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 355, Friday, December 10, 1999. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (December 1 - December 8) Demonstration of Thousands Supports Thank You, Now Leave! Appeal Perhaps some 50,000 people (police estimate 35,000 to 50,000, demonstration organizers claim 80,000) gathered December 3 on Prague's Wenceslas Square in Prague to support the appeal by 1989 student leaders called Thank You, Now Leave! The appeal, born on the 10th anniversary of the fall of communism (see Carolina 353, 354), calls for the resignation of the country's political leadership. During the demonstration, organizers asked for the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus, and they also expressed a new request, the resignation of the Social Democrat Government and early elections, a demand with which the crowd agreed most. Organizer Igor Chaun opened the demonstration around 4 p.m., announcing that 150,000 people have signed the appeal. Chaun was followed by other 1989 student leaders Martin Mejstrik and Vratislav Rehak, who read the Thank You, Now Leave! appeal. The microphone was also taken by Senator Vaclav Fischer, Catholic priest Tomas Halik and filmmaker Jan Hrebejk. A letter was sent by actor Vlastimil Brodsky. Between speeches live music was performed by the likes of the band Lucie, accordionist Vaclav Koubek and singers Jaroslav Hutka and Radim Hladik. The organizers would not say they intend to form a new political party. No other demonstrations are planned. Demonstrations were also organized in other towns; in Brno some 5,000 people showed up, elsewhere attendance was in the hundreds. Alzbeta Trousilova/Sofia Karakeva Nothing New at ODS Party Congress Delegates of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) congress re-elected the standing party leadership and confirmed the standing party line at the ODS congress in Liberec December 4-5. Party Chairman Vaclav Klaus was re-elected by 80.5 per cent of the vote. Vice Chairpersons Ivan Langer and Dagmar Lastovecka, who were nominated to run against Klaus, declined to compete and gave up their candidacy. The only change in party leadership pertained to Vice Chairman Miroslav Benes, who was replaced by the Chamber of Deputies Defense and Security Committee Chairman Petr Necas. There was no sympathy at the congress for opponents of the Opposition Contract, which has allowed the minority Social Democratic Cabinet to stay in power with ODS support (see Carolina 297). ODS still supports the idea of replacing the Social Democrat Government by a super-coalition of all parties except the Communists (see Carolina 348, 349). Despite proposals by Karel Kuhnl (Freedom Union) and Jan Kasal (Christian Democrats KDU-CSL), who at the congress suggested negotiations on forming a right-center coalition, the congress supported Klaus, who in his opening address said such a coalition with a slim majority of 101 seats in the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies would be the least stable and most risky solution. The congress repeated its request to change the Constitution and the Voting Act. The delegates criticized President Vaclav Havel, the initiative Impulse 99 and above all the 1989 student leaders' appeal Thank You, Now Leave! (see Carolina 353). Some supporters of the appeal demonstrated in front of the congress' building with a banner reading Give Us the Chance to Vote for You, and distributed leaflets demanding the abolition of the Opposition Contract. ODS delegates gave appeal organizers the chance to express their views. Nikoleta Alivojvodic/Jakub Jirovec Fifth Communist Party Congress Affirms Socialist Orientation The fifth congress of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) took place in Zdar nad Sazavou December 4-5. The election of the new presidium reflected the present situation in the party. Miroslav Grebenicek was re-elected party chairman (he has been in charge since 1993) with 70.72 per cent of the votes, while his "conservative" rival Vaclav Exner received 23.57 per cent and the "intellectual" choice Miloslav Ransdorf 5.7 per cent. The defeated candidates were both elected vice chairmen, together with Vlastimil Balin, Zuzka Rujbrova and the only new face in the presidium, Jiri Dolejs. The Communists are the third-strongest parliamentary club in the Chamber of Deputies and their voter preferences have increased recently to 23 per cent (see Carolina 349). In his address, Grebenicek emphasized the party's socialist orientation and its KSCM Manifesto for a Democratic Europe, according to which "...the nations of Europe will in the future find a way - in accordance with the laws of societal development ... how to build different forms of a just, socialist society...". He assessed the past 10 years of the party and