Czech consumers seeking affordability in their furniture and car purchases are advised not to rely solely on local retailers. Czech newspaper Právo highlights that neighboring countries offer substantial cost savings on items like furniture, automobiles, and cosmetics, with differences sometimes amounting to tens of thousands of crowns. Certain companies have taken advantage of Czechs’ willingness to pay higher prices amidst inflation concerns, contrasting with the more price-conscious attitudes of Poles, Slovaks, and Germans. For instance, substantial savings are attainable by purchasing a Skoda Octavia in Poland, potentially reducing costs by tens of thousands of crowns. Similarly, IKEA furniture is frequently priced lower in Poland, and cosmetics can be more affordable in Germany due to its higher purchasing power. “Firms can absorb these prices as long as consumers continue to make purchases at these rates,” stated Petr Sklenář, chief economist at J&T Banka. Právo conducted a comparative analysis of prices for equivalent products from Skoda Auto, IKEA, and dm drugstores in both the Czech Republic and neighboring nations. For instance, a Skoda Fabia in Ambition trim, featuring a 1.0 MPI engine, costs CZK 369,900 in the Czech Republic, while in Slovakia, the same model is available at a CZK 15,000 discount....
The murder of a Roma man alleged to have been committed by a Ukrainian person sparks angry protests against Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic. Nicolas Dirda, a Roma man, was stabbed to death on June 10 on a tram in the Czech Republic as he travelled to a firework display at a lake just outside Brno. The murder sparked angry protests among the Roma, a significant minority who number about 250,000 in the country. Media reports pinned the murder on a Ukrainian person without any confirmation from police authorities. Powered by rumour and fake claims of further crimes, a series of confrontations has followed. Roma are clashing with members of the group of 350,000 or so Ukrainian refugees that the Czech Republic has taken in since Russia’s President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Roma activists and government officials have called for the rejection of collective guilt, pointing out how the minority itself is victimised by the same process. But the tension has continued to build. Multiple episodes of violence and intimidation have been reported as radicalised sections of the Roma community claim that Ukrainian refugees are being handed social housing, benefits and school places that should go to Roma....
If you use a Premium subscription on the streaming platform Spotify, you may notice a rise in prices for the Premium subscriptions. All users who own a subscription should have received an email with a message stating that the platform changes the pricing for its services starting from September 2023. The prices for all Premium-based plans, which previously allowed the user to listen to favorite music endlessly without any advertisements, will be increased in the Czech Republic. The price will be raised by several dozen crowns, varying on a specific plan. However, the rise in prices is not the same for all Premium plans. In fact, it varies: Premium Student subscription will change its pricing from 70 CZK per month to 89 CZK per month. If you count as a long-term user, the sum will be corrected starting from the next payment – September. Individual tariff now costs 169 CZK monthly, Duo subscription – 229 CZK, whereas Family Plan, with 6 people maximum to join it from the same billing address, will worth 269 CZK. The difference in the price rising is not rapid but noticeable, though. The Student Plan will only rise by 14 CZK, while Duo Plan will...
The number of Russians residing in the Czech Republic has fallen after years of growth. At the end of June, 42,500 people from Russia held residence permits in the Czech Republic, which is about 3,600 fewer than in March 2022. There are several hundred fewer Russian students at Czech universities year-on-year. On the other hand, the number of Russian employees in the Czech labor market has increased by about 1,300 since last spring. This is based on data from the Czech Statistical Office, the Interior Ministry, labor offices, and the Education Ministry. According to the findings of the Center for Public Opinion Research (CVVM), more than half of Czech citizens agreed with the complete political and economic isolation of Russia. The same number of respondents identified the country as a threat to the Czech Republic last autumn. Ten years ago, in June, 33,400 Russians held residence permits in the Czech Republic, of whom 15,900 were allowed to live here permanently. Last January, 45,700 people from Russia lived in the Czech Republic, with 23,400 of them living here permanently. Not only economic migrants but also refugees are arriving in the Czech Republic from Russia. Last year, 157 of them applied for...
