The Czech Interior Ministry is set to extend temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, offering them the possibility to remain in the country for another year until the end of March 2025. The proposed amendment, known as lex Ukraine, was presented today for inter-ministerial comments. This extension grants refugees access to public health insurance, education, and job opportunities. The authors of the proposal stress that due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, it is improbable for these individuals to return home anytime soon. Working groups within the EU are reportedly supportive of extending temporary protection until March 2025. A political decision at the EU level is expected by the end of October. However, given the timeframe, the legislative process cannot wait for the official decision of the Council of the European Union, necessitating the timing of the amendment. Approximately half a million Ukrainian refugees have already been granted temporary protection in the Czech Republic, with about one-third of them having returned to their home country. As of June 18 this year, 344,800 people, primarily women and children, have been granted protection visas from Ukraine. Earlier reports indicate that around one-third of the refugees are children and young people under 18, while...
The mayor of Brno, Markéta Vaňková of the Civic Democrats, says she is ready to resign from the post in connection with a photograph of her and a white powder reminiscent of cocaine. Speculations about the substance being cocaine have surfaced, yet the photo’s authenticity remains unclear, with some claiming it might be a photo-montage. When asked about the photo on Monday, Vaňková stated that she was uncertain about its genuineness. Additionally, she admitted to occasionally consuming the legal substance HHC. The photo in question emerged on a Facebook account named “It’s a good thing Brno wasn’t hit by a car,” where Mayor Vaňková is seen standing alongside a group of individuals, including Brno city councillor Robert Kerndl, with a mobile phone containing white powder. Vaňková mentioned in an interview with TN.cz on Monday evening that she couldn’t determine the content of the powder or its authenticity. She further acknowledged that a similar situation might have occurred two or three years ago during a social event that went on late into the night. She told the station that if her colleagues at Brno City Hall believed she should quit she would do so. In concluding her statement, Vaňková disclosed her...
In the first half of this year, the Czech Republic recorded 133 new cases of HIV infection, showing a decrease of 19 cases compared to the previous year. According to the State Institute of Health’s National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for HIV/AIDS, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to significantly impact the situation. Among these new cases, 75 involved foreigners with long-term residence in the Czech Republic, while the remaining 58 cases were Czech citizens. Testing plays a very crucial role in fighting the battle with the disease and now with the availability of rapid hiv test kit, testing has become very easy. The proportion of foreigners among the new cases reached 56.4 per cent, marking the second-highest level ever recorded during a six-month monitoring period. The NRL stated in a press release that a significant contribution to these numbers comes from Ukrainians without refugee status (39 persons). Over the past decade, the number of newly surveyed residents has been rising in the first six months, while the number of Czech citizens with new cases has decreased significantly from a peak of 118 in 2016 to 58 in 2023. Out of the 133 new cases, 110 were men and 23 were...
The long-awaited Barbie movie has finally arrived, bringing great success to the Czech glass industry! The hand-blown glass jugs of Klimchi from the Crystal Valley were commissioned by Warner Brothers, the American production company, for their movie of the year. You can find these iconic pink jugs in Barbie’s house, portrayed by actress Margot Robbie in the film adaptation of the famous doll. The beautiful pink hobnail jugs by the designer brand Klimchi were made by Czech glassmakers in the northern Bohemian Crystal Valley. Klimchi represents a collective of Czech designers and glassmakers who create exceptional glass products in the heart of the Crystal Valley in Kamenický Šenov. However, this is not the first time Czech glass decorations have made it to Hollywood. A couple of years ago, Czech crystal sculptures appeared in the Netflix film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery starring Daniel Craig. These were also created in the Crystal Valley of the Liberec Region, this time under the Czech glass company Pačinek Glass. And the best part – at the end of the summer, you will be able to see Czech glass jewels with your own eyes. From 28 August to 2 September, you can visit the...
