Czechia

September 28: Happy Statehood Day, Czechia!

On 28th September Czechia commemorates the death of the Patron of the state – St Wenceslas.  On 28 September Czechia celebrates Saint Wenceslas Day, officially known as the Day of Czech Statehood. Statehood Day commemorates the death of an important figure in Czech history – Duke Václav (in Czech). It was on this day back in 935 A.D. (with some sources pointing to 929) when the member of the Přemyslid dynasty Prince Wenceslas was murdered in Staré Boleslav as a result of his brother’s plot. The Patron Saint of Bohemia Wenceslas is the patron saint of the Bohemia region in Czechia. As the popular story goes, he was born in 907 as the son of the Duke of Bohemia. In 922, when Wenceslas was barely 15 years old, he took over the Bohemian throne, following the early death of his father. Himself a believing Christian, he is known for his support for the Christian faith and church and his attempts to unify the region and establish peace with the neighbouring Germanic states. However, his policies made him many enemies, as well. One of them was his own brother Boleslav who plotted to have him murdered during a mass on 28th...

 by Prague Morning Sep 27, 2023

Large Supermarkets Will Be Closed on 28 September

September 28th is a public holiday in the Czech Republic. It is the feast day of St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia, and commemorates his death in 935. Stores with an area exceeding 200 square meters, such as supermarkets and furniture stores, will be closed. The prohibition of operation on this day does not apply to gas stations, pharmacies, and stores located in areas with a high concentration of travelers at airports and train stations. The only large supermarkets in Prague that will be legally open are Billa stores at Václav Havel Airport Prague and at the train station Praha hlavní nádraží. Fines for breaching the law can be levied in an amount up to 1 million crowns. The law closing most large stores on holidays will continue to be in effect on Christmas Eve on Decemeber 24 (in the afternoon), Christmas Day on December 25, and St Stephen’s Day on December 26. What to do on Thursday, September 28 September 28 marks also the Open Day of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, which opens the doors of the Nostitz Palace to visitors and welcomes both adults and children with a host of special programs. The...

 by Richard Golbeck Sep 27, 2023

Official: Germany Will Impose Checks on Borders with the Czech Republic

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser will announce temporary checks on Germany’s borders with Poland and the Czech Republic in an attempt to curb an influx of asylum seekers. Faeser plans to announce “temporary controls at selected border crossings” on Wednesday, according to the official. The checks, the official added, will begin “within the next days.” German leaders have come under increasing pressure to crack down on asylum seekers entering the country, many of whom are now crossing over the borders of Poland and the Czech Republic. Some 204,000 people requested asylum in Germany within the first eight months of 2023, 77 percent more than the same period last year. Fiala: Czechia prepared to protect EU borders but rejects redistribution of refugees Czechia is prepared to help protect the EU’s external borders, but rejects the mandatory redistribution of refugees between EU countries, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said after a half-hour meeting with the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during her visit to Prague on Tuesday. He dubbed mandatory redistribution “inhumane and dysfunctional”, adding that reducing the number of economic refugees by protecting the borders is a better solution than trying to deal with the subsequent problems that arise from mass migration.

 by Gabriella Burgess Sep 26, 2023

Czech Republic Struggles to Finance Arms for Ukraine

The Czech Republic will continue to prioritise supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression by helping it finance its weapons despite its obvious difficulties in consolidating its public finances. Already, for the last increase in contributions in June, the Czech Republic could barely find the funds, leading to scepticism in Czech foreign policy circles about the country’s ability to cope with the massive financing of foreign instruments. In addition to the net financial commitment to the EPF, there is also the problem of the need to consolidate Czech public finances, which is currently the subject of political debate in the lower house of parliament. The government of Petr Fiala (ODS) is currently defending its consolidation package to the public and the opposition while at the same time preparing the state budget for 2024. Neither of these fiscal measures has been well received by the public. In this situation, the government also wants to continue funding military supplies to Ukraine, which is not easy. The solution lies in the promise to reimburse some of these supplies from the EPC in the coming years, but the concrete options are unclear. In addition to the net financial commitment to the EPF, there is also the...

