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 335, Friday, June 4, 1999. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (May 19 - June 2) Jan Kasal Elected New Chairman of Christian Democrats Jan Kasal was elected chairman of Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak Peoples Party (KDU-CSL) by party delegates at the national convention May 29-30 in Ceske Budejovice. Kasal replaces former Chairman Josef Lux, who left his function after 8 years because of leukemia. Kasal's rival for the post, former Interior Minister Cyril Svoboda, was elected first vice chairman. The other vice chairmen will be Miroslav Kalousek, Tomas Kvapil and Pavel Severa. The new chairman, who ran the party for the nine months since Lux's resignation, said he wants to initiate negotiations with the leaders of all parliamentary parties except the Communists. A government having a majority in the Chamber of Deputies, unlike the current Social Democrat Cabinet, will probably not soon arise: "Don't think that the talks I would like to initiate will lead to some coalition being created by summer," said Kasal. The convention was visited by the Prime Minister Milos Zeman, Civic Democratic Party Chairman Vaclav Klaus and Freedom Union Chairman Jan Ruml. All of them offered KDU-CSL cooperation. Zeman said he is not trying to lure the Christian Democrats into a coalition. Ruml called on the Christian Democrats to think about the future and long-range cooperation with his party. Kasal said the two parties could create a dual bloc. Smaller right-wing parties (such as the Democratic Union and the Civic Democratic Alliance) should, Kasal said, merge with the Union. Jan Mates/Jakub Jirovec Farmers Demonstrate in Prague for Saving the Countryside To Save Czech Agriculture and Countryside was the motto of bitter farmers who demonstrated June 1 in Prague's Old Town Square against the Government's agricultural policy. "The Government is not fulfilling its program statements, because the extent of agriculture is being reduced and the countryside is being devastated", said Miroslav Jirovsky, chairman of the Union of Agriculture Cooperatives and Companies, according to the Czech daily MF DNES. The demonstration was attended by at least 10,000 people. According to Chairman of the Agrarian Chamber Vaclav Hlavacek, agriculture is in such a state that farmers will be deprived of tens of billions of crowns. Demonstrators asked for the immediate introduction of minimum buyout prices (i.e., subsidies) for basic foodstuffs and for the Government to force processors to pay for taken production within 30 days. Future social disturbances were hinted at. Hlavacek said the Government is lacking some important laws, for example concerning the right to cheap ("green") fuel and the protection of the agricultural market. Agriculture Minister Jan Fencl on the day of the demonstration said the Government is maintaining its program statement and recalled some steps taken for the security of the market, such as higher tariffs for wheat and sugar. Linda Kholova/Sofia Karakeva Senator Vaclav Benda Dies Vaclav Benda, senator of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), died June 2. ODS Chairman Vaclav Klaus, also chairman of Parliament's Chamber of Deputies, announced the news to deputies, who then held a minute of silence in his honor. During the Communist regime, Benda was an active member of the Charter 77 human rights movement and of the Committee for the Defense of the Unjustly Persecuted. For his activity in the committee he spent four years in prison. Before joining ODS he was a member of the Christian Democratic Party, which he helped establish and led for years. From 1990-92 he was a member of the presidium and later vice chairman of the former Federal Assembly. In the Senate elections of 1996 he won Prague's first district over former dissident journalist and publisher Pavel Tigrid. Radan Dolejs/Sofia Karakeva Havel Released from Hospital in Satisfactory Condition Czech President Vaclav Havel left Prague's Central Military Hospital May 28, where he had been for a week. His recuperation is continuing in the Lany chateau. During the president's stay in the hospital he received a letter from US President Bill Clinton, who thanked him for his support in NATO's Kosovo operation and wished him a quick recovery. Havel's office he should resume his regular schedule June 7. Linda Kholova/Sofia Karakeva Government Passes Controversial New Press Act The Government May 26 passed the new Press Act, which contains some paragraphs that could, say journalists, media experts and the bill's opposition, restrict press freedom. The most controversial part is probably the institute of the right to reply. According to this new provision, anyone can request the press to publish his or her reply to some report - including a factually correct report - which he or she believes is detrimental to their dignity, honor or privacy. "The right-to-reply paragraph is established to guarantee the plurality of opinions," said Culture Minister Pavel Dostal. Media experts said newspapers might stop reporting controversial information in an effort to avoid a great deal of space being taken later by replies. Freedom Union representatives said the