condemned the faults of the Communist Party leadership before 1989 which led to the fall of the communist state system. He also mentioned the divisive issues of the European Union and NATO. While Grebenicek says he is not a Euro-sceptic, and while NATO - according to him - is to be reformed, the other delegates demanded that the Czech Republic leave NATO and not join the EU. The congress was accompanied by an anti-communist demonstration of about 200 people, who protested against the congress being held in their town. Daniela Vrbova/Daniela Vrbova Czech Republic First EU Associate Member Country in Free Trade Chapter The Czech Republic concluded December 7 negotiations concerning the set of rules that new members have to satisfy on free trade, transportation, social and employment issues. The document, preliminarily signed December 7 in Brussels, means the Czech Republic should close this chapter as the first of the current crop of EU candidate countries. The free trade chapter was the 10th of 30 overall chapters that have to be closed before Czech accession to the EU. However, some issues remain to be resolved in this chapter: Brussels is protesting, for example, against the unfair advantages which Czech entrepreneurs enjoy in public tenders. Marika Pechackova/Jakub Jirovec Chamber of Deputies Passes Press Bill The 200-seat Chamber of Deputies passed the Government's Press Bill with a majority of 163 votes December 7. The final version is dramatically different from previous ones and, judging by first reactions, it has been met with satisfaction. Unlike the original version of the bill, members of the Chamber of Deputies' Culture Committee omitted passages forbidding the press from provoking ethnic and racial hatred and instigating violence, because bans on these activities exist in the criminal code. The committee also rejected the right to reply in the case of a truthful information and the ban on commentary of this reply in the same issue. Deputies approved the so-called right to rectification, enabling a person whose criminal prosecution had been mentioned in the press to publish information on the court's decision. The publisher is responsible for these responses. The previous versions of the bill, discussed in June and October, aroused much opposition not only among journalists and media experts but also among the lay public. The bill was also criticized by foreign press associations. Darina Johanidesova/Simon Dominik NEWS IN BRIEF * The Chamber of Deputies again rejected the Homosexual Partnership Bill December 2. The proposal was rejected for the first time in 1998. The most common objection to the act was that it would threaten the family as a social institute. Homosexual rights organizations claim legalized partnership for same-sex partners would decrease promiscuity and the spread of the HIV virus. Speaking for supporters of the bill, deputy Jan Zahradil (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) said they would not give up and will submit a third bill. * Criminal acts committed from February 1948 to December 1989 and requiring a minimum prison term of 10 years will have no statute of limitations, ruled the Chamber of Deputies by approving amendments to the Criminal Code December 2. Without this amendment, the statute of limitations on communist crimes would have run out at the end of this year. The amendments must be approved by the Senate and the president as well, but no problems are expected. The Office for the Documentation and Investigation of Communist Crimes welcomed the amendment, because it gained time to continue working on cases not yet completed. * Videotapes from anti-communist demonstrations in 1988 and 1989 broadcast by Czech Television revealed among leaders of the state police (SNB) Jaroslav Sejvl, who is now a public prosecutor. In a similar case, journalists from the daily MF DNES recognized police official Jan Brajer (see Carolina 354), who then resigned under pressure. Sejvl cannot be recalled and says he will not resign. * The government rejected a proposed Electronic Signature Act December 6 for its unsystematic form and internal contradictions. The act was intended to make equal documents in paper and electronic form. Citizens would have been able to deal with state offices via Internet; also business opportunities would have expanded. The proposal was drafted by the Association for an Information Society and was introduced by a group of deputies led by Freedom Union (US) Vice Chairman Vladimir Mlynar. * The case involving Senator and former Deputy Prime Minister Egon Lansky's Austrian account was closed by the Czech National Bank (CNB) December 7. Lansky, who opened a bank account in Austria without the CNB's permission, broke the law and will have to pay a fine. According to CNB spokesman Milan