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 358, Friday, January 14, 2000. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST THREE WEEKS (December 22 - January 12) Havel Talks about Globalization in New Year's Speech "My dear fellow citizens, at midnight we entered the year of a great change of ages. People traditionally consider such a time as a challenge for more fundamental contemplation of themselves, about the world, about the meaning of all things," began President Vaclav Havel's annual New Year's address. The main theme of his speech was globalization. Havel said our planet is becoming "unified and electronically connected place of information, communication, finance and trade, in which circulate not only news, but also billions of dollars, cultural values and pseudo-values, good and bad goods, good and bad approaches to life." Havel called on people to change their values, to be more humble and considerate: "We should understand much more strongly that we are not only the members of our family, employees or owners of a company, residents of our village or city, members of our profession, members of our group or party and members of our nation, but that we are residents of this Earth." Havel in the end wished the Czech people "a great return of hope - hope in our personal lives, the life of our land and the life of the entire human community." Prime Minister Milos Zeman said Havel's speech was too general: "Beside great words we also need small, but useful specific acts." Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus, Havel's arch-enemy, said Havel's New Year's speeches were all the same. Freedom Union Chairman Karel Kuehnl said the speech demonstrated "the words of statesman, whose perspective exceeds the Czech borders." Daniela Vrbova/Jakub Jirovec Protests in Half of Czech Prisons Prisoners in half the jails of the Czech Republic rebelled against inhumane conditions and new prison laws. The rebellion started January 10 in Vinarice in the Kladno area, where a majority of prisoners announced a hunger strike. Protests in other Czech prisons began after a report on the Vinarice rebellion aired on Czech Television and on TV NOVA. The main reason for the protests is the new law, which says prisoners will have to pay rent for their incarceration. The law also limits the number of packages prisoners can receive from their families and friends to two per year. The prisoners are also demanding better conditions in jail - one statistic shows that the Czech Police on average spend more per day to feed one of their dogs than is spent on average to feed a prisoner. Director of the Czech Prison Service Kamila Menclova said her office is working on improving conditions in the prisons, but she will not accept changes in new law, which accords to European Union standards. Nikoleta Alivojvodic/Jakub Jirovec Zeman and Kavan Apologize to Former Minister Zieleniec Foreign Minister Jan Kavan apologized January 6 that Prime Minister Milos Zeman, on the basis of information from Kavan, accused former Foreign Minister Jozef Zieleniec of bribing journalists. Zeman apologized January 7. In June Zeman said Kavan had told him about contracts between Zieleniec and media agencies to make Zieleniec look good in the media. Kavan said an investigation in his office found nothing, but he still believes what he told Zeman. Zeman said he also still believes the accusation to be true, but Zieleniec accepted the apologies and neither Zeman nor Kavan intend to resign. Andrea Slovakova/Jakub Jirovec Vladimir Zelezny No Longer Majority Owner of CET 21 The January 3 general meeting of CET 21, the holder of TV NOVA's broadcasting license, confirmed January the company's capital increase as approved by the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting. TV NOVA General Director Vladimir Zelezny lost his majority share of CET 21, with his share in the firm decreasing from 60 per cent to 11.78 per cent. New owners of CET 21 include Edikon and MEF Media, each with 24 per cent. Zelezny has been at war with the American company CME, which financed TV NOVA from 1992 until last year, and if Zelezny loses to CME in court, his share of CET 21 will no longer restore control of TV NOVA to CME. Dalibor Balsinek, spokesman for CME's Czech company CNTS, said the council "has identified with the fraudulent behavior of Mr. Zelezny." The weekly Tyden wrote that the council's decision