Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Carolina (English) No 339
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
tel: (+4202) 22112252, fax: (+4202) 24810987
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
C A R O L I N A No 339, Friday, July 2, 1999
FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK (June 23 - June 30)
Havel Visits Kosovo during Trip to Southeastern Europe
President Vaclav Havel visited the Serbian province of Kosovo July
27. Havel visited the Yugoslavia-Albania border town of Morina, the
small town Prizren and the village of Piranawas. Although this short
visited was a planned part of the president's Hungary-Austria-Albania
trip, the Yugoslav state press agency Tanjug charged that Havel broke
the basic rules of diplomacy by not asking the Serbian side for
permission to visit its territory.
Havel's visit lacked support among most Czech politicians. The
Government tried to discourage Havel from his plan, while Defense
Minister Vladimir Vetchy, who accompanied Havel on his trip, did not go
with Havel to Kosovo. Civic Democratic Party (ODS) Chairman Vaclav Klaus
said he does not understand the meaning of Havel's Kosovo visit and
considers it an empty gesture. On the other hand, Havel was fully
supported by the Freedom Union and the Christian Democrats. "This type
of working trip to an area under the international supervision of the UN
is welcomed because the Czech Republic has clearly declared its will to
bring the Kosovo situation to a normal state," said Freedom Union
Chairman Jan Ruml. Zuzana Janeckova/Zuzana Janeckova
Jiri Ruzek to Be BIS Director from July 1
Jiri Ruzek, who has since 1994 been director of the Czech Army's
military defense intelligence, will be director of the Security
Information Service (BIS), the country's secret service, from July 1.
Ruzek replaces Karel Vulterin, who was recalled by the Government
January 27 for alleged gross negligence (see Carolina 318, 319).
Ruzek's task for the next three months will be an analysis of the
state of BIS. Ruzek said he is entering the office to do professional
work and motivate his subordinates to do the same. He said BIS is an
indicator of the health of Czech society. "As soon as an affair
concerning BIS fills the front pages of the newspapers, then that would
be evidence that in the service and in the state there is something
unhealthy," Ruzek said. Pavlina Hodkova/Michael Bluhm
Race for Prague Senate Seat Begins
The supplementary elections for the Prague 1 Senate seat (Prague
1 includes the historic center of the capital) scheduled for August
27-28 will primarily be a fight between non-party members. The Social
Democrats (CSSD) nominated Artforum-Jazz Section chief Karel Srp, former
politcal prisoner and one of the founders of the Civic Freedom Movement,
while the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) nominated actress and Vinohrady
Theater Director Jirina Jiraskova, who recently won a poll in the daily
Lidove noviny as the most likeable woman of the year.
Ivan Medek, journalist and President Vaclav Havel's former chief of
staff, will run for the four-party coalition (the Christian Democrats,
the Freedom Union, the Civic Democratic Alliance and the Democratic
Union). The Communists (KSCM) nominated Stanislav Fischer, a researcher
at the Astronomy Institute who specializes in quantum physics. The one
independent candidate in the election is travel-agency owner Vaclav
Fischer, who is planning to spend a great deal on his campaign. The IVVM
polling agency said the choice of non-party members reflects the general
atmosphere of disgust with politics. The seat was opened by the death of
Vaclav Benda (ODS, see Carolina 335) . The election of will determine
whether ODS and the Social Democrats maintain their constitutional
majority in the Senate. Zuzana Janeckova/Michael Bluhm
Jiri Pelikan Dies
Jiri Pelikan, an important leftist politician and one of the
leaders of the 1968 Prague Spring, died June 26 in Rome at the age of
76 after a severe illness.
Pelikan and his wife emigrated to Italy in 1968 and in 1970 he was
deprived of his Czechoslovak citizenship. From 1979-1989 he was a deputy
of the European Parliament for the Italian Socialist Party. After
November 1989 he repeatedly visited the Czech Republic and took part in
searching for leftist positions on the new situation. Since 1994 he had
been a correspondent for the leftist Czech daily Pravo and last year he
received a State Merit Medal from President Vaclav Havel. He never
stopped being a leftist, which he understood as reform socialism.