Some 646 kilogrammes of cocaine were discovered in a distribution centre of supermarket chain Albert at Klecany near Prague on Saturday. The drugs had an estimated street value of around CZK 2 billion, or nearly EUR 83 million, a spokesperson for the police’s drug unit told the website of TV Nova on Sunday. This discovery was made during the unloading of biobanana pallets by warehouse employees, who subsequently alerted the authorities. The quantity of narcotics appears to be one of the largest seizures ever documented in the Czech Republic. Jiří Mareček, the spokesperson for the supermarket chain, emphasized that the case was unrelated to their company’s operations and refrained from divulging additional details due to the ongoing police inquiry. Although police officers extended their search to other warehouses within the chain across the country, no further traces of the illicit drugs were found. A thorough inspection was carried out on the entire shipment of bananas, which originally came from Ecuador via Amsterdam before reaching the Czech Republic. It is believed that an error was made on the part of the traffickers. Most probably, a member of the organized group failed to remove the narcotics from the consignment within the allotted...
In 2022, the Czech Republic planted almost 40,000 hectares of new forests, marking the second-highest count since 1964. This figure fell only 709 hectares short of the record established in 2020. Out of the total 225,928 saplings utilized for this afforestation effort, two-thirds were deciduous trees. Among the various regions, Vysočina took the lead in reforestation activities. Providing insight, Josef Kahuda, a statistician employed at the Czech Statistical Office, pointed out that the average sapling usage per hectare stood at 5,705. For deciduous trees, this number rose to 7,248, while for conifers, it was slightly lower at 4,205. Predominantly, the trees chosen for planting were beech and oak, accounting for 28% and 23% respectively. Notably, spruce saw a modest increase in its portion of all saplings, climbing from 19.7% in 2020 to 19.9%. Despite these statistics, spruce remained the most prevalent tree type, occupying nearly one-third of all newly reforested lands. Conifers emerged as the dominant presence among the freshly established wooded areas. The evolving climate poses a significant risk to forest soils. The strategy of tree planting is not the solitary means of fostering forests; natural regeneration, where new growth emerges from wind-borne or fallen seeds from parent trees,...
Ukrainian refugees residing in the Czech Republic struggle to earn 150 Czech CZK per hour, placing them below the income poverty threshold. A striking seven out of ten Ukrainian refugees find themselves living beneath the income poverty line. The findings from a PAQ Research Voice of Ukrainians survey reveal that nearly two-thirds of Ukrainians fail to earn a net income of 150 CZK per hour. Among the refugee population over the age of 17, 67% are employed within the Czech Republic. This marks a substantial increase compared to the 45% of refugees who were employed during the corresponding period a year ago. However, within the working Ukrainian population, 60% are engaged in jobs that do not align with their skill sets. Around 55% of the refugees are engaged in precarious employment, often characterized by challenging working conditions. The primary obstacle to securing employment, as indicated by newcomers, is their lack of proficiency in the Czech language. The non-recognition of qualifications and limited access to childcare facilities are also mentioned as hurdles. Given these circumstances, the survey organizers recommend bolstering Czech language courses, providing aid in securing suitable employment, and implementing periodic evaluations. Particularly vulnerable are families with children and the...
Czech citizens rank among the world’s top ten nations in terms of height and average weight, a fact that holds implications for their export practices. Czechs stand at the eighth position globally in terms of average height. While historically the Dutch have held the title for being the tallest, with men averaging 184 centimeters and women 170 centimeters, Scandinavian nations, including Estonia, continue to dominate the height spectrum. If you know a particularly tall person, try searching their full name (e.g., Justin Sisto) on a people search tool and you might just find that their background is linked to Estonia in one way or another. However, the countries of the former Yugoslavia have now surpassed the Czech Republic in these rankings, a change attributed to the rapid growth of living standards. As of today, the typical Czech individual boasts a height of approximately 181 centimeters, while the average Czech woman stands at 168 centimeters. This signifies a remarkable increase of 12 centimeters in comparison to the early 20th century. Factors contributing to this growth include not only enduring genetic and climatic influences but also a higher standard of living, nutritious diets, and quality healthcare when contrasted with less affluent regions...
