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) 22112219 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 351, Friday, November 12, 1999. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 3 - November 10) Central European Initiative Accepts Stability Pact The summit of the Central European Initiative (CEI) November 5-6 in Prague was mainly devoted to the question of the renewal of the Balkans and joining the Stability Pact. The summit was attended by the prime ministers and foreign and economic ministers of 16 central and eastern European countries. The Stability Pact, designed to support the restoration of the Balkans, was passed by the foreign ministers of G8 countries in June and the CEI summit declared its readiness to participate in the pact. When Milos Zeman, prime minister of the Czech Republic and this year's chairman of the organization, was asked how the CEI would financially support the pact, Zeman said CEI representatives were negotiating with the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Zeman said the Czech Republic could assist in rebuilding power plants and energy networks. He said Czech companies had built about 35 per cent of the energy capacity in the region, so they have a special interest in the renewal. Zeman proposed creating a working group for energy. Zeman also offered aid in instituting European law and rebuilding the state sector. The CEI summit, however, did not create any projects for the Balkans' renewal. The statesmen agreed only on the need for cleaning the Danube, which is now impassable because of debris from the NATO-Serbian conflict. Politicians also used the summit for various bilateral talks. Zeman and his Ukrainian counterpart agreed to create a commission to reduce illegal immigration from the Ukraine to the Czech Republic. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan discussed the Benes Decrees with the Austrian foreign minister. Jakub Tronicek/Ondrej Maly Deputies Agree to Ombudsman Years of discussion concerning the office of the public-rights advocate ombudsman, present in a majority of EU countries and a number of other countries, ended November 4. Deputies from the ruling Social Democrats, the Christian Democrats and the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia passed the Government bill, while the majority of deputies of the Freedom Union and the Civic Democratic Party voted against the proposal. If the Senate ratifies the bill, the ombudsman should start work next year. Opponents say the ombudsman's authority is too limited. The ombudsman can oversee the actions of state authorities, draw attention to human-rights violations and help those who claim discrimination by the state, but he will not have the authority to change official decisions. The politically neutral advocate will have his seat in Brno and his office should cost about 30 million crowns annually, while its creation will cost 20 milion crowns. Jan Skala/Ondrej Maly Four Party-Coalition Offers ODS Center-Right Coalition Representatives of the Four Party-Coalition (Christian Democrats, the Freedom Union, the Civic Democratic Alliance and the Democratic Union) November 9 sent a letter to Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Chairman Vaclav Klaus offering a center-right coalition if ODS deputies would support calling for a vote of confidence in the Government. A government of ODS and the Four Party-Coalition might have only 100 deputies in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies, because Marie Machata left the Freedom Union and Josef Lux, the former Christian Democrat chairman, is hospitalized in the United States. ODS Vice Chairman Ivan Langer said his party is skeptical about the initiative and still prefers a super-coalition including ODS, the Four-Party Coalition and the ruling Social Democrats. Jakub Trnka/Jakub Jirovec Police Attack on Anti-fascists October 28 Becomes International Issue Swiss journalist Heinz Moll, a correspondent for a number of Swiss and German papers, accused the Czech police of brutality in connection with his detainment October 28. Moll, who was taking pictures of a police attack on anti-fascists in Prague's Tyl Square (see Carolina 350), was arrested under mysterious circumstances. "If they hadn't ripped the exposed film out of my camera, I would have had unique pictures. Young people were lying on the ground handcuffed and the police were ruthlessly beating them," said Moll to the Czech daily Pravo. He added that he was "beaten, choked, kicked, hit in the back with a nightstick" and that the police beat his head against a car even though he had showned them his international journalist ID. He