Tomanek, the fine will be in the tens of thousands of crowns. Lansky can appeal the ruling. Police are still investigating Lansky for tax evasion connected with the bank account, because Lansky did not tax about 9 million crowns he received on the account in 1996. * An undetermined explosive went off on the night of December 2 behind the Confederation of Political Prisoners branch office in Prerov. The explosion did not hurt anyone, but it destroyed the office and damaged nearby automobiles. Police have not ruled out a connection with three other explosions that have shaked Prerov in the past three years. Gabriela Bobkova, Petra Kovacova, Jaroslav Sauer/Ondrej Maly Christmas Tree from Beskydy Mountains Arrives in Vatican Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican will be graced this Christmas by a Czech spruce from the Beskydy Mountains. It has become a tradition for a different country each year to donate a Christmas tree to Pope John Paul II. Czech ambassador to the Vatican Martin Stropnicky said having the Czech Republic supply the tree this year was first discussed in 1994. The 85-year-old, 25-meter-long spruce was found near Moravka in northern Moravia and was transported to the Vatican by train. The 1,700-kilometer trip started in the community of Dobra (which means good in English), which was probably symbolic, because the spruce arrived without problems in San Pietro, the Vatican. The decoration of the Christmas tree will last a week and when prepared, Czech President Vaclav Havel will officially present the Christmas tree to the Pope in the Vatican December 18. Tereza Tesarikova/Sofia Karakeva FROM SLOVAKIA Visegrad Four Representatives Meet in High Tatras Czech President Vaclav Havel, Slovak President Rudolf Schuster, Polish President Aleksandr Kwasniewski and Hungarian President Arpad Goncz declared their collective support for Slovak efforts to join the EU and NATO because the Slovaks have made great progress in their preparations for membership. Before the EU summit in Helsinki, the four presidents emphasized their common goals and their ability to cooperate. In their communique they also mentioned their readiness to take part in the stabilization and reconstruction of the Balkans, their pleasure at Leonid Kuchma's re-election as president of Ukraine and their apprehension at the situation in Chechnya. Marek Uhlir/Jaroslav Sauer Slovaks Again Need Visas for Norway Visa requirements for Slovak citizens entering Norway were abolished October 6, but one month later the Norwegian Government has again introduced the measure after 90 Slovak citizens, nearly all Romanies, asked for asylum in Norway last week and after reports of hundreds more would-be emigres waiting in Polish ports. The visa requirements are temporary, but a date for their abolition has not been set. Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan said the mass exodus of Slovak Romanies is not the Government's responsibility and questioned any political interpretation. "It's really altogether about economic reasons, not political or racial ... Our friends from the West know that, too." He said hand-outs for asylum seekers in Norway are much higher than the average salary in Slovakia. Kukan said he thinks the situation will not influence Slovakia's expected December 11 invitation to begin membership negotiations with the EU. Marek Uhlir/Jaroslav Sauer ECONOMY After deadline: The Chamber of Deputies December 8 for the second time rejected the Government's proposed budget for 2000. The budget, with a revised deficit of 42 billion crowns, was supported by 96 deputies of the ruling Social Democrats and the Communists, but was defeated by the 101 votes of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Freedom Union, the Christian Democrats and Marie Machata of the Czech National Social Party. The Government must present a new version within 30 days. Koh-i-noor Mine Will Stay Open A 42-hour sit-down strike by miners in the Koh-i-noor mine ended December 7 when representatives of mine owner Most Coal Company (Mostecka uhelna spolecnost, MUS), agreed with Government officials to cut back mining less radically. The August general meeting of MUS decided to close Koh-i-noor. By December 17 management will present a plan for the gradual reduction of mining between 2000 and 2002, with the closing of the mine aimed for 2005. After the morning shift of December 1, 179 miners refused to leave the mine. Their strike was meant to prevent the closing of the mine and the firing of 1,130 miners. Eight more miners joined the strike later, while workers on the afternoon shift were not allowed to enter the mine and participated in the strike above ground. On December 2, MUS Chairman of the Board Antonin Kolacek, Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr and mine union