European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 17, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a the stars and stripes thursday May i Tymu americans no longer need a czech visa thursday May 17,1990 by Randy Pruitt staff writer Czechoslovakia has dropped visa requirements for american passport holders a spokesman for the ministry of foreign affairs in Prague said wednesday. The spokesman said officials decided tuesday to eliminate the visa requirement for american passport holders planning to stay 30 Days or less. On monday officials said the requirement would be lifted effective june i. See related Story. Page 9. Officials at the . Embassy in Prague confirmed that they had been notified of the change although they said they had received nothing in writing from the czechoslovak government. Quot but we already had a few people Here yesterday who entered Czechoslovakia with no visa Quot a . Embassy spokeswoman said. Left hanging is the question of How much Czechoslovakia will charge tourists at entry Points. A visa had Cost about $30. The spokesman said a decision should be reached within the next two Days. Until then he advised americans to bring $25 to pay for the paperwork. Also unresolved is whether to continue the daily minimum Exchange requirement. Currently tourists must spend about $20 each Day they stay in the country. The spokesman said it is unknown whether the monetary requirement will be lifted or the amount reduced. Charles Riley the director of european express International travel service in Frankfurt West Germany said Czechoslovakia is a particularly Good bargain for americans. Full meals can be purchased for $ 1 to $2, and Beer costs 30 cents for a half liter. A subway or bus ride costs about 7 cents. A their biggest hang up is keeping the currency Exchange going a Riley said. A they need the Western currency and they need to be sure people coming in from the West Arentt taking advantage of them while they re in the process of shifting to a free Market Economy. The changes involve huge adjustments in the prices of goods wages and services he said. A a it a creating a tremendous inequity that Isnit going to get corrected right away a Riley said currently a dual currency Exchange system applies to tourists Riley said. Visitors must Exchange the equivalent of $20 for each Day they stay in the country at the official Exchange rate of 16 Koruna per Dollar. But after exchanging the required amount any additional dollars Are exchanged at a special a tourist rate of 27 Koruna to the Dollar. People who Book travel arrangements through a tourist Agency and pay in Western currency Are exempted from the minimum Exchange requirement. Riley who has been travelling to Czechoslovakia for the past 25 years cautioned that hotel rooms Mav be scarce in Prague. A room in the capital can Cost so Loo or More. Reservations Are recommended. A cheaper alternative is a room in a private Home. Such rooms can be booked through Cedon the National travel Agency or Prago tur which has an office in downtown Prague. Rooms without breakfast Cost about $30 daily a three Day minimum stay is required. Camping is another option. Many campsites have private bungalows for rent. Travellers who take their cars will need to buy gasoline coupons a recent requirement for All vehicles bearing foreign License plates. Gasoline costs about 90 cents a liter. Diesel runs about 80 cents a liter. Coupons can be purchased through Cedon offices in Large cities in Europe at the Border or in Banks. Lines Al filling stations can be Long. Czechoslovak drinking and driving rules Are strict motorists cannot consume even one Beer if they Are driving. Violators can be fined and have their licenses revoked. Weekend travellers should keep in mind that Many shops close at 1 . Saturday and All Day sunday. News update Swiss apply to if Bern. Switzerland apr Switzerland announced wednesday that it will apply for membership of the International monetary fund and the world Bank. During a visit to this wealthy country in March if managing director Michel Ca Dessus said he would Welcome Swiss membership in the multilateral lending organization As soon As possible. The governments statement said it decided to apply for membership after holding exploratory talks with the group of ten an organization of the top 10 Industrial countries. Switzerland is a member of the  politics Belgrade Yugoslavia apr hard line communist Borislav Jovic of Serbia took Over wednesday As head of Yugoslavia a collective presidency a change that could exacerbate deep political and ethnic tensions. In his inaugural speech Jovic said Yugoslavia a political divisions had brought the country to the Brink of a civil War and its  he also appeared to make conflicting statements about the emerging Western style democracies in Croatia and Slovenia denouncing on the one hand efforts to abandon socialism but also supporting Laws for secession. Jovic look Over As president of the eight member presidency from Janez Drnovsek a  go wins Soldier s medal by Crystal Laureano staff writer a 20-year-old Mannheim private has received the army a highest peacetime award for heroism for his unsuccessful attempt to Rescue a West German Man from a burning car. Pfc. Lee Arbach a military policeman with the 272nd my co was awarded the soldiers medal for risking his life during the october 1989 Rescue Effort. Arbach received the award May 8 from it. Gen. William s. Flynn commander of the 21st theater army area come. Arbaches partner spec. John Hei Necke was Given an army commendation medal for his role in the Rescue. The two were on routine patrol oct. 27 about 1 30 . On autobahn 6 when they spotted a car fire on the opposite Side of the Highway. A at first it just looked like an overturned car a Arbach said a there were some Small  Heinecke managed to turn around and headed for the vehicle. As they got closer