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 396, Friday, December 1, 2000 FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (November 22 - November 29) Political Controversy over Appointment of New National Bank Governor President Vaclav Havel appointed Zdenek Tuma governor of the Czech National Bank (CNB) November 29. Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus vehemently opposed Tuma's appointment. The government held a secret session on the evening of November 28, and the Cabinet came to the conclusion that the Constitution requires Havel's appointment of bank governor and vice governor be signed by the prime minister (since 1989 only one appointment had been signed, and that was then considered an oversight). The government threatened to take the issue to the Constitutional Court. Tuma, 40, graduated from the University of Economics, worked as a Finance Ministry advisor and lectured at this college of Charles University. He worked as the executive director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London between 1998-99 and as vice governor of the CNB until his appointment. Zeman and Klaus have not questioned Tuma's ability to administer the bank but are afraid of the potential loss of its independence. According to Zeman, this could be caused by the fact that Tuma is partial to two influential finance groups - Patria Finance and Lipa - and will not be able to separate their interests from the interests of Czech economy. Klaus is annoyed by Tuma's membership in Lipa and by his signature of the Drevic Appeal, a document in which a group of economists analyzed the problems of the Czech economy - and largely blamed Klaus for the problems. Another reason for the disapproval of Tuma could be his conservative approach to monetary policy. Petr Frinta/Simon Dominik Social Democrats Discuss Election Debacle The Social Democratic Party's (CSSD) presidium discussed the causes of the party's failure in the Senate and regional elections November 26. The Social Democrats gained one of 27 Senate seats and finished fourth in the regional elections behind the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Four-Party Coalition and the Communist Party (KSCM, see Carolina 394 and 395). The members of the presidium did not agree on the cause of the debacle. Prime Minister and party Chairman Milos Zeman took responsibility for the election results, but refused to resign. He was backed by the presidium, which opposed Chamber of Deputies Vice Chairwoman and former CSSD Vice Chairwoman Petra Buzkova, who asked Zeman to resign immediately after his meeting with Communist Party Chairman Miroslav Grebenicek before the second round of the Senate Elections. Buzkova resigned from her party function in spring in protest against the amendments to the CSSD-ODS Opposition Contract. Zeman also confirmed he will not run again for party chairman at the party convention in April. His successors are expected to be either Labor Minister Vladimir Spidla or Interior Minister Stanislav Gross. Zeman said he is also considering resigning as prime minister if he is asked to do so by the members of the party, regardless of their number. The presidium refused to cancel the Opposition Contract and leave the government. Marie Sternova/Simon Dominik Nomination for Four-Party Coalition Leader Raises Eyebrows Jaroslav Kopriva, longtime deputy to four previous interior ministers and the present general secretary of the Czech Catholic Charity, was nominated by the Christian Democrats' (KDU-CSL) leadership as a candidate for the position of election leader of the Four-Party Coalition (the KDU-CSL; the Freedom Union, US; the Civic Democratic Alliance, ODA; and the Democratic Union, DEU). The nomination has to be approved by the KDU-CSL national conference in two weeks. Although Kopriva has been a member of party leadership for a long time, he was never in a visible political position. His nomination caused consternation among the Four-Party Coalition's other parties. Freedom Union Senator and former party Chairman Jan Ruml said he considers Kopriva a serious and reliable man, but more "an official than a leader type". If the Four-Party Coalition wins the next general elections, scheduled for 2002, its leader could be asked to form a government. The Four-Party Coalition has its sights set high after winning 17 of the 27 Senate seats contested in November elections (see Carolina 394, 395). The final decision on the leader will be made by the eight-member Four-Party Coalition Council (KDU/CSL has three members, Freedom Union three, ODA one and DEU one) by the end of January. Gabriela Pribilova/Milan Smid Ethnic Groups in Media and Advertising The media must provide regular information on ethnic minorities not only in reference to crimes, property disputes and other similar problematic cases. That was the verdict of the international conference Ethnic Groups in Media and Advertising, which took place in Prague November 24-25. The organizer of the conference, Tolerance, invited to Prague representatives of minorities, journalists, the advertising industry, sociologists, psychologists, students and others. Tolerance appealed to the media to call upon ethnic groups to state their ethnic status during the population census next year (ethnic status is optional census information). These statistical data are important