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 410, Friday, March 16, 2001. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 7 - March 14) ODS and CSSD Opposition Contract to Continue The Opposition Contract between the ruling Social Democrats (CSSD) and theoretical opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS) will remain valid until the elections in 2002, if within three months CSSD fulfills at least one ODS condition: to present a proposal to reduce the rising deficits of various public budgets. Social Democrat Chairman and Prime Minister Milos Zeman and ODS Chairman and Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus announced the deal after a five-hour meeting March 9 attended by 20 representatives of both parties. Zeman said the European Commission speaks highly of the contract, "not only because it preserves the political stability of the Czech Republic, but also because it ensures economic revival and the influx of foreign investment," said Zeman. Klaus has said that the Social Democrats are not fulfilling the five points added to the contract January 14 last year. For example, the 2000 budget deficit exceeded the approved amount by 11 billion crowns. Klaus said ODS will not tolerate any further debt for the state. During the meeting the Social Democrats also had to promise they are not considering cooperation with the Communist Party. The party also promised that its new leadership, to be elected at the April party congress, will not call the Opposition Contract into question. Freedom Union (US) Vice Chairwoman Hana Marvanova said to the daily Lidove noviny that before the 2002 general elections both parties will certainly annul the contract, so the parties will not seem to be allies in the eyes of voters. Social Democrat Vice Chairwoman Jitka Kupcova said whether the opposition contract will last until the elections depends foremost on the fulfillment of financial promises, which were the most hotly debated issue at the meeting. Jakub Vavruska/Sofia Karakeva USA Criticizes Czech Diplomacy The United States are not pleased with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan's initiative in the UN Commission for Human Rights to insert in a resolution criticizing human rights abuses in Cuba an amendment expressing disapproval of US trade sanctions against Cuba. US Secretary of State Colin Powell expressed in a phone call March 10 to Czech President Vaclav Havel his displeasure with the amendment. Powell had criticized Czech diplomacy March 7 and several opposition Czech politicians expressed their agreement with him. During the phone call Powell and Havel agreed that this year's resolution should not differ from the one passed last year, according to Havel's speaker. According to the Czech daily Hospodarske noviny, the Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the dramatization of the situation. Ministry speaker Ales Pospisil said the proposed text of the resolution is not definitive. Kavan said the amendment had nothing to do with the case of Ivan Pilip and Jan Bubenik, Czechs arrested in Cuba for meeting with dissidents. The two were recently released from a Cuban jail (see Carolina 405). Radim Hladik/Sofia Karakeva Czech Republic Fights Foot-and-Mouth Disease The highly infectious foot-and-mouth livestock disease of has crossed Britain's borders. As the disease (transferable also to humans in extraordinary cases) allegedly appeared in Lower Saxony in Germany, the Czech Agriculture Ministry took a number of measures. The ministry forbade from March 13-27 the import, export and transport through the Czech Republic of live cattle, pigs, sheep and goats from EU countries and Poland. The ban also stands for meat imports, fresh non-meat and milk products and milk. Also, visitors to the Czech Republic from these countries must, in airports and at border crossings, disinfect their shoes. Vehicles have to cross over special mats containing disinfectants. Visitors to Czech zoos must also disinfect their shoes. Martin Roubal/Sofia Karakeva Jarab Becomes New Government Envoy for Human Rights The government March 7 named Jan Jarab its envoy for human rights. He succeeded Petr Uhl, who resigned the post to avoid potential conflicts of interest after his wife, Anna Sabatova, was appointed deputy ombudsman. Jarab also became chair of the Nationalities Council, the Inter-Department Commission for Romany Issues and the Government Council for Human Rights. Jarab, 36, was originally a doctor and is the son of Senator Josef Jarab (independent). Pavla Krizkova/Sofia Karakeva NEWS IN BRIEF * The Feminist Group celebrated International Women's Day March 8 in Prague. About 100 people gathered as part of the Global Women's Strike, organized in 65 countries to bring attention to the subordinate position of women. The holiday stems from demonstrations held in the USA in 1908 and 1911 and in 1917 in St. Petersburg, Russia. * The 151st birthday of Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of the former Czechoslovakia, was celebrated March 7. President Vaclav Havel, accompanied by representatives of the Masaryk Democratic Movement and Sokol and Junak organizations, placed a wreath at Masaryk's grave in Lany. * Ivan Langer, chairman of the Chamber of Deputies' Mass Media Commission, asked the public-service broadcaster Czech Television (CT) to