provision is interference in the freedom of the press. Some editors-in-chief said they hope the law will be changed by Parliament. The law also makes publishers responsible for the contents of the press and bans reports aimed negatively at different racial, religious or sexual orientations. The court can then impose a fine on the publisher, or, if the law is violated for the second time, stop the publishing of the periodical for one year. The bill also cancels the existing registration of the press (publishers will be recorded at the Ministry of Culture) and allows for the protection of sources. Jan Mates/Jakub Jirovec Government against Maticni Street Wall The Government May 26 rejected the local executive's decision to build a wall in the Nestemice district in the city of Usti nad Labem that should separate the local inhabitants in family houses from Romany (Gypsy) dwellers of the nearby public housing, who were moved there from other parts of town after they did not pay rent in community-owned apartment houses (see Carolina 329). The Cabinet decided that the decision to erect the fence in Maticni Street, made by the Nestemice municipality, is of a racist and discriminatory nature. Therefore the Government ordered the Usti County Executive to rethink the decision and vote on it again at the next executive body session. Jan Mates/Milan Smid ODS States Political Ideals and Goals The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) cleared up its political intentions and central ideas at its "Ideology conference" in Prague May 29-30. ODS Chairman Vaclav Klaus, also the chairman of Parliament's Chamber of Deputies, said the goals of the conference were reached and ODS is now politically united. ODS Vice Chairman Miroslav Macek said the main principles of ODS policy are the maximum reduction of the tax burden and the simplification of state administration and the legal system. He expressed his ideas in a pamphlet called Four Articules for the Third Millenium. According to Macek, ODS should win more than 50 per cent of the vote in the next parliamentary elections. Jan Mates/Zuzana Janeckova NATO Maneuvers in Vyskov NATO's Cooperative Guard 99 training maneuvers started May 27 in Vyskov, Moravia. The exercises should prepare NATO forces for planning and leading peacekeeping operations and for improving communication between NATO forces and those of countries participating in the Partnership for Peace project. The exercises, which will last until June 4, will take place mostly on maps and computers. They will present the first exercises of the Eurocorps, a squad of soldiers from Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany and Spain. Linda Kholova/Sofia Karakeva SLOVAKIA Rudolf Schuster Elected President In the presidential election runoff, Slovak citizens decided that Kosice mayor and Chairman of the Civic Understanding Party (SOP) Rudolf Schuster will be president of Slovakia for the next five years (officially from June 15). He won 57.18 per cent of the vote and defeated former Premier Vladimir Meciar, who received 42.82 per cent. Afterwards, Schuster resigned his SOP membership, his post as chairman and his post as Kosice mayor, as he promised a few days before election. Schuster said he does not want to lose contact with ordinary citizens, as has happened in the past. He said he prefers open dialogue and politics without confrontation. On the television program The Roundtable May 26 Schuster mentioned the role of the president as initiator. "He should demonstrate that he knows how to connect people and not to divide them. He should listen to their voice," he said. He also said he would support improving relations with the Czech Republic, which should be non-traditional. Meciar said on election day that if he lost he would carry on as chairman of the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS). Schuster's election was welcomed by the Government coalition parties and foreigners. The opposition said it hopes Schuster would become an outgoing politician who would be able to overcome the ongoing confrontational political atmosphere. Jana Kadlecova, Veronica Macias/Jan Martinek Government Implements New Tariffs Setting an import tariff of 7 per cent was the Slovak Government's newest measure to resolve problems with the country's balance of payments and foreign-currency reserves. The tariff came into force June 1 and should affect four-fifths of goods imported from foreign countries, including the Czech Republic, with which Slovakia still has a valid customs union. According to the information in Hospodarske noviny provided by Anna Jostiakova from the Slovak Economy Ministry, the tariff will decrease to 5 per cent January 1 and to 3 per cent six months later. Petr Wilfer/Denisa Vitkova ECONOMY Government to Sell CSOB to Belgium's KBC Bank Prime Minister Milos Zeman's Cabinet May 31 unanimously decided to sell 66 per cent of the Czechoslovak Trade Bank (Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka, CSOB) stock to the Belgian KBC Bank. The Belgians will pay 40.047 billion crowns, a few billion more than the two remaining finalists - Deutsche Bank and HypoVereinsbank - were willing to pay. KBC Bank made a commitment to invest 4 billion crowns into CSOB within the next four years. "The contract should be signed within a few weeks," said Finance Minister Ivo Svoboda. Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Mertlik indicated that Deutsche Bank was the Government's second choice and would step forward should negotiations with KBC Bank break down. The sale of CSOB was the biggest privatization transaction in the Czech Republic, although the Government is still planning to sell two larger banks - the Czech Savings Bank (Ceska Sporitelna, CS) and the Commerce Bank (Komercni banka, KB) - which, according to finance experts, should present more complicated privatization projects. Radan Dolejs/Denisa Vitkova IPB Will Lend CKD Money To Produce Trams CKD Transport Systems will resume production of trams for Manila. The Investment and Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka, IPB) will provide a loan of 340 billion crowns, thanks to a decision made by IPB's board of directors June 1, with the condition that the loan can be used only for producing the trams (see Carolina 334 for details on CKD's difficulties). IPB hopes the loan will create better conditions for the Consolidation Bank, which is trying to find a strategic partner for CKD. The labor union said it appreciates the loan as well. CKD Transport Systems KOVO labor union Chairman Jan Zlatnik said most of the employees would return to work June 7. He said he also hopes that wages, unpaid since March, will finally be distributed. The employees should receive part of their wages at the end of this or at the beginning of next week. Radan Dolejs/Denisa Vitkova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid June 4) ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 EUR = 37.515 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 23.318 Great Britain 1 GBP 58.066 Denmark 1 DKK 5.049 Japan 100 JPY 29.735 Canada 1 CAD 24.471 IMF 1 XDR 48.484 Hungary 100 HUF 15.078 Norway 1 NOK 4.558 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.980 Poland 1 PLN 9.057 Greece 100 GRD 11.587 Slovakia 100 SKK 82.273 Slovenia 100 SIT 19.399 Sweden 1 SEK 4.199 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.544 USA 1 USD 36.152 Exchange Rates of countries particpating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 19.181 Belgium 100 BEF 92.997 Finland 1 FIM 6.310 France 1 FRF 5.719 Ireland 1 IEP 47.634 Italy 1000 ITL 19.375 Luxemburg 100 LUF 92.997 Netherlands 1 NLG 17.024 Portugal 100 PTE 18.712 Austria 1 ATS 2.726 Spain 100 ESP 22.547 CULTURE One World Film Festival The french documentary La Flaca Alejandra opened the first year of the One World human rights film festival May 26. The festival took place in three Prague cinemas - the French Institute, Evald and Mat. Alina Fernandez, Fidel Castro's daughter and an opponent of her father's regime, tells the story of her childhood in the movie Branded by Paradise and was among the festival's guests. The festival jury gave prizes to three films. Fear, directed by Leonid Mindlin, which shows the realistic face of President Alexandr Lukashenko's new socialism in today's Belarus, was named the best film. The prize for best director was given to Majram Jassup for the film Mission, which reflects the situation of the war-torn country Tajikistan. The Belgian documentary The Dead Are Alive by Anna van der Wee, which records the Rwanda genocide, received the prize as the film with the greatest impact. "There are three reasons why we need such a festival. To know what's going on, to take a stand and to understand that we are not powerless and can influence things," said Igor Blazevic, director of the festival and one of the leaders of the People in Need foundation. There will be one more chance to see the festival's films in Prague's Aero cinema and in the cinema of the Prague City Library. Proceeds from the festival support the SOS Kosovo foundation. Linda Kholova/Zuzana Janeckova Prague Audience Charmed by Spanish Flamenco Magicians Once Again Not even tropical heat in Prague's Slavia Stadium was able to spoil the extraordinary experience of the Spanish guitar magician and king of flamenco Paco de Lucia. The virtuoso from Andalusia visited the Czech Republic for the third time. His first performance was in Brno in 1996, one year later he performed in Prague's Lucerna concert hall. De Lucia, accompanied as before by a septet, focused on tunes from his last album Luzia. As usual, the tempo of the concert was well maintained, with the show kicked off by de Lucia alone, then joined gradually by more and more instruments, escalating to a peak reached the performance of dancer Joaquin Grilo. De Lucia was born in 1947 as Francisco Gomez, and at age 13 was already winning prizes for his guitar work. He gained worldwide fame in the supertrio, where he played together with Al di Meola and John McLaughlin (an earlier version of the trio had featured de Lucia with McLaughlin and Larry Coryell). In the last three years Lucia has performed with his own band. Jan Mates/Milan Smid CULTURE IN BRIEF: * Petruska Sustrova, commentator for the daily Lidove noviny, received the Karel Havlicek Borovsky Prize for journalist work in 1998. Zdenek Rotrekl won the award for lifetime journalism work. The prize for young journalists was given to