was then detained for eight hours without being told why, questioned and was to be November 4 deported from the Czech Republic. The Swiss Embassy Counsel asked the Czech Government to explain the incident, as did some of the eight international newspapers to which Moll contributes. Moll will meet November 14 with Swiss President Ruth Dreifuss, who is to visit the Czech Republic. Moll, in his letter to Pravo, pointed out that this was his second encounter with Czech police, the first one having been in January 1989 under the Communist regime. Moll said that in 1989 he was released after two hours along with his camera and film. "They treated me correctly. I was not injured at all," Moll said. The police investigation has not yet concluded. Marek Uhlir/Sofia Karakeva Health Minister David Probably to Lose Office The Chamber of Deputies November 10 rejected amendments to the Health Insurance Act as a signal that Health Minister Ivan David should be recalled from office. Prime Minister Milos Zeman said last week he would recall David if the Chamber did not pass the amendments. Deputies, however, prevented chaos in the health-insurance field by passing the same amendments as part of the Insurance Act. The minister has been criticized recently for poor management by opposition deputies, the media and physicians over his spat with Motol Faculty Hospital Director Helena Rognerova (see Carolina 349) and over the liquidation of some research institutes. David's resignation has also been demanded by the Czech Medical Chamber and healthcare unions. David announced he would not resign. Zeman was to return November 11 from a trip to the US. The media have referred to the drama in the legislature as theater and farce. Radka Kohoutova/Jakub Jirovec Romanies Request Fence Be Removed Romany leaders November 8 asked Prime Minister Milos Zeman and the Government to eliminate all forms of racism and discrimination in the Czech Republic. The Romanies asked first that the fence in Maticni Street in Usti nad Labem be removed (see Carolina 350). The local council October 13 decided to build a fence separating Romanies from mostly white homeowners after complaints from the homeowners. Romanies have been demonstrating against the fence for a week. David Mirejovsky/Sofia Karakeva Student Runs for Law Dean On November 11 the Law School of Charles University in Prague will elect a new dean. Not only has the school drawn attention to itself hanks to the scandal surrounding this year's entrance exams (applicants were able to obtain the tests in advance for 50,000 crowns), but also with this year's elections of the dean. Five candidates are teachers, while the sixth is 22-year-old, fourth-year law student and member of the Academic Senate Jiri Hladik. The new University Act, which came into force earlier this year, makes his candidacy possible because it does not specify any conditions for becoming dean. Anyone nominated by the academic community can be elected. Hladik, who was nominated by six members of the academic community (one of them a member of the Academic Senate), said he does not think his chances for being elected are so slim. The senate consists of 12 professors and nine students, and a candidate needs a simple majority for election. Hladik said his program has met with a positive response from students and teachers. Zdenek Jicinsky, Social Democrat deputy, said Hladik's candidacy symbolizes the inconsistency of the University Act, which was the subject of conflict and compromise in the legislature. Tereza Tesarikova /Simon Dominik Zelezny-CME Fight in International Court An international arbitration court in Stockholm decided to place a preliminary injunction against Vladimir Zelezny, majority owner of CET21, the license-holder for TV NOVA. The court ruled in favor of CME, according to unofficial information from several Czech dailies November 12. Zelezny, however, refuses to respect the verdict, claiming it is not enforceable in the Czech Republic. CME financed the creation of TV NOVA and provided all its programming. Zelezny's CET 21 withdrew from its agreement with CME-owned service provider CNTS in August. CME claims the contract requires CET 21 to receive its programming exclusively from CNTS and asked Zelezny to return the 25 million USD he received for his share. CME wants another 500 million crowns as compensation for damages. Another arbitration hearing will decide on charges by CME controlling shareholder Ronald Lauder that the Czech Republic has violated its treaty with the US on investment protection. Lauder is asking for 18 billion crowns in damages. Lauder publicized his lawsuit in American dailies The New York Times