cut in half its prime-time advertising (from 7-11 p.m.). "I am of the opinion that a public-service broadcaster should not be dependent on advertising," said Langer, according to the daily Lidove noviny, at the commission meeting March 8, where changes to broadcasting legislation were debated. Langer said advertising should completely disappear from CT channels in the future. However, Langer's opinion is opposed by many other deputies. "It would be a fatal blow to Czech Television," said provisional CT General Director Jiri Balvin, who said the loss in advertising income should be compensated by an increase of the television-set license fee from 75 crowns to 140 crowns per month. Langer said CT has no shortage of money, but spends it unwisely. * Police March 9 found Vladimir Hucin, pre-1989 dissident and post-1989 former counter-intelligence agent, carrying weapons, ammunition and explosives, and confiscated documents from his home. Hucin was charged with resisting arrest and illegal possession of firearms and was taken into police custody. Police are investigating whether he is connected to the series of explosions in Prerov. If convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to three years. The former Security Information Service (BIS) agent says the police is interested in him because in his work he uncovered the connections between former communist leaders with the present state sector and intelligence forces. The Chamber of Deputies' BIS Control Commission said police broke no laws in their handling of Hucin's case. Radim Hladik, Martina Oplatkova/Adam Fendrych, Milan Smid FOREIGN AFFAIRS Zeman Visits India The main goal of Prime Minister Milos Zeman's trip to India, which began March 11, was to support mutual relations, foremost in business. Zeman was accompanied by Finance Minister Pavel Mertlik, Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr, Agriculture Minister Jan Fencl and by a group of businessmen. Zeman discussed some joint projects in Bombay. The Czech Republic, proposing its L-159 planes, is taking part in a tender for the modernization of the Indian army. Zeman met with the head of a tractor factory interested in the privatization of the Zetor tractor factory in Brno. Tractors, trucks and the energy industry represent the traditional areas of Czech-Indian cooperation. Long-term projects to help the Indian state of Gudjarat, the site of the massive, recent earthquake, was another topic of conversation. Zeman March 14 met with the Indian President Kocheril Raman Narajanan and other Indian leaders. Zeman, the first Czech prime minister to visit India officially, said relations between the Czech republic and India are absolutely free of problems. Zeman left India March 15 for South Korea. Pavla Krizkova/Pavla Krizkova FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF * The Tisa River is rising and causing problems in Trebisov County, where some 150 hectares have been flooded. Several families were evacuated from the area. * A statue of first Czechoslovak President Tomas Garrigue Masaryk was unveiled March 10 in Topolcianky. The local castle used to be his favorite summer residence. According to the daily SME, this is the oldest Masaryk statue in Slovakia. It was sculpted in 1929 and was located in front of the Nitra County Court for 10 years. After the Nazi puppet Slovak state was founded in 1939 the statue was removed and forgotten. Members of the Czech Society found it in the gallery in Nitra. Veronika Pavlu/Stepan Vorlicek * The Slovak Music Academy announced the winners of its 2000 awards in Bratislava March 9. The ceremony took place without many musicians because of a boycott by the International Federation of the Record Industry and Music Publishers. Richard Mueller and Jana Kirschner received the male and female best singer Awards, respectively, while No Name won as best pop group. Martin Babjak, Jan Berky, Darina Lasciakova and Andrej Seban were among the other winners. Veronika Pavlu/Simon Dominik ECONOMY Productivity of Czech Industry Grows Industrial production in the Czech Republic is growing rapidly. Compared to the first month of last year, this January showed growth as high as 13.8 per cent. This was brought about mainly by the increased export of Czech goods, as well as by direct foreign investments, which had a positive influence on the country's economic growth. The quarterly report of the British EIU research institute indicates that the investment risk in the Czech Republic is quite low; the recent, massive influx of foreign capital is proof of the fact. Producers of electric appliances, machinery and vehicles are doing the best; the only branch in decline is the leather-processing industry. Its decrease is related to livestock diseases. Productivity growth influenced salaries in industry, which showed an average increase of 12.4 per cent to an average industrial wage of 13,606 crowns per month. Pavla Reznickova/Stepan Vorlicek ECONOMY IN BRIEF * The unemployment rate fell to 9 per cent in February. Employment agencies register about 466,000 jobless people and about 58,000 available jobs. The highest rate of unemployment is in Most County (22 per cent), while Prague-West has the lowest rate (2.8 per cent). Pavla Reznickova/Stepan Vorlicek * The government March 7 approved changes to the Rent Act, according to which the owners