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 ISSN 121-5040 tel: (+4202) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 22112219 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* C A R O L I N A No 374, Friday, May 5, 2000. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (April 27 - May 3) Anarchists Rebel in Prague Streets Again About 300 anarchists demonstrated May 1 against capitalism on Prague's Shooter's Island (Strelecky ostrov). Their rally was not legal because they did not notify the Prague 1 District Office. At 1 p.m., police asked the demonstrators to end their speeches and disperse. The anarchists did not stop speaking and police arrested 13 persons. Clashes between police and demonstrators broke out after the police began making arrests. The police then allowed the demonstrators to leave the island individually or in small groups. However, some groups of anarchists came together again in the Kampa Park and tried to march through Prague, but cordons of policemen blocked their path in the Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana) and arrested another 40 people. Government Human Rights Envoy Petr Uhl protested against the police intervention: "I do not know the reason for the intervention, but those people were behaving completely peacefully and the police needlessly manhandled them." Petr Horak of the Civic Solidarity and Tolerance Movement (Hnuti obcanske solidarity a tolerance, HOST) said he will file a criminal complaint against the police. Interior Minister Stanislav Gross said he supports the intervention and considers it successful. Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Union leader Richard Falbr placed flowers on the May 1 monument on the island. Zeman then joined the celebration of his Social Democrat Party at the Prague Fairgrounds (Vystaviste). The Communist Party (KSCM) organized its meeting on the Letna Plain (Letenska plan), the traditional site of pre-1989 party gatherings. Party Chairman Miroslav Grebenicek in his speech protested against Czech membership in the European Union. Grebenicek also called on party members to practice civil disobedience. President Vaclav Havel walked with his wife on Prague's Petrin hill, the traditional site for May 1 spring celebrations of romance. Jan Vedral, Nikoleta Alivojvodic/Jakub Jirovec New Business Legislation Takes Effect Several new laws and rulings came into force May 1, among them four legal norms which could have a significant impact on Czech economic life: the new Bankruptcy Act (105/2000), the Public Auctions Act (26/2000), the Investment Incentives Act (72/2000) and the Public Subsidy Act (59/2000). The amendments to the Bankruptcy Act should speed up the bankruptcy procedure and enhance the transparency of the process. A judge will be empowered to appoint a bankruptcy trustee before any formal bankruptcy declaration, therefore the trustee will be in a better position to control the cash flow of the company. The new Public Auctions Act will enable banking houses an easier process to cover bad loans via the sale of real-estate collateral. The value of collateral pledged to Czech banks is in the hundreds of billions of crowns, one-third of them guaranteeing classified loans. The Investment Incentives Act guarantees important tax relief for companies investing more than 10 million USD in the Czech Republic. The Public Subsidy Act is harmonized with EU legislation and prohibits any subsidy that would be detrimental to economic competition. According to the law, the government will be allowed to provide only three-year subsidies of up to 100,000 euro (about 3.5 million crowns). Larger subsidies will have to be approved by the Anti-Monopoly Office. Dita Eckhardtova/Milan Smid State Wants to Motivate Unemployed to Look for Jobs The Labor Ministry proposed raising the minimum wage by 500 crowns monthly from July 1. Employees would then have a minimum monthly wage of 4,500 crowns. Net income would then be 3,783 crowns. This sum would then for the first time be higher than the poverty line, although the difference would be 13 crowns. The government says it wants to end the current situation where unemployed people make more on the dole than they would in a job, a situation which weighs on the budget. The proposal has been approved by unions and employers. Jan Moravek/Darina Johanidesova Court and Financial Office Step into TV NOVA Conflict The Regional Commercial