Prime Minister Milos Zeman expressed deep sympathy and said that
Pelikan "did much for the cause of the democratic left in all of
Europe." Jan Martinek/Sofia Karakeva
NEWS IN BRIEF
* A special military train with the first 30 soldiers of the ground
survey platoon of the Czech Army who will join the KFOR peace forces in
Kosovo, left June 28 from the Prostejov train station. It should reach
Skopja on the night of June 4. The transportation of the enlarged
platoon of 124 men and two women, along with their technical equipment,
all to be under the command of the British in Kosovo, should last about
a week and cost 10 million crowns, to be covered by the Czech Army.
* Josef Lux, who resigned last year as chairman of the Christian
Democratic Union-Czechoslovakia Peoples Party (KDU-CSL) because of
leukemia, will undergo a bone-marrow transplant in Seattle. Lux will
undergo an operation within the next six weeks, after radical
anti-tumor treatment. Considering that the donor is not a perfect match
for Lux, the operation is not without risk.
Pavlina Hodkova, Zuzana Janeckova/Sofia Karakeva
FROM SLOVAKIA
Hungarian Parties Oppose Cabinet's Minority-Language Bill
The Slovak Cabinet June 23 approved a bill on the usage of minority
languages that has been prepared since last year. Passing the bill is
the last political precondition set for joining the European Union (EU).
The deputies of the Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) were against the
bill and presented their own draft.
The bill grants ethnic minorities the usage of their mother tongue
in communication with public offices in communities where ethnic
minorities comprise at least 20 per cent of the population. The
Hungarians demand lowering the 20-per-cent minimum to 10 per cent and
also the opportunity to hold official ceremonies in their native tongue.
Possible ethnic conflicts between Slovaks and Hungarians were
underscored by a demonstration against the bill in front of the Office
of the Government June 30 attended by about 1,000 Slovaks and organized
by the ultra-nationalist Slovak National Party (SNS)
Jan Martinek/Jan Martinek
ECONOMY
Currency Market's Expectations Fulfilled, CNB Lowers Repo Rate Again
The Czech National Bank's (CNB) Banking Council June 24 lowered the
14-day repo rate from 6.9 per cent to 6.5 per cent, effective June 25.
Economic analysts were expecting the step after the statement by CNB
Governor Josef Tosovsky June 23 about the crown being overvalued. It is
unclear whether commercial banks will be more willing to provide loans
as a result of the decrease.
CNB spokesman Martin Svehla said he sees a slight revival of the
economy while inflation pressures remain under control, meaning there is
no reason not to reduce rates further. Marek Fer of the Czechoslovak
Trade Bank (CSOB) said, "Considering the caution of commercial banks,
the Central Bank needn't fear excessive currency expansion. By lowering
the rate it at least offered relief to the firms that are functioning
and can get loans." Pavlina Hodkova/Michael Bluhm
KBC Bank Owns Two-Thirds of CSOB
Representatives of the National Property Fund (FNM), the Czech
National Bank (CNB) and Belgium's KBC Bank June 24 signed a contract for
the sale of 66 per cent of the shares of the Czechoslovak Trade Bank
(CSOB), which had been under the control of the state. KBC Bank paid
40.05 billion crowns for the shares. Another 4 per cent was purchased by
the International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank, for about
2.5 billion crowns. IFC representative Harold Rosen said the IFC's role
in managing CSOB would be significant, which is guaranteed by
cooperation with an institution like KBC.
Perhaps the highlight of the press conference after the signing was
when Government spokesman Libor Roucek mistakenly introduced the
president of KBC as president of the KGB. Prime Minister Milos Zeman
corrected the mistake, saying CSOB was being sold not to the KGB, but to
"another internationally renowned institution."
The National Bank of Slovakia, which holds 24.13 per cent of the
shares of CSOB, would like to sell its shares to KBC for the same share
price paid to the Czechs. Pavlina Hodkova/Michael Bluhm
ECONOMY IN BRIEF
* The Government will not post the announcement of the sale of the
state's share in the Commerce Bank by June 30, which the Government's
schedule anticipated. The Finance Ministry said the delay was part of
privatization strategy. Commerce Bank spokeswoman Hana Burdova said,
"The main reason for the delay is to enable unsuccessful interested
parties in the Czech Savings Bank to participate in the tender for the
Commerce Bank."
