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 414, Thursday, April 12, 2001 FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (March 4 - April 11) Finance Minister Mertlik Resigns Finance Minster and Deputy Prime Minister Pavel Mertlik unexpectedly resigned his posts April 10. That day he sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Milos Zeman, who will officially submit the resignation to President Vaclav Havel. Mertlik wrote that he was resigning because he had "little possibility to influence certain key government decisions." Mertlik had twice previously offered Zeman his resignation, but Zeman had talked him out of it. Zeman said this time he did not try, and, when asked who will succeed Mertlik, answered, "It definitely won't be Donald Duck." Zeman said April 11 he had chosen a replacement, speculation centers on Labor Minister and new Social Democrat Chairman Vladimir Spidla and Deputy Labor Minister Jiri Rusnok. Response to Mertlik's resignation varied - many credited him with being a new-labor counterbalance to the socialist leanings of Spidla and Trade Minister Miroslav Gregr, while others have never forgiven Mertlik his role in the forced administration and immediate sale of the Investment and Postal Bank (IPB) to the Czechoslovak Trade Bank (CSOB). Mertlik, who will turn 40 in May, had lost a number of battles in the Cabinet against Gregr and Spidla, most recently April 9 regarding privatization in the energy sector. Mertlik favors immediate privatization, but Gregr's postponement was supported by the government. Mertlik held a press conference April 11, at which he said a key factor in his decision to resign was the loss of support from Zeman. He also mentioned delays in energy-sector privatization as well as the privatization of Unipetrol. He labeled these government decisions as mistakes he could not correct. He said his failure to be elected vice chairman at the Social Democrats' weekend congress (see below) was not a factor in his resignation. Mertlik thanked the media for their cooperation, and the press applauded Mertlik at the close of the conference. Martin Roubal/Michael Bluhm Spidla New Social Democrat Chairman As expected, Vladimir Spidla was elected chairman of the Social Democrats at the party congress April 7-8 in Prague. Spidla, labor minister and deputy prime minister and incumbent party first vice chairman, replaced Prime Minister Milos Zeman, who had been party chairman for eight years. Spidla recived 87.5 per cent of the votes of the congress' nearly 600 delegates. Zeman remains prime minister, with general elections shceduled for next summer. Zeman's farewell speech, as expected, placed the government's work in a most favorable light. Zeman said he will not influence the new party leadership, and he convinced the congress not to elect him party chairman emeritus or to the party leadership. Spidla made it clear that his Social Democrats will be decidedly left of center; he proclaimed his belief in the caretaker state. "The market itself has no vision ... It will never take care of full employment, the environment or social justice ... There is no other way to law and social justice than to entrust power to the people, allow democracy to function, regulate market forces and redistribute profits," Spidla said. Spidla advocated raising taxes, especially for the rich. Spidla's favorites were elected to the party's top functions - First Vice Chairman and Interior Minister Stanislav Gross ran unopposed. Executive Vice Chairman Karel Kobes was re-elected, other vice chairs include Zdenek Skromach and Marie Souckova. The last vice chair to win election was incumbent Petr Lachnit, one of Zeman's biggest supporters, who defeated Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and then-Finance Minister Pavel Mertlik. Voter-preference polls give the Social Democrats about 13-per-cent support. Katerina Komadova/Michael Bluhm Prodi in Prague, Encourages Czechs According to European Commission Chairman Romano Prodi, there is no reason why the Czech Republic should not be among the first group of countries to join the European Union. Prodi made the statement during his two-day visit April 5-6 to Prague, accompanied by EU Commissar for Expansion Gunter Verheugen. Prodi assured Czech politicians that if they continue in their efforts to close the necessary chapters in membership negotiations, the Czech Republic should join the EU in 2004. Czech President Vaclav Havel, after meeting with