SURVEY OF SLOVAK PRESS by CTK

BRATISLAVA, July 29 (ÇTK) - The independent +Národná obroda+

today likens the row between the chairman of the Movement for a

Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), Vladimír Meçiar, and the chairman of

the Slovak National Party (SNS), Łudovít Çernák, to the

"ruthless rivalry between gangs in the Chicago gang war." The

"battle" is for the favour and support of the industrial

financial lobby which, the daily believes, could even seek a

change of premier -- even though this is outwardly a matter for

politicians.

The situation is characterised principally by "tough

gunslinging" in a struggle for influence over the economy and

privatisation between the HZDS and SNS, +Národná obroda+ writes.

The tabloid +Nový ças+ comments today that the Slovak

public is already used to political scandal, great or small, and

usually involving Meçiar. The announcements about assassination

attempts and putsches seem to be no more than instruments in the

struggle between political factions.

The daily considers such practises have led to a new

phenomenon in Slovak society, disgust. This is connected closely

with the worsening social circumstances of citizens, who

consequently "start looking for work with businessmen who

are either successful former communists, blackmarketeers or

people who fought the previous regime by stealing state

property..." the paper concludes.

+Slovenský denník+, close to the opposition Christian

Democratic Movement (KDH), comments that the HZDS-SNS

"discussion circle" concerning the creation of a coalition

achieved "all sorts of things, except a coalition." The SNS

displayed a desire to "make a packet" out of privatisation, it

writes, while Meçiar confirmed expectations by reaching

agreement only with himself. Meanwhile the people were hoping a

coalition agreement would lead to an improvement in the

political and economic situation. By making his statements about

a putsch and Çernák's financial demands, Premier Meçiar set the

Devil's wheel rolling and no one so far knows how to stop it,

+Slovenský denník+ writes.

The Slovak News Agency daily +Republika+ refers to the SNS

as an "unknown quantity" which in recent days has stirred up the

political waters in Slovakia. But it is trying to sit on two

chairs at once, "which is not possible".

The paper adds that even the KDH chairman Ján Çarnogurský

still regards the SNS as "its" opposition partner, albeit a less

than reliable one, "because in parliament every hand against the

HZDS is good."

The trade union daily +Práca+ writes on the recent signature

campaign against the television programme "Evenings with Milan

Markoviç conducted among others by a prominent doctor from

Ćilina, northern Slovakia. The doctor apparently insisted

Slovakia was not yet ready for political cabaret. Recalling the

Hungarian TV programme "Gherkin", which made fun of Soviet and

Hungarian comrades to the envy of the Slovaks, the paper asks:

"We were not mature in those days. Are we still not mature

today?"

SURVEY OF CZECH PRESS by CTK

PRAGUE, July 29 (ÇTK) - Pavel ˘afr writes in today's

right-oriented +Çeský deník+ that the formation of a part of the

shadow cabinet, announced by the Realistic Bloc, is certainly no

reason for ministers and deputies of the government coalition to

return from vacation to the capital. "Bad weather would be a

more important reason," he says. Milo Zeman's consistent work

may bear fruit some day, but this has not yet happened, says

˘afr.

"The current so-called ministers of the shadow cabinet would

do better in a TV variety show than in the chairs from which the

state offices are run," continues ˘afr. "Milan Matęjka and Milan

Zelený, who run the economic ministries, are decidedly no heavy

weights of the anti-Klaus and anti-reform front," claims ˘afr.

Petr Miller, who heads the shadow ministry of labour and social

affairs, is the only one with ministerial experience. "But if in

the critical November (1989 toppling of the Communist regime,

ed.) days someone else had come to the Wenceslas Square as head

of the workers, he or she might have become a minister of the

then government, as well," states ˘afr. He concludes that the

shadow cabinet "presents a sad picture of the poverty of our

left" for Milo Zeman.

In the independent daily +Mladá fronta Dnes+ Defence

Minister Antonín Baudy admits that the Czechoslovak

anti-chemical unit measured trace amounts of the

nerve-paralysing gas sarin during the Persian Gulf War.

"Unfortunately, we found convincing evidence only this week,"

says Baudy , thus explaining why the ministry has denied written

records on the measuring of sarin. Baudy stresses that the

amount of poisonous combat substances identified by the unit is

not harmful to health. "Some soldiers may have health problems

from years before the war," he notes.

In the independent daily +Lidové noviny+, Colonel ˘mehlík,

chairman of the chemical service of the Czechoslovak unit in the

Gulf War, also admits having measured the sarin gas during the

operation Desert Storm. But he claims that no evidence of

contact with combat poisonous substance was found to have

affected any soldier. "Not substances such as sarin, but some

journalists are our opponents," says ˘mehlík. He accuses some

veterans and Defence Ministry officials of a confrontational

campaign during which many half-truths have been told, "as if

someone had wanted to create the impression that the army

command is a gang of idiots," states ˘vehlík.

"No border is totally impenetrable", reads a headline in the

economic daily +Hospodá ské noviny+. According to the Deputy

Minister of the Interior, Martin Fendrych, the Czech-Slovak

border should be comparable to those with all other states by

the end of 1993. Fendrych explains that 900 members of the Czech

border police are to serve on the border, while 120 have entered

the service so far. First of all, policemen must be posted at

the existing border crossings. The recruitment is under way and

the alternative of reinforcing the police with conscript

soldiers is not being contemplated at present, adds Fendrych.

The agreement's clause on the abolition of visa

requirements, as approved by the two (Czech and Slovak -ed.)

governments, does not mean that the customs crossing points

would automatically become border crossings. For this, a

bilateral agreement on establishing border crossings must be

signed, states Fendrych.