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 337, Friday, June 18, 1999. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (June 9 - June 16) Chamber of Deputies Approves Sending Czech Soldiers to Kosovo Parliament's Chamber of Deputies June 15 approved sending a military unit to Kosovo. If the decision is approved by the Senate, the soldiers could leave for Kosovo at the end of June to join the KFOR forces. All deputies except the Communists and two Social Democrats supported the proposal. However, there was sharp debate about the unit's size. The Government requested permission to send 150 soldiers of an exploratory company, but the Chamber of Deputies' decision allows for sending up to 800 men. It is, however, too late to increase the size of the unit, because NATO has already developed plans based on the originally announced number of soldiers. The problem most discussed in the Chamber of Deputies was financing the operation. Deputies refused to vote on the Government proposal to reserve more funds from the state budget. "The Chamber of Deputies acted ambivalently and refused to consider raising the budget spending. Then we cannot be surprised if the Government chooses the most economical alternative," said Prime Minister Milos Zeman for the daily MF DNES. While ministers and deputies have been talking, KFOR soldiers-to-be have been training hard for their coming tasks. They have been working on their foreign languages and getting acquainted with problems they might encounter in Kosovo. According to a poll taken by the STEM agency for Czech Radio and Czech Television, approximately 50 per cent of respondents agree with Czech soldiers being in Kosovo. About 30 per cent of respondents are against, while the rest were undecided. Marketa Lajdova/Denisa Vitkova After deadline: The Senate approved sending the unit. Vaclav Kasik to Lead Czech Radio Vaclav Kasik, former director of the commercial, originally all-news station Radio Alpha, was appointed the new general director of Czech Radio June 9. He takes over from Vlastimil Jezek July 1 and his term of office is six years. Kasik said he wants to concentrate on programming. He said the changes proposed for Czech Radio 2-Prague and regional studios need to be realized, because Czech Radio's seven regional stations suffer from low ratings. Obsolete technology is another problem, Kasik said, and the question of financing needs to be resolved - by raising concession fees. Kasik will also have to oversee the sale of the station's skyscraper in Prague's Pankrac area. Jezek said 19 corporations, one-third of them multinational, are interested in buying the building. In his inaugural speech, Kasik said he would do his best to improve interpersonal relations. Czech Radio's Council first intended to re-appoint Jezek, who, however, resigned at the beginning of February. The council June 9 decided from three final candidates - Ivan Havel, the program director of Czech Radio; Pavel Ryjacek, editor-in-chief of Czech Radio-Usti nad Labem; and Kasik, who for five years had run Radio Alpha, which planned with its all-news format to compete with Czech Radio 1-Radiojournal. Kasik is experienced in public service broadcasting - he worked free-lance for Czechoslovak Radio from 1982-84 as a music editor. Marketa Kaclova/Jan Martinek Freedom Union Wants to Speed Preparations for Joining EU The Freedom Union (US) is dissatisfied with the speed of preparations for joining the European Union. US representatives presented a project called One Hundred Days for Europe at their national committee conference in Ceske Budejovice June 12. The project would quicken the preparations and convince people that membership is necessary. US representatives said the Government is not able to lead the Czech Republic into the EU. They also said that joining the EU in 2003 should be the goal of all Czech political parties. "We are appalled by statements of some politicians and members of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), who are creating an anti-European mood," said US Chairman Jan Ruml to the daily MF DNES. The project will be consulted with the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), who frequently cooperate with the Freedom Union. Marketa Lajdova/Katerina Kolarova NEWS IN BRIEF * Hundreds of people came to the funeral of Senator Vaclav Benda June 10 (see Carolina 335). Among the mourners were President Vaclav Havel and his wife, Prime Minister Milos Zeman, Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus and Senate Chairwoman Libuse Benesova. * The World Association of Newspapers (WAN), which groups 57 newspaper-publishers associations in 53 countries (including the Czech