and Washington Post November 8 (see above). Two American cingressmen, Tom Lantos and Benjamin Gilman, have also joined the fight, sending a letter to Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman asking for compensation of damages caused by the actions of the Government. Zeman criticized the congressmen, saying they should know it is not the Government in the Czech Republic that oversees broadcasting licenses, but the Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting. Michaela Kleckova/Zuzana Janeckova FOREIGN AFFAIRS Zeman in USA Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman, Slovak Premier Mikulas Dzurinda and American President Bill Clinton November 8 celebrated the 10th anniversary of the end of the cold war at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. In his speech Clinton accentuated democratic movements in the former communist countries and spoke about the role of the United States as a global power. Zeman's five-minute speech expressed gratitude to the US. On his arrival to the United States November 8 Zeman was given an unexpected welcome by shareholders of Central European Media Enterprises (CME). The company, which is in a conflict with the Czech company CET 21 and its owner Vladimir Zelezny over control of TV NOVA (see above), published a full-page advertisement in the New York Times and the Washington Post warning against investing in the Czech Republic. The main topic of discussion in the Oval Office between Clinton, Dzurinda and Zeman was an evaluation of the 10 years since the fall of communism in Eastern Europe. The discussion also touched on the wall in Maticni Street in the Czech city of Usti nad Labem. The construction the wall to divide Romanies from whites has drawn a great deal of attention from American politicians and media. The politicians also spoke about specific programs of the Czech and Slovak governments to help Romanies. Nikoleta Alivojvodic/Simon Dominik FROM SLOVAKIA End of Visa Requirements for Entering Finland and Norway The visa requirements instituted by Finland and Norway ended at midnight November 6. Finland introduced the requirement on a four-month basis July 7 as a reaction to the rising number of Slovak Romanies seeking political asylum. Finnish immigration authorities recorded 1,061 applications by November 5. After 57 Slovak Romanies applied for political asylum in Norway by July 27, the country temporarily froze the countries' visa-free agreement. In the past, would-be Romany emigres focused on Great Britain, which introduced visa requirements for Slovak citizens October 8, 1998 because the number of political asylum applications that year increased by 1,400. Belgium, another frequent destination for Slovak Romanies, has not introduced visa requirements. Andrea Slovakova/Jaroslav Sauer FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF * Interior Minister Ladislav Pittner, who led a ministry delegation on a two-day visit to Bulgaria, signed an agreement to fight organized crime together. The agreement expand the possibilities for police cooperation between the two countries. Andrea Slovakova/Jaroslav Sauer ECONOMY Credit Unions Collapse The Credit Union Regulatory Office November 4 imposed forced administration on the Czech Republic's largest credit union, the First Cooperative Credit Union (1. druzstevni zalozna) in Ostrava, because of a deficit of liquid assets (according to the law, 15 per cent of all assets must be liquid). The credit union manages about 3.5 billion crowns belonging to more than 25,000 depositors. All credit unions in the country control about 10 billion crowns, and problems in the Ostrava credit union could cause a panic. In the First Cooperative, a ban on paying out or accepting deposits has been imposed for 10 days; during that time the credit union's assets will be verified. The regulatory office said the goal of forced administration is to help the credit union recover and to protect its depositors' savings. However, Czech Credit Union Association Chairman Richard Mandelik said the state bureaucracy and a certain lobby are trying to liquidate the credit unions. Police also November 4 arrested and accused of tax fraud the chairman of the First Prague Cooperative Credit Union (Prvni prazska druzstevni zalozna) as he was leaving for Brazil. This credit union is well known thanks to a massive advertising campaign and because it was rejected for membership in the Czech Credit Union Association because of questionable management. Then November 8 the credit union with the most depositors (some 31,000), the Family Credit Union (Rodinna zalozna) in Moravske Budejovice, stopped paying out deposits. Two