Chairman Cyril Zapletal signed an agreement to extend negotiations till December 7 and guaranteed amnesty for the strikers. The miners did not accept the deal and ended the strike after midnight December 3 when Labor Minister Vladimir Spidla, guarantor of negotiations between the Government and MUS, promised further talks. Lubos Kratochvil/Simon Dominik Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid December 10) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 36.035 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 22.511 Great Britain 1 GBP 57.200 Denmark 1 DKK 4.845 Japan 100 JPY 34.128 Canada 1 CAD 23.816 IMF 1 XDR 48.543 Hungary 100 HUF 14.136 Norway 1 NOK 4.442 New Zealand 1 NZD 17.894 Poland 1 PLN 8.469 Greece 100 GRD 10.963 Slovakia 100 SKK 84.793 Slovenia 100 SIT 18.217 Sweden 1 SEK 4.202 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.557 USA 1 USD 35.232 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 18.424 Belgium 100 BEF 89.328 Finland 1 FIM 6.061 France 1 FRF 5.494 Ireland 1 IEP 45.755 Italy 1000 ITL 18.611 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.328 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.352 Portugal 100 PTE 17.974 Austria 1 ATS 2.619 Spain 100 ESP 21.657 CULTURE Havel's Collected Works Published Torst Publishing released the entire collected literary works of President Vaclav Havel. The seven green volumes include his well known dramas, as well as previously unpublished poetry, essays, early works and recent speeches. Havel christened the release December 5 in the Prague club Akropolis Palace. The band Plastic People of the Universe, which accompanied Havel's merry evening, recalled Havel's dissident past. Volume 1: Poems/Anticodes Volume 2: The Plays Volume 3: Essays and Other Texts 1953-1969 Volume 4: Essays and Other Texts 1970-1989 (Disturbing the Peace) Volume 5: Letters to Olga Volume 6: Speeches 1990 -1992 Volume 7: Speeches and Other Texts 1992-1999 Bonus: Three Speeches from 1999 Jan Vedral Jr./Zuzana Janeckova Jiri Kratochvil Receives Seifert Prize for Literature Moravian writer Jiri Kratochvil received the Jaroslav Seifert Prize, awarded by the Charter 77 foundation. The foundation's literary commission each year chooses the best literary work of the year. Kratochvil received this year's prize for his latest prose, Night Tango or A Novel of One Summer from the End of the Century. Jan Skala/Zuzana Janeckova November 1989 in Photos Various photo exhibits about the Velvet Revolution of 1989 and the following events have been organized in Prague in connection with the 10th anniversary of the fall of communism. In Charles University's Carolinum there is a retrospective exhibit called Ten Years - 1989-1999 in the photos of MF DNES. The exhibit will last till January 5 and the project was organized by Herbert Slavik. Besides his photos, one can see the works of 11 other members of the MAFA photo agency, including David Neff and Michal Ruzicka. The Senate contributed with a project in the Wallenstein Palace called Losses and Hopes 1939-99, and the Czech Press Agency (CTK) installed its exhibit - 10 Years - in the departure terminal of Prague's Ruzyne Airport (see Carolina 352). The first such exhibit, called The Year 1989 through the Eyes of Photographers proceeded between July and October at Prague's Old Town Hall. The exhibit concerned not only November 1989 but also the events before it - a series of illegal demonstrations, the flood of East Germans escaping to West Germany through Czechoslovakia and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The 10 Years After project, organized by the '89 Association, also included a small exhibit of photographs and documents called Students and 1989, in the Rock Cafe on Prague's National Avenue (Narodni trida). The Academic Club of First Medical School of Charles University showed Premysl Hnevkovsky's collection of photos in the Faust House. The exhibition 68/89 comemmorated the fall of communism and also the events of the Prague Spring of 1968, which ended with the invasion of Czechoslovakia by Soviet-led Warsaw Pact armies. Radka Kohutova and Michaela Kleckova/Veronika Hankusova SPORTS Soccer World Championships Qualification Draw: Mild Satisfaction The qualification groups for the soccer World Championships, which will be organized in Japan and Korea in 2002, were drawn in Japan December 7. The Czech Republic drew Denmark, Bulgaria, Iceland, Northern Ireland and Malta. It is without doubt positive that the group does not include a giant of Germany's or England's magnitude or another talented darkhorse from eastern Europe. On the other hand, Denmark is more than a balanced opponent, they participated in the last World Championships (the Czech Republic failed to make the cut) and were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Brazil. Bulgaria