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 382, Friday, June 30, 2000. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (June 21 - June 28) Senate Passes Amendments to Electoral Act, President Vetoes Changes The Senate passed proposed changes to the Electoral Act June 23 after a seven-hour debate. In the lower chamber as well the issue had been the child of the two parties of the Opposition Contract, the ruling Social Democrats and the Civic Democratic Party (ODS). Both parties agreed on these changes when they renegotiated the Opposition Contract, known as the tolerance patent, in January. The proposal adds to present proportional system majority elements and it would ease the creation of a majority government with fewer parties. Opponents claim the proposal favors large parties. According to the proposal, legislators would be elected in 35 constituencies instead of the present eight and Czech citizens living abroad would be allowed to vote. The proposal was passed by 40 of 79 senators, 38 were against and one abstained. All ODS senators and a majority of the Social Democrats were for the changes. Senators of the Freedom Union (US), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), the Civic Democratic Alliance (ODA), the Communists (KSCM) and both independents were against. As expected, President Vaclav Havel did not sign the proposal and returned it to the Chamber of Deputies. Havel had criticized the proposal after it was passed by the deputies. He said the proposal questioned the basis of the two-chamber parliamentary system. "I believe the senators will realize this and will not cut the branch out from under themselves and take away the meaning of the Senate by passing such an abrupt introduction of majority elements into the proportional system," he said before voting in the Senate. The Constitution mandates a majority system will be used in elections to the Senate and a proportional system for the Chamber of Deputies. "I think changing to such an extent the system of election to the Chamber of Deputies is legitimate only by a change of the Constitution of the Czech Republic based on the agreement of a vast majority of the political representation," said Havel. He said he is is irritated by the move from proportionality toward the strengthening of major parties. The Social Democrats and ODS have 137 Deputies in the Chamber and it is expected they will override the presidential veto (they need a simple majority). Opposition senators say they will submit the issue as a constitutional complaint to the Constitutional Court, which can repeal a law if it is found to violate the Constitution. If the changes become law, they would be in effect for elections in 2002. Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly ODS Asks for Investigation of IPB Sale The fall and the sale of the Investment and Postal Bank (Investicni a postovni banka, IPB - see Carolina 381) to the Czechoslovak Trade Bank (Ceskoslovenska obchodni banka, CSOB) has turned into a political matter. Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Chairman Vaclav Klaus Said the IPB sale was "a bank robbery that occurred in broad daylight and with the direct assistance of the state." According to ODS, the Social Democrat government was misled by a group of politicians and bankers who had prepared the whole event in advance to grab a huge part of the banking market in the country. Klaus also criticized one of his favorite targets, the Czech National Bank (Ceska narodni banka, CNB). Prime Minister Milos Zeman described Klaus' words as too strong and promised to present a detailed account of the IPB case to the Chamber of Deputies. The report shall be accessible to the public as well. IPB's largest single shareholder, Japan's Nomura, said June 23: "We are of the opinion that the entire transaction was not conducted under fair terms and was not transparent.".... The Securities Commission recommended valuing the IPB shares at zero. This measure will affect mostly small shareholders and investment funds holding IPB shares. They might not receive anything in the liquidation process. Nomura is responsible for bonds of IPB that should mature at a value of more than 3 billion crowns in future years. It is not clear who will pay this sum to bondholders, whether CSOB or the state. New owner CSOB is evaluating what assets of IPB and its holding company are actually controlled by the bank. Lubos Kratochvil/Michael Bluhm, Milan Smid 50th Anniversary of Milada Horakova's Execution Commemorated A mass in the St. Peter and Paul Church in Prague's Vysehrad fortress commemorated June 27 the 50th anniversary of the execution of Milada Horakova, one of the first victims of the political trials after the Communist takeover in February 1948. The mass was attended by Czech President Vaclav Havel with his wife Dagmar. Later, a new Horakova memorial in the Vysehrad cemetery was uveiled, with Cardinal Miloslav Vlk in attendance. Former political prisoners organized a commemorative meeting on Zofin Island in Prague with the chairmen of some political parties. The National Museum opened an exhibit on her life and death., Milada Horakova was a Czech patriot imprisoned during the Nazi occupation. After the end of WWII she became one of the leading politicians of the Czech National-Social Party, which had opposed the Communist Party. After February 1948 she retired from political life, but had still been communicating with exile politicians, supporting the families of people persecuted by the Communist regime and helping them escape from the country. In one of the very first political trials she was sentenced to death and executed despite massive protests from abroad. Among the people who asked for clemency in her case was Albert Einstein. Simon Dominik/Milan Smid Verheugen Praises Efforts to Join EU European Commissar for Expansion Guenter Verheugen June 22 met in Prague with Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies Vaclav Klaus. The Czech Republic, according to Verheugen, has made great progress in preparing to join the EU, progress that should be reflected in the annual autumn evaluation of the European Commission. Verheugen mentioned better conditions for investment, while on the other hand he said he was disappointed by the unsuccessful reform of the judicial system. On June 23 Verheugen and Foreign Minister Jan Kavan went to European Day in Hradec Kralove and to the Prostejov and Prerov districts. Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly CSSD to Punish Rogue Deputies and Senators The Executive Committee of the ruling Social Democrats (CSSD) recommended in its ruling from June 24 to party regional organizations to consider members' decisions in the vote on changes to the Electoral Act when the organizations nominate future candidates. Against the proposal (and thus against the party line) were senators Petr Moravek, Frantisek Vizek, Milan Stech and Richard Falbr (a union leader who is not a member of the party), Senate Vice Chairman Jaroslav Musial abstained and Frantisek Mezihorak and Egon Lansky were absent. The regional committee in Usti nad Labem issued a statement of displeasure about the votes of its senators Lansky and Musial and Ivan Havlicek, who had been against the changes till the last minute but voted for them, saying he feared the fall of the government. The Civic Democratic Party (ODS) threatened CSSD with withdrawing from the Opposition Contract, which made the minority government of the CSSD possible after the elections in 1998. Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly Prime Minister Zeman Publicly Apologizes to Macek on TV Prime Minister Milos Zeman apologized June 25 before the TV Nova discussion show Seven Days to Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Vice Chairman Miroslav Macek. In the same show several years ago, Zeman called Macek a thief in connection with the privatization of the Book Wholesale Company (Knizni velkoobchod). Zeman paid for the commercial time (28,000 crowns) and the text of the apology was visible for 8 seconds. Macek said he was satisfied with the apology, which fully shows Zeman's character: "The way he did it shows he has no sense of fair play." The apology was ordered by the High Court in Prague in May. Zeman and his attorney Josef Lzicar did not appeal to the Supreme Court and decided to comply with the ruling of the High Court. It is the first time the prime minister showed respect for a court ruling and apologized to the person he offended. Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly NEWS IN BRIEF * Refugees from the former Soviet Union who protested with a hunger strike against the conditions in the refugee camp in Cerveny Ujezd (see Carolina 381), and tried to get political asylum in Cuba, ended their protest and moved into another refugee camp in the Czech Republic. Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly/Veronika Hankusova and Ondrej Maly FROM SLOVAKIA President Schuster's Life in Danger The condition of President Rudolf Schuster, 66, who underwent emergency surgery on his perforated colon June 19, deteriorated rapidly June 23. Another operation on his inflammated intestines lasted five hours, but the infection did not subside, his temperature rose and Schuster suffered from a lung inflammation June 25. He then underwent a tracheotomy to provide more oxygen. Czech doctors, among them Ilja Kotik, the personal physician of the Czech President Vaclav Havel, were sent to Bratislava June 26. Schuster's illness worsened June 27, so the Slovak president was transferred by a special plane June 28 to a hospital in Innsbruck where Havel was treated two years ago. Schuster's condition remaines serious. Pavel Korinek/Milan Smid ECONOMY GDP Growth Surprising The Czech Statistics Office released data showing Czech GDP growth over the first quarter of the year to be 4.4 per cent. The figure was higher than expected, but Prime Minister Milos Zeman warned against excessive optimism. Poland's GDP over the same period grew by 6 per cent, Hungary's by 6.8 per cent. Lubos Kratochvil/Michael Bluhm Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid June 30) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 35.845 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 22.704 Great Britain 1 GBP 57.280 Denmark 1 DKK 4.803 Japan 100 JPY 36.082 Canada 1 CAD 25.540 IMF 1 XDR 50.184 Hungary 100 HUF 13.782 Norway 1 NOK 4.382 New Zealand 1 NZD 17.646 Poland 1 PLN 8.597 Greece 100 GRD 10.655 Slovakia 100 SKK 83.365 Slovenia 100 SIT 17.170 Sweden 1 SEK 4.266 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.049 USA 1 USD 37.761 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 18.327 Belgium 100 BEF 88.857 Finland 1 FIM 6.029 France 1 FRF 5.465 Ireland 1 IEP 45.514 Italy 1000 ITL 18.512 Luxemburg 100 LUF 88.857 Netherlands 1 NLG 16.266 Portugal 100 PTE 17.879 Austria 1 ATS 2.605 Spain 100 ESP 21.543 CULTURE IN BRIEF * The New York Philharmonic, on a tour of Europe, gave two concerts in Prague June 24-25, performing the Ninth Symphony by Gustav Mahler, the Seventh Symphony by Anton Bruckner and the Concert for two violas and orchestra by the contemporary Russian composer Sophia Gubaidulina. These were the first performances by the New York Philharmonic in Prague since 1930, when the orchestra