days later, branches of the Small Business Savings and Loan Cooperative (Zivnostenske sporitelni a uverove druzstvo) were closed indefinitely. Its speaker and the regulatory office said the closing is a preventative measure in response to the situation in the credit unions. Dita Eckhardtova/Denisa Vitkova Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid November 11) ---------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 36.470 country currency CZK ---------------------------------------- Australia 1 AUD 22.461 Great Britain 1 GBP 56.902 Denmark 1 DKK 4.905 Japan 100 JPY 33.350 Canada 1 CAD 23.817 IMF 1 XDR 48.311 Hungary 100 HUF 14.287 Norway 1 NOK 4.457 New Zealand 1 NZD 17.958 Poland 1 PLN 8.198 Greece 100 GRD 11.093 Slovakia 100 SKK 83.929 Slovenia 100 SIT 18.524 Sweden 1 SEK 4.218 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.680 USA 1 USD 35.071 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) Germany 1 DEM 18.647 Belgium 100 BEF 90.407 Finland 1 FIM 6.134 France 1 FRF 5.560 Ireland 1 IEP 46.307 Italy 1000 ITL 18.835 Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.407 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.549 Portugal 100 PTE 18.191 Austria 1 ATS 2.650 Spain 100 ESP 21.919 CULTURE Like John Lennon, Bohumil Hrabal Has a Wall in Prague At a time when Germany is commemorating the fall of the Berlin Wall, late author Bohumil Hrabal's wall is being created. A plain concrete wall in Liben, Hrabal's beloved Prague neighborhood, has been decorated by painter Tatiana Svatosova to honor the author's work and life. Passersby will see four parts connected by a motif of cats, Hrabal's favorite pets. The first part pictures a bookcase full of Hrabal's favorite authors, including Franz Kafka and satirist Jaroslav Hasek, creator of The Good Soldier Schweik. The second part shows Hrabal's ancient Perkeo typewriter, the third part recalls his favourite pubs and restaurants, and the last panel features a silhouette of Hrabal. The parts are also brought together by extracts from Hrabal's books. The wall stands where the house in which Hrabal lived most of his life once stood, before it was torn down to make way for the subway. Svatosova had contacted graffitti sprayers to contribute to the wall, but they declined. The work, which took 33 days, was paid for by Prague's 8th district as part of the project for Prague - European City of Culture for 2000. Present at the opening of the wall were actress and former Slovak presidential candidate Magda Vasaryova and director Jiri Menzel, who based his films Closely Watched Trains (Ostre sledovane vlaky, the Academy-award winner for best foreign-language film of 1968) and Cutting It Short (Postriziny) on Hrabal's books. Michal Pospisil/Daniela Vrbova SPORTS Rivaldo's Barcelona Will Play in Prague in Champions League Sparta Praha's opponents in the Champions League second phase's group are glamorous and yet beatable. In a group A Sparta will meet FC Barcelona, FC Porto and Hertha BSC Berlin. While Barcelona is one of the world's top clubs, the other two teams appear beatable. Barcelona, one of the best teams in Europe, is the favorite of the group. Its squad includes many stars, such as forwards Kluivert and Rivaldo. Sparta met Barcelona in 1992 in the unofficial first round of the Champions League, losing in Spain 2-3 and winning in Prague 1-0. Sparta will start the second phase at home against Porto November 23 and then will travel to Barcelona December 8. Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer UEFA Cup: Slavia Advances, Teplice Falls The rematches in the UEFA Cup's second round were played November 4. Slavia Praha advanced despite losing in Zurich 0-1, while the other Czech team - FK Teplice - was eliminated after two losses. Slavia played in Zurich against Grasshoppers with hopeful prospects after winning the first game 3-1. The rematch's first half was played in slow motion, but the pace picked up after the break. The Swiss team's first goal (Stephane Chapuisat) was disallowed because of offsides. Slavia's Tomas Dosek had two chances and finally converted after goalkeeper Philippe Walker fouled him and was sent off. However, Slavia could not score with the one-man advantage, and Zurich's Murat Yakin decided the match in the 76th minute. Teplice lost both games against Mallorca. After the first game (1-2), the second game started with nervous Teplice players losing many passes. Miguel Angel Nadal opened the scoring for Mallorca and Teplice had to play more aggressively. But only the Spaniards scored after the break, and, thanks to Jovan Stankovic's and Fernando Nino Bejarano's shots, Mallorca defeated Teplice 