Court in Prague dismissed four CNTS suits against TV NOVA General Director Vladimir Zelezny April 26. The court rejected CNTS' claim that Zelezny was not the controlling shareholder of the CET 21 company, which holds the broadcasting license for NOVA. CNTS Director Jan Vavra said CNTS will most likely appeal against the verdict. The daily MF DNES wrote April 29 that companies connected to TV NOVA owe the state about 1.5 billion crowns in back taxes. The Financial Office for Prague 1 claims CET 21 has a VAT back taxes of approximately 1.1 billion crowns, while CNTS' debt is roughly estimated (the audit is still in progress) at 300 million crowns. Lawyers for both firms say the tax problems could be linked with last year's split of the two companies. Zelezny, who controls CET 21, was recalled as CNTS general director last April. After this he gradually moved CNTS out of NOVA's operations and in August withdrew from the service contract between CET 21 and CNTS (see Carolina 329 and 351). CET 21 then asked CNTS for part of the income from commercials. CNTS refused and the matter wound up in court. A representative of one of the companies said the Financial Office believes a claim for money means a requirement to pay VAT taxes. Simon Dominik/Simon Dominik FOREIGN AFFAIRS Visegrad Four's Leaders Meet Schroeder in Hnezdno The leaders of the countries of the Visegrad Four - Jerzy Buzek (Poland), Viktor Orban (Hungary), Mikulas Dzurinda (Slovakia) and Milos Zeman (the Czech Republic) - met with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Polish city of Hnezdno April 28. The climax of their discussion on EU expansion was the ceremonial signing of the Hnezdno Declaration in the Old Town Hall. The statesmen bound themselves to a united commitment to create Europe's future. They also expressed the will of their nations to live in a united Europe built on solidarity and economic, security and social cooperation. "Our collective goal is to create a Europe of free communities living in peace, safety and prosperity," says the document. Schroeder expressed to his Central European colleagues his support for EU expansion. Zeman said, "we spoke in various languages but were united by identical thoughts." After collective negotiations, Zeman met with Schroeder for an informal talk. Michaela Kleckova/Simon Dominik Central European Presidents Meet in Hungary Presidents of 11 Central European countries met in Hungary's Szekesfehervar April 28-29. At their seventh meeting (the first took place in 1994 in the Czech Republic), they discussed primarily the future of Europe in the third millennium. The meeting should have been attended by 12 presidents, but Italy's Carlo Azeglio Ciampi could not come because of a political crisis. The first to speak was Arpad Goencz, president of the host country. Then followed speeches by the presidents of Poland, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. "Even though presidents do not have great authority, these meetings are definitely significant," said Czech President Vaclav Havel. His words are borne out by the fact that the number of presidents in attendance has risen every year. Besides the situation in Central Europe, the presidents discussed the situation in the Balkans and Chechnya and, in the end, bilateral talks also took place. Martin Moravec/Simon Dominik European Court Says Czech Republic Violated Human Rights Convention The Czech Republic lost a trial in the European Court against German bussinesman Kurt Siegfried Punzelt. He protested in Strasbourg against the length of his incarceration and the court partly agreed with him. Czech police arrested and accused Punzelt of fraud in April 1993. His sentence - three-and-a-half years for his attempt to buy real estate with bad checks - was handed down in July 1996. From his arrest Punzelt had been in custody, so he had by his conviction served nearly his entire sentence. The European Court's decision said the Czech Republic violated the European Convention on Human Rights' fifth paragraph, which guarantees the right for a speedy trial. The Czech Republic has to pay Punzelt 10,000 deutschmarks in damages and court expenses. The Punzelt case was the third complaint against Czech Republic discussed in the European Court, and the second ruling that the country violated the European Convention on Human Rights. Michaela Kleckova/Darina Johanidesova SLOVAKIA Interior Minister Stays in Office An