Five men brutally attacked a foreigner in the center of Prague, believing he was Ukrainian.
The assault resulted in the victim losing sight in one eye.
The Prague Police’s Extremism and Terrorism Department is currently investigating a case of physical harm based on the victim’s nationality.
According to the victim’s statement, the attackers mistook the man for a Ukrainian and assaulted him on Jungmann Square in Prague 1.
The severity of the assault has caused permanent damage, resulting in the victim losing vision in one eye.
As part of their investigation, law enforcement authorities have obtained CCTV footage capturing five individuals who need to be interviewed in order to clarify the details of the case.
The men were seen driving around Prague’s city center and later left the scene of the crime in a taxi, heading to 5 May Street.
If anyone recognizes these individuals in the footage, please contact 158.
The case is being investigated for charges of rioting, which carry a maximum prison sentence of eight years upon conviction.
Who else could open a unique ice cream showroom and museum in Prague than Honza Hochsteiger, an enthusiastic expert on the entire history of ice cream production?
After four long years of hard work, the owner of the Crème de la Crème ice cream parlour is opening an exceptional place where visitors can see dozens of beautiful objects from the history of ice cream, a working replica of the original ice cream bar, and two historic ice cream laboratories.
The space offers more than 200 exhibits. The most valuable treasures of the museum are the Czech Frigera ice cream makers, which are not exhibited in any other museum in the world.
On the other hand, the oldest are the Baroque ice cream recipe books – Francois Massialotte’s book dates from 1693, in its original and pristine condition.
“The museum must be fun, but above all, it must be educational, which is why we have set up a section dedicated to refrigeration technology and a working model of an ice cream machine in a section. Part of the exhibition is interactive – visitors can run several ice cream machines themselves to see how the machines that wrote the history of the ice cream industry work,” said Honza.
Film lovers will also be in for a treat, with several documentaries about ice cream and even a documentary from the Crème de la Crème workshop still showing on the screen.
“I’m a collector and a museum-goer in body and soul. I was born that way. I also worked at the National Technical Museum for several years. Then when I started working on my business, I automatically went after its history. Gradually I discovered wonderful old ice cream machines, amazing stories, and started trying out historical recipes for making it,” he adds.
Summer is not an easy time in Prague in terms of climate. There are a lot of open-roofed swimming pools, although not everyone likes water there: a lot of people would rather prefer natural water.
Here, we have gathered the best beaches in Prague just for you!
Zlute Lazne
A large beach near the city center with a lot of entertainment included. Located on the Vltava River’s right bank, it offers several restaurants, children-friendly spaces, a dance floor, and boat rental. For those who prefer active sports, tennis, ping pong, and volleyball can be found there. Parking and bathrooms are also on the spot.
- Address: Podolské nábřeží 3/1184, Praha 4-Podoli
- Working hours: daily from 09:00 till 22:00;
- Cost: 100 CZK for adults/day
- Website
Koupaliště Lhotka
In July 2018, after seven years of being inactive, the reservoir “Lhotka” in Prague reopened. It underwent extensive reconstruction and now serves as a biotope. The water in the basin remains clean thanks to natural biological processes, without the use of chlorine and other chemicals.
The facility has been equipped with new changing rooms, a pier, benches, snack stalls, a beach volleyball court, and other sports and recreational activities. The depth of the reservoir at its lowest point is 3 meters. On its website, you can check the current visitor count via a webcam.
Working hours vary during the summer. In June, Lhotka reservoir will be open from 10:00 – 18:00 from Monday till Thursday and 9:00 – 19:00 during the weekend with Friday included. During the rest of the summer, working hours are stable: 9:00 – 20:00.
- Address: Nad Koupadly, 142 00 Praha 4
- Cost: 150 CZK for adults, with discounts after 15:00 applied.
- Website
Biotop Radotín
Eight years ago, on the left bank of the Berounka River, an artificial reservoir for swimming was opened. This was the first biotope in Prague. Here, you can swim in clean natural water instead of chlorinated water, which is typical of regular pools. There is also a separate water playground for children.