The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused the Czech Republic of committing human rights violations in an extensive report titled “On the situation with human rights in individual countries.” The report examines the human rights situation in 43 countries, with a particular focus on the Czech Republic. According to the document’s authors, the Czech authorities have shown reluctance to address “chronic human rights problems” and instead appear to be adopting a “Russophobic course.” The report states: “The Czech Republic harbors ongoing issues that its authorities seem unwilling to resolve, as they actively engage in actions detrimental to foreign policy, particularly in their dealings with Russia. In recent years, Prague has notably taken a systematic slide towards a Russophobic stance, making human rights a key domestic and foreign policy priority. This slide has taken aggressive forms, including waging a ‘war’ against monuments commemorating Soviet soldiers, and whitewashing Nazi collaborators openly.” “Furthermore, there are increasing attempts to push the concept of ‘equal responsibility of totalitarian regimes’ for the outbreak of the Second World War in Czech socio-political discourse. This campaign seeks to equate symbols of the USSR and the Red Army with the Nazi swastika, leading to their prohibition, while also attempting to...
In a bold move, the Czech government is set to allow drivers to reach speeds of up to 150 km/h on specific stretches of its highways. The decision, slated to take effect within the next two years, will initially be limited to a few carefully chosen sections, each spanning several dozen kilometers. Safety experts may advise against raising the speed limit, but surprisingly, there are few opponents among the senators. This marks a significant departure from eight years ago when the same proposal was flatly rejected by the Senate. In Europe, the prevailing trend leans towards reducing highway speed limits to address safety, emissions, and noise concerns. The forthcoming weeks will see Senators engaging in discussions about the new law, which will also entail modifications to the point system, fines, and regulations regarding 17-year-olds with mentors and driver’s licenses. The selected high-speed segments of the highway will be subjected to stringent safety standards and equipped with variable traffic signs to adjust speeds when necessary. While the Czech Republic is not the pioneer in increasing highway speed limits, it joins Germany, where drivers are permitted to reach up to 130 km/h on the autobahn, and Poland and Slovakia, with speed limits...
A Czech police officer in Ústí nad Labem region was engaged in illicit drug activities. The General Inspectorate of Security Forces (GIBS) received reliable information that suggested the officer was trafficking cocaine. This led to a thorough investigation, which revealed that he was selling cocaine with the help of someone from the Ústí region. The investigation revealed that the implicated dealer purchased a total of 128 grams of cocaine in three separate transactions between November 2021 and April of the following year. He then distributed the drug to various individuals and even provided it for free on occasions. The police officer was found to have facilitated these sales and even consumed the illegal substance himself. In April of last year, a joint operation led to the apprehension of both the police officer and the civilian. The search of the dealer’s residence yielded substantial evidence, including CZK 90,000 and EUR 7,800 in cash, as well as around five grams of cocaine. The severity of their actions prompted the GIBS to initiate criminal proceedings against both individuals, charging them with illegal production, distribution, and handling of narcotic and psychotropic substances and poisons. The police officer’s alleged offense mainly focuses on drug possession...
The Czech Government is expected to take a neutral stance on proposed changes to gay partnerships. The People’s Party has suggested an amendment to the Registered Partnership Act, aiming to grant homosexual partners similar property and social rights as married couples. However, the amendment does not address parental rights, which is a concern raised in the government’s preliminary opinion. Government legislators see the amendment as a step towards equality for LGBT+ individuals, but they believe it falls short as it doesn’t fully equate marriage and civil partnerships. The Pirate Minister’s drafted opinion highlights the differentiation between the two institutions. The Pirates advocate for same-sex couples to have the option to marry. The People’s Party amendment fails to address certain mutual rights and obligations shared by spouses and does not encompass all necessary changes to other laws for equalizing partnership and marriage. However, the drafters argue that the changes would significantly strengthen the rights of cohabiting partners and institutionalize same-sex unions. Under the proposed amendment, same-sex couples would enter into a civil partnership, similar to a civil marriage, with amendments to various laws to address property and social rights. These changes include joint insolvency proceedings, joint membership in a housing cooperative,...