the EU delegation, said he is positive the Czech Republic will close membership negotiations by the middle of next year. Prodi also pointed out familiar stumbling blocks for the Czech Republic, such as the insufficient fight against corruption, industrial restructuring and reform of the state administration and court system. On the other hand he praised recent successes in attracting foreign investment. One key issue yet to be resolved is the ability of Czechs, once in the EU, to work in other EU countries. Austria and Germany have requested a seven-year ban on Czech laborers. Prodi said he opposes that proposal, but he does suggest a two-year ban, after which the question can be reconsidered. The EU delegation expressed disappointment over the rising Czech state debt. Czech politicians expressed their disapproval of the Czech Republic being included on the list of countries where BSE (mad-cow disease) exists (see Carolina 413). The delegation April 6 visited Decin in order to inspect a water-treatment plant, the construction of which was supported by 4.75 million euro from the EU's PHARE program. Pavla Krizkova/Sofia Karakeva Broadcasting Act Amendments: 200 Million Crowns to Renew License The Chamber of Deputies April 10 approved amendments to the Broadcasting Act to reflect EU requirements, as well as incorporating a new fee for license renewal. Current television-license holders can request the extension of their licenses for 12 years, radio-license holders for eight. But not for free - renewing a commercial-television license will cost 200 million crowns (the previous administrative fee was 50,000 crowns). The license-holder can sell the license in two years (the existing act required the license be sold in a public tender). Licenses can be withdrawn for gross violations of the act. One amendment allows cross ownership of broadcast and print media, while owning two nationwide television or radio stations is still forbidden. Television stations will have to fulfill EU norms requiring a majority of programming orginate in EU member countries. A star in the corner of the screen will indicate that a program is not suitable for children. Culture Minister Pavel Dostal (Social Democrat) said he is not quite satisfied with the amendments. Dostal foremost criticized the automatic extension of broadcasting licenses. "It's discrimination against new potential broadcasters," he said. Chamber Media Commission Chairman Ivan Langer (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) said the high renewal fees discriminated against smaller stations. Marie Valaskova/Sofia Karakeva Prague Plaque Commemeorates Milan Hodza Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman and Slovak Premier Mikulas Dzurinda March 30 unveiled a commemorative plaque on the Prague villa of Milan Hodza, the first Slovak prime minister of Czechoslovakia. Hodza was a legislator in the first Czechoslovak National Assembly in 1918, he became prime minister in 1935. He resigned in 1938 to protest the Munich Agreement. He emigrated at the end of the year and founded in Paris the Slovak National Council. In 1941 he emigrated to the USA. He died June 27, 1944 in Clearwater, Florida and his remains are buried in the Czechoslovak National Cemetery in Chicago. "I think that without false humility we can place the personality and work of Milan Hodza amomg the spiritual fathers of the process of contemporary European integration, of which both countries are, thank god, a strong part," said Dzurinda. Veronika Pavlu/Michael Bluhm NEWS IN BRIEF * Police did not interfere with the concert given by racist groups (Celitc Warrior from Great Britain and Juden Mord from Slovakia) April 7 in Senohraby, just outside Prague. Some 400 neo-Nazis attened the concert, held in a private restaurant. The law allowed police to stop the concert on the basis of the racist symbols worn by concertgoers. Police inactivity was the target of criticism; Interior Minister Stanislav Gross reacted by saying, "I will personally try to make the police's approach much more vigorous in the future." Anti-fascist activist Jakub Polak filed a criminal complaint against the police president and his subordinates. Radim Hladik/Michael Bluhm FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF * One hundred experts from 31 EU member and candidate countries met in Bratislava April 5-6 to discuss the standards of the Schengen Treaties. Making the movement of people within the expanded EU easier, preventing