* According to a report published June 24 in Paris, the Czech
Republic is one of three countries (along with Japan and Great Britain)
for which the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) predicts an increase in unemployment for next year. The
unemployment rate for 1998 was 6.5 per cent, for 1999 it is 7.7 per
cent, and the OECD predicts a rate of 8.5 per cent for next year. Such
a figure would still be below the average of the European Union.
Pavlina Hodkova/Michael Bluhm
Exchange Rates at the Czech National Bank (valid July 1)
------------------------------------------------------------
1 EUR = 36.440
country currency CZK
------------------------------------------
Australia 1 AUD 23.375
Great Britain 1 GBP 55.592
Denmark 1 DKK 4.903
Japan 100 JPY 29.159
Canada 1 CAD 23.942
IMF 1 XDR 47.222
Hungary 100 HUF 14.602
Norway 1 NOK 4.494
New Zealand 1 NZD 18.755
Poland 1 PLN 8.991
Greece 100 GRD 11.225
Slovakia 100 SKK 80.400
Slovenia 100 SIT 18.794
Sweden 1 SEK 4.169
Switzerland 1 CHF 22.737
USA 1 USD 35.310
Exchange Rates of countries participating in the euro
(converted from the euro rate)
country currency CZK
-----------------------------------------
Germany 1 DEM 18.631
Belgium 100 BEF 90.332
Finland 1 FIM 6.129
France 1 FRF 5.555
Ireland 1 IEP 46.269
Italy 1000 ITL 18.820
Luxemburg 100 LUF 90.332
Netherlands 1 NLG 16.536
Portugal 100 PTE 18.176
Austria 1 ATS 2.648
Spain 100 ESP 21.901
CULTURE
Milan Knizak Head of National Gallery
Academy of the Arts professor, multimedia artist and 1960's
avantgarde leader, Milan Knizak was appointed the new National Gallery
general director effective July 1. He won a public search competition
organized by the Culture Ministry to replace National Gallery interim
General Director Dagmar Sevcikova.
The finalists, as voted upon by a special advisory council to
Culture Minister Pavel Dostal, were Knizak, Sevcikova, Tomas Vlcek and
Monika Burianova. After all the candidates were interviewed by the
advisory council, Knizak was selected and appointed by Dostal. Knizak
described his managerial concept in the daily MF DNES: "In principle
I am for personal responsibility, and therefore I will ask that
a specific and visible person be responsible for any decision. I might
consider reorganizing individual departments of the National Gallery.
I will stress the presentation of the modern art collection and the
making up the debt owed to this collection by the past." Another
important task, Knizak said, would be appointing a new director for the
Exposition palace (Veletrzni palac), where the National Gallery's
collection of 19th- and 20th-century art is on display. "I would prefer
somebody who is not connected with the National Gallery in any way and
only loosely connected with our artistic community. I would most prefer
someone from abroad." Tomas Polacek/Milan Smid
SPORTS
Emil Zatopek Is Czech Olympian of the Century
The results of two polls, Olympian of the Century and Medal of the
Century, were announced in Prague's Theater without Balustrades (Divadlo
bez zabradli) June 26. The polls were organized by the Czech Olympic
Committee (COC) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding.
Emil Zatopek won the poll as the Best Olympian with 751 points.
Zatopek, the only track and field athlete to win the 5,000 meters, the
10,000 meters and the marathon in one Olympic Games (in 1952 in
Helsinki; he won another gold in London in 1948), finished ahead of Vera
Caslavska, seven-time gold medal winner in gymnastics in Tokyo in 1964
and Mexico in 1968, and ahead of javelin thrower Jan Zelezny, gold
medalist from Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.
Results of the Olympian of the Century poll: 1. Emil Zatopek (track
and field) 751, 2. Vera Caslavska (gymnastics) 690, 3. Jan Zelezny
(javelin) 467, 4. Ludvik Danek (discus) 399, 5. Martin Doktor (canoeing)
326, 6. Jiri Raska (ski-jumping) 286, 7. Dominik Hasek (ice hockey)
229, 8. Josef Holecek (canoeing) 139, 9. Robert Zmelik (decathlon) 111,
10. Alois Hudec (gymnastics) 107.
In the Medal of the Century poll, the successes of the 50's and
60's finished behind the still fresh gold in ice hockey from the 1998
Nagano Winter Games. Of the 6,807 votes cast, 3,757 votes belonged to
the hockey team, with Emil Zatopek's 1952 marathon gold in second place.