Robert Zaruba. * At the end of the 39th International Film Festival for Children and Young People the awards were announced live on Czech Television. The animated film Mumps received the main prize of the international commission - the Golden Slipper. Another animated movie, The Magic Bell from Aurel Klimt got the prize of Hermina Tyrlova for debut. Eight other prizes were given to foreign movies. Czech director Vera Plivova-Simkova was recognized for her lifetime achievement. Linda Kholova/Zuzana Janeckova SPORTS Olomouc to UEFA Cup, Pilsen to Second League The last, 30th round of the Gambrinus Soccer League answered the league's remaining questions - Sigma Olomouc will be the second participant in next year's UEFA Cup, accompanying Czech Cup winner Slavia Praha. Viktoria Pilsen (Plzen) fell to the second league with FC Karvina, which had its fate sealed earlier. Sparta Praha's league championship was guaranteed two rounds before the end of the season. Olomouc's European cups started looking up after a 29th-round tie at Sparta Praha. In the last round, Olomouc played at home against second-place Teplice, who might have been lacking motivation with their second place and spot in the Champions League assured. Jiri Balcarek and Stanislav Vlcek's goals allowed Olomouc to prepare for the European Cup for the second year in a row. The biggest surprise of the round occurred in Hradec Kralove, which managed to save its place in the league for its next season with one round to go. Hradec, without any pressure to win, defeated league champ Sparta 2-1. Three teams fought to avoid relegation to the second league. Opava picked up a point after a scoreless tie with Ostrava, which lost its motivation after finding out that Olomouc took the lead against Teplice (if Olomouc had lost, Ostrava could have advanced to the UEFA Cup). Opava had its biggest problems with its opponent's fans. Plzen began its game badly against Jablonec and could not overcome a 0-3 deficit. Jablonec will stay in the league, while Plzen says farewell to the top level of competition for the first time since the Czech Republic came into existence out of the former Czechoslovakia. Bohemians Praha and Ceske Budejovice, the respective winner and second-place finisher of the second league, will advance to the top league next year. Results of the 30th round: Olomouc - Teplice 2-0, Plzen - Jablonec 2-3, Opava - Ostrava 0-0, Hradec Kralove - Sparta Praha 2-1, Liberec - Pribram 4-0, Karvina - Zizkov 1-1, Drnovice - Brno 0-0, Slavia Praha - Blsany 5-2. Final standings of the Gambrinus Soccer League 1998-99 GS-GA PTS 1. Sparta Praha 62-23 60 2. FK Teplice 55-30 55 3. Slavia Praha 51-33 55 4. Sigma Olomouc 42-34 47 5. Banik Ostrava 39-26 45 6. Chmel Blsany 48-44 42 7. Boby Brno 37-33 41 8. Hradec Kralove 33-40 39 9. Slovan Liberec 33-34 38 10. Viktoria Zizkov 31-47 38 11. Petra Drnovice 35-44 37 12. FK Jablonec 37-46 35 13. Dukla Pribram 28-41 33 14. Slezsky FC Opava 40-54 32 15. Viktoria Plzen 26-43 32 16. FC Karvina 28-55 23 SPORTS IN BRIEF * All Czech players have been eliminated from the singles side of the French Open, the second tennis Grand Slam tournament of the season. Bohdan Ulihrach lost 4-6, 4-6, 2-6 to 1997 champion, Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil in the fourth round of the men's singles. Jana Novotna, fourth in the WTA rankings, also went out in the fourth round, losing 3-6, 5-7 to unseeded Sylvia Plischke of Austria. * Goalkeeper Dominik Hasek was a key contributor to the Buffalo Sabres' 4-1 win against Toronto in the NHL Eastern Conference finals. Buffalo advanced to the Stanley Cup finals, beating Toronto four games to one. Hasek returned after an injury and helped the team to three wins in a row. In the second semifinal series between Dallas and Colorado, Czech forward Milan Hejduk broke his collarbone after a hard check from Dallas' Richard Matvichuk and finished his season. * The Czech Republic women's basketball team advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championships in Poland. It defeated Italy 67-52, Bosnia and Herzegovina 90-59 and Poland 78-75 in overtime, and it lost to Lithuania 76-86 in overtime and to Yugoslavia 75-85. The Czech players will meet Russia in the quarterfinals. * After deadline: Jana Novotna withdrew from the quarterfinal of the women's doubles because of injury. She collided with her partner, Zvereva of Belarus, and sprained her ankle. Although her injury seemed quite serious, the ankle is not broken and Novotna still hopes to participate in Wimbledon, where she won a title last year. Sport news prepared by Petr Wilfer/Mirek Langer WEATHER Our early summer (see Carolina 334) continues. English version edited by Michael Bluhm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with attribution to CAROLINA. Subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. Please send them to the address: CAROLINA@mbox.fsv.cuni.cz To subscribe to CAROLINA news, send an e-mail message to the address LISTSERV@cesnet.cz The text of the message for subscription to 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, send the following message to the address 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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