crime and a better border control were among the main topics. Lubomir Hanus, director of the European Integration Department of the Slovak Interior Ministry, said the conference helped members and candidates understand Schengen problems better and will accelerate implementation of European standards. * Author of horse-related detective stories Dick Francis returned to Slovakia after six years. He April 9 met Culture Minister Milan Knazko, representatives of British institutions and his readers at an autograph session. His three-day visit finished April 10, when he left for the Czech Republic (see below). * The HKm Zvolen hockey team won the league championship by defeating Dukla Trencin in the finals three games to one (6:0, 3:1, 1:2 and 6:3). It was Zvolen's first championship; Slovan Bratislava finished in third place. News from Slovakia by Veronika Pavlu/Stepan Vorlicek ECONOMY IN BRIEF * The Prague Stock Exchange witnessed the rapid fall of share prices April 4, as part of the worldwide trend. The exchange's index fell to a two-year low. Czech Telecom was down more than 5 per cent. The long-term dive of Czech Radiocommunications has made its upcoming privatization less profitable for the state. The stock market staggered April 10 again; Finance Minister Pavel Mertlik's resignation had a negative influence on government bonds. * The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs April 9 reported that the unemployment rate fell from 9 per cent to 8.7 per cent in March. All of the labor offices in the Czech Republic registered less people looking for a job. The pro-government daily Pravo called the decline a revival of the economy, because the unemployment rate has fallen for three months in a row. However, some regions (northern Bohemia and northern Moravia, for example) still face high unemployment. The statistics show there are 451,516 jobless people in the country. Radim Hladik/Stepan Vorlicek * The Zetor tractor-making factory in Brno, which owes almost 6 billion crowns to its creditors, has avoided bankruptcy. Creditors decided April 4 to give preference to court debt settlements. Zetor will continue restructuring, with the chance to attract a foreign investor, who should be selected by the end of this year. Katerina Kunovska/Stepan Vorlicek Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid April 12) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 34.770 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 19 660 Great Britain 1 GBP 56.141 Denmark 1 DKK 4.659 Japan 100 JPY 31.497 Canada 1 CAD 25.108 IMF 1 XDR 49.582 Hungary 100 HUF 13.029 Norway 1 NOK 4.294 New Zealand 1 NZD 15.835 Poland 1 PLN 9.688 Slovakia 100 SKK 80.050 Slovenia 100 SIT 16.077 Sweden 1 SEK 3.862 Switzerland 1 CHF 22.771 USA 1 USD 39.065 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 17.778 Belgium 100 BEF 86.193 Finland 1 FIM 5.848 France 1 FRF 5.301 Ireland 1 IEP 44.149 Italy 1000 ITL 17.957 Luxemburg 100 LUF 86.193 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.778 Portugal 100 PTE 17.343 Austria 1 ATS 2.527 Greece 100 GRD 10.204 Spain 100 ESP 20.897 CULTURE Agnes Varda's Film Wins at One World Festival April 10 was the last day of the Prague section of the third year of the One World film festival, dedicated to documentaries concerning human rights (see Carolina 413). First prize went to the film The Gleaners and I from popular French director Agnes Varda. The movie tells the story of people who pick through rubbish. "It's a movie about serious things, but there's humor in it," said the director when she received the prize in the Archa Theater. The best director award went to Russian Andrej Osip, whose movie Et Cetera blends archive shots of the gory conflicts in Russia during the past hundred years with quotes from Reflections on War by Antoine Saint-Exupery. Special acknowledgments were given to the Latvian film New Times at the Crossroad Street, which describes life in a suburb of Riga, and the Italian movie Jung (War) in the Land of the Mudjaheddins, which chronicles the birth and life of an Afghanistan hospital for military and civilian. The film Why Did They Kill Their Neighbors by Japanese director Kumiko Igarashi, about the grisly slaughter in Rwanda, received a special award fro the president of the Czech Republic, given to movies which contribute to the protection of human rights. The Prague Mayor's Award for the most powerful film (chosen by a jury of victims of racially motivated assaults in Prague) went to