increases the chances of CME owner Ronald Lauder in his 15-billion-crown suit against the Czech Republic for inadequate protection of his investment. Michaela Kleckova/Jakub Jirovec NEWS IN BRIEF * A three-member delegation of the Social Democrats led by Prime Minister Milos Zeman met with a three-member delegation of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) led by Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus January 7 to discuss the Opposition Contract, signed by the two parties to allow the minority Social Democrat Government to exist while granting ODS prime posts in the state and in state-run firms. Social Democrat Vice Chairman Stanislav Gross said after the meeting that he has been offered the post of interior minister, while ODS has hinted it will support the Government's new budget proposal (see below) after changes in the Cabinet. * Regional delegates of the Thank You, Now Leave! initiative January 8 confirmed the transformation of the petition into a civic association. The Sofres-Factum agency announced that a political party coming out of the association would receive the votes of 25 per cent of poll respondents. * President Vaclav Havel January 3 began a two- to three-week stay in a health spa at Karlova Studanka in the Jeseniky Mountains. His stay is intended to improve his respiratory condition, help him lose weight and get in better overall physical condition so he can undergo a hernia operation. * A 23-member group of Czech firefighters and soldiers has been helping cleanup efforts in the French region of Marne. The group, which was scheduled to stay in France for one week, will probably stay for a month; the French have greatly appreciated their assistance and the group could be sent to work in other regions. Andrea Slovakova, Nikoleta Alivojvodic and Daniela Vrbova/Jakub Jirovec FROM SLOVAKIA State Awards for New Year Slovak President Rudolf Schuster presented the Pribin Cross, the highest Slovak state honor, to 10 individuals January 4. Those honored posthoumously included Alexander Dubcek, Pavel Peter Gojdic, a bishop and martyr in the 50's, and dissident, philosopher and writer Milan Simecka. Jan Skala/Michael Bluhm ECONOMY Government Approves Third Budget Proposal The third proposal of the state budget for the year 2000 calls for a lower deficit (35.2 billion crowns) than the two previous proposals (42 billion crowns) but the Social Democrats' minority Government has not yet secured the needed support in the Chamber of Deputies. The Czech Republic has been operating under a provisional budget since January 1. Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Chairman Vaclav Klaus did not state whether his party would support the budget proposal. He did warn that a third rejection would mean the end of the present minority Government. The Christian Democrats and the Freedom Union will not vote for the budget. These parties say ODS wants to preserve the Opposition Contract it has with the Social Democrats (the agreement allowing the minority Government to rule while ODS receives prime positions in the state and state-run companies) and will support the proposal. Only the Communists are certain to support the proposal, but their votes will not be enough to pass it. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pavel Mertlik said Finance Ministry estimates place the 1999 budget deficit at 30.4 billion crowns, almost exactly the deficit approved by the Chamber of Deputies last year. Mertlik said he considers the result proof of the Government's ability to handle public finances. Michaela Kleckova/Ondrej Maly Lowest Inflation Rate of Decade According to the Czech Statistics Office, the average inflation rate for 1999 was 2.1 per cent. This is the lowest number not only since 1993, when the Czech Republic came into existence, but also since 1991, when price liberalization took effect in the former Czechoslovakia. The low rate was slightly offset by the rise in unemployment. The positive inflation result were mainly thanks to the fall of food prices and the least deregulation of any post-communist country. Both these factors significantly decreased the impact of the rise in prices in other spheres such as housing (9 per cent), education (almost 5 per cent) and transportation (4 per cent, mainly because of the rise in fuel prices in November). Iva Potrebova/Ondrej Maly Unemployment Hits Record High