From: jensen@unlinfo.unl.edu (michael jensen)
Subject: Carolina 39
Organization: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 16:41:26 GMT

From: "Carolina/Eng No 39" <CAROLINA%CSEARN.bitnet@KSUVM.KSU.EDU>
Subject:       Carolina/Eng No 39
Reply-To: "Carolina/Eng No 39" <CAROLINA%CSEARN.bitnet@KSUVM.KSU.EDU>
Status: O

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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 39,  Friday, September 4, 1992.


FROM THE EVENTS OF THE PAST DAYS (From August 19 to September 2)

Slovak Constitution Confirmed

     114  of  134  members  of  parliament  of  Slovak  National Council
presented  voted for  Constitution of  Slovak Republic  on September  1,
1992. This act  was the only item on  the program of the 5th  meeting of
Slovak parliament.
     Analyzing the draft of Constitution, Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar
said: "This is  the first constitution discussed at  the Slovak national
council  without any  external influence  and based  upon attitudes  and
ideas  within   our  society.  It   refuses  fasism,  antisemitism   and
nationalism and guarrantees democracy, freedom and respect to law."
     As  well as  during voting  for Declaration  of Slovak  Sovereignty
(July 17  - Carolina # 37),  each memeber of the  Parliament has to vote
loudly,  which  means  they  declare   publicly  whether  they  are  for
Constitution or  not. Members of  Christian Democrats' Movement  lead by
former premier J. Carnogursky voted against the Constitution. Members of
Hungarian minorities' parties didnot take  part in the whole process and
left the hall.
     The honor signing  of the Constitution by Prime  Minister V. Meciar
and Chairman  of the Slovak  NAtional Council takes  place at Bratislava
Castle on  Thuserday September 3, 1992.  Slovak National Council, Slovak
government and Slovak members ofthe  Federal government will be present.
Prime  minister  of  the  Federal  government  J.  Stransky, Czech Prime
minister  V.  Klaus  and  Chairman  of  Czech  National Council has been
invited, too.

CSFR only until December 31, 1992?

     5th  meeting  of  Civic  Democratic  Party  (ODS)  and Movement for
Democratic  Slovakia (HZDS)  designed  for  Thuserday was  surrounded by
diffenrent tensions  caused by the letter  send to V. Klaus  (ODS) by V.
Meciar  (HZDS) saying  that other  meeting is  "unsuitable". The  reason
seemed to be violation of agreements from Czech side and disagreement on
right person  for position of  director of Federal  Save and Information
Agency (FBIS).
     The meeting finally took place  a the discussions were surprisingly
calm and  clear. Both sides were  speaking about spliting Czechoslovakia
into  two  countries  for  the  first  time.  Czech  republic and Slovak
republic  will be  established in   January 1,  1993. The  separation of
currencies as  well as custom service  has not be discussed.  There will
probably be a temporary custom, currency and defence union.
     Agreement between  two political parties cannot  lead to separation
of both republics. It might be done after the law "about ways of falling
apart the federation" will be confirmed by Federal Assembly.

Alexander Dubcek Badly Hurt At Car Accident

     Bad  injuries of  ribs and  chest and  some inner  injuries are the
result of serious car accident of Mr.  Dubcek's car at the highway 88 km
from Prague.  His BMW left the  road in rainy weather  and fell down the
hill. A.  Dubcek was delivered to  the Prague hospital and  condition of
his health is serious.

Increase of Prices of Fuel, Beer, Liquers and Cigarettes

     There will be new turnover  taxes for fuel, liquers and cigarettes.
The price of  traveling in sleepeng vans of trains,  as well as price of
water will  increase. Slected list of  medicaments will be also  paid by
citizens and since October 92 the fee for phone calls will inrease, too.
     Comments in Czech press: On August 4 federal finantial minister Jan
Klak claimed that "No solution has been made in this field". He repeated
it  on  August  5.  On  August  27  minister  Klak announced increase of
turnover tax.  Is it possible that  the minister didn't know  about such
plan? Anyway,  journalists asked him,  because they "smelt  something in
the air". It was  just in the oven, is the solution  of Jiri Franek from
Lidove noviny in article "Game with the Confidence".