extraordinary session of the National Assembly April 28, called for a vote of confidence in Interior Minister Ladislav Pittner, decided that Pittner will remain in office. Out of 128 present legislators, 51 voted for his recall. The session was initiated by the opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) because they alleged the police used "terrorist" methods with HZDS Chairman Vladimir Meciar. Meciar was taken into custody in a Trencianske Teplice pension by a special ministry commando unit April 20, because he ignored subpoenas to testify in the kidnapping case of Michal Kovac Jr., son of the former president. Meciar also refused to accept the notice that he had been accused of paying illegal compensation to members of his government (see Carolina 373). Meciar's seizure drew loud protests from his colleagues and fans, while Premier Mikulas Dzurinda and Justice Minister Jan Carnogursky said they thought the raid was appropriate. Pittner's vote was the ninth time HZDS called a vote of confidence for a member of the government. Meciar's party has already tried to recall a deputy premier and the ministers of foreign affairs, finance, education, justice and economy. In January 1999 they tried to recall Pittner in the connection with the murder of Meciar's former Economy Minister Jan Ducky. In front of the legislature a small demonstration of Meciar supporters took place, calling Dzurinda a "gypsy" and "terrorist," Pittner "Hitler" and the police "gestapo." Daniela Vrbova/Daniela Vrbova May Day in Slovakia May Day celebrations organized by the opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) had none of their past magnificence. The party called a demonstration to support party Chairman Vladimir Meciar and to protest that the government "is enslaving the Slovaks and impoverishing the independent republic." Attendance was weak among party leaders and followers - Meciar did not come, the keynote speech was given by former Finance Minister Sergej Kozlik. Observers say one of the reasons for the small scale of the demonstration is the party's lack of finances, which prevented HZDS from bringing supporters in from throughout the country. Daniela Vrbova/Daniela Vrbova ECONOMY Government Wants to Ban Tobacco Advertising The government April 26 passed amendments to the Advertising Act prohibiting all tobacco advertising and limiting alcohol and drug advertising. The hotly-debated amendments should harmonize Czech law with EU legislation. Jiri Mikes, executive director of the Association of Advertising Agencies, said the new law is unnecessarily more strict than EU laws. A European Union directive from 1998 says tobacco advertising should be gradually eliminated beginning in 2001. Denmark, Germany and Austria have attacked the directive, saying it contradicts their constitutions. It is unclear whether the directive will take effect. Dita Eckhardtova/Jakub Jirovec ECONOMY IN BRIEF * A management reshuffle at the April 26 supervisory board meeting of the Investment and Postal Bank (IPB) increased the control of Nomura, the bank's largest single shareholder. Former board Vice Chairman Randall Dillard of Nomura was named chairman, replacing the outgoing Jiri Tesar. Libor Prochazka, the bank's storied eminence gris, will leave the bank's board of directors and join the management of IPB Holding, where he should assist with the selection of a strategic partner for the bank. Nomura, which holds 46 per cent of the bank's shares, announced it intends to remain a minority shareholder and wants to control the custody and investment banking departments. Germany's Allianz is interested in a share of IPB, according to the daily Lidove noviny. Dita Eckhardtova/Milan Smid Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid May 5) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 36.420 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 24.054 Great Britain 1 GBP 63.688 Denmark 1 DKK 4.885 Japan 100 JPY 37.328 Canada 1 CAD 27.363 IMF 1 XDR 53.592 Hungary 100 HUF 14.097 Norway 1 NOK 4.500 New Zealand 1 NZD 19.975 Poland 1 PLN 8.985 Greece 100 GRD 10.837 Slovakia 100 SKK 86.790 Slovenia 100 SIT 17.819 Sweden 1 SEK 4.496 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.577 USA 1 USD 40.866 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 18.621 Belgium 100 BEF 90.283 Finland 1 FIM 6.125 France 1 FRF 5.552 Ireland 1 IEP 46.244 Italy 1000 ITL 18.809 Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.283 