Within the premises of the reservoir, there are facilities such as changing rooms, outdoor shower cabins, a sauna, an indoor pool, restroom facilities, a cafeteria, and a parking area.
- Address: K Lázním 153 00, Praha 5 — Radotín
- Working hours: daily from 09:00 till 20:00
- Cost: 150 CZK for the whole day or 40 CZK per one hour
Hostivařská přehrada
Located at the border of Prague 10 and Prague 15, within a picturesque forest park, is the largest urban reservoir spanning an impressive 43.8 hectares. It boasts a delightful sandy beach, where visitors can rent sun loungers and enjoy soaking up the sun’s rays.
A wooden pier has been specifically constructed for those who prefer sunbathing by the water. On weekends, the reservoir attracts a considerable number of people. While the majority of the reservoir’s floor consists of sandy areas, occasional muddy spots can also be found.
A wide range of entertainment options is available, including a thrilling water slide, boat rentals, table tennis, Russian lapt (a traditional ball game), beach volleyball courts, football tennis (nohejbal), streetball, and a versatile tennis court.
The area is thoughtfully equipped with a children’s playground, several quick-service food stalls, a beach bar, a restaurant, restrooms, showers, changing rooms, and ample parking facilities. Additionally, a designated section of the beach caters to nudist visitors.
- Address: K Jezeru, Praha 10 – Hostivař
- Working hours: daily from 9:00 to 20:00
- Cost: 150 CZK for adults, with discounts after 15:00 applied. The price will be 50 CZK after 18:00
- Website
Koupaliště Motol
Dubbed as the “village in the heart of the city” by Prague residents, this place exudes a charming atmosphere. The reservoir is enveloped by lush trees and shrubs, creating a verdant and inviting environment. With its shallow depth of up to 3 meters and pristine sandy bottom, the water in “Motol” has earned the distinction of being the cleanest reservoir in Prague, a title it has held for several consecutive years.
The sand, meticulously chosen for its fine texture, adds to the sensory pleasure of walking barefoot along the shore. The beach itself is covered in grass and offers a gradual entry into the water.
Visitors to the area have access to various amenities, including sports equipment and sun umbrellas available for rent. Additionally, there is a designated nudist beach, a volleyball court, table tennis, private changing cabins, quick-service food stalls, and shower facilities. The presence of lifeguards ensures safety on the premises.
- Address: Zahradníčkova ulice, Praha 5
- Working hours: daily from 9:30 till 20:00
- Cost: 100 CZK for an all-day pass for adults
- The Czech cabinet yesterday approved a preliminary draft of the state budget, expected to run a deficit of CZK 235 billion, with revenues expected to be CZK 1.899 billion and expenditures CZK 2.134 billion, Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) told reporters.
- Seven activists from the Czech Republic, Poland and Germany occupied an excavator in the Bilina coal mine in the early hours of this morning, and the operation of the mine was stopped for safety reasons, Severoceske doly mining company spokesman Lukas Kopecky told CTK.
- Czechia has fallen in the World Economic Forum’s global gender equality index, the Czech News Agency reported on Thursday. The country is currently ranked 101st out of 146 countries, 25 places lower than it was last year. Its sudden slump is mainly down to its low score in the area of equal representation of men and women in politics.
- The multinational online retailer Amazon opened a new distribution centre in the small town of Kojetín in the Olomouc Region on Monday. The 50,000 square-metre centre should employ up to 2,000 people, the company said.
- Czechia is not in a conventional war with Russia, but it is engaged in an information war, Czech President Petr Pavel said in his opening speech at the Media and Ukraine conference in Prague on Thursday.
The 11th annual gathering of VESPA owners and fans is the largest and now legendary festival of the Italian scooters in the Czech Republic.
It will take place from 23 to 25 June in Prague in the HG Sport Sportcentru Troja, right by the Vltava River.
The ride, organised by the Vespa Club Prague, started in Prague’s Holešovice district and continued across the Letná plain to the district of Žižkov.
Some participants have brand new Vespas, while others are looking after their scooters for years carefully. Several fans drive even historical Vespa scooters from the 1950s.
