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 431, Friday, September 21, 2001. FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS (September 5 - September 19) Czechs React to Terrorist Attack on USA The political leadership of the Czech Republic immediately and unanimously condemned the terrorist attacks on the US. President Vaclav Havel said through his speaker that he was shaken and believed the perpetrators will be punished. Chamber of Deputies Chairman Vaclav Klaus said the attack was utterly unbelievable. Shortly after the attack, Interior Minister Stanislav Gross convened a crisis committee with Foreign Minister Jan Kavan, Defense Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla (Prime Minister Milos Zeman is in hospital with kidney stones), heads of the country's intelligence agencies and Police President Jiri Kolar. The Czech Army was put on alert. Kolar ordered special security protection of official American buildings in Prague. From September 13-17 small planes were forbidden from using Czech airspace. No Czechs have been reported among the victims of the attacks, although dozens have yet to call home since the tragedy. The Czech Republic observed three minutes of silence for the victims September 14. Czech Radio was silent and Czech Television broadcast images from around the country and Europe without commentary. Havel attended a special memorial church service on the evening of September 15 in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle. Candles and flowers were placed in front of the American embassy, and abut 300 people gathered on Prague's Wenceslas Square September 12 to commemorate the victims, despite warnings from Gross about the danger of such a gathering. Support for the terrorists was given by National Social Block Chairman Jan Kopal, 23, who said, "America is reaping what it sowed. After many years our children again have a role model - Osama bin Ladin." He was later charged with praising a criminal act. Hooligans at some soccer games chanted "Long live bin Ladin," and an anonymous flyer praising terrorism appeared throughout Liberec and Ceske Budejovice. Arbitration Court Rules Czech Republic Failed to Protect CME's Investment in NOVA A Stockholm-based arbitration tribunal ruled September 14 in favor of Central European Media Enterprises (CME) in its suit against the Czech Republic over CME's investment in the television station TV NOVA. The Dutch-based CME sued the Czech state for violating the Dutch-Czech Treaty on the Protection of Investments. According to the ruling, the Czech Republic is obligated to compensate the damage that CME suffered by payment of the fair market value of the investment in the year 1999, before the treaty breach had a negative effect on CME's investment. In August 1999 Vladimir Zelezny, then majority owner of TV NOVA license-holder CET 21, broke off his exclusive partnership with the CME-owned CNTS and launched broadcasting on his own (see Carolina 342, 343). CME CEO Fred Klinkhammer said his company will ask for more than 500 million USD in damages. The tribunal will decide on damages for CME at a separate hearing. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan said the government might turn to the Swedish court on the grounds that a Czech representative on the three-member arbitration panel was not taken seriously and in accordance with the arbitration rules. The ruling of the international tribunal in Stockholm came two weeks after American cosmetics-empire heir and CME owner Ronald Lauder lost the same case in a London arbitration court, where he sued the Czech state for violating the US-Czech agreement on investment protection (see Carolina 430). ODS Vice Chairman Miroslav Macek Resigns Miroslav Macek, vice chairman of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), resigned September 11 and decided to leave politics. Macek said he wanted to tell the ODS Executive Council that he would step down from his party position at the November party congress. However, he resigned immediately in the wake of a story in the daily MF DNES that he had received 10 million crowns from Austria's Erste Bank for consulting during the privatization of the Czech Savings Bank (Ceska sporitelna - CS), which Erste won. According to MF Dnes, Macek signed a contract with the Austrian consulting company CEBOC for "advisory and consulting services leading to the acquiring of the state interest" in the bank. CEBOC Director Ernst-Gideon Loudon confirmed the