 by Prague Morning Sep 26, 2023

Czech Scientists Use Pollen to Make ‘Celtic’ Beer

A small brewery has worked with Czech scientists to make the country’s first ‘Celtic beer’ in order to recreate the taste of an ancient alcoholic brew. The beer, called TauriALE, was created through the laboratory analysis of pollen taken from an early Celtic burial site in Moravia. Scientists from Charles University in Prague and Palacký University in Olomouc had made excavations at an archaeological site dating back to the early Iron Age, and were able to extract pollen. The Brno Botanical Institute then analysed the pollen and revealed traces of millet and herbs, which were commonly used by Celts to brew beer. Zuzana Golec-Mírová told the publication that prehistoric beer had ingredients for taste and preservations, and there was meadowsweet, sage, mugwort and other ingredients to make the sour bitter taste of beer. She said that the discovery of clover though was “unexpected” as that wasn’t usually in beer, but the scientists believe that it was found in honey, which could have been used to sweeten the beer. Golec-Mírová also said that the ingredients for brewing were placed into graves as burial gifts which was “quite usual” to equip the dead with such products, and to “have something to eat...

 by Veronica Vedernikova Sep 26, 2023

RunCzech Opened Registration for 2024 Season

Lovers of sports and a healthy lifestyle should get their hands on the calendar. RunCzech has opened registrations for next year’s most prestigious running events. The 2024 season will traditionally kick off with the world-famous Prague Half Marathon (April 6) and Prague International Marathon (May 5). “We were very pleased to hear the words of praise from people from the World and European Athletics, professional runners, enthusiasts and fans. They let us know loud and clear that they enjoyed our runs and they look forward to next year,” said Carlo Capalbo, President of the RunCzech Organising Committee, whose races have been awarded with the World Athletics Elite Label Race. Beautiful cities, spectacular and fast routes, professional organisation and an unforgettable atmosphere. These are the reasons why RunCzech races are loved everywhere in the world. This year, tens of thousands of runners of all ages and performance categories have already participated in the races across the Czech Republic. And the Mattoni Liberec Nature Run is yet to take place on September 30th. Indeed, the Prague Half Marathon and the Prague International Marathon were the most popular races. They have also been highly acknowledged by the Czech President Petr Pavel who has...

 by Prague Morning Sep 25, 2023

‘They Are Purchasing Everything’ – Czech Drivers Flood Polish Gas Stations Seeking Lower Fuel Prices

Fuel tourism is booming along the Polish-Czech border, with many Czechs crossing over to Poland to take advantage of significantly lower fuel prices. “It’s sheer madness. The Czechs are buying everything in sight,” says Julia Adamiak, who works at an Orlen station near the Polish-Czech border in Kudowa-Zdroj. Reduced fuel prices in Poland are luring its southern neighbors. Money.pl finance news outlets examined the price differences across the border. According to the report, as prices soar in neighboring countries, they are noticeably decreasing in Poland. At the Orlen station in Kudowa-Zdroj, near the Czech border, a liter of 95-octane gasoline was priced at 6.07 PLN (€1.32) on Wednesday, while a liter of diesel was 6.02 PLN (€1.31). The competition charges more. In the same town, filling up at a Shell station would cost 6.24 PLN (€1.36) for gasoline and 6.19 PLN (€1.34) for diesel. “Only a madman wouldn’t choose to fill up here,” says Jan Bubencik, whom Money.pl reporters met at the Orlen station on the Polish side. He mentions that in the Czech Republic, the price for a liter of gasoline ranges from 38 to 42 Czech crowns (€1.56 to €1.72), depending on the location. Julia Adamiak, who works at the...

 by Richard Sovitzky Sep 21, 2023

The Cost of a Beer in the Czech Republic is Expected to Continue Rising

News that the average price of beer in restaurants and pubs in Prague had hit 64 crowns in July came as little surprise to anyone in the city that enjoys a drink. Beer prices have been ticking up steadily for years now, a trend that accelerated since the cost-of-living crisis kicked in last year. And this is expected to continue as VAT hikes, labour and hop shortages, and elevated inflation conspire to push the price past 70 crowns, compounding the misery of the hard-up Czech beer drinker and threatening to further sour the mood of the people. The Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and Tradesmen of the Czech Republic (AMSP) said on August 31 that, based on data from cash register systems, the average price of a half-litre of 12-degree beer in restaurants and pubs in Prague in July was 64 crowns, up 9 per cent from the year before. Across the whole of Czechia, the average price in July was 54 crowns compared with 50 crowns a year earlier. A decade ago, the average price was 30 crowns. At the heart of the rise is that the cost of producing beer has simply become more expensive – inputs...

 by Richard Golbeck Sep 21, 2023

September 29-October 5: Architecture Day Opens Buildings in Prague and Across Czechia

