The Czech signaling manufacturer AŽD Praha presented what it claims to be the first public use of an autonomous train in the Czech Republic on December 15, when invited guests travelled on a single-car DMU on the Čížkovice – Most line in the Louny region. The demonstration included the train stopping at a crossing blocked by a broken car without any intervention from onboard staff. AŽD is working on the introduction of autonomous technology that would enable a regional train to operate without any crew, or for a driver to intervene only during specific parts of the journey. Mr. Zdeněk Chrdle, AŽD CEO, told local media that legislation needs to change to enable automated trains to operate in the country, but he expects automated operations to happen within two to three years. “We definitely do not work with a black-and-white vision of replacing drivers, but with a vision of a modern way of operating the railway, where a number of processes can still not be ensured other than the work of a professional operator,” Chrdle says. In 2022, AŽD will move its development and testing to the Kopidlno – Dolní Bousov line, which is currently without a regular passenger service...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. The Czech Republic has officially called on Belarus to end repression, release all political prisoners and initiate dialogue with its citizens, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed via its website. At an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, members of the ANO movement wanted to discuss amendments to the current energy crisis. They tried to address, among other things, the across-the-board reduction of VAT on electricity and gas to zero for the whole next year. The Czech and Slovak police are prosecuting several dozen persons and firms on suspicion of extensive VAT frauds committed in both countries. The gang has deprived both states of more than 6.5 million euros in the past three years at least. Říčany currently ranks as the city with the best quality of life in the Czech Republic, according to Deloitte, which uses data from users to evaluate various aspects of life in Czech cities. The project is called “Obce v date”. Czechs and Hungarians rank among the world’s hardest-working nations when it comes to learning a new language, according...
The Czech Senate has ruled against the proposal of the Regional Court to amend current legislation that prevents same-sex partners who are registered abroad to adopt Czech children. Adopting children is not possible for same-sex couples in the Czech Republic and the court stated that this move should prevent the bypassing of the rule by using foreign legislation. According to critics, the amendment to private international law would be an interference with the Civil Code. Václav Láska (Senator 21), the author of the proposal, promised to submit a comprehensive amendment to Czech law by the spring of next year. According to Láska, the change could also help unmarried heterosexual couples who adopt a child abroad. It would affect several dozen couples a year. According to the senator, the current form of the law is in conflict with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. Same-sex couples can marry in 14 of the European Union’s 27 countries, according to advocacy group ILGA-World. Since 2006, the Czech Republic has allowed registered partnerships for same-sex couples, which grant several rights of marriage, including inheritance and hospital visitation rights, but not joint adoption, spouse’s pension, or joint...
The future Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek has stated that extending the state of emergency will be a priority subject of discussion of the incoming government, which is set to be officially named on Friday. As Seznam Zprávy reports, some politicians of the ruling coalition Together and PirSTAN do not expect an extension of the state of emergency. Only a further growth in the number of patients with coronavirus could change that decision. Válek added that the matter “it’s still under discussion and solution phase”. This could mean that bars, pubs, and restaurants would remain open during the night-time New Year’s Eve celebrations. “My personal opinion is that now it seems that an extension will not be necessary,” said deputy chairman Jakub Michálek. “Unless the epidemic situation worsens significantly, I do not consider the extension of the state of emergency to be the right step,” added Vít Kaňkovský, vice-chairman KDU-ČSL. On November 25, 2021, the Czech government declared a nationwide 30-days state of emergency aimed at countering the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Restaurants and pubs have to close at 10 pm. A maximum of 1,000 spectators with valid vaccination certificates or proof of having recovered from COVID-19 within the...
For anyone looking to leave the mean streets of Prague behind for a suburban idyll, a handy new tool will help you determine the best place for you. Říčany currently ranks as the city with the best quality of life in the Czech Republic, according to Deloitte, which uses data from users to evaluate various aspects of life in Czech cities. The project is called “Obce v date”. The town of Vrchlabí improved the most year-on-year, advancing 64 places to 73rd position. The ranking ranks over 200 Czech municipalities according to a number of criteria (health, environment, work, education, services, safety, transport, leisure, housing, etc.). According to Deloitte manager Filip Neterda, “our major goal is to actually help the cities to get their strategic priorities right, to better target the areas into which public investment is required […] We would be really happy if it could serve as a tool for public investment at the level of a city”. Here are the top 10 best places to live in the Czech Republic, according to the index: Říčany – Central Bohemia Prague – Prague Brandýs nad Labem – Central Bohemia Černošice – Central Bohemia Brno – South Moravia Slavkov u Brna – South Moravia Beroun – Central Bohemia...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. The first hospitals in Czechia received anti-COVID vaccines for children aged 5-11, a total of 18,000 doses. The rest of the purchased supply has been taken over by the Avenier firm that will start distributing it to vaccination points and child practitioners’ offices on Thursday. The mayor of the Prague 7 district, Jan Čižinský, says he will run for the post of lord mayor of Prague in municipal elections in autumn 2022. In the first three quarters of the year, 102 932 people died in the Czech Republic, up by a fifth year-on-year. The country’s population, therefore, fell to 10.68 million people. Migration also impacted the decline, with more people moving out of the country. The City of Prague announced that it will hold the Mayor’s Food Collection charity event for the second year in a row. Organisers will collect basic food and hygiene supplies on 16 December from 10 am to 6 pm in front of the New Town Hall building on Mariánské náměstí. Czechs and Hungarians rank among the world’s hardest-working nations when...