was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. This time Kurt Masur was the conductor of the orchestra. Despite the high price of tickets both concerts were sold out and received good reviews. * The 55th International Folk Music Festival took place June 23-25 in Straznice in southeastern Moravia. Twelve foreign groups from Belgium, Belarus, Israel, Hungary, Moldova, Germany, Poland, Russia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine participated in the open-air performance at the local folk village (skansen) area and chateau. Simon Dominik/Milan Smid SPORTS Czech Players Return from EURO without Glory The Czech national soccer team returned from the soccer European Championships June 22 at 2:30 a.m. After being eliminated in the "group of death," they were welcomed by five fans (later accompanied by those who arrived from Belgium) and a few journalists. Some players were not ready to answer questions, Pavel Nedved said: "Don't be a fool, its 3 a.m.." Jiri Nemec passed the journalists without a word, while Vladimir Smicer, Jan Koller and Tomas Repka answered all questions. The Czech team went through qualification without a point lost, but it lost 0-1 to the Netherlands and 1-2 to France. After a 2-0 win over Denmark the Czechs finished third, with only two teams advancing to the quarterfinals. Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer Czech Players Leave Wimbledon in Shame Again Only two Czechs, Slava Dosedel and Martin Damm, advanced to the second round of Wimbledon. Dosedel defeated 16th-seed Nicolas Lapentti of Equador and Damm crushed Dejan Petrovic of Australia in three sets. The others burned out on the Wimbledon grass. Only Jiri Vanek was satisfied with his wonderful debut in the All England Club. He played the opening game on center court against Pete Sampras. He won 10 games. Vanek said he had hoped not to lose a set at love. Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer Draft Causes Big Changes in NHL Teams The June 25-26 weekend draft in Calgary dramatically changed the number of Czechs in NHL organizations. In the regular draft 27 Czech players were chosen, the highest number in the 37-year history of the draft (the previous high of 21 Czechs was set in the 1995 and 1998 drafts). Defensman Rostislav Klesla was the top Czech selection, as he was selected by the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets. Also Ceske Budejovice's Vaclav Nedorost fit into the top 20 at number 14. Philadelphia Flyers took the rights to national-team goalkeeper Roman Cechmanek of Vsetin. The Pittsburgh Penguins choose Roman Simicek, a 1999 World Champion. The Blue Jackets seem to be forming a Czech team. Beside Klesl, David Vyborny, Frantisek Kucera, Martin Spanhel and Jan Caloun are also on the team. During the expansion draft, Radim Bicanek, Robert Kron and Martin Streit accompanied them. The draft also saw many trades. Defensman Roman Hamrlik moves from Edmonton to the New York Islanders. The Minnesota Wild, the other expansion team, got Pavel Patera of Dallas. Other Czechs in Minnesota include Ladislav Benysek, Filip Kuba and Michal Bros. David Luksu/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * Ivan Hlinka was named the second European coach in the NHL June 21. He was named head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he worked as coach Herb Brooks' assistant. * Slovak soccer player Peter Dubovsky, 28, a former Czechoslovak national team player, died June 23 during his holiday in Thailand. After a fall from a waterfall he suffered numerous fractures and lost three liters of blood. The Slovak national team midfield player was one of the biggest talents of Czechoslovak soccer of the early 90's. He was twice the top scorer of the federal league while playing in Slovan Bratislava. He left Slovan for Real Madrid, where he did not play often. He was playing for Real Oviedo last season. * Slavia Praha knows its possible opponents in the soccer Champions League second qualification round. It will meet the winner of the tie between Skonto Riga (Latvia) and FC Shamkir (Azerbaijan). Drnovice will play against Buducnost Banovici of Bosnia in the UEFA Cup qualification round. * Soccer league clubs decided the Czech league will not be interrupted by the Sydney Olympics, where the Czech team will participate. * Usti nad Labem won the water polo league and is the only team to win the league since it became the independent Czech league - it won for the eighth time in a row. David Luksu, Martin Moravec/Mirek Langer WEATHER A sensational scientific discovery was published recently: Our weather is affected by the performance of Czech soccer players. When the Czech national team at the EURO was still in the tourney, the heat wave reached a record level with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius/86 degrees Fahrenheit (see the past Carolina). After Czechs were out of the tournament, cold winds brought rains and a sudden drop in temperatures to under 20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit last week. An unidentified source said the Czech soccer players were warmly welcomed by Agriculture Minister Jan Fencl, who said "Boys, you are great, you have brought us rain and saved our farmers." David Luksu/Milan Smid Dear Readers, Carolina will be issued every two weeks during summer. Summer issues will have the following release dates: July 14 and 28, August 11 and 25, September 8 and 22. Carolina wishes you a pleasant summer. English version edited by Michael Bluhm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This news may be published only with attribution to CAROLINA. Subscription is free. 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