SURVEY OF THE PRESS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC, 3-6-1993

by Jan Jarab

Daily newspapers surveyed (in alphabetical order): Cesky denik, Lidova demokracie, Lidove noviny, Mlada fronta dnes, Prace, Rude pravo, Svobodne slovo, Telegraf.

CESKY DENIK (right-wing, strongly anti-Communist). Headline news: the Government offers subsidies to consumers who save energy, especially in terms of introducing more advanced technologies of heating. (Heating with low-quality coal in private households remains one of the major sources of pollution in the CR.) Another headline announces the mass resignation of 51 key workers in Dukovany, the only functioning nuclear power plant in the CR; the reason for their action is not clear. It is speculated, however, that it is a gesture of protest against the top management of the monopolized energy producer, CEZ (Czech Energy Production).

In one of its commentaries, CD describes the proposal for limited return of church property (as proposed by Premier Klaus and his party, ODS, to the disagreement of his Christian coalition partners) as a "minimalistic version" which will understandably receive support from the left-wing opposition in parliament.

LIDOVA DEMOKRACIE (Catholic) comments on the situation in the Slovak minority in the CR. The "Community of Slovaks in the CR" is cited as the main source of the recent complaint by the Slovak ambassador, Mr.Mjartan, about "slight discrimination" of Slovaks. This group represents about 500 citizens. LD points out that out of the 9 Slovak groups existing in the CR - some headed by prominent intellectuals - only the "Community of Slovaks" collaborates closely with the Slovak embassy and complains of discrimination. The "Democratic Alliance of Slovaks", on the other hand, declared yesterday that Mjartan's statement was an "intentional provocation".

LIDOVE NOVINY (liberal, formerly dissident underground paper). Editorial by the chairman of the editorial board, the influential philosopher Vaclav Belohradsky - Professor of the University in Genoa, Italy - comments on "historiographic revisionism" of the deported Sudeten Germans, who claim that "both sides (i.e. the Nazis and the Czechs) had committed crimes" - as if these crimes were equal. The Sudetans try to persuade us that only through negotiations with them can the Czechs enter Western Europe, says Belohradsky. "It was, however, the destruction of Czechoslovakia in 1938 which eliminated from the scene a country aspiring to be an stronghold of the Western concept of state. It was Germany which considered both its wars in this century as wars against the superficial and non-authentic culture of the West, reminds Belohradsky.

MLADA FRONTA DNES (popular, without political affiliation) publishes a critical editorial "We can fall lower still in our relationship with the EC". After the 1992 elections the new Czech government of Premier Klaus started ridiculing the existence of the "Visegrad group" (Czecho-Slovakia, Hungary, Poland) and proclaiming self-assuredly that we are politically and economically much more advanced than our partners in this group, who would only slow us down as we approach Western Europe. Today the Government should start begging for forgiveness, says MFD. Not only has the CR (after the breakup of the Federation) been overtaken - in terms of ratification of association treaties with the EC - by Hungary and Poland, but also Bulgaria and Romania could get the ratification treaties earlier! Our Government should realize that to be admitted to the EC the candidate country must meet 6 fundamental requirements. One of them is the stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, legality and human rights - in this co

ntext MFD quotes the ironic statements of Czech deputies of the ruling coalition that the Constitutional Court will start functioning when they "decide they might need it." Moreover, the candidate country must identify itself with the goals of the European Union; here also loud and triumphant proclamations of Premier Klaus about the "crisis of European visions" will hardly help.

RUDE PRAVO (left-wing, ex-Communist) headline news informs about the decision of the Prague Magistrate which recently distributed 20 apartments to prominent politicians - including P.Cermak, the current Vice-Chairman of the ruling party, ODS - "in the interest of the city".

TELEGRAF (conservative, close to Premier Klaus). Headline news: the letter of Klaus to Slovak Premier Meciar, urging him to start talks about the establishment of a regular border between the two countries. (The issue is in close connection with the issue of the new asylum law in Germany.)

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SURVEY OF SLOVAK PRESS - by CTK news agency

BRATISLAVA, June 3 (ÇTK) - Health Minister Viliam Sobońa

says in an interview with the independent daily +Národná obroda+

that his dismissal is expected by people who are afraid of

changes in this sphere. "If I entered this position today, I

would make system moves even faster," he said. He pointed to a

certain over-employment in health facilities due to which some

people are afraid of losing their jobs. Sobońa gave as an

example a teaching hospital with 63 beds and a staff of 30 in

Bratislava. He believes that many problems in health care can be

resolved by a rapid and comprehensive privatisation.

Minister of Agriculture Peter Baco sees a possible

improvement in the economic situation of the farmers in

increasing the purchasing prices from basic producers, but he

warns against fast measures in the price sphere. In an interview

with +Národná obroda+ he says that the estimates assuming that

96 per cent of the food companies are on the brink of bankruptcy

are not based on correct data. "This percentage will decrease

when we take into account 2.8 billion crowns (90 million USD) of

tax reliefs on wages and bonuses," said Baco.

The daily +Smena+, close to the ruling Movement for a

Democratic Slovakia, HZDS, carries a comment on agriculture. It

writes that it is correct when the government concept of the

agricultural policy reckons on Slovakia's 90-per-cent

sufficiency in food. "But will not this concept be just one of

many concepts?" asks its writer. She reminds that according to

Finance Minister Július Tóth the farmers can be sure that "there

will be no increased flow of money to agriculture".

The trade union daily +Práca+ writes that Czech soldiers are deliberately preparing for association with the NATO military

system although the Czech army is as short of money as the

Slovak army. "But can we wait until the money is found?" asks

the writer. He adds that Slovak soldiers should take a lesson

from Czechs who are building systems similar to those of NATO

and their organisation measures are also directed at the

admission to NATO.

An indication of unification of the Slovak splintered and

almost dysfunctional right is a positive signal, writes a

comment of the tabloid +Nový ças+. The comment deals with the

merger of two extra-parliamentary parties, Democratic Party (DS)

and Party of Conservative Democrats (SKD) into the Conservative

Democratic Party (KDS). "Slovakia is not yet mature for

right-wing conservative politics. To blame for it is the

Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the Slovak National

Party (SNS)," says +Nový ças+. It writes that according to the

unconvincing and delayed start-up of Kńaćko's liberal grouping

Slovakia is not yet mature for liberal politics, either.

The proposal by "Matica slovenská" to introduce bilingual

signposts denoting municipalities and cities is called a perfect

nonsense by the Hungarian daily +ůj szó+. " Transcription of the

Slovak name according to Hungarian orthography contradicts logic

and breaches the rules of both languages," says the daily. It

assumes that an intelligent society could not accept this sort

of proposal.

pv/dr/ms