The traditional Czech Christmas food carp has gone up to 120 CZK per kilogram this year. The country’s largest South Bohemian fish farms have announced an average price increase of 10% due to higher production costs associated with inflation. Prices will differ depending on the region and specific manufacturers. The carp in Czech culture The carp plays a significant role in Czech culture. Its appearance makes it the hero of illustrated fairy tales, but it is above all the symbol par excellence of the Christmas festivities and the species that dominates the fish market. Those who reside at seaside resorts, turn up their nose at this fat fish, full of spines, that lives in mud and stagnant water, but for a country that does not have an access to the sea, it has the advantage that it can be reared in artificial lakes. Already widespread in the Middle Ages, it was a valuable source of protein during the days of abstinence imposed by Christianity. The cheapest ones are from Nové Hrady, while the most expensive are from Třeboň, famous throughout the country as the homeland of local carp, so much so that a statue of a carp has been placed...
The current real estate prices in the Czech Republic have not discouraged you and you are wondering how to make the financing possible? Then this article is for you – by Světlana Lanza, Finance specialist at M&M finance. I will first mention that each institution has a different methodology and funding requirements. Second, each case is assessed individually. And third, the institution always evaluates the level of risk of the business. The following data, in particular, are relevant: Where are you from? The bank has different requirements for EU, US and other foreigners. There are also lists of so-called high-risk countries, but even in this case an exception can be requested, so I would not give up prematurely. Legal status This point is linked to the previous one. Depending on where you are from, it is important, based on what legal status you are in the country, visa, temporary/permanent residence. Foreigners with permanent residence have almost the same conditions as citizens of the Czech Republic, compared to citizens without residence who are significantly disadvantaged, but there are exceptions. Temporary and long-term residence may then have stricter conditions, but there are institutions that provide up to 90 % of the property...
Healthcare workers in the South Moravian Region have spoken out about the pressure they are under preparing for the effects of the new variant and having to deal with increased cases in the country. Professor Vladimir Sramek, who is Regional Intensive Care Coordinator for the South Moravian Region, has warned that the impact of the Omicron variant has yet to hit the already stretched hospitals here, but warns he is expecting pressure in the coming weeks. While at this current moment in time, he says that the proportion of those requiring hospitalisation with the new variant remains about the same compared to other new variants which have been previous concerns, he predicts hospitalisations are soon going to drastically increase. “I am expecting a plateau of high numbers of hospitalised patients for the next 2-3 weeks,” said Sramek. Staff on the Covid wards here are already working incredibly hard, exposed to trauma and stress, to serve patients dealing with the worst effects of the virus. With so many patients being admitted now, hospitals in the region are also having to postpone planned operations to focus on those that are covid positive. Hospital staff claims they are seeing a lot of unvaccinated...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. Senator Lukas Wagenknecht will run for the leadership position of the Czech Pirate Party at the meeting of its national forum in January, he has announced on the party’s online forum. Six cases of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus were officially confirmed in south Moravia on Monday, raising the Czech Republic’s number of definitive confirmations to eight, regional chief public health officer Renata Ciupek said. The Czech Republic will hold off on sending up to 150 soldiers to help Poland protect its border with Belarus now that the migrant situation has stabilised, outgoing Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar said on Monday. Electricity prices look set rise 30 to 50 percent next year and gas prices by 50 to 70 percent, outgoing Minister for industry and trade Karel Havlíček told reporters on Monday. Škoda Transportation will deliver 14 emission-free Škoda E´City electric buses to DPP in Prague. The company could take delivery of the first vehicle by the end of 2021, with the remaining 13 to follow in February 2022.
Freedom of expression and peaceful protests are in dangerous decline even in “established democracies” in Europe, according to the 2021 edition of the annual CIVICUS Monitor index published on Wednesday (December 8). “What we’re seeing year on year is that the right to peaceful assembly is under threat in Europe,” Aarti Narsee, Europe civic space researcher said. The latest edition of the index rates 197 countries and territories on the level of civil liberties. Among the twelve countries that have been downgraded in 2021, three are EU member states – Poland, Belgium and the Czech Republic. The report shows that the main violation of civil liberites in Europe is the detention of protesters. According to Narsee, this has been a growing trend in the continent over the past few years. Commission spokesman Christian Wigand said that “peaceful protests are a fundamental right in every democracy,” and added that “it’s for member states’ authorities to ensure that they can take place in a safe and secure environment.” However, detentions during protests are on the rise even in countries rated as ‘open’, Narsee said. COVID-19 and civil liberties Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has further diminished civic freedoms, according to civil society representatives. “People’s freedoms...
From this Monday the age limit for child vaccination against Covid-19 has been moved down to the age of 5. Registrations are possible either online, in the state’s vaccine registration system, or at the family’s local GP. Children will receive a third of the normal dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. According to outgoing Health Minister Adam Vojtěch, relevant vaccines should become available by the end of the week. The Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated. He has also issued new regulations regarding households with confirmed cases of Covid-19. According to the new rules, if a person is infected with Covid-19 then anybody living with them should be tested between 5-7 days after contact. This applies even if the members of the household are all vaccinated, but they need not quarantine. The Ministry also states that those sharing the living space with the infected should wear respirators and monitor their health until they receive their test results. These tests will be covered by public health insurance. Mandatory vaccination The Czech government ordered COVID-19 vaccinations for people working in hospitals and nursing homes as well as police officers, soldiers and some other professions and all citizens...
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