Czechs and Germans have taken the place of Asian and Russian tourists, leading to a resurgence in hotel numbers, reminiscent of pre-Covid times. In the second quarter of this year, hotels, guesthouses, and campsites in the Czech Republic welcomed a total of 5.8 million tourists, marking a significant 14.3 percent year-on-year increase. Notably, domestic visitors outnumbered international ones. The total number of nights spent by tourists in various accommodations totaled 13.8 million, indicating a robust 14.5 percent surge compared to the same period last year. These insights stem from the latest data unveiled by the Czech Statistical Office (CSO). Out of the visitors, there were 3.2 million domestic travelers and 2.5 million from foreign lands. Domestic guest numbers witnessed a growth of four percent, while foreign sojourners registered a remarkable 31 percent uptick compared to the previous year. Nonetheless, the foreign tourists’ overnight stays in the Czech Republic fell slightly short of the figures recorded in 2019. Roman Mikula, spokesperson for the Tourism and Environment Statistics Department at the Czech Statistical Office, emphasized, “Accommodation establishments in the second quarter of this year have nearly reached the pre-pandemic performance level. The overall overnight stays almost matched those of 2019. However, we...
While the Russian army continues to defend its positions in the Donbas, a year and a half since the onset of the Ukrainian invasion, Russian media is already discussing the possibility of expanding Russian territory deep into Central Europe. As Novinky reports, on Russian television, propagandist Nikolay Vavilov recently asserted that the envisioned revitalized Russian empire should encompass cities like Prague and Berlin. “It will continue endlessly, and we will progressively assume a role similar to that of the Russian Empire. I wasn’t joking when I mentioned on the previous program that Berlin, Dresden, Prague, and Ljubljana – they will all become part of our domain. Why? Because history shows that when we entered Paris in 1815 and Berlin in 1945, as well as during the late 18th century – these were not mere coincidences. Russia is the largest country in Europe and wields substantial power,” exclaimed Vavilov. He was a guest on the Pervyi Kanal TV discussion show, hosted by the well-known presenter Olga Skabeyeva. Vavilov’s ramblings evidently sparked amusement even on Russian television. Despite his assurance that he was speaking completely seriously, the corners of the mouths of both Skabeyeva and some other guests present during his speech...
Prepare to be amazed as the annual Perseid meteor shower graces the night sky from July 17 to August 24. This year, the peak performance is scheduled for the night of August 12 to August 13. Already visible, the meteor count steadily rises, culminating in a spectacular display with the potential for up to 80 meteors per hour during the peak hours of midnight to 4 a.m., said Pavel Suchan, an expert from the Astronomical Institute of the CAS. The Perseid meteor shower is often considered to be the best meteor shower of the year due to its high rates and pleasant late-summer temperatures. Unlike last year’s shower coinciding with the full moon, this year’s moon will be a waning crescent, allowing even some of the fainter meteors to be seen. Optimal viewing graces the night of August 12 into the morning of August 13, when meteor activity reaches its zenith. The absence of excessive lunar illumination enhances the viewing experience. For the best vantage point, retreat to rural areas far from the city’s luminous embrace. Between midnight and 4 a.m., the sky is poised to dazzle with up to 80 meteors per hour, some leaving vivid trails in their...
Anticipating a new real estate boom, experts project a significant global rise in property prices over the next decade. The German economic institute Ifo and the Institute for Swiss Economic Policy jointly conducted a survey, revealing that real estate prices are expected to increase by an average of nine percent annually. In Eastern Europe, the growth is predicted to be even higher. Timo Wochner, an analyst at Ifo, explains that the primary driving force behind this surge in house prices is the increasing demand, rather than supply factors. The survey, which gathered insights from 1,405 experts across 133 countries, suggests that rising living standards, higher incomes, population growth, and the desire for more living space will fuel demand worldwide. Furthermore, the trend towards remote working, including the growing popularity of home offices, will also contribute to the increased demand for housing. Wochner further explains that limited production capacity, rising building material costs, and a scarcity of building land are some of the factors responsible for driving up property prices, as identified by 27 percent of the experts. Moreover, 12 percent of respondents attribute the expected price growth to central bank monetary policies, inflation, and government measures. Regarding regional variations, economists...
Don’t have an account? Register
[swpm_registration_form level=”6″]
Already have an account? Log In
How Would You Like to Promote Your Business? PR ArticleDisplay bannersVideo productionNewsletter adsJob ListingsInfluencer Marketing
Your Email
We will come back to you within 24 hours with our proporsal