The scooter’s name means “wasp” in Italian as its engine sounds like a wasp’s buzzing. Others point to the scooter’s shape that resembles this black-yellow insect.
Keep watching this event on Facebook PragoVespa 2023, Instagram vespaclubpraha or on this website, there will be more information to come.
Programme
Friday, June 23, 2023
3p.m. Open reception, registration of participants
6 p.m. Nightvesping I – evening group ride – registration at reception
7p.m.-? Musical programme
DJs – Brothers in basic
Dillon Werry Band in concert
Free entertainment
10 p.m. Nightvesping Il – night group ride – registration at reception
Saturday, June 24, 2023
8-10am. Breakfast, open reception, registration of participants (only for accommodated or walk-ins)
9.30 a.m. Lining up for grand parade ride
10.15a.m. “Ready to go”
10.30 a.m. Start of grand parade ride
12.30 p.m. Return from grand parade ride, open reception, registration of participants
3pm. Slow Sprint (charitable competition for Kapka nadéje foundation) and other competitions
6 p.m. President’s speech and raffle
7.30 p.m.-? Musical programme
DJs
Dasa Zazviirkova in concert
Rozjety veverky in concert
Free entertainment
Sunday, June 25, 2023
8-10am. Breakfast, farewells, individual departure
10.30 a.m. Joint departure for VESPA exhibit in Arkady Pankrac shopping centre for those interested – the organisers of the exhibit have prepared a surprise for participants
The Czech government agreed to give the green light to ratify the Istanbul Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence on Wednesday, sending the document to the Chamber of Deputies for a decision.
The Czech Republic is among a minority of six EU countries, including Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania, that have not yet ratified the document. The Czech Republic is the only country from the group where the debate on the convention is moving towards adoption.
“We have approved the ratification of the Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Violence at the governing cabinet meeting. Any step that helps prevent sexualised violence and violence against women is a good step,” Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (STAN) tweeted after Wednesday’s government meeting.
“The Convention should also contribute to the more sensitive treatment of victims. I hope that it will soon pass the Chamber of Deputies,” Rakušan added.
The Czech Republic signed the Istanbul convention in 2016, but parliament was never allowed to vote on it until now.
Whether the document will pass parliament remains uncertain as the current Czech five-party coalition government remains divided, while centrist parties – STAN, Czech Pirates (Greens/EFA affiliated) and TOP 09 (EPP affiliated) – favour it and the parties ODS (ECR affiliated) and KDU-ČSL (EPP affiliated) are primarily against it.
To make predictions even harder, the MPs have diverse views, even within individual political parties.
The Istanbul Convention
The Istanbul Convention was adopted in 2011 and signed in 2016 under the previous Czech government of Andrej Babis (ANO). It provoked strong emotions in the Czech Republic, rejected by conservatives and seven Christian churches.
Its proponents say it will help improve aid to victims and send a message that violence is unacceptable. Previous governments postponed its ratification due to controversy over the wording of the document. Some current ministers have called for the ratification to be postponed again.
In its policy statement, the present coalition government declared that the convention will secure better protection of victims of sexual and domestic violence.
The Convention condemns domestic violence, sexual harassment, rape, forced marriage, so-called honour crimes and genital mutilation. It points out that women are much more likely to be victims of domestic and sexual violence than men, as well as victims of mass rape in armed conflicts.
The document sees violence against women as a violation of human rights and discrimination. In the Convention, states commit to enacting measures against violence, securing prevention, and allocating money for services, among other things. Training for health workers, police officers and judges is also included.
According to data from the national domestic violence prevention plan, the Czech Republic loses at least 14.5 billion crowns each year due to attacks in households, as a result of absence from work and healthcare treatment.
About 600 cases of rape are reported to the police per year, and surveys indicate that this is about 5% of all cases.
Today, June 21, Prague Transport Company has dispatched a tram with a unique design in Ukrainian national colors.
On its side are QR codes that allow people to send money to help Ukraine. The funds are collected by the United24 platform, a centralized place to collect donations for the war-torn country.
It will run around Prague for at least 6 months.
The campaign is currently running in other European cities such as Vienna, The Hague, and Riga.