contract but declined to confirm the payment amount. Macek refused to comment on the story, claiming his business activity is private, to be discussed only with the tax office. Macek said in his statement to the press: "Today's attack on my entirely legal entrepreneurial activities only served to speed my decision" to resign. NEWS IN BRIEF * President Vaclav Havel met his Austrian counterpart, Thomas Klestil, in Vienna September 6. Although the issues of the Temelin nuclear power plant and Benes Decrees were not on the agenda - which encompassed a wide range of Czech-Austrian topics - they dominated the press conference after the meeting. The Temelin issue will be discussed at a meeting between Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kavan and Austrian Environment Minister Wilhelm Molterer scheduled for September 21. FROM SLOVAKIA Terrorist Attack on US Shakes Slovakia Immediately after news of the terrorist attack on the US, the Slovak government passed a resolution condemning the attack, and expressing condolences for the losses and support in the fight against terrorism. Politicians reiterated Slovakia's willingness to provide assistance and fight terrorism. Political parties across the spectrum condemned the attack. The US embassy closed its visa department from September 12 till September 17. All flights to the US from Bratislava and Kosice were stopped. The Foreign Ministry established a special telephone line for information about Slovaks in the US. One Slovak citizen is still missing, no deaths were reported. Premier Mikulas Dzurinda arrived in Ottawa for a state visit on the evening of September 11, but his visit was cancelled the next day. September 14 was declared a day of mourning in Slovakia, and three minutes of silence were observed. FROM SLOVAKIA IN BRIEF * The Slovak National Party (SNS) has finished its internal cleansing. The SNS Central Council threw five men out - including former SNS Chairman Jan Slota - of the party September 16 during disciplinary hearings, and froze the membership of a sixth. The others ejected from the party were Vitazoslav Moric, Jan Sitek, Dusan Svantner and Rastislav Septak. Stefan Zelnik had his membership frozen. Party Chairwoman Anna Malikova said the group had subverted the party from within and sullied its name externally. Svantner said he will found a new party and that Malikova is destroying the SNS. ECONOMY 2002 Budget Proposal Has No Chance in Parliament The government September 17 approved its 2002 budget proposal with a 52.2-billion-crown deficit (income of 700 billion crowns and expenses of 752.2 billion crowns, including the losses of the Consolidation Bank). The minority Cabinet will present the budget proposal to Parliament by the end of the month. A majority in the Parliament, consisting of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Freedom Union (US) and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), has said it will not support this budget proposal. The National Property Fund is predicting income of 27.2 billion crowns from privatization, of which 25.2 billion would be used to cover shortages in the state pension program. The budget also expects 20.2 billion crowns from the debt owed to the country by Russia. The income side of the ledger and the use of privatization proceeds are frequent targets of criticism. Social expenses would rise by 5 per cent to 315 billion crowns, while spending on education would rise by 6 per cent to 87 billion crowns. Public-sector wages would increase by 7 per cent. The budget also increased funding for judicial reform, security, research and development and programs connected to EU integration. The daily Pravo reported that Foreign Minister Jan Kavan abstained in the budget vote because he fears the 4.1 billion crowns earmarked for his ministry would not be enough to secure the safety of Czech diplomats, offices and other buildings abroad. Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid September 20) -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 EUR = 34.290 country currency CZK ------------------------------------------ Australia 1 AUD 18.129 Great Britain 1 GBP 54.240 Denmark 1 DKK 4.607 Japan 100 JPY 31.530 Canada 1 CAD 23.540 IMF 1 XDR 47.949 Hungary 100 HUF 13.236 Norway 1 NOK 4.289 New Zealand 1 NZD 15.181 Poland 1 PLN 8.757 Slovakia 100 SKK 78.361 Slovenia 100 SIT 15.606 Sweden 1 SEK 3.528 Switzerland 1 CHF 23.528 USA 1 USD 37.040 Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro (converted from the euro rate) country currency CZK ----------------------------------------- Germany 1 DEM 17.532 Belgium 100 BEF 85.003 Finland 1 FIM 5.767 France 1 FRF 5.227 Ireland 1 IEP 43.539 Italy 1000 ITL 17.709 Luxemburg 100 LUF 85.003 Netherlands 1 NLG 15.560 Portugal 100 PTE 17.104 Austria 1 ATS 2.492 Greece 100 GRD 10.063 Spain 100 ESP 20.609 CULTURE Two Directors in the Prague's National Theater Two directors are heading the National Theater in Prague from September 1 till the end of the season in June. While incumbent director Jiri Srstka will serve the last year of his tenure, new director Daniel Dvorak will prepare and accustom himself to the new position. Dvorak, an architect, has been the director of the Prague State Opera since July and became known for his managerial skill and willingness to experiment with dramaturgy and designs for opera and ballet. His selection from three final candidates (besides Dvorak, the others were Srstka and Pilsen's theater director Jan Burian) was contentious within the artistic community. For instance, Vlastimil Harapes, head of the National Theater's ballet, said he fears for the future of classical ballet in the National Theater under Dvorak. The Culture Ministry commission that nominated Dvorak in July was split because each of the three finalists received four votes. The stalemate was resolved by Culture Minister Pavel Dostal. Ivan Klima Turns 70 Ivan Klima, one of the most translated Czech writers, celebrated his 70th birthday September 14. The author, who frequently alludes in his works to his time in the Theresienstadt (Terezin) ghetto during World War II and to his many love affairs, was forbidden from publishing during the normalization period of the 70's and 80's. His books Lovers for One Night, An Hour of Silence and A Ship Named Hope were published in the 60's. In 1967 Klima spoke at the writers' union's congress against party control of culture and was thrown out of the party. Since 1989 many of his novels have been translated, such as Love and Garbage and My Golden Trades. SPORTS Bohemians Lead Soccer League, Sparta Ties in Champions League Results of the Champions League game played September 18 in Munich: Sparta Praha - Bayern Munich 0-0. Results of the 6th round of the Czech soccer league: Olomouc-Sparta 0-3, Zizkov-Blsany 2-2, Ostrava-Teplice 0-2, Drnovice-Synot 1-1, Hradec Kralove-Opava 2-0, Slavia-Brno 1-1, Jablonec-Bohemians 0-0, Pribram-Liberec 1-1 Results of the 7th round: Brno-Ostrava 1-1, Sparta-Zizkov 2-0, Teplice-Hradec Kralove 4-3, Blsany-Drnovice 1-3, Synot-Jablonec 0-0, Liberec-Olomouc 3-3, Opava-Pribram 1-2, Bohemians-Slavia 1-0 Standings: 1. Bohemians 16 points, 2. Sparta 15, 3. Zizkov, 4. Slavia, Ostrava 13, 6. Liberec 12, 7. Drnovice, Blsany 10, 9. Jablonec, 10. Brno, Synot 9, 12. Teplice, Pribram 7, 14. Olomouc, Hradec Kralove 6, 16. Opava 1 Hockey: Sparta Fills Favorite's Role Results from the 1st round: Vsetin-Trinec 5-5, Litvinov-Vitkovice 2-3p, Havirov-Karlovy Vary 2-3p, Sparta-C.Budejovice 5-3, Pardubice-Slavia 2-3, Kladno-Zlin 3-3, Plzen-Znojmo 4-2 Results from the 2nd round: Znojmo-Sparta 2-3, other games postponed because of US tragedy. Results from the 3rd round: Plzen-Trinec 6-8, Slavia-Vitkovice 2-1, Vsetin-Znojmo 5-2, Kladno-Karlovy Vary 6-2, Pardubice-C.Budejovice 5-2, Litvinov-Zlin 3-4, Havirov-Sparta 2-3. Results from the 4th round: Sparta-Plzen 8-3, Vitkovice-Pardubice 6-0, K.Vary-Slavia 4-3, Znojmo-Havirov 2-0, Ceske Budejovice-Litvinov 1-3, Trinec-Kladno 4-2, Zlin-Vsetin 6-3 Standings: 1. Sparta 11 points, 2. Zlin, Trinec 7, 4. Vitkovice 6, 5. Slavia 5, 6. Kladno, Vsetin, Litvinov, Karlovy Vary, Pardubice 4, 11. Plzen, Znojmo 3, 13. Havirov 2, 14. Ceske Budejovice 0. SPORTS IN BRIEF * Tomas Enge finished 12th in the Monza Grand Prix in his Formula 1 debut. Enge became the first Czech ever to drive in a formula 1 event. * Jaroslav Drobny died September 13 in London after a long illness. Drobny won Wimbledon in 1954, the French Open in 1951 and 1952 and was a member of the Czechoslovak world champion hockey team in 1947. WEATHER It rained through the first half of September. It's cold and cloudy, we hardly remember what the sun looks like. And it's a long way till next year. This issue of Carolina was written by Martin Rusek, Andrea Slovakova, Lenka Nejezchlebova and Ondra Trunecka and translated by Milan Smid and Michael Bluhm. 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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