Union of Daily Publishers), denounced the Czech Government's Press Bill (see Carolina 335) as an attack on freedom of the press. WAN called on the president and chairs of both chambers of Parliament to reject the bill, and decided to report about the controversial bill to the EU Commission and the European Council. The draft is to be submitted to Parliament by the Ministry of Culture. * Vladimir Zelezny, majority owner of CET 21, the holder of TV NOVA's broadcasting license, will have a revolving line of credit with the Investment and Postal Bank (IPB). A credit line of 1 billion crowns will exist for the new service company Czech Production 200 (Ceska produkcni 2000), which Zelezny wants to use as a substitute for CNTS, the CME-controlled exclusive programming provider for TV NOVA (see Carolina 336). Ondrej Fer/Katerina Kolarova FROM SLOVAKIA Slovak President Sworn in Rudolf Schuster was inaugurated Slovak president June 15. Schuster defeated former Premier Vladimir Meciar in the presidential election runoff May 29. Schuster took the oath of office from Milan Cica, chief justice of the Constitutional Court, in the Slovak Philharmonic's building. The presidents of Slovakia's five neighboring countries - the Czech Republic's Vaclav Havel, Austria's Thomas Klestil, Poland's Aleksander Kwasniewski, Hungary's Arpad Goncz and Ukraine's Leonid Kucma - attended the ceremony. "I want to be and I will be the president of all citizens. What is good for Slovakia is also good for me as president. That is my ethical principle," said Schuster to open his speech. Lenka Nejezchlebova/Zuzana Janeckova ECONOMY Slovak Import Duties Limit Czech Exports The 7-per-cent customs duty imposed on Czech products by Slovakia will influence 54 per cent of Czech exports to Slovakia. The Czech and Slovak Customs Union Council June 14 neither abolished the duty nor changed the limits for exports without the tariff. "These are problems that experts still have to consider and find solutions acceptable to both sides," said Slovak Economy Minister Ludovit Cernak for the Czech daily MF DNES. He said the import duties serve to protect Slovakia's economy. The Czech Republic considers the measures an unpleasant fact. "The Customs Union Council will follow the consequences and look for steps to eliminate possible negative phenomena," said Czech Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr to the daily Lidove noviny. The quotas particularly restrict export of beer, non-alcoholic drinks and pork from the Czech Republic to Slovakia. Another obstacle is the import quota on Slovak isoglucose to the Czech Republic. Jana Kadlecova/Denisa Vitkova Skoda Pilsen Accuses Former Director Soudek The board of directors of Skoda Pilsen (Plzen) filed criminal complaints against several former members of company management, among them former General Director Lubomir Soudek, accusing them of improper financial transactions. According to the complaint, there were illegal transfers of money between Skoda and several private companies controlled by Soudek, who borrowed 300 million crowns from Skoda and is not paying it back as agreed. Part of the loan was used for buying Skoda Pilsen shares. The term of the loan has been extended several times and is now due in 2010. The loan was also given with interest of 5 per cent, i.e., very generous terms for Soudek. "It is the first complaint, others will follow," said Skoda spokesman Karel Samec to the daily Lidove noviny. Soudek said to the daily MF DNES that he is not afraid of the accusations. "I am convinced that I also worked in such a way that my activity could not be connected with any criminal action," Soudek said. The transactions came to light after a legal audit of Skoda was finished. Jana Kadlecova/Milan Smid ECONOMY IN BRIEF * A 10.8-per-cent increase of the minimum monthly wage to 3,600 crowns, to take effect July 1, was approved by the Social Democrat Cabinet of Prime Minister Milos Zeman June 9. Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid June 18) ------------------------------------------------------------ 1 EUR = 36.965 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 23.545 Great Britain 1 GBP 56.890 Denmark 1 DKK 4.974 Japan 100 JPY 29.744 Canada 1 CAD 24.527 IMF 1 XDR 47.821 Hungary 100 HUF 14.819 Norway 1 NOK 4.537 New Zealand 1 NZD 19.135 Poland 1 PLN 9.111 Greece 100 GRD 11.428 Slovakia 100 SKK 81.513 Slovenia 100 SIT 19.031 Sweden 1 SEK 4.200 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.151 USA 1 USD 35.720 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 18.900 Belgium 100 BEF 91.634 Finland 1 FIM 6.217 France 1 FRF 5.635 Ireland 1 IEP 46.936 Italy 1000 ITL 19.091 Luxemburg 100 LUF 91.634 