3-0. Slavia will meet Steaua Bucuresti in the next round of the UEFA Cup. The first game will be played in Prague November 25, the rematch is scheduled for December 9. Jaroslav Sauer, Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer Slavia Defeats Sparta in Derby of League's Top Teams "It's easy. You have to stand in the right place and the ball hits you," said forward Robert Vagner about his scoring method and then added, "Well, it was just a coincidence." Five minutes before the end of the Slavia-Sparta match, after a corner kick, Radek Krejcik's shot hit Vagner's chest and deflected into the net. Slavia Praha defeated Sparta Praha in the 136th intracity derby 2-1. Slavia was better early on, as Tomas Dosek centered on Pavel Horvath's goal. Then the game was interrupted by an unfortunate collision of two Sparta players, Petr Gabriel and Vladimir Labant. Gabriel was uninjured, but Labant broke his tibia and fibula. Ludek Zelenka's shot in the 48th minute was stopped by Sparta defender Milan Fukal just before the goal-line. At the opposite end, Pavel Novotny tied the game at 1-1 after a corner kick in the 63rd minute. Slavia goalkeeper Radek Cerny then saved chances by Libor Sionko and Josef Obajdin. Slavia leads the standings, four points ahead of Sparta. Results of the 13th round of the soccer league: Slavia Praha - Sparta Praha 2-1, Zizkov - Opava 3-2, Liberec - Brno 0-1, Blsany - Ceske Budejovice 3-2, Ostrava - Pribram 2-0, Hradec Kralove - Bohemians Praha 1-2, Drnovice - Jablonec 3-0, Olomouc - Teplice 2-2. Standings: 1. Slavia Praha 31, 2. Sparta Praha 27, 3. Drnovice 23, 4. Bohemians Praha 21, 5. Ostrava 20, 6. Ceske Budejovice 20, 7. Teplice 19, 8. Liberec 15, 9. Brno 15, 10. Blsany 14, 11. Opava 13, 12. Olomouc 13, 13. Pribram 13, 14. Jablonec 13, 15. Hradec Kralove 12, 16. Zizkov 11. David Luksu/Mirek Langer Hockey Extraleague: Change in First Place The headline matchup between Sparta and Plzen, aided by the return of Vladimir Vujtek to Sparta from the NHL, lured 8,500 spectators to Prague's Sport Hall. Five minutes before the end Vujtek assisted David Vyborny on the deciding goal, and Plzen lost first place in the standings to Zlin, which defeated Kladno. Zlin's Vladimir Hudacek has not allowed a goal in six games. Litvinov is in financial distress. Its owner, Chemopetrol, wants to sell it, but the club is able to continue this season thanks to a loan from Chemopetrol and the city. Vitkovice has not won in 12 games, Znojmo has not lost in seven games. Kladno defeated Trinec after losing 0-2, as Kladno's Jiri Burger scored a hat trick. Results of the 19th round: Sparta Praha - Plzen 3-2, Zlin - Kladno 4-0, Vitkovice - Slavia Praha 1-1, Litvinov - Havirov 2-4, Pardubice - Znojmo 4-4, Trinec - Karlovy Vary 3-1. Ceske Budejovice - Vsetin. Results of the 20th round: Vsetin - Litvinov 4-3, Plzen - Vitkovice 5-2, Karlovy Vary - Pardubice 4-0, Slavia Praha - Zlin 1-2, Znojmo - Ceske Budejovice 2-2, Kladno - Trinec 7-5. Postponed game of the 7th round: Sparta Praha - Havirov 2-1. Standings: 1. Zlin 29, 2. Plzen 28, 3. Vsetin 25, 4. Sparta Praha 24, 5. Litvinov 22, 6. Trinec 21, 7. Ceske Budejovice 21, 8. Znojmo 19, 9. Karlovy Vary 17, 10. Slavia Praha 17, 11. Vitkovice 15, 12. Kladno 15, 13. Pardubice 15, 14. Havirov 12. Darina Johanidesova/Mirek Langer Cyclocross Racer Simunek Has Positive Blood Test Four-time world cyclocross champion Radomir Simunek failed a blood test before the opening race of the World Cup in Safenwil, Switzerland November 7. Simunek's red blood-cell count was 2 per cent higher than the maximum 50 per cent. Simunek could not compete and will be out for two weeks before another test at the headquarters of International Cycling Union in Lausanne. Simunek said the result of the test stems from a case of diarrhea he had before the race. At a test in Prague his red blood-cell level was at 49 per cent, so he went to Switzerland. Jiri Pospisil finished third in Safenwil. Dita Kristanova/Mirek Langer WEATHER Temperatures at the end of the week should range between 4 degrees and 8 degrees Celsius/39 degrees and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (the average temperature has recently been about 5 degrees Celsius/41 degrees Fahrenheit). There will be fog and clouds in the morning, which might help keep temperatures low. Expect drizzles during the day, and in the highlands there is already a threat of snow. There are 20 centimeters of snow already in Krusne Hory, but that is still too little for winter sports, according to the Mountain Service. Jaroslav Svelch/Daniela Vrbova ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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