechs wished. The Czech team scored four times on power plays and defeated Austria 7-0. Defenseman Libor Prochazka scored twice. For the game against Japan, the Czechs prepared a wonderful exhibition May 3. The Japanese team scored the first goal and then it brought the score to 2-3, but after Prochazka scored his goal before the first period ended, only the Czechs scored again - and again. In the second period they added seven goals and wound up defeating Japan 12-2. Although the Czechs twice took a two-goal advantage in the game against the United States, the Americans managed to tie at 3-3. Pavel Patera's goal decided the game and the score remained 4-3. The Czech Republic scored three of its four goals in the game on power plays and in all three games it took advantage of 11 power plays. Russia, Slovakia and Sweden will be its opponents in the quarterfinal group. Jirka Wazik, Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer Will Straka or Reichel Join Hockey Team in Oslo? Thanks particularly to its two Czechs, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New Jersey Devils in the deciding seventh game of the NHL playoffs' first round series 4-2. In game seven Jaromir Jagr, the star of the sixth game, recorded two assists and Martin Straka scored one goal. Czech national team coach Ivan Hlinka can now invite Petr Sykora from New Jersey. However, the last free place on the national team squad could also be filled by Phoenix Coyotes center Robert Reichel as his team was eliminated by the St. Louis Blues. Petr Novy/Mirek Langer After deadline: Reichel bowed out, apologizing to Hlinka that his form was "worse than usual." The team will be completed by Sykora. Soccer League: Five Rounds to Play and Drama Begins In its game in Ostrava, Sparta Praha continued its poor form from recent rounds and complicated its quest for the league championship with an 0-2 loss. Its biggest opponent, Slavia Praha, took advantage of the loss and reduced Sparta's lead to five points thanks to a 4-0 win over Drnovice. Ostrava fans celebrated the win over Sparta in an unusual fashion - breaking seats and throwing them at policemen. Teplice is still dreaming about European cup tournaments and after a 3-0 win over Karvina stays close to second place. Olomouc lost at Viktoria Zizkov, which finished the game with 11 players and without a red card for the first time in some games. Plzen, at the bottom of the standings, recorded a point in Blsany. Midfield player Dejan Drenovac, who scored Plzen's goal, was the only scorer for the away teams in the round. The one goal for the away teams set a record for the independent Czech league. Results of the 25th round: Pribram - Hradec Kralove 0-0, Ostrava - Sparta Praha 2-0, Slavia Praha - Drnovice 4-0, Brno - Jablonec 3-0, Blsany - Plzen 1-1, Teplice - Karvina 3-0, Zizkov - Olomouc 2-0, Liberec - Opava 1-0. Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 50, 2. Slavia Praha 45, 3. Teplice 43, 4. Olomouc 39, 5. Brno 37, 6. Blsany 37, 7. Drnovice 36, 8. Ostrava 35, 9. Liberec 34, 10. Opava 30, 11. Hradec Kralove 30, 12. Jablonec 29, 13. Zizkov 28, 14. Pribram 24, 15. Plzen 23, 16. Karvina 19. Jirka Wazik/Mirek Langer Slovak Tennis Player Hrbaty Wins Tento Czech Open Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia won the seventh ATP Tour clay-court tournament in Prague, the Tento Czech Open. His coach, Marian Vajda, won the tournament in its first year in 1987 with a victory in the final against Tomas Smid, today's tournament director. Hrbaty, 21, crushed Czech Ctislav Dosedel in two sets 6-2, 6-2 in 55 minutes thanks to fast serves and aggressive play. Dosedel was the crowd favorite and reclaimed some credit for the tournament after its biggest draws (Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Cedric Pioline and Goran Ivanisevic) came to Prague only for their starting money. Another Czech player, qualifier Michal Tabara, advanced to the semifinal, where he lost to Hrbaty. Czechs Martin Damm and Radek Stepanek, playing together for the first time, won the doubles title. Petr Novy/Mirek Langer Weather Complicates Czech Himalaya 8000 Expedition The Czech mountain climbing expedition Himalaya 8000 will try to reach the top of Lhotse (8,501 meters) this year. Among its members is Sona Vomackova, the Czech women's high-altitude record holder with her ascent of Makalu last year. We received new information about the expedition's progress and the mood of its members from the expedition's solar-powered notebook directly from the Himalayas. "We're changing phases right now, we've built camp 1 (at 6,100 meters) on the top edge of the Khumbu icefall, camp 2 (6,400 meters) at the end of the West Cwm and camp 3 (7,200 meters) on the left half of the west face of Lhotse. We're waiting for (camp) 4, everything depends on the weather. That's the biggest obstacle for climbers. Today it was probably pretty nasty up there, a lot people were supposedly coming back to camp 2 from Everest. The mood is good - you should have seen us on Witches' Day (April 30)! But we didn't drink that much rum... We send our regards to Carolina - I suppose it has something with my alma mater? "Namaste! For the rest of the others up there, this is Standa Berkovec" Alena Smrzova, Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer WEATHER I would like to tell you, dear readers, that I really hate translating the weather section. It is always the same: trees in bloom, young couples in parks... Today I decided to write a "poem." (If it has nothing to do with the weather, I sincerely apologize). True spring is here, I like Czech beer. For poetry I have no ear, And my mind is far from clear. Spring love to all Carolina readers from Tomas Kohout/Jakub Jirovec English version edited by Michael Bluhm xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SEARCHABLE CAROLINA ARCHIVE ONLINE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Prague Business Journal has added the English Carolina archive to its website http://www.pbj.cz At the bottom left of the homepage there is a special Carolina logo that will bring you to the Carolina page http://www.pbj.cz/pbj/carolina where a full-text search engine is available for the last six months of Carolina. An advanced search of Carolina is possible at the URL: http://www.pbj.cz/pbj/search/default.asp We would like to remind you that a complete, non-searchable archive of Czech and English Carolina issues from 1991 is available at the Charles University URL: http://www.cuni.cz/Carolina or at the Cesnet URL: http://listserv.cesnet.cz/lwgate/listavail.html All the English issues covering the period 1991-1998 are available in a zipped file: /pub/carolina/carolina.zip at the anonymous FTP server ftp.ruk.cuni.cz xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with attribution to CAROLINA. Subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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