This fall again, the KRUH association in cooperation with local-based organizations and initiatives is organizing the nationwide festival known as Architecture Day, with many Czech and Moravian cities, towns, and other municipalities of all magnitudes engaging in its numerous events. This year’s 13th edition will run between 29 September and 5 October. Architecture Day is not just about walks, but also bike rides, cruises, screenings, discussions, workshops for families, art installations, and happenings. And the associated festival Film and Architecture. Historical highlights in Prague are the Judith Bridge Tower on the Malá Strana side of Charles Bridge, the Baroque summer residence Portheimka, and Veleslavín Chataeu. Modern examples include the Cubist-style House of the Black Madonna, the former art nouveau Gráf Hotel in I.P. Pavlova, the industrial premises of a former Praga car factory, the functionalist building of the Edison Transformation Station by architect František A. Libra, a boiler room designed by Karel Prager, and a complex of a water tower, among several others. The festival takes place in an average of 85 towns and villages or venues each year, with more than 350 events taking place over the course of a week. Despite the difficult pandemic situation in 2020 and 2021, a historical record...

 by Prague Morning Sep 21, 2023

Czechia to Send Arms to Ukraine with Danish, Dutch Financial Support

The Czech Republic will supply weapons to Ukraine thanks to the financial support of Denmark and the Netherlands, according to a ‘Letter of Intent’ signed by the three countries on the sidelines of a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukraine at the US Ramstein airbase in Germany on Tuesday According to the Czech Defence Ministry, the agreement will be a great opportunity for Czech companies. The first partial project will be the donation of 15 modernised T-72EA tanks. “Specifically, it will involve the delivery of additional tanks, howitzers, small arms, infantry fighting vehicles, air defence capabilities and electronic warfare equipment or ammunition from companies of our defence industry,” said Czech Deputy Defence Minister Daniel Blažkovec. The Contact Group brings together countries that provide Ukraine with the necessary weapons and ammunition. Ukraine will receive the tanks in the near future, and other weapons supplied under the signed agreement will be delivered gradually in 2023 and 2024. “This agreement will be of great benefit to the further development of the Czech defence industry and the security of the Czech Republic as a whole,” Blažkovec added. Czechia already has experience with a similar cooperation model, having delivered 45 upgraded T-72 tanks to...

 by Prague Morning Sep 20, 2023

Foreign Employees Struggle with Czech Bureaucracy, Fintech Frenkee Survey Reveals

Employees at Prague startups hailing from abroad face challenges dealing with the Czech bureaucracy, primarily encountering language and procedural barriers. These findings stem from an internal survey conducted by the fintech platform, Frenkee. In companies such as Productboard, Omio, STRV, Daytrip, and Biano, all of which participated in the survey, foreign colleagues already constitute approximately a quarter of the total workforce. Moreover, all surveyed companies expressed their intent to further increase the number of foreign employees. Jiří Hluchý from Fintech Frenkee comments, “The number of so-called expatriates in the Czech Republic continues to rise each year, yet local authorities appear to overlook this trend. Rather than providing efficient access to state administration or healthcare services, they maintain the same rigid system, which poses challenges even for native speakers, let alone foreigners.” Frenkee aids foreigners residing in the Czech Republic in securing health insurance online and in English. Hluchý remarks, “Starting a new job and life in Prague proves challenging for various reasons, but bureaucratic hurdles undeniably top the list.” This assertion finds support in the survey’s data, with 80% of the participating companies admitting to facing difficulties when helping their foreign employees adapt to the Czech bureaucratic system. Dhenisa Vlčková,...

 by Prague Morning Sep 18, 2023

Czechia Extends Temporary Protection for Ukrainian Refugees Until March 2025

The Ministry of the Interior of the Czechia Republic has announced that temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees will be extended for another year until the end of March 2025. Through an announcement issued on September 13, the Ministry said such a decision was presented in the latest revision of the Temporary Protection Act. “The proposal from the workshop of the Ministry of the Interior provides, among other things, that if, according to assumptions, temporary protection for refugees from the Russian war is extended at the level of the EU Council, this option will also apply in the Czech Republic,” the statement reads. The same authority also suggests the initiation of voluntary supported repatriations to Ukraine. As Interior Minister Vít Rakušan explains, considering the possible extension of temporary protection for those affected by Putin’s war by the European Union Council, the EU must have the legislation in order. According to him, the country intends to offer assistance to those refugees who, despite the ongoing conflict, wish to return to their country, perhaps for family reasons. At the same time, he noted that this assistance would not include the provision of cash support but would consist of the purchase of tickets and, in...

 by Cara McErlean Sep 18, 2023

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