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.527 Portugal 100 PTE 18.166 Austria 1 ATS 2.647 Spain 100 ESP 21.889 CULTURE Jethro Tull in Pilsen British dinosaurs Jethro Tull performed May 2 in an outdoor amphitheater in Lochotin, Pilsen (Plzen). Next stop on the tour is Ostrava May 7 and Zlin a day later. Fans from all over the country began to gather at 5 p.m.. The show was opened by singer Jan Cimbura and followed by the band Bangladesh, accompanied for one song by Helena Houdova, former Miss Czech Republic. Jethro Tull took the stage after 9 p.m. and dusted off their most successful albums from the 60's and 70's, playing Thick as a Brick, My God, Locomotive Breath and Bouree, their instrumental variation of Bach. Frontman Ian Anderson also sang several songs from his solo album The Secret Language of Birds. The crowd was granted several encores and the show was ended by two balloons thrown into the audience. Jethro Tull was formed in February 1968 by Anderson and guitarist Martin Barre. The name Jethro Tull was proposed by their former agent for 18th-century English agricultural innovator Jethro Tull. Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Ondrej Maly Jury Chooses Most Beautiful Books of the Year No beautiful books are published in the Czech Republic - that was the conclusion of the competition for the most beautiful book annually organized by the National Literature Memorial. Jury members said Czech books are of a low quality and they had to choose between lesser evils. Czech Architecture 1989-1999 by Petr Kratochvil and Pavel Halik received the prize as the best expert publication. The five-volume De Arte from Prague's Arbor Vitae publishers was pronounced the best work of literature. In the category of childrens' literature, Monika Elsikova received the prize for her book Bubu, which she published herself. Jury Chairman Vladimir Suchanek said it was sad that Czech children's books, once as good as any in the world, are today in such poor condition. Tomas Havlin/Zuzana Janeckova Dogskin Law in Force in Vinohrady Theater Vladimir Korner's dramatic debut Dogskin (Huncleder) had its premiere April 28 in the Vinohrady Theater. The author, who has already written several screenplays such as The Valley of the Bees (Udoli vcel), Adelheid and The Spring of Life (Pramen zivota), again chose a historical theme. The play is situated in the end of the Thirty Years War, when the young nobleman Elias from Haugvic (Vladimir Dlouhy) returns home to his property in Hadovec in Bohemia. The property is managed by his uncle (Otakar Brousek), who converted to Catholicism. Elias is accompanied by two mercenaries, Arnolf (Pavel Rimsky) and Vilkis (Matej Hadek), who are at the beginning of the play confronted with the new dogskin law (Huncleder), proclaimed by the priest Deleator (Svatopluk Skopal). The law allowes the execution of renegades and refugees without a trial and promises a reward and immunity for informers. The tragedy is narated by a male and female Death, who are first happy with all the newly dead but in the end celebrate the birth of a new child - the child of Arnolf and Elias' blind sister Rozarka. The play is directed by Juraj Deak. Veronika Hankusova, Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova SPORTS World Championships Start on Russian Ice Construction of the Peter the Great Arena in St. Petersburg was finished April 29, just before the ice hockey World Championships began. Some favorites were unpleasantly surprised at the beginning of the tournament - the United States and Finland tied with theoretically weaker opponents, while Canada and Russia lost. The Czech team remains unbeaten. Norway's team was first item on the Czech team's agenda April 29. The Czechs led 0-1 after two periods, but they added three goals in the last 20 minutes. Roman Cechmanek did not allow a goal. Eleven players recorded their first game in the world championships, Vaclav Prospal scored his first national team goal. The Czech team met Japan May 1, and the Czechs played poorly. Two novices to the world championships helped the team by scoring its fifth (Martin Havlat) and sixth goals (Martin Stepanek) to give the Czechs a comfortable three-goal lead. Results: Czech Republic - Norway 4-0, goals: Vlasak, Sykora, Vyborny and Prospal. Czech Republic - Japan 6-3, goals: Varada, Dopita, Vyborny, Havlat, Kaberle and Stepanek. After deadline: Czech