for government policy and the formation of programming for public-service broadcasting. Participants of the conference agreed that an advisory body consisting of representatives of ethnic minorities living in the Czech Republic be set up at the Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting. The body is to help the council draft proposals of legislation for the access of minorities to public media. Participants also agreed on the need to create a Fund for Social Advertising, into which the state would contribute and which would finance campaigns beneficial to the public. In this context representatives of ad agencies demanded that ethnic minorities in the Czech Republic be counted. Vera Vonavkova/Sofia Karakeva NEWS IN BRIEF * President Vaclav Havel nominated former Justice Minister Otakar Motejl and computer expert Vaclav Trojan (the spiritual father of this publication) to the post of ombudsman, the public protector of citizens' rights. Havel also nominated former spokeswoman of the Charter 77 human rights movement Anna Sabatova and the head of the School Office in Zdar nad Sazavou Simeona Zikmundova for the post of deputy ombudsman. According to Havel's spokesman Ladislav Spacek, Havel informed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of his decision November 22. Havel said he hopes the candidates he proposed will be the same as those proposed by the Senate. Senators also proposed in mid-October Motejl and Supreme Audit Office (NKU) official Marie Hoskova. They proposed Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Senator Jan Voracek and Social Democrat (CSSD) Senator Jiri Vyvadil as deputy ombudsmen (Vyvadil gave up his candidacy after being named a judge). The Chamber of Deputies elects the ombudsman and his deputy for six years from eight candidates, four of them proposed by the president and four by the Senate. The election of the first ombudsman and his deputy should take place in the third week of the current session, meaning around December 12. * Rectors of 27 universities met in Prague November 23-24 to discuss changes to the Higher Education Act presented by the deputies of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and the Freedom Union (US). Discussion of the proposals will take place in February. The rectors discussed the deputies' request for universities to provide more detailed information on entrance exams and to be allowed to found profit-making companies. They also discussed the possibility of allowing a student who failed the entrance exams to pay for his studies. This concept is not accepted by rectors, who cite the lack of teachers. The meeting will continue December 14. Katerina Komadova/Sofia Karakeva FOREIGN AFFAIRS Czech-Austrian Relations Relax The Austrian government is ready to discuss environmental issues with the Czech Republic in December and does not want to block EU expansion talks with the Czech Republic because of its concerns about the safety of the Temelin nuclear power plant. That was the result of Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan's visit to Vienna November 27. Kavan negotiated with his Austrian counterpart, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and with Agriculture and Environment Minister Wilhelm Molterer. However, the Austrian objections remain to closing the energy chapter in the Czech Republic's EU membership talks. The Temelin issue should have been the topic of the meeting between Czech and Austrian Presidents Vaclav Havel and Thomas Klestil November 28, but Klestil's visit was cancelled because of Havel's illness. Temelin should be discussed during Prime Minister Milos Zeman's visit to Austria December 12. Katerina Komadova/Milan Smid Ambassador Havlin Done in Bulgaria Foreign Minister Jan Kavan has decided to recall Czech ambassador to Bulgaria Ondrej Havlin because of Bulgarian complaints. Two years ago, Havlin had been accused of running over a customs officer's foot after removing a border blockade himself. He is also said to have offended the Bulgarians in September at the Czech Embassy's official reception in Sofia, but the patience of the Foreign Ministry evidently ran out last week, when Havlin warned, without consulting the ministry, against individual travel to Bulgary because of crime. Katerina Komadova/Adam Fendrych FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF * Pope John Paul II welcomed Premier Mikulas Dzurinda November 24 after Dzurinda signed a treaty with State Secretary Cardinal Angel Solan. The press called the document, which had been worked on for four years, a manifestation of political will for reconciliation, while it points out that the most controversial parts of text were left out and the treaty does not mention divorce or abortion. * The Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which November 22 formed its own club in the legislature in reaction to the founding of Premier Mikulas Dzurinda's Slovak Democratic Christian Union (see Carolina 395), signed November 27 an amendment to the government's coalition agreement. They are a member of the coalition but they will have no minister. Although KDH has 9 legislators, the step provides more stability for the government, which had been troubled by battles between the conservative KDH and the leftist coalition members. Zdenek Sloboda/Adam Fendrych ECONOMY Government Launches