Jiri V. Kotas Candidate for Czechoslovak President

     Jiri V.  Kotas, the leader  of federal board  of conservative party
Free Block, is the only candidate  for federal presidency until now. The
election will take place on September 24.
     In interview concerning the end of federation For Mlada Fronta Dnes
daily he said,  "I don't think the law of  canceling the federation will
get the three  fifth majority in Federal Assembly.  Furthermore, the law
is about 'ways' of canceling the federation, not about canceling itself.
And finally, there is the president who may sign the law or not."

To Whom the Slovaks Believe

     The vast majority  (50,3%) of Slovak citizens trust  V. Meciar, the
Slovak Prime  Minister and Leader  of HZDS. According  to public polling
done at the  end of July and beginning of  September, P. Weiss (Party of
Democratic Leftists)  and A. Dubcek (Social  democrats) follow. V. Klaus
with less than  15% is on the 4th  position and V. Havel with  less than
9% on the 5th position.

Modest Celebrations of the Slovak National Uprising

       On  Saturday,  August  29  (the  date  of  the  outbreak  of  the
antifascist uprising during the Second World War) representatives of the
Slovak National Council and the  Slovak government placed wreaths on the
memorial  to the  Slovak National  Uprising in  Bratislava. This was the
first time the celebrations of the SNP were transferred from the central
Slovak town  of Banska Bystrica, the  epicenter of the uprising,  to the
Slovak  capital. The  press noted  only a  few hundred spectators. Cesky
denik  (August 31)  reported that,  probably for  the last  time in  the
history of  official celebrations, the Czechoslovak  national anthem was
played. At  memorial celebrations in  Banska Bystrica, Alexander  Dubcek
was among those who participated.

September First -- Beginning of a New School Year

       For  students in  primary and  middle schools,  on Tuesday  a new
school year  began. During their  ten-month academic year,  the students
can look forward  to a ten-day break at Christmas  and a one-week Spring
Break. There is  a one-day pause at mid-term,  and Easter vacation lasts
a couple of days.
       The  academic year  at the  universities begins  traditionally in
October.

Forest Fire Halts Traffic on Expressway

       The  greatest forest  fire in  recent years  in Slovakia  brought
traffic on the last August weekend on the freeway between Bratislava and
Brno  to a  screeching halt  (segment D2  Lozorno-Kuty). The fire, which
broke out on Saturday, was finally put out on Tuesday. The firefighters'
work was  hampered by strong  winds, which spread  sparks a distance  of
more than 200 meters. Flames reached heights of 100 meters. There was no
loss of  life, but property damage  will reach many millions  of crowns.
A strip of territory 17 km long and  3 km wide was burned out. The cause
of the fire is unknown.
       There were also fires in the forests of Northern Moravia over the
weekend.

CULTURE

World Record Knedlik-Eater

       155  plum  dumplings  were  devoured  in  one  hour  by Frantisek
Pohorsky from  Tecovice, near Zlin  in Southern Moravia.  This feat took
place during the traditional festivities surrounding the plum distilling
at  Vizovice.  Plum  (svestkove   or  trnkove)  dumplings  belong  among
Moravia's favorite sweets.  The plums are wrapped in  a flour-dough (the
thinner the  covering, the better the  cook), they are boiled  in water,
sprinkled with  sugar or sugar mixed  with poppy seeds, and  basted with
melted butter. (Translator's note: and they're deadly delicious).
       F. Pohorsky gained three and one half kilograms during his record
performance.

THE WEATHER

A Tropical August

       The  highest temperature  of the  year in  the Czech Republic was
measured on August  9 in Bechyne: 37.7 degrees  Celsius; and the highest
in Slovakia at Topolcany on August 29: 38 degrees.
       The average  daily temperature in  the Czech Republic  was around
8 to 10 degrees higher than normal for the end of August.
       At  the Clementinum  in Prague  records of  temperature have been
kept since 1775, and this year's summer brought 6 record temperatures.
       The beginning  of September brought with  it a noticeable cooling
trend, with morning  temperatures around 10 degrees, and  on their first
journey to school,  the pupils (at least in  Prague) were sprinkled with
rain -- perhaps for luck! By way of explanation, it's a folk saying here
that if it rains on a wedding, it is raining good luck for the bride and
groom.

                            * * *

The editors of Carolina would like to remind our readers that, beginning
with this  number, we will  be coming out  again on a  regular schedule,
each Friday.
Translation: Jan Jirak and Hugh Agnew
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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