The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic rose in December by 0.4 per cent to 9.4 per cent, a record for the Czech Republic. In the first winter month, about 487,000 people were out of work. According to experts, the rise was caused by work contracts expiring at the end of the year and the end of some seasonal work. The regions with the highest unemployment rates are Ostrava and northwestern Bohemia, where the rate has almost reached 20 per cent. The lowest unemployment rate is, as usual, in Prague. Iva Potrebova/Ondrej Maly Prices of Energy Rise, Fuel Prices Falling Energy prices are rising an average of 15 per cent for households (1kWh of electricity from 2.20 crowns to about 2.60 crowns), as well as natural gas prices. Communications, too, will be more expensive - a postcard stamp will cost 5 crowns, a letter stamp 5.40 crowns. Czech Telecom (the new name for SPT Telecom) will reduce international rates by an average of 14 per cent. Mobile phone rates will be probably decreased by the new GSM network operator Czech Mobile (Cesky mobil), which entered the market January 8 (with Eurotel and RadioMobil-Paegas operators already providing GSM services). The rise in the household costs will affect mainly cities, where public transportation prices are also on the rise. Czech Refinery (Ceska rafinerska), the country's largest fuel producer, decreased the price of oil by almost one crown and the price of gasoline by 57-58 hellers (one crown consists of 100 hellers). The new prices have already affected prices at some gas stations, after prices rose throughout 1999. Dita Eckhardtova and Iva Potrebova/Ondrej Maly New Year Should Be More Prosperous for Czech Republic After two years of recession, economists are predicting growth, according to the daily Lidove noviny. They expect the Czech Republic's GDP to rise by 1.4 per cent to 2 per cent. The currency should remain sound and stable, while foreign investments should rise. Inflation will rise from the 1999 level of 2 per cent last year to 5 per cent. Real wages will rise about 2 per cent to 3 per cent, but not for public-sector employees. Union negotiations with the employers, which have previously almost always ended with wage increases, have become more complicated - the managers of successful companies are demanding a wage freeze. If prices rise by 5 per cent, state pension payouts will probably also increase at the end of the year. The unemployment rate should reach 11 per cent, according to Government estimates. Prime Minister Milos Zeman's Government wil try to help the economy mainly through the Housing and Transportation Fund, to be filled with tens of billions of crowns from the expected privatization of Czech Telecom, Czech Railways and other companies. Dita Eckhardtova/Ondrej Maly Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid January 13) ---------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 36.030 Kc country currency CZK ---------------------------------------- Australia 1 AUD 22.968 Great Britain 1 GBP 57.502 Denmark 1 DKK 4.844 Japan 100 JPY 33.026 Canada 1 CAD 23.947 IMF 1 XDR 47.911 Hungary 100 HUF 14.143 Norway 1 NOK 4.375 New Zealand 1 NZD 18.093 Poland 1 PLN 8.573 Greece 100 GRD 10.890 Slovakia 100 SKK 85.183 Slovenia 100 SIT 18.031 Sweden 1 SEK 4.154 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.377 USA 1 USD 34.879 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ---------------------------------------- Belgium 100 BEF 89.316 Finland 1 FIM 6.060 France 1 FRF 5.493 Germany 1 DEM 18.422 Ireland 1 IEP 45.749 Italy 1000 ITL 18.608 Luxemburg 100 LUF 89.316 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.350 Portugal 100 PTE 17.972 Austria 1 ATS 2.618 Spain 100 ESP 21.654 CULTURE Miroslav Ivanov Died Miroslav Ivanov, leading author of non-fiction literature, died December 23 at the age of 70 after a long illness. He studied at the College of Humanities (Filozoficka fakulta) of Charles University and worked there as an assistant professor in the departement of Czech and Slovak literature for eight years. From 1960-67 Ivanov worked as an editor at the magazine Call of the Revolution (Hlas revoluce) and then as a writer. He wrote more than 30 books and assisted with some 50 television programs. His works focused on the contentious and murky periods of Czech history. He tried to make his chosen themes accessible and comprehensible for a wide public. Some of his most famous books were