Privatization of Commerce Bank The Commission for Bank Privatization presented to the government November 22 a list of four foreign banks interested in buying the Commerce Bank (Komercni banka, KB). The list was based on preliminary offers by the applicants for a 60-per-cent share of the bank. The most important criteria for selection were the reputation, credibility and a rating higher than that of the Czech Republic. The world's second-largest insurer, Allianz, the German HypoVereinsbank and the French banks Societe Generale and Credit Agricole are said to be among the four. "This list may be expanded, provided the candidate meets certain criteria," said Jana Viskova, spokeswoman of the National Property Fund. The fifth bank to get on the list could be the Italian group UniCredito Italiano. The candidates will conduct due diligence and then submit binding offers. The government plans that the winner will be known in the first quarter of 2001. Ales Borovan/Stepan Vorlicek ECONOMY IN BRIEF * The government upped the minimum monthly wage by 500 crowns November 22. It was this year's second increase. Beginning January 1, every employed Czech will earn at least 5,000 crowns per month. The government fulfilled its promise to raise the minimum wage above the poverty line by the end of 2000. Labor Minister Vladimir Spidla said the move will make more unemployed people look for a job and the unemployment rate will thus decrease. * The Czech GDP should increase this year by 2.5 per cent, inflation should be 3.8 per cent, the unemployment rate 9.1 per cent, the state budget deficit 5.1 per cent of the GDP and the current-account deficit 2.7 per cent of the GDP. These numbers were published in the European Commission's macroeconomic forecast for 2000-2002. GDP growth in the Czech Republic for next year is predicted to be 3 per cent, with inflation and unemployment rates estimated at 4.3 per cent and 8.9 per cent, respectively. Katerina Komadova, Ales Borovan/Stepan Vorlicek Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid December 1) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 34.580 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 20.868 Great Britain 1 GBP 56.652 Denmark 1 DKK 4.635 Japan 100 JPY 36.010 Canada 1 CAD 25.875 IMF 1 XDR 51.112 Hungary 100 HUF 13.052 Norway 1 NOK 4.295 New Zealand 1 NZD 16.169 Poland 1 PLN 8.909 Greece 100 GRD 10.151 Slovakia 100 SKK 80.372 Slovenia 100 SIT 16.286 Sweden 1 SEK 3.973 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.917 USA 1 USD 39.859 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 17.680 Belgium 100 BEF 85.722 Finland 1 FIM 5.816 France 1 FRF 5.272 Ireland 1 IEP 43.908 Italy 1000 ITL 17.859 Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.722 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.692 Portugal 100 PTE 17.248 Austria 1 ATS 2.513 Spain 100 ESP 20.783 CULTURE Nine Days for Jewish Culture The first International Festival of Jewish Culture, named after the book by Jiri Mordechai Langr Nine Gates (Devet bran), held its closing ceremonies November 26. A number of concerts of classical music and jazz, theater performances and films marked the nine-day festival in Prague. Artists from nine countries performed during the festival. An ensemble from the Israeli National Theater started the festival with a performance of Brecht's Caucasian Chalk Circle. The festival was sent off with another nod to the number nine. Nine trees were planted in the places from which transports traveled to concentration camps. Marketa Bartosova/Pavla Krizkova Lennon in Green The art group Rafani painted the Lennon Wall on Prague's Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana) dark green. The famous portrait of Lennon disappeared together with other pictures, quotes and song lyrics covering the wall. Rafani said their act was a protest against the current political situation, particularly against the Opposition Contract between the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) and the Social Democrats (CSSD). They said they also want to remind people that the political revolution of 1989 has been abandoned. A group of hippies is trying to bring the wall back to its original condition. They say the wall does not have anything in common with politics but is a symbol of higher values. Vladimir Gaus said, "If Rafani wanted to protest against stagnation, lethargy and monotony, why didn't they paint Parliament or the government headquarters green?" Marketa Gausova, his wife, renewed Lennon's portrait and new quotes, lyrics and pictures are appearing. By the way, a dog's head in a circle, the Rafani logo, was painted there with a muzzle. Dana Zlatohlavkova/Pavla Krizkova SPORTS Jan Zelezny Is World's Best Athlete Javelin thrower Jan Zelezny was elected the world's top track-and-field athlete of 2000. The results of the IAAF poll were announced in Monte Carlo November 26. The poll has been organized since 1988. Czech decathlete Tomas Dvorak aspired to the prestigious title last year, when he set a world record and won the World Championships, but he finished in fifth place. Zelezny had not had good experiences with the competition, finishing third after a great 1996 season including a world record. This year the specialists put him in first place, not only because he was the first javelin thrower to win his third Olympics gold