During the first half of this year, the Czech Republic has seen a remarkable upswing in the acquisition of firearms, with citizens purchasing more handguns and rifles compared to the entirety of the previous year. Women are increasingly expressing interest in obtaining gun licenses. However, the prevailing trend leans towards acquiring firearms that do not necessitate a license. For instance, individuals are opting for gas pistols and Flaubert cartridge revolvers, resembling conventional handguns. To purchase such a pistol or rifle used for self-defense and sport, an ID card is sufficient. In the first six months of this year, nearly 12,500 firearms, which do not require a license for purchase, were officially recorded by the Interior Ministry. This figure surpasses the corresponding period from the previous year by 3,500 units. These firearms fall under the C-I category. To lawfully purchase, possess, and transport them, one must be at least 18 years old, possess a Czech Republic residency, and maintain a clean record. Furthermore, the firearm must be registered with the relevant police department. Even those who have not undergone a medical examination can procure firearms for personal use. The turmoil in Ukraine has also fueled a heightened interest in firearms licenses....
The Czech Republic has approved a new digital noman program for highly skilled workers from other countries. Announcing the news, the Ministry of Industry and Trade said that in line with the newly approved program, digital nomads will be able to apply for a residence permit in the Czech Republic, permitting them to reside in the country. “The government approved two new economic migration programs. One is aimed at a group of highly qualified and top IT workers – so-called digital nomads, who will thus get the opportunity to apply for a residence permit in the Czech Republic,” the statement of the Ministry reads. Commenting on the program’s approval, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Jozef Síkela, said that none of the country’s existing economic migration programs covers digital nomads, stressing that this is an important move. Moreover, he said that by launching this new program, the Czech Republic’s authorities want to make the country an appealing destination for digital nomads. “Among other things, we want to create an interesting environment for the operation and development of foreign technology teams in the Czech Republic, which is why we are coming up with a new program that targets digital nomads in...
Divorce courts will no longer be concerned with investigating the reasons behind the marriage’s breakdown or verifying the observance of the six-month separation period. In cases where both parties mutually consent to the divorce, the courts will dispense with the compulsory interrogation of the spouses, and the presence of their legal representatives will suffice. MP Ewa Decroix, the project’s author, stated, “The family dynamic is evolving, and cohabitation patterns are changing. However, the current legislation still reflects norms from the 1970s. These revisions are projected to take effect from the start of 2025. The proposal is aligned with the policy statement of the Peter Fiala government (ODS), which committed to promoting “consensual parental conflict resolution.” Uncontested divorces that already exist will be labeled as “amicable” divorces. The MP asserts that the divorce process should become more affordable, expedited, and comfortable. This would be achieved through a combined procedure for divorce and custody matters, a single court fee, and the option for courts to conduct divorce hearings outside traditional courtrooms, such as in a judge’s office. The proposed amendment also eliminates the compulsory interrogation of spouses during divorce proceedings. “If spouses mutually consent to divorce and written documentation confirms their intent,...
The Czech government is developing a special program to support the voluntary return of Ukrainian refugees living in the country, the CTK news agency reports. The draft of the program was made available to the news agency by the government’s press department. According to the document, the Czech government would provide concrete assistance to Ukrainian refugees wishing to return to their home country and would cover part of the costs. The state would, for example, pay for the cost of tickets and ensure the repatriation of the refugees’ personal belongings. The draft will shortly be submitted to the government, which will set up the necessary financial fund once it is adopted. The document shows that the Czech government would first extend the temporary protection package for Ukrainian refugees by one year, from March 2024 to the end of March 2025. Under a government decision last year, refugees from Ukraine will be granted temporary residence permits that entitle them to benefit from the Czech social and health insurance system. Children will be able to go to school and adults will be free to work. Refugees also receive financial support of several thousand crowns a month for a certain period. Since the invasion...
Czechia has tightened the conditions for paying benefits to Ukrainian refugees, bringing considerable savings to its economy during financial consolidation. According to Czech government data seen by Seznam Zprávy, expenditure for Ukrainian refugees has been cut by over a third. In June 2023, the state spent nearly €71 million on humanitarian aid and solidarity grants, with spending falling to around €46 million by July. The savings are linked to the so-called Lex Ukraine law, which overhauled refugee benefits and came into force in July. The Czech government’s move comes when it is intensively discussing the consolidation of public finances and austerity measures. Czech Labour Minister Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL, EPP) confirms that the change in the conditions led to a significant drop in expenditures. According to him, some refugees even left the country and returned to Ukraine. Others decided to find a job in Czechia to be able to cover their needs. “Obviously, this has also had an impact on employment, which is still growing,” said Jurečka, as quoted by Seznam Zprávy. Currently, there are 325,742 Ukrainian refugees with temporary protection registered in Czechia – making it one of the European countries that hosts the most Ukrainian refugees per capita. According to the Czech...
The Radegast brewery, located in Nošovice, near the Frýdek-Místek region, has accomplished a significant milestone in brewing. For the first time, they have created beer using water extracted from the air’s humidity. This achievement comes through a special batch called Radegast Futur, which aims to raise awareness about the scarcity of water in the Czech landscape. This innovative water-harvesting technology was developed in collaboration with ČVUT and Karbox. A member of the research team, Nicola Pokorný, explained that the EWA (Emergency Water from Air) device is based on the principles of ČVUT’s Solar Air Water Earth Resource (S.A.W.E.R.) system. Designed primarily for extremely hot and dry regions, the EWA device can produce approximately 30 liters of drinkable water per day. Its main purpose is to serve as an emergency source of drinking water during natural disasters or conflicts where water becomes scarce. Unlike most air-to-water systems that cool the air to condense moisture, the ČVUT team developed a unique approach using a specific sorption material. This material collects moisture from the air and releases it through heating, creating highly humid air. This humidity allows for water condensation, even in challenging environments. Beyond conservation, the brewery aims to preserve water within the...