The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich (Atentat na Reinharda Heydricha), A Confidential Report on Karel Hynek Macha (Duverna zprava o Karlu Hynku Machovi) and Judicial Murder - the Death of Milada Horakova (Justicni vrazda aneb Smrt Milady Horakove). Not only did he write non-fiction literature but he also helped found the Club of Authors of Literature of Fact (KALF) and the annual Egon Erwin Kisch Award for the best works of non-fiction literature. Simon Dominik/Veronika Hankusova Vladimir Dvorak Died Vladimir Dvorak, actor, song lyricist and entertainer died December 28 at the age of 74 after a long illness. His career began radio, but in the 50's he left for television, where he remained until the end of his life. His speciality was entertainment - he worked as a dramaturg at the Central Office of Entertainment Shows for 22 years, managing the office for eight years and recently was a consultant there. Dvorak wrote many scripts, including more than 10 New Year's Eve shows, and he wrote lyrics for a number of popular songs. He was best known as co-host, with Jirina Bohdalova, of Televariete. Simon Dominik/Veronika Hankusova CULTURE IN BRIEF * Uzbekistan-born American pianist Yefim Bronfman began the performance of his cycle of three concerts entitled A Tribute to Beethoven January 10 in the Dvorak Hall of Prague's Rudolfinum with the Prague Chamber Philharmonic under the direction of Jiri Belohlavek. Bronfman performed the second concert January 12 and the final concert is slated for January 15. SPORTS Sparta Replaces Pilsen on Top of Hockey League Standings The past six rounds of the hockey extraleague brought about a change at the top of the standings, with Sparta taking first place away from Pilsen (Plzen), which has since fallen into fourth place. Vsetin, now in second place one point behind Sparta, received a Christmas gift of 7 million crowns from the Vsetin City Hall to cover the club's stadium costs and help it out of its financial crisis. Results of the 29th round: Pardubice - Sparta 3:4, Trinec - Havirov 2:2, Budejovice - Litvinov 7:2, Vitkovice - Znojmo 3:5, Kladno - Plzen 1:1, Zlin - Vsetin 2:3, Slavia - K.Vary 2:0. Results of the 30th round: Sparta - Budejovice 6:1, Vsetin - Trinec 3:1, Havirov - Pardubice 7:4, Znojmo - Zlin 4:2, Plzen - Litvinov 2:4. Kladno - Slavia postponed until Januray 18 because of flu, Vitkovice - K.Vary 3:3. Results of the 31st round: Vitkovice - Kladno 3:0, Zlin - K.Vary 6:0, Trinec - Znojmo 5:1, Pardubice - Vsetin 2:5, Budejovice - Havirov 4:2, Litvinov - Sparta 1:3, Slavia - Plzen 1:0. Results of the 32nd round: Havirov - Litvinov 4:1, Vsetin - Budejovice 3:3, Znojmo - Pardubice 3:2, K.Vary - Trinec 6:3, Slavia - Vitkovice 1:3, Kladno - Zlin 3:5. Sparta - Plzen postponed until February 29 because of Sparta playing in the EHL. Results of the 33rd round: Vitkovice - Plzen 1:3, Pardubice - Karlovy Vary 6:3, Litvinov - Vsetin 3:3, Trinec - Kladno 7:2, Sparta - Havirov 4:3, Ceske Budejovice - Znojmo 4:4, Slavia - Zlin 2:5. Results of the 34th round: Vsetin - Sparta 3:2, Slavia - Trinec 3:2, Karlovy Vary - Ceske Budejovice 3:6, Znojmo - Litvinov 4:1, Plzen - Havirov 2:2, Kladno - Pardubice 2:2, Vitkovice - Zlin 1:1. Standings: 1. Sparta 46 points, 2. Vsetin 45, 3. Zlin 43, 4. Plzen 43, 5. Budejovice 37, 6. Trinec 35, 7. Litvinov 35, 8. Znojmo 31, 9. Havirov 29, 10. Slavia 29, 11. Pardubice 26, 12. K. Vary 26, 13. Vitkovice 24, 14. Kladno 21. SPORTS IN BRIEF * The Czech junior national hockey team (for players under 20) won the World Championships in Sweden. * Slavia Hockey player Vladimir Ruzicka announced his retirement January 4. The Litvinov native played for five seasons in 233 games in the NHL for Edmonton, Boston and Ottawa, recording 82 goals. Ruzicka was also a member of the Czech team which won the gold medal in the Nagano Olympics in 1998. * Czech decathlete Tomas Dvorak, the 27-year-old who won the World Championships and set a world record this year, was named European Athlete of the year. * Czech soccer coach Josef Chovanec was voted the sixth-best coach in the world in a poll of sports journalists from more than 50 countries taken by the Uruguayan magazine El Pais. Darina Johanidesova and Jaroslav Sauer/Michael Bluhm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with attribution to CAROLINA. Subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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