in a row, but also because Zelezny returned to the world elite after a serious shoulder injury in 1998. American runners Maurice Greene and Michael Johnson finished behind Zelezny. Katerina Komadova/Mirek Langer UEFA Cup: Osijek - Slavia 2-0 (1-0) Slavia Praha soccer players returned from Osijek, where they played the first game of the UEFA Cup third round, with an unhappy balance: they lost 0-2 after silly mistakes on defense November 23. On offense, the traditional weakness of Slavia showed again: Slavia cannot convert chances. The Croatian side took the lead in the 33rd minute, when Almir Turkovic took advantage of Slavia captain Karel Rada's bad kick. Slavia could have tied five minutes later, as Tomas Kuchar's free kick hit the post and the following shot by Ludek Zelenka hit the crossbar. The 1-0 score became 2-0 in the 81st minute on Mato Neretljak's goal. The rematch is scheduled for December 7. Petr Adam/Mirek Langer Soccer League: Unconverted Penalty Costs Pribram Win over Sparta The reigning champion and soccer league leader Sparta Praha was near to its second defeat in a row on the Marila Pribram field. In the fifth minute of injury time, with the score tied 1-1, Daniel Smejkal took a penalty kick, but his kick hit the crossbar. Sparta was the better team, especially after the break, when it performed aggressively on offensive despite a red card for Michal Hornak. Slavia did not break out of its streak of poor results, and despite enormous offensive efforts tied with Stare Mesto 0-0. In Ceske Budejovice, the fans saw seven goals in a game against Viktoria Plzen. Tomas Klinka and Tomas Janda of Budejovice each scored two goals in this match between two sides threatened with relegation. The autumn season will be end with several postponed games in the beginning of the December, including the hit of the league: the derby between Sparta and Slavia (December 1). Results of the 16th round: Pribram - Sparta Praha 1-1, Olomouc - Teplice 3-1, Zizkov - Liberec 2:0, Jablonec - Bohemians Praha 1:0, Ceske Budejovice - Plzen 4:3, Blsany - Drnovice 0:0, Brno - Ostrava 1:0, Slavia Praha - Stare Mesto 0:0. Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 37, 2. Teplice 27, 3. Pribram 25, 4. Stare Mesto 25, 5. Liberec 24, 6. Olomouc 23, 7. Zizkov 22, 8. Slavia Praha 20, 9. Bohemians Praha 19, 10. Jablonec 19, 11. Blsany 17, 12. Drnovice 17, 13. Ceske Budejovice 15 , 14. Ostrava 15, 15. Brno 14, 16. Plzen 9. Petr Adam/Mirek Langer Hockey Extraleague Coaches Fired Three teams in the hockey extralegue changed their coaches during the last week. The firing of Frantisek Vyborny from Sparta attracted the biggest attention, he was replaced by Milos Riha, who had left Karlovy Vary only three days before. Riha's assistant Radim Rulik will lead the team. The other Prague team was also affected, as Jaromir Sindel was replaced by the team's sports director and legendary player Vladimir Ruzicka (captain of the Nagano Olympics champions). Vyborny's firing followed the Sparta's record-setting loss at home in the 26th round. Sparta lost to Pardubice 1-9 and the winner could celebrate having won first place in the standings at the midpoint of the regular season. Under Riha, Sparta lost at home 0-2 to Zlin. On the contrary, Slavia, after a loss in Znojmo, surprised Vsetin in Vsetin, winning 6-1. Karlovy Vary fell to last place in the standings. Thirteenth-place Kladno defeated first-place Pardubice, managing to take a game against Pardubice into overtime for the third time this year and winning its second. Results of the 26th round: Sparta Praha - Pardubice 1-9, Vsetin - Litvinov 4-2, Karlovy Vary - Zlin 3-4, Ceske Budejovice - Kladno 3-1, Havirov - Vitkovice 2-1, Znojmo - Slavia Praha 2-1. Results of the 27th round: Sparta Praha - Zlin 0-2, Pardubice - Kladno 4-5, Karlovy Vary - Litvinov 2-4, Ceske Budejovice - Plzen 4-2, Vsetin - Slavia 1-6, Havirov - Znojmo 2-1. Standings: 1. Pardubice 52, 2 Litvinov 48, 3. Vsetin 47, 4. Vitkovice 45, 5. Zlin 44, 6. Sparta Praha 39, 7. Znojmo 37, 8. Trinec 37, 9. Plzen 36, 10. Slavia Praha 35, 11. Havirov 32, 12. Ceske Budejovice 31, 13. Kladno 30, 14. Karlovy Vary 28. Petr Adam/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * Katerina Neumannova finished fifth in the opening race of the cross-country skiing World Cup in Beitostolen, Norway November 25. Norwegian Bente Martinsen-Skari won the 10km classic race ahead of Finland's Varis and Italy's Belmondo. Neumannova said she was satisfied with her performance, saying she was able to deal with the difficult terrain, the wet, heavy snow and temperatures around freezing. Although she had problems during the race, she surprisingly defeated all the Russian skiers. In the next race, she finished sixth in the 5km freestyle, with Finland's Varis the winner. Stepan Vorlicek/Mirek Langer WEATHER Ugly, ugly, ugly. Forget all the nice things we said. Sometimes it's clear and cold, but for the last few days it's been gray and rainy. We've been living under 10 degrees Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit. As usual, things are better in Moravia, where the thermometer nearly reaches 15 degrees Celsius/59 degrees Fahrenheit. But they'll get theirs, too. Dana Zlatohlavkova English version edited by Michael Bluhm. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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