The Czech national debt increased to a record of more than 3 trillion crowns (€125 billion) in the first half of the year, crossing the 3 trillion mark for the first time ever. Since the beginning of the year, debt has increased by 149.6 billion crowns. The debt ratio was 42.8 percent of GDP in the first half of the year, 0.1 percentage points higher than at the end of last year, according to the Czech Finance Ministry. The debt translates to each Czech citizen owing 280,574 crowns. The main reason for the increase in state debt was the sale of state bonds and treasury bills in order to continuously cover the state budget deficit, the ministry said in its quarterly report on state debt management. The budget deficit was 215.4 billion crowns in the first half of the year. Most of the state debt is covered by medium- and long-term government bonds issued on the domestic market. Their value in the first half of the year was 2.6 trillion crowns. Other important sources of debt coverage are treasury bills with a maturity of less than one year and received loans and credits. At the same time, the National Budget...
Prague is set to become the home of the Czech Republic’s first specialized center dedicated to assisting victims of sexual violence. T he facility, known as PORT, will be located in the Břevnov district and will provide essential services such as crisis support, treatment, counseling, and therapy. The opening date of PORT is contingent upon securing the necessary funding. The organization aims to raise a total of 570,000 CZK over a two-month period, beginning today. The Czech police receive approximately 600 reports of rape annually. Research indicates that only about five percent of these cases are reported. According to the latest report from the European Network of Women Against Violence (WAWE), the Czech Republic lacks accessible services for victims of sexual violence. Notably absent are support centers and crisis hotlines. This inadequacy is also highlighted in the national strategy for gender equality, which was approved two years ago and encompasses a ten-year plan involving the establishment of services in four major cities, as well as the provision of a crisis hotline and awareness campaigns. “In recent times, there has been a noticeable shift in breaking the taboo surrounding sexual violence, at least to some extent: an increasing number of victims...
One person was killed and more than 70 others were injured in an accident involving two buses on Monday in the Czech Republic. The “serious traffic accident” happened in the afternoon on the D2 motorway near Brno, in the country’s southeastern region, the police said. “According to preliminary reports, one of the drivers died on the spot, and there were dozens of people injured in both buses,” the police said on social media. Fire Rescue Service of the Czech Republic later said that they had “recovered the body of the deceased driver. A total of 76 people were injured.” The D2 motorway in the direction of Brno was still closed, it added in the early evening. Včerejší nehoda autobusů na D2 z pohledu hasičů 🧑🚒 👉Zranilo se 76 lidí. Jeden člověk zemřel. 👉Byl aktivován traumaplán, na místě zasahovalo 26 zdravotnických posádek a vrtulníky. 👉Infocentrum hasičů přijalo asi 60 hovorů. Volali třeba rodinní příslušníci. pic.twitter.com/KN2McYpCSL — Události Brno (@UdalostiBrno) July 18, 2023 The Czech News Agency reported that about 70 people were traveling in the two buses. Among the injured, 14 were in serious condition, and those who escaped without injuries were taken to Brno by firefighters.
The Czech Republic has launched the DoToho project for the UA community in a bid to demonstrate its commitment to supporting individuals affected by the war in Ukraine. By providing mentoring support from top Czech business mentors to Ukrainian managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this initiative aims to empower and uplift those who have been impacted by the conflict. In a recent statement, the European Commission has noted that mentoring programs can be incredibly valuable, as they allow experienced professionals to share their knowledge, insights, and guidance with others who can benefit from their expertise. According to the EU, through the DoToho for UA project, Ukrainian managers in SMEs will have the opportunity to receive support from mentors who can help them navigate challenges, improve their business strategies, and enhance their leadership skills. “The project is open to Ukrainian citizens interested in starting a business in the Czech Republic. Participants are assigned a “buddy” and a customised training programme is set up. They will gain know-how about Czech business, have the opportunity to participate in educational events, and be connected with Ukrainian entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic,” the Commission says in its statement. The inclusion of a buddy...
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