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.774 Portugal 100 PTE 18.438 Austria 1 ATS 2.686 Spain 100 ESP 22.216 CULTURE Cinematography Fund Distributes Grants The State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography's Council distributed more than 45.5 million crowns in grants. Tomas Vorel's movie Journey from the City received 6 million crowns, the largest grant of the 36 successful projects. Vladimir Michalek's Exit Angel and Bohdan Slama's Wild Bees each received grants of 5 million crowns. The fund also supported Oscar-winners Zdenek and Jan Sverak's Dark-Blue World with a grant of 4 million crowns. Klara Nedvedova/Zuzana Janeckova New Orleans Jazzmen on Old Town Square Rainy Prague was full of jazz during June 12's 12-hour jazz marathon of Louisiana musicians. Dozens of jazz musicans, such as the Regal Brass Band, the gospel formation Joyful! and Marva Wright set a jazz and blues tone on the capital's Old Town Square. Klara Nedvedova/Zuzana Janeckova SPORTS Czech Volleyball Team Loses to Bulgaria The Czech men's volleyball team lost the deciding game of the European League, which is the qualification for September's European Championships in Austria. Bulgaria won the match (10-15, 17-16, 5-15, 15-8, 15-11) and stole first place in the group from the Czech team. The Czechs can still advance, depending on the outcome of the other groups. Jirka Wazik/Mirek Langer Elite Athletes Appear in Josef Odlozil Memorial Briton Colin Jackson and Kenya's Daniel Komen attracted track and field fans to the Josef Odlozil Memorial in Prague June 14. Komen fulfilled his promise from the press conference and broke the meet record in the main discipline, the 2,000 meters. Komen won in 4 minutes, 57.72 seconds, which was .36 of a second faster than Algeria's Noureddine Morcelli ran last year. "I ran very well. It was not cold, but I did mind the unpleasant wind a little," Komen said. Jackson won the 110-meters hurdles in 13.28 seconds, also breaking the meet record. The meeting commemorates the late Czech runner Josef Odlozil, world-record holder in the 2,000 meters, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist and husband of Vera Caslavska, seven-time Olympic gymnastics champion. Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * The Czech team in the men's basketball European Championships will be missing its best player, center Jiri Zidek. Zidek, who plays for European Basketball Superleague winner Zhalgiris Kaunas of Lithuania, excused himself for family reasons. The team's preparations finished with three games against Poland - one win and two losses. * Tennis legend Martina Navratilova visited Prague. She took part in an exhibition mixed-doubles match with Jan Kodes (1973 Wimbledon champion) against Helena Sukova and Jiri Hrebec. * Soccer forward Pavel Kuka will play for VfB Stuttgart next year. For 2 million deutschmarks he left FC Nuremberg, which was relegated to the second league this year. * Sparta Praha soccer defender Tomas Votava signed a three-year contract with the German league's Munich 1860 and will join two other Czech players there, Roman Tyce and Martin Cizek. Sparta players Michal Caloun, Petr Gabriel and Vlastimil Svoboda extended their contracts with the club, as did Ivo Ulich, Lubos Kozel and Karel Rada of Slavia Praha. * After one year in the Finnish league's Hameenlinna, hockey defenseman Jaroslav Nedved is returning to Sparta Praha. Another defenseman, Nagano Olympics gold-medalist Frantisek Kucera, will stay with Sparta despite some offers from NHL clubs, including a million-dollar contract with his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks. * Reigning champion Sparta Praha defeated Ricany 13-5 in the third and deciding game of the finals of the Czech rugby league. Jirka Wazik/Mirek Langer After deadline: Czech tennis player Petr Korda, the 1998 Australian Open champion, retired from professional tennis after losing in the second round of Wimbledon qualifications. Korda was accused of using a banned substance at last year's Wimbledon. Mirek Langer/Mirek Langer WEATHER Because Medard, the son of Neptune, arrived on his rain-ram, the good people of Bohemia knew their river Vltava would bring them a good harvest. They made sacrifices to their gods and the rain became stronger and stronger. The more water they had, the more they wanted. The magical country of Bohemia was soon covered by water. The gods took no mercy and the poor people of Bohemia have no reason. Ondrej Fer/Zuzana Janeckova ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with attribution to CAROLINA. Subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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