The Lobeč brewery is one of 30 heritage projects to receive the European Heritage / Europa Nostra Award this year. For Czech architect Pavel Prouza, restoring a run-down building with historic value was a childhood dream nurtured during family tours of old monuments. Next month, he will receive a major European heritage award in Venice for having renovated a sprawling derelict brewery on the brink of total destruction. The Renaissance-era site in Lobeč, a village north of Prague, is now producing beer again after architect and his wife sank all their money into the high-risk investment. With an annual output of almost 100,000 litres of beer, the brewery looks set to thrive in the country known for its love of the tipple. Several hundred years old, the brewery produced over a million litres of beer a year during its heyday in the early 20th century. It flourished until World War II but was nationalised when the Communists took power and turned into a produce warehouse, tractor garage, workshops and flats. Falling into disrepair, the site changed hands several times post-communism, its owners using it for construction material. Squatters finished the job, burning up the floor planks and treating some...
The Czech Supreme Administrative Court (NSS) has rejected an appeal from a pre-op transgender person who claimed that the requirement for them to undergo surgery to change from a woman to a man before they can officially change their gender was unconstitutional. The appellant was born as a woman but now identifies as a man. They wanted official recognition of their amended gender status but the Czech registry office refused to comply with the request for an official change of gender, including the entry of a male name and a male version of the birth number, because the appellant had not undergone a surgical procedure associated with the disabling of reproductive function, as required by law. The decision, in which the NSS emphasized the importance of protecting the basic natural attributes of family and parenthood, is temporarily binding on the official board. The Constitutional Court recently decided on a similar case with the same result. According to the NSS, the applicant’s hope that the new composition of the Constitutional Court will rule in his favor was curious. The applicant, whom the court refers to as male according to his wishes, claimed that the conditionality of gender change by carrying out...
The Czech Republic on Wednesday completed the ratification of a defense treaty with the United States that deepens military cooperation and makes it easier to deploy U.S. troops in Czech territory. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s signature was the final step in the ratification process of the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which had been endorsed by both houses of Parliament in July and by President Petr Pavel on Aug 1. The document sets a legal framework for possible deployment of U.S. troops in the country at a time of Russian aggression against Ukraine. Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova signed the treaty together with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington, D.C. on May 23. The U.S. has similar agreements with 24 other NATO members, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria that form the eastern flank of the alliance. Any deployment of U.S. forces would still need approval by the Czech government and Parliament.
The financial situation of Czechs is getting worse. One in four has already experienced a situation where they lacked money for everyday life. However, Czechs do not lack financial self-confidence and they value their knowledge of the world of money. The number of those who have experienced financial difficulties has risen by more than six percentage points year-on-year. While last year 54 per cent of people dealt with financial discomfort, today it is almost 60 per cent. This information was gathered from a global survey of 500 participants, ages 18 to 75, that Kantar carried out on behalf of the International Personal Finance group. The increase is more noticeable when there aren’t enough finances to cover living expenses, when income isn’t enough, or when loans are denied. At least once, one-fourth of Czechs have struggled with having insufficient money to support their family. Comparing this to last year’s one-fifth figure shows a huge increase. The proportion of people in this age group who experience such situations has increased from 20% to 34% in only one year. In addition, a higher number of people have reported having their loan applications rejected by banks (up 30%) or other lenders (up 85%) than...
The bodyguard of Czech President Petr Pavel committed suicide due to harassment by colleagues. This was reported on August 14 by Czech radio station Prostor, citing a source within the security service of the head of state. According to media reports, the tragic incident occurred last Sunday, August 13. Prior to this, the 36-year-old bodyguard had repeatedly complained about how his colleagues treated him negatively. The man was scheduled for his next duty to protect the head of state on Wednesday, August 16. However, his name has not been disclosed. Both the police conducting the investigation and the presidential office declined to comment on the incident. Earlier, on November 30, 2022, an employee of the Federal Security Service (FSO) committed suicide while on duty within the Kremlin’s territory in Moscow. According to an Izvestia source, the FSO officer was found unconscious on Cathedral Square on November 29 after 11:00 PM. An official investigation was launched.
The month of July in the Czech Republic this year secured its spot as the eighth warmest since 1961, when national temperature records began. The average index in Prague was 19.6 degrees Celsius. As for rainfall, the month stayed within normal levels, according to today’s announcement by the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) on its website. Experts at Copernicus, a European program tracking atmospheric and climate changes, went a step further, proclaiming this year’s July as the warmest eighth month ever recorded worldwide, boasting an average temperature of 16.95 degrees – a 0.33-degree increase over the former record-holder, July 2019. On the domestic front, meteorologists have noted that the highest July average temperature was seen 17 years ago, reaching 21.3 degrees. Conversely, the chilliest July was back in 1979, when the average temperature dipped to 14.6 degrees. During the early summer break, temperatures in Moravia and Silesia were slightly higher, averaging 20.1 degrees, compared to Bohemia, which experienced a cooler average of 0.7 degrees. In historical context, July marked the ninth hottest month since records began 249 years ago at Prague’s Klementinum, with the average temperature being 23.2 degrees. For the entire country, the average temperature during the monitored month exceeded...
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