of apartments would have to consult any increase of rent with tenants beginning in 2002. Tenants would not have to accept yearly increases exceeding 10 per cent. Disagreements would be resolved by first by a commission at the County Office, then by a court. The 10-per-cent limit is the subject of debate, as the Constitutional Court ruled in June that rent regulation was unconstitutional for limiting owners' profits. The new bill is criticized as further regulation. Pavla Reznickova/Stepan Vorlicek Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid March 17) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 34.580 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 18 801 Great Britain 1 GBP 54.973 Denmark 1 DKK 4.635 Japan 100 JPY 31.445 Canada 1 CAD 24.407 IMF 1 XDR 48.849 Hungary 100 HUF 13.034 Norway 1 NOK 4.218 New Zealand 1 NZD 16.644 Poland 1 PLN 9.286 Slovakia 100 SKK 79.064 Slovenia 100 SIT 15.983 Sweden 1 SEK 3.778 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.470 USA 1 USD 37.994 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 Greece 100 GRD 10.148 Spain 100 ESP 20.783 CULTURE I.N.R.I. - Jesus through the Eyes of Modern Photography Prague's Rudolfinum is exhibiting I.N.R.I., the new project of French photographer Bettina Rheims and writer and photographer Serge Bramly. The authors tried to depict motifs from the New Testament using contemporary symbols. The collection of 85 photographs shows the life of Christ from his birth to his death. The pictures are accompanied by extracts from the Gospel, retold by Bramly. The authors said they wanted to create a contrast between traditional views (the manger, the cross) and our own era (Judas has peroxide hair and a leather coat, there is a car parked in the manger scene, etc.). The exhibition also includes a crown of thorns by Jiri David - done in blue neon and installed on the roof of the Rudolfinum concert hall. Zuzana Boleslavova/Simon Dominik CULTURE IN BRIEF * Jan Zrzavy's painting Magdalene was stolen from the Gallery of Modern Art in Roudnice nad Labem (Northern Bohemia) March 7. The 1916 canvas, worth about 3 million crowns, was stolen with its golden frame during the regular visiting hours of the gallery. This is the first time here that someone stole a work of art from a gallery, all previous thefts occurred in churches or museums. Police are investigating. Matina Parizkova/Simon Dominik SPORT Two Golds, One Bronze for Czechs at World Indoor Track Championships The Czech team, coached by Vaclav Fiser, brought home three medals from the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Lisbon. Roman Sebrle, Olympic silver medalist in the decathlon in Sydney, won the gold easily in the septathlon in Lisbon. One bronze was won by 800m runner Helena Fuchsova, while the other was surprisingly taken by pole vaulter Pavla Hamackova on the first day of the competition. She set a new Czech record of 456 cm and finished one spot ahead of world-record holder Stacy Dragila. Playoffs Begin in Hockey Extraleague The regular season of the hockey extraleague is over and the top eight teams have begun their quest for the championship in the playoffs. Results: Vsetin - Zlin 1-1 (4-3; 1-2 - both matches in overtime), Znojmo - Slavia 2-0 (5-2; 4-0), Pardubice - Vitkovice 1-1 (3-4; 6-3), Litvinov - Sparta 1-1 (4-5 - overtime, penalty shots; 3-1) Sparta Builds Lead in Soccer League While Sparta Prague's 4-1 victory in Ceske Budejovice confirmed Sparta's unchallenged lead in the soccer league, its traditional rival Slavia Prague lost points when it was not able to defeat Ostrava at home. Slavia's last victory at home was recorded October 14. Results of the 20th round: C.Budejovice - Sparta 1-4, Zizkov - Olomouc 2-2, Brno - Pribram 0-0, Synot Stare Mesto - Bohemians 0-0, Slavia - Ostrava 0-0, Drnovice - Liberec 2-1, Jablonec - Teplice 1-0, Blsany - Plzen 2-1 Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 49 points, 2. Olomouc 34, 3. Pribram 32, 4. Teplice 30, 5. Zizkov 30, 6. Liberec 28, 7. Stare Mesto 26, 8. Slavia Praha 26, 9. Drnovice 26, 10. Bohemians 23, 11. Jablonec 22, 12. Blsany 20, 13. Ostrava 20, 14. Brno 18, 15. Ceske Budejovice 15, 16. Plzen 12 SPORTS IN BRIEF * Czech cross-country skiing champion Katerina Neumannova prematurely ended her winter season because of health problems which started with a virus at the World Championonship in Lahti, Finland (see Carolina 408). WEATHER Though spring officially begins March 20, it has exploded in all its beauty and ugliness. Crocuses and junipers joined snowdrops in gardens. Songbirds are not idle and storks, skylarks and starlings have made their regular flight across the ocean. Sunshine made lots of us put our dark glasses on and exchange heavy coats for lighter jackets. Night temperatures are stably above 0 degrees Celsius/32 degrees Fahrenheit and during the day have climbed as high as 15 degrees Celsius/59 degrees Fahrenheit. Spring rains began arriving in mid-week and the cold wind, however, makes obvious that Jack Frost has not disappeared. So hold only your face out to the sunbeams and keep the rest carefully hidden under thick sweathers so that you can welcome the first spring day in perfect condition next week! Pavla Krizkova/Pavla Krizkova 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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