The aim of the fundraising platform is to become a centralized point for collecting donations in support of Ukraine. The money is then transferred to the accounts of the National Bank of Ukraine and relevant ministries.
Thanks to the contributions, the United24 platform has managed to raise $359,909,505 as of 21 June (about CZK 8 billion).
The money is going towards the reconstruction of the country, humanitarian aid, demining, or defense against Russian genocide.
According to Zdeněk Hřib, Deputy Mayor for Transport, this is not the first or last step Prague is taking to help.
Immediately after the conflict began, Prague sent aid through People in Need. Subsequently, it tried to provide support and comfort to Ukrainian refugees in the capital. However, to enable the refugees’ return, they need to improve the infrastructure on their territory.
“We have supported cities that have been bombed in Ukraine. We sent 20 trams and 4 buses. Mass transport is part of the basic infrastructure of cities. Without public transport, cities do not work. This tram, in turn, leads to waves of refugees,” added Hřib.
Moreover, the city has received CZK 333 million from the organization for Ukrainian children and parents.
- Number of Czechs who support the right of homosexuals to adopt children and enter into a registered partnership or marriage has increased over the past four years, suggests a poll by the CVVM. 83% of respondents are in favour of a registered partnership between homosexuals, while 58% said gay people should have equal rights to marry.
- The Czech government on Wednesday agreed to continue the process of ratifying the Istanbul Convention on combatting violence against women. The cabinet has sent the document to a vote in the lower house of Czech Parliament.
- The statues of three apostles that were damaged by vandals last July have returned to Prague’s Astronomical Clock after undergoing a renovation that cost CZK 35,000. Last year a vandal broke the glass door separating the room with the apostles from the chapel and damaged the statues of St. Philip, St. Thomas and Jude the Apostle.
- The multinational online retailer Amazon opened a new distribution centre in the small town of Kojetín in the Olomouc Region on Monday. The 50,000 square-metre centre should employ up to 2,000 people, the company said.
- Slovak President Zuzana Caputova told journalists yesterday that she does not intend to seek re-election in 2024, adding that she would not have enough strength to carry out another five-year presidential mandate
The idea of a lower VAT rate on products made from recycled materials, which could be applied at the EU level, will be presented by Czech Environment Minister Petr Hladík at the meeting of EU environment ministers on Tuesday.
Currently, EU law does not allow member states to reduce VAT on products made from recycled materials. However, the Czech Republic wants to introduce a reduced 12% VAT on these products as a part of a tax package aiming to consolidate public finances.
The lower rate must be allowed at the EU level for such a move.
According to the minister, the reduced VAT should be applied to all plastic products made from recycled materials, including toys, hygiene tools, daily necessities, snow rakes, flower pots, and even building materials.
“These are also materials that today end up either in landfills or incinerators that we can recycle for use in the municipal sector, such as benches or urban furniture,” Hladík told Czech media on Monday.
The minister said possibly including products made from secondary raw materials at a lower rate would encourage the development of a circular economy.
At the same time, it would increase the motivation of end customers to use recycled materials, thus expanding the production of secondary raw materials.
Formally, VAT rates fall under the competence of finance ministers, but Hladík said it was logical for environment ministers to agree on the proposal.
“We would like the Spanish Presidency to deal with it intensively,” he said.
Food stalls, bistros, cafés and restaurants are all still short of staff. According to the Association of Small Businesses, there are up to 20 percent fewer restaurant staff than four years ago.
Currently, the chance to find a job or a temporary job in the industry is not difficult.
The interest in hospitality jobs has waned since before the coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic changed the image of the industry. The connection that restaurant jobs can bring has been seriously underestimated in the wake of the pandemic. For young people, starting their working lives, hospitality is the perfect opportunity to gain experience with customer service and teamwork.
Luboš Kastner from the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and Entrepreneurs says all hospitality jobs are understaffed at the moment but most of the pain comes in the kitchen with chefs and kitchen professions, like line cooks particularly understaffed.
These are professions that require a certain education and craft so they cannot be temporary workers, says Kastner.