Philippe Diaz's documentary about Sierra Leone entitled New World Order:Somewhere in Africa. The Rudolf Vrba Award was given to the Australian film The Diplomat by Tom Zybrycki, a portrayal of Jose Ramos Horta, fighter for the independence of East Timor and winner of the Nobel peace prize. Films from the festival will visit nine more towns in the Czech Republic, then will continue to Bratislava, Warsaw, Belgrade, Pristina and Nuremburg. Martina Oplatkova/Stepan Vorlicek Dick Francis Meets Vaclav Havel in Eastern Bohemia British writer Dick Francis paid a visit to the Czech Republic April 11-14. He was invited by the Olympia publishing house, which publishes his books here. During his second visit to the Czech Republic, Francis - apart from sightseeing in Prague - will visit Pardubice. Accompanied by his regular translator Jaroslava Moserova, he is to see the renowned local horseracing course. Francis gave autographs to his fans April 13 in the Franz Kafka Center on Old Town Square in Prague. Katerina Komadova/Stepan Vorlicek SPORTS Sparta Turns Second Finals Game around, Final Series Tied 1-1 The first two games of the hockey extraleague finals between Vsetin and Sparta Praha brought drama, fast hockey, good play and a boxing fight. Vsetin was better in the first game. Fans were excited by the fight between Vsetin captain Jiri Dopita and Sparta defender Libor Zabransky. Dopita, Vsetin's best player in this game, scored the first goal in the second period, but Sparta answered with Michal Bros' goal three minutes later. Three minutes before the end of the second period Jan Lipiansky put Vsetin one goal ahead, but Zelenka tied the score in the second period. In the eighth minute of overtime Dopita pushed his way in front of the goal, got the puck under goalkeeper Petr Briza and decided the game for Vsetin 3-2. The beginning of the second game belonged to Vsetin. Sparta was down 0-3 at the midpoint of the game, but it managed to do the impossible. Thanks to Zelenka, Sivek, Vujtek and Kasparik's goals, Sparta defeated Vsetin 4-3. Kasparik's winning goal was scored 30 seconds before the end of the game. The series will continue with two games in Prague. Jana Niklova/Mirek Langer Soccer League: Pribram Moves into Second Place after 23rd Round Slavia Praha defeated second place Olomouc 5-1 in a game between the top two teams of the soccer league, allowing Pribram to jump Olomouc into second place in the standings. Pribram beat Ceske Budejovice 1-0 and will meet Slavia in the next round. Fourth-place Viktoria Zizkov helped itself with a win over Blsany, while sixth-place Teplice fell in the standings after a loss to Drnovice. Reigning champion Sparta Praha awoke from its winter hibernation, beating FC Synot after three games without a win. Results of the postponed 18th round: Ceske Budejovice - Liberec 0-0, Brno - Teplice 2-0, Blsany - Synot 2-2, Jablonec - Ostrava 2-1, Zizkov - Sparta Praha 2-1, Drnovice - Plzen 3-1. Results of the 23rd round: Zizkov - Blsany 1-0, Brno - Jablonec 1-0, Liberec - Bohemians Praha 3-0, Pribram - Ceske Budejovice 1-0, Drnovice - Teplice 1-0, Ostrava - Plzen 3-0, Sparta Praha - Synot 2-0, Olomouc - Slavia Praha 1-5. Standings: 1. Sparta Praha 54 points, 2. Pribram 39, 3. Olomouc 38, 4. Zizkov 37, 5. Slavia Praha 36, 6. Liberec 35, 7. Teplice 33, 8. Drnovice 33, 9. Synot 30, 10. Jablonec 28, 11. Bohemians Praha 27, 12. Brno 26, 13. Ostrava 26, 14. Blsany 23, 15. Ceske Budejovice 19, 16. Plzen 15. Martina Oplatkova/Mirek Langer SPORTS IN BRIEF * Czech hockey player Jaromir Jagr won the NHL's Art Ross Trophy for the fifth time. The trophy is awarded to the top scorer in the regular season. Jagr, of the Pittsburgh Penguins, recorded 121 points on 52 goals and 69 assists, three points ahead of Colorado's Joe Sakic. Another Czech, Patrik Elias of the New Jersey Devils, finished third with 96 points. Dominik Hasek, the Buffalo Sabres goalkeeper, won the Jennings Trophy for the second time, as a goalie on the team with the least number of goals allowed. Zuzana Boleslavova/Mirek Langer WEATHER Capricious spring weather: no sight of the sun, the next day a cloudless sky; rain over the weekend, with the beginning of the week clear and warm weather. Rain is predicted for the coming days, even snow in the highlands, but predictions of rain for this week have so far been almost entirely without merit - thank goodness. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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