Republic - Canada 2-1, goals: Sykora, Dopita. The Czech team advanced to the second-phase group of 12 and leads its standings with four points (results from first-group games against Norway and Canada are counted). The Czechs will meet Italy, Finland and Slovakia. Darina Johanidesova/Mirek Langer Tennis Players in Fed Cup Finals in America The Czech women's tennis team of Kvetoslava Hrdlickova, Denisa Chladkova and Daniela Bedanova won three of its games in the semifinal group of the Fed Cup, which took place in Bratislava April 27-30. It advanced to the Fed Cup finals, which will be organized in the United States at the end of November. The Czechs will meet Americans, Belgians and Spaniards in this tournament. Results: Czech Republic - Austria 2-1 (Hrdlickova - Wartusch 6-3, 1-6, 6-3; Chladkova - Schett 5-7, 6-4, 6-2; Bedanova, Hrdlickova - Wartusch, Schett 6-7, 6-2, 3-6. Played April 27.) Czech Republic - Switzerland 2-1 (Chladkova - Schnyder 2-6, 2-6; Hrdlickova - Gagliardi 6-1, 7-6; Bedanova, Hrdlickova - Gagliardi, Schnyder 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. April 28.) Czech Republic - Slovakia 2-1 (Hrdlickova - Hantuchova 4-6, 2-6; Chladkova - Habsudova 6-4, 6-4; Hrdlickova, Bedanova - Habsudova, Hantuchova 7-5, 6-3. April 29.) David Luksu and Simon Dominik/Mirek Langer Slavia Loses First Game at Home in Soccer League, Sparta Farther ahead Slavia entered the spring session of the soccer league with a four-point advantage over Sparta and now it is four points behind. Teplice invaded Slavia's field and destroyed the home team. After one lonely counterattack, Slavia defender Petr Vlcek fouled Radek Divecky on the penalty box line, he was sent off and Verbir decided the game with his penalty kick and reduced Slavia's hopes for the title. Sparta will host Slavia in the most famous Czech intracity derby in the next round. Three rounds before the end of the league, it is still not clear which teams will fall into the second league. Nine clubs could still face relegation, with at least four of them the most likey candidates. Hradec Kralove seems certian to fall. Results of the 27th round: Drnovice - Opava 1-1, Zizkov - Pribram 1-1, Olomouc - Jablonec 0-0, Slavia Praha - Teplice 0-1, Blsany - Sparta Praha 1-4, Liberec - Ceske Budejovice 2-0, Hradec Kralove - Brno 1-0, Ostrava - Bohemians Praha 1-1. Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 69, 2. Slavia Praha 65, 3. Drnovice 47, 4. Teplice 36, 5. Brno 36, 6. Bohemians Praha 36, 7. Liberec 35, 8. Zizkov 32, 9. Blsany 32, 10. Pribram 31, 11. Ceske Budejovice 31, 12. Olomouc 30, 13. Ostrava 29, 14. Opava 28, 15. Jablonec 25, 16. Hradec Kralove 23. David Luksu/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * Petr Korbel won the Czech Republic's first-ever table tennis European Championships medal in men's singles. Korbel, ranked 30th in the world, lost in the semifinal to later champion Peter Karlsson of Sweden and took the bronze. * Karvina's men's handball team won the league title for the first time in 28 years. It defeated Frydek-Mistek in the final series 3-1 with a 28-26 win in the fourth and final game of the series. * The second-league soccer club Banik Ratiskovice will participate in the Czech Soccer Union Cup final. It defeated Vitkovice 3-0 and will meet Liberec, which advanced after a 2-0 win over Olomouc. * Prague-born Martina Navratilova will return to the tournament circuit at the end of May in Madrid. Together with South African Mariaan de Swardt, Navratilova will participate in the doubles to prepare for Wimbledon, where she wants to win her 20th title. Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer WEATHER The sunny weather of the last week furnished the final evidence that winter is definitely over. The temperatures of above 20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit let us take off our coats and sweaters into closets, where they should stay until fall. The hand-in-hand walks of lovers in parks and May Day festivities (among them witch burnings on the eve of May 1), were only occasionally interrupted by thunderstorms and rains. According to meteorologists, the summer season shall persevere. Pavel Korinek/Darina Johanidesova English version edited by Michael Bluhm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with attribution to CAROLINA. Subscription is free. Comments and remarks are appreciated. 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