From: Vaclav Trojan <TROJAN%CSEARN.bitnet@KSUVM.KSU.EDU>
Subject: Carolina/English 43
Reply-To: "CAROLINA - E-mail news weekly" <CAR-ENG%CSEARN.bitnet@KSUVM.KSU.EDU>
Organization: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 16:31:40 GMT

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         STUDENT'S E-MAIL NEWS FROM CZECHOSLOVAKIA

         School of Social Science of Charles University
         Smetanovo nabr. 6
  110 01 Prague 1
         C.S.F.R.
 e-mail address: CAROLINA@CSEARN.BITNET

            *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

       C A R O L I N A  No 43,  Friday, October 2, 1992.


THE EVENTS OF THE LAST WEEK (September 9 - 16)

     About the Dissolution of the Federation

     Since  Tuesday,   September  29  the  Federal   Assembly  has  been
discussing the  governmental proposal of the  constitutional law of ways
of dissolving the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic .
     According to  the draft of the  law proposed by the  Federal Deputy
Prime  Minister M.  _i_ (Movement  for Democratic  Slovakia - HZDS), the
federation may  be dissolved by  a declaration of  the Federal Assembly,
agreement  between the  Czech and  Slovak national  councils, and by the
results of  a referendum realized  according to constitutional  laws and
because of  will of one of  the national councils. Mr.  _i_ stressed the
fact that any of these possibilities would be a legal and democratic way
of dissolving the federation.
     The  discussion took  place on  Tuesday, and  according to  general
expectation the main concern was focused upon the problem of referendum.
     This  law  draft  was  strongly  supported  by  deputies  of  Civic
Democratic Party  (ODS) and HZDS,  as well as  by Slovak National  Party
(SNS). Opposition remained committed to the possibility of referendum as
of the only way of dissolving the federation or - at least - as a way of
confirming other ways of dissolution.
     The acceptance of the law by  the Federal Assembly will most likely
be  complicated  since  it  requires   three  fifths  majority  and  the
governmental coalition  cannot provide it  without further support.  The
final  decision  should  take  place  on  Thursday  and will probably be
broadcasted live on the federal TV F1.

     The separation is accepted but ...
     According  to the  last public  opinion research  poll done  by the
Institute  for Public  Opinion Research  September 8-14  the majority of
citizens expect a separation of the  republics, but would not have voted
for it in a referendum. More than  80% of the citizens of both republics
understand  the separation  of the  republics would  be an  irreversible
process. 46% of  the citizens of the Czech Republic  and 41% of those in
the Slovak  republic agree with  dissolving the CSFR.  45% in the  Czech
republic and 46%  in the Slovak republic are against  it. Only 5% in the
Czech  republic  and  6%  in  the  Slovak  republic  do  not  believe in
separation.
     Those respondents  in the Czech republic  who agree with separation
think that the main reason  is Slovakia's desire for independence. Those
who do not agree with separation think that the federation will dissolve
as the  result of an agreement  beteween ODS and HZDS.  Those who do not
agree with separation in Slovakia  shared this belief. Those citizens of
Slovakia who  approve of the separation  think that the main  reason for
dissolution is becaue the federation is not working and is unequal.
     As the only acceptable way  of dissolving the federation is through
a referendum it is the most frequently mentioned possibility (45% in the
Czech republic, 44%  in the Slovak republic). According  to Mlada Fronta
Dnes  daily 80%  of the  Czech republic  and 82%  of the Slovak republic
would participate in  the referendum if it took  place today. In Bohemia
44% would vote  against separation, 36% for separation,  in Slovakia 43%
against, 37% for separation.

     The  Candidate for  Presidency Has  not Been  Elected in  the Fifth
Round

     The nomination for  presidency of CSFR took place  on September 24.
The only candidate,  Mr. Ji_i V_ela_ Kotas, the  head of federal council
of Conservative Party - Free Block,  received only 16 votes in the first
round (of 5th round) in the Czech  faction of the House of People and 14
votes from the Slovak faction of  the House of Nations. The second round
did not take place because the candidacy was cancelled.


     Censorship or Protection of Politicians?
     Authorization or Censorship

     These  are some  of headlines  of articles  about the  governmental
press law draft in the Czech press.
     Members  of the  Parliament refused  on Thursday  September 24  the
proposal of Jana Petrova (ODS) to mute the draft of the press law on the
list of contemporary meeting of both Houses.
     Martin Muchka, the Head of Czech republic committee of the National
Mass Media Trade Union, sent an open letter expressing disagreement with
the press law to Federal Deputy Prime Minister A. Baudy_."I cannot under
any circumstance accept the  transformation of common authorization into
censorship," wrote Mr. Muchka.
     The Syndicate  of Journalists protested  against this draft  of law
and since  the law cutdown  the freedom of  expression in some  articles
a number  of  members  of  parliament  protested  against  it, including
representatives of governmental coalition.  Main criticism centered upon
the duty  of the journalist to  submit an overview for  authorization in
case  he/she  is  asked  to  do  it  by  interviewee.  P. Dostal (Social
Democratic Party) said that it is a way how to silence journalists. Some
other deputies (HZDS and Christian Democratic Movement et al.) interpret
the law as a way how to protect the interviewee.


     M. lantovsk_ in Washington, D.C.

     Michael  Zantovsky,  former  spokesman  for  former  CSFR president
Vaclav  Havel, arrived  on Tuesday   in Washington,  D.C. to  assume his
position as the new CSFR ambassador to the US.
     "My  main task  is to  explain the  process of  separation for both
republics," said  M. lantovsk_. He  also wants to  develop good rapports
with the US for both republics.
    The new  ambassador, who is approved  of by a majority  of deputies,
has  another  important  task  -   to  prepare  the  separation  of  the
Czechoslovak embassy in the USA.

     August 29 - Slovak National Holiday

     According to  the decision made by  Slovak national council, August
29 will be  a National holiday. During the 2nd  World War, on August 29,
1944, the Slovak National Uprising started.
     The proposal was announced by a group of deputies from The Party of
Slovak  Left  and  was  supported  by  deputies  from HZDS and Hungarian
Christian Democratic Movement.

     Increase of Prices of Posts

     As we informed you in last  issue of Carolina postal services, both
domestic  and international,  will be  more expensive.  The increase  is
about 180% for domestic postal  service, and about 40% for international
postal service.

     WEATHER REPORT

     During  the  night  September  26-27  (from  Saturday to Sunday) we
switched from summer time to Central  European Time, but the weather was
still sunny and warm - almost summertime!
     In the middle of the week  the weather had changed. The temperature
in the morning was below 10 Celsuis, during the day below 20 Celsius.
     It  was quite  rainy in  Southern Bohemia,  but generally there was
a longlasting lack of rain in our region.
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