Robin Rohrich/Mirek Langer
Patrik Stefan Is NHL's Top Draft Pick
Two days after the NHL's awards ceremony (see the last issue of
Carolina), the NHL's draft took place in Boston June 26. Czech hockey
celebrated another triumph here: Patrik Stefan was taken with the first
overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers, an expansion. Stefan left Sparta
Praha last year and played for the IHL's Long Beach Ice Dogs. He was the
second Czech player to be taken with the first pick in the NHL's draft
after the Tampa Bay Lightning took defenseman Roman Hamrlik in 1992.
Another Czech was chosen fourth overall: The New York Rangers took
Pavel Brendl, high-scoring forward of the WHL's Calgary Hitmen.
Stepan Etrych/Mirek Langer
Jana Novotna Will Not Repeat Last Year's Wimbledon Title
After the first week, only one Czech - Jana Novotna - remained in
the singles' competitions in Wimbledon. Novotna, Wimbledon's reigning
women's champion, advanced to the quarterfinals, where she lost to the
United States' Lindsay Davenport 3-6, 4-6. Daniel Vacek, the last Czech
man in the singles bracket, went home after the third round, losing to
Slovakia's Karol Kucera. Robin Rohrich/Mirek Langer
Basketball Players a Pleasant Surprise despite Loss
After their wins against Lithuania and Greece and a loss to
Germany, the Czech men's basketball team lost three games in the
second-round group to Croatia (64-86), Italy (68-95) and Turkey
(73-78). They finished last in the group and did not advance to the
quarterfinals nor to the next European Championships.
However, the Czech players made a very good impression in France,
where the championships took place. The team played against five teams
which won medals in the last World and European Championships and
Olympic Games.
Lubos Barton, 19, was the leading scorer of the tournament's first
and second phases, also finishing second in three-point percentage and
third in free-throw percentage. He was chosen to the European all-stars
team, which will participate in an exhibition in Limoges, France.
Robin Rohrich/Mirek Langer
Track and Field National Championships
Czech track and fields athletes met in the 30th Czech Republic
Championships in Ostrava-Vitkovice June 26-27, with the meet marked by
good performances by the jumpers.
Triple-jumper Jiri Kuntos set a personal best of 17.29 meters. In
the men's high jump, the fans were thrilled by the battle between the
Janku brothers. Jan Janku jumped 228 centimeters (the qualification
minimum for the World Championships in Seville), while Tomas Janku
jumped 232 centimeters. Also, Zuzana Kovacikova-Hlavonova, silver
medalist in this year's indoor World Championships, jumped 193
centimeters.
Pavla Hamackova (405 centimeters) defeated former world-record
holder Daniela Bartova (405 centimeters) in the women's pole vault. Good
performances by decathletes Tomas Dvorak and Roman Sebrle are good
augurs for the upcoming men's decathlon and women's septathlon European
Cup Superleague, which will take place in Prague July 2-3.
Tomas Kohout/Mirek Langer
WEATHER
Last week's weather was rainy. We did not sweat, nor could the lazy
wallow on the dried-out, yellowed grass. There were still a few degrees
missing for us to go swimming. Fortuna smiled on vintners and gardeners
with rain every morning. Tomas Polacek/Zuzana Janeckova
English version edited by Michael Bluhm
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Dear Readers,
Carolina will be published fortnightly for the summer months, with
release dates scheduled for July 15, July 29, August 12, August 26,
September 9 and September 23. From October Carolina will again be
published as a weekly. We wish you a pleasant summer holiday.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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. You can
temporarily stop receiving Carolina by sending the command:
SET CAR-ENG NOMAIL
All Listserv commands should be sent to the address:
LISTSERV@cesnet.cz
Please, don't send the commands SUB, SIGNOFF, NOMAIL etc to the address
CAR-CS@listserv.cesnet.cz or CAR-ENG@cesnet.cz!
Past issues of Carolina are available at the address
www.cuni.cz/carolina.