they saw that the car had left the Road and hit a tree. Arbach approached and realized that a Man was pinned in it. He called for an ambulance and a fire truck then began trying to free the Man. Heinecke joined Arbach in trying to pull the Man free. While they worked parts of the vehicle exploded and the fires intensity increased. A things kept popping a Arbach said. When the fuel tank exploded Heinecke of Ortonville minn., rushed to move the police Van farther from the fire. Arbach continued to try to Rescue the Man a three or four times until the car was engulfed in flames. Arbach a native of Gillette. Wyo., said the award ceremony has revived the unpleasant memories of that fatal october morning. A i kept trying to get him out. I wanted to get him  said Arbach who has been in the army less than two years. A it would have been Nice if he would have  suicides at a mental clinic being probed by the los Angeles times Long Beach Calif. A High ranking officials from the  department of veterans affairs have ordered an investigation of the veterans affairs medical centers psychiatric unit in Long Beach where four patients committed suicide in 13 months. Another Man took his life after he was allegedly denied care there the department said tuesday. A team of physicians and other experts is being assembled to examine the five deaths two of which occurred in a locked Ward designed to keep even the most unstable patients Safe from harm department spokeswoman Donna St. John said from Washington. Three of the patients hanged themselves one jumped off the Hospital roof and another one shot himself in the Mouth shortly after doctors allegedly granted him an Early release. The number of suicides that occurred at the Long Beach Hospital just South of los Angeles in 13 months equals the total number of suicides recorded by California health officials in All five state run mental hospitals in 1987 and 1988. Hospital records and interviews with nurses suggested that supervision of patients was lax. In one Case staff members failed to take away the shoelaces of a suicidal Man who ultimately used them to hang himself. Records showed the staff lost track of other patients a such As the Man who leaped to his death a who were supposed to be constantly watched. A at this Point we done to have reason to believe there is a problem but with All the attention that has focused on the unit and the concerns the Public might have the decision was made that an Independent team should go out a St. John said. The decision represents a reversal of an earlier statement by the inspector general a office a the investigative  of Congress a that said five deaths were not a cause for concern considering the Long Beach hospitals patient Load. The investigation was ordered by acting Deputy Secretary Anthony Principi the second in command of the department of veterans affairs in Washington which operates 172 hospitals nation wide St John said. Principi conferred with several top administrators this week before calling for an inquiry. Auditors were scheduled to begin As Early As next week to examine the medical records of the five men interview the staff and determine whether proper procedures were followed. She said the team could include psychiatrists from other a hospitals and Independent experts outside of the a system. The hospitals 30-bed locked Ward which houses suicidal Homicidal violent and gravely disabled patients was temporarily shut Down Friday by administrators who cited a shortage of skilled staff the need for retraining and necessary renovations. Dean Stordahl director of the Long Beach Hospital said the suicides were a Factor in the decision to close the Ward until july i. Previously the Hospital had said the two were not related. A any suicide in the Hospital would be of concern to us and we have had them thoroughly investigated a each of them a Stordahl said. A yes we re  tuesdays stories on the financial troubles faced by Florida real estate giant general development corp. Included a list of phone numbers that buyers who live overseas can Call for help. One of the numbers listed was the Home phone of land fraud investigator Mark Binstein who works with the North port out of state lot owners association. The new Jersey based association represents some 7,500 general development property owners who have filed suit against the company. Here a Binstein a office phone. 201 -261-8810. Fund shortage won t affect overseas claims Heidelberg West Germany a amps a claims filed overseas with the military a health insurance program will not be affected by a shortage of funds in the United states. The civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services is running out of Money for the sixth straight year. The Navy stopped making claims payments May 7, and the army and air Force expect their coffers to run dry around mid june. But the number of claims filed in the programs office in Heidelberg West Germany has stayed within the amount of Money budgeted for family members and retirees living overseas according to Barbara Slifer a spokeswoman for the 7th medical come in Heidelberg. A a we re staying within our piece of the pie a she said of the program which covers the army Navy and air Force. The health insurance program is set up to help fund medical care for Active duty family members retirees under age 65 and their family members through civilian hospitals and doctors. The overseas office expects to spend More than $35 million on health care benefits in fiscal 1990, said director it. Col. Frank Berlingis. That s up sharply from 1989, when the program paid out about $28 million. The Overall program is Short Between $640 million and $740 still of for the rest of the fiscal year which ends sept. 30. To Cope with past shortfalls the military has asked for the authority from Congress to shift Money from other military spending accounts to pay the Bill