There is also a lack of front of house servers. Since servers can be trained on the job, these positions do not require as much experience as the kitchen staff. The temporary work that is available in kitchens is perfect for part-time positions that young people can fill.
Compared to the generation of thirty and forty year olds who were more interested in kitchen work, the younger generation does not consider hospitality as a first choice. Young people today face less pressure to enter the workforce which could contribute to the lack of them in hospitality professions. Parents may also be afraid to let young people into the workforce.
Kastner does say that hospitality workers do earn good wages. Salaries start at 150 crowns an hour and in restaurants where they are severely understaffed, new employees can earn over 200 crowns an hour.
Not only young people can help to staff the hospitality industry, anyone of any age can help alleviate the worker shortage. Anyone who is not afraid to interact with people fit into gastronomy since it is about being in contact with people, doing service.
Kastner says “the restaurant industry needs anyone who really feels that approach to work, who is proactive, we welcome them, but we welcome everybody at this point. We’re not afraid to teach, we’re not afraid to show how the craft can be done well, professionally. So anyone has a chance with us.”
Not only restaurant work has changed but so has customer behavior. Customers are spending differently in the aftermath of the pandemic. “People consume differently, especially on certaindays. The overall foodservice sales this year are down from last year. We’ve felt the decline” says Kastner.
People want either a service that is valued for their money or they want an experience. Kastner realizes that customers are “looking more for an experience, for quality. And when they do go to a restaurant, they want to be served well and they want to enjoy themselves.
He sees more of an inclination towards quality.
The government wants to increase the tax on draught beer in January so the strain restaurants currently feel is transferring to pubs that are becoming more expensive. Kastner says the increase in price has the potential to close local pubs, because the drop in business is dramatic
- The United States is to donate USD 8.2 million to support refugees from Ukraine and organisations that help them in Czechia. The amount is part of over USD 107 million that the US is giving to European countries to provide assistance to people who have fled Ukraine since it was attacked by Russia.
- It would have taken on average 16.6 years for people to earn enough money to buy a new apartment in Prague with an area of 70 square metres in the first quarter of this year, according to developers Central Group. In the third quarter of last year it would have taken 16.4 years, going by the company’s CG-Index.
- Hollywood star Robin Wright will attend the closing ceremony of this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the organisers said on Tuesday. The US actress, known for such works as Forrest Gump, The Princess Bride and House of Cards, will receive the festival’s President’s Award.
- Prague City Councillors approved a commitment to adopting quality standards for specialised social services for victims of domestic and gender-based violence. The commitment was announced in a joint memorandum with the ProFem centre for victims of domestic and sexual violence, the Rosa centre for women, ACORUS, z.ú., and IKEA.
- Starlink, the satellite-based ISP model owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has reportedly launched commercial services in the Czech Republic, according to online portal ISP.page.
Starlink, the satellite-based ISP model owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has reportedly launched commercial services in the Czech Republic, according to online portal ISP.page.
The service, which promises broadband internet access in remote and rural areas, is tipped to have a significant impact on internet connectivity in a country where over 300,000 households currently lack access to high speed internet services.
The ISP claims to provide customers with download speeds of up to 150Mbps and uploads of a maximum 30Mbps with low latency and good reliability, while satellite news agency TS2 notes that the cost of the equipment and access charges – current pricing for the Starlink kit, which includes a satellite dish and modem, is USD499, with a monthly subscription fee of USD99 – could limit its initial take-up.
Starlink the newcomer began developing the platform back in 2021, claiming it would deliver reliable ‘5G’ connectivity in remote locations with poor ground cable infrastructure.
The link is provided from a network of more than 1,500 satellites brought into space by SpaceX, and provides an alternative to fibre-optics/cables in the ground or mobile broadband from wireless operators.
Until now, however, the service has been very much limited to select testing at the pre-commercial level.
SpaceX has now launched more than 4,500 Starlink satellites, more than 4,100 of which are currently active.
But many more will go up in the coming weeks and months. The company already has permission to send 12,000 Starlink satellites to orbit, and it has applied for approval to launch another 30,000 on top of that.