is not playing well, Iceland finished third in the Euro 2000 qualification group, almost defeating world-champion France in their stadium in St. Denis. Darina Johanidesova/Mirek Langer European Soccer Cups after deadline: Champions League, 2nd round, 2nd phase: FC Barcelona - Sparta Praha 5-0. UEFA Cup, 3rd round, 2nd leg: Steaua Bucharest - Slavia Praha 1-1. Slavia advances on 5-2 aggregate score. Soccer League before Winter Break: Slavia Stays Unbeaten The first spring round (16th) of the soccer league was preplayed in autumn to create better conditions for the national team's preparation for the Euro 2000. Slavia kept first place with a four-point advantage ahead of Sparta, thanks to a win over Bohemians in a Prague intra-city derby. Both teams defended well, but Slavia was better. Its forward Tomas Dosek put one past Bohemians' goalkeeper Jaromir Blazek in the 23rd minute. Substitute Ludek Zelenka added the second goal. In another Prague derby, Viktoria Zizkov met Sparta, which seemed tired from a demanding schedule of games in the Champions League. Its average play was significantly helped by referee Josef Krula. Last-place Zizkov led after Marek Kincl's goal. The referee then incomprehensibly saw a penalty against Zizkov, and the penalty kick by Sparta's Zdenek Svoboda was true. Kincl, the leader of the scorers' table, put Zizkov ahead once more and then was mugged by Sparta's Petr Gabriel, but the referee saw no evil. Sparta turned up the pressure and, with two goals by Vratislav Lokvenc, earned a 3-2 win. Results of the 16th round: Slavia Praha - Bohemians Praha 2-0, Zizkov - Sparta Praha 2-3, Pribram - Jablonec 2-1, Blsany - Ostrava 1-0, Liberec - Hradec Kralove 1-0, Opava - Teplice 1-1, Drnovice - Ceske Budejovice 2-0, Olomouc - Brno 1-1. Standings: 1. Slavia Praha 40, 2. Sparta Praha 36, 3. Drnovice 27, 4. Bohemians Praha 24, 5. Ostrava 21, 6. Liberec 21, 7. Teplice 21, 8. Ceske Budejovice 21, 9. Pribram 20, 10. Blsany 20, 11. Brno 19, 12. Opava 17, 13. Jablonec 16, 14. Olomouc 15, 15. Hradec Kralove 14, 16. Zizkov 14. Dita Kristanova/Mirek Langer Hockey Extraleague: Plzen Returns to First Place Plzen's hockey players returned to first place in the standings after the 28th round of the top hockey league. The lead belonged to Sparta after the 27th round, but it has still one game to play because it participated in the European Hockey League last week. Plzen defeated Ceske Budejovice at home 6-3, but it was not easy. Budejovice's Lubos Rob opened the scoring in the 3rd minute and Michal Straka tied in the last minute of the first period. In the second period mistakes by the guests' defense led to three goals. Bartos' power-play goal in the third period put Budejovice back in the game, and the final score was decided in the last minutes of the game. Vitkovice lost again, this time to five-time champion Vsetin, which played without stars Jiri Dopita and Martin Prochazka. Results of the 27th round: Trinec - Litvinov 3-2, Zlin - Sparta Praha 0-2, Vitkovice - Havirov 1-1, Kladno - Znojmo 1-2, Karlovy Vary - Plzen 7-3, Slavia Praha - Vsetin 3-2, Pardubice - Ceske Budejovice 6-3. Results of the 28th round: Vsetin - Vitkovice 4-2, Znojmo - Slavia 1-1, Havirov - Zlin 3-3, Karlovy Vary - Kladno 3-3, Plzen - Ceske Budejovice 6-3, Litvinov - Pardubice 4-1. Standings: 1. Plzen 39, 2. Sparta Praha 38, 3. Zlin 36, 4. Vsetin 35, 5. Litvinov 32, 6. Trinec 30, 7. Ceske Budejovice 29, 8. Karlovy Vary 23, 9. Havirov 23, 10. Pardubice 23, 11. Slavia Praha 23, 12. Znojmo 22, 13. Kladno 19, 14. Vitkovice 18. David Mirejovsky/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * The Czech women's handball team failed in the World Championships in Norway. It lost to Poland 24-27 and its only win, over Australia 36-15, did not help it to advance. The Czech Republic finished fifth in its group. * Sparta Praha hockey players advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Hockey League. In the last game of Group B they defeated Sweden's Brynas Gavle 4-1 at home December 7, despite losing Martin Chabada, who broke his collar-bone. In the quarterfinal Sparta will meet Nuremberg January 4. Dita Kristanova/Mirek Langer WEATHER The tops of the hills are covered with centimeters/inches of white, suitable for sporting activities of all kinds. On the other hand, towns and cities are still gray, so the only herald of the approaching winter are Christmas decorations hanging in the streets, shops, churches and the windows of festive households. Those who still haven't started to hunt for presents for their loved ones are going to freeze downtown to find the best things. Only when they come home and have a cup of their favorite hot beverage will they forget about winter and all the Christmas rush. 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