In a recent development, the Czech government has made the decision not to impose a ban on kratom and cannabinol HHC, two substances that have sparked controversy in recent times. The decision was motivated by the government’s belief that a prohibitionist approach would be impractical. Instead, their focus will be on safeguarding the well-being of both children and adult users. Experts have welcomed this decision, asserting that these substances pose less risk compared to other drugs. Kratom, obtained from a tropical plant, and cannabinol HHC, derived from hemp, have been sought after for their medicinal properties but have also been subject to abuse. These substances are available in various forms such as oils, tinctures, tablets, or powders. While the government’s resolution not to prohibit kratom and cannabinol HHC was not reached unanimously, it has stimulated ongoing debates concerning the most effective means of regulating these substances. Some experts suggest the establishment of clear guidelines for their sale and control, while others advocate for an outright ban. The government’s decision echoes a growing inclination toward more progressive drug policies, particularly in Europe. Numerous experts and policymakers argue that prohibitionist measures have proven ineffective and have led to unintended consequences, including an...
by Magdalena Kicińska An animal rights group handed over to the new Czech Minister of Agriculture, MarekVýborný, a petition for the introduction of mandatory camera systems at slaughterhouses. According to the Statista Research Department, the average Czech eats 86 kg of meat per year. Many likely do not ask themselves: how did what I eat get to me. Dramatic recordings of the unloading of animals at the slaughterhouse in Český Dvůr recently stirred Czech public opinion. The video uploaded by Zvířata nejíme shows the unloading of animals from a transport as workers pulled incapacitated or injured cows by the ears or poked them with an electric drive. State Veterinary Administration has already started an investigation about this particular case and is carrying out a general inspection of all slaughterhouses in the Czech Republic. “I know that many people do not want to know what the inside of the slaughterhouse and the process look like. It’s psychologically understandable that he’s running away from it. However, it still seems very important that they have the opportunity, that is, to make these recordings and share them,” said Lucas Vincour from Zvířata nejíme which initiated the petition said. Vincour, accompanied by two colleagues from...
The Czech gastronomic world can rejoice as the government has decided to pay Michelin for its inclusion in the culinary guide. “Michelin stars and other gastronomic recognitions not only add value to restaurants but also serve as a tool to promote the Czech Republic internationally, boost tourism, and generate revenue for the country,” said Tomáš Karpíšek, head of the Ambiente gastronomic group. The issue has raised controversy due to the state of public finances but the government said the 50 million crown fee for the next five years would be well-invested since it would attract more tourists to the country. The cost is to be divided between the state, regions and the private sector. The debate surrounding Michelin stars in the Czech Republic has been intense in recent days. Some argue that Michelin focuses solely on expensive establishments in the capital. They claim that most Czech society stands to gain nothing from it, making it unworthy of sending any money to the company. Others argue that the Michelin Guide enhances the country’s visibility to more sophisticated tourists who seek more than cheap alcohol, thus bringing in additional revenue. They emphasize that the gastronomic guide has the potential to attract people from...
Children of foreigners with long-term residence in the Czech Republic now have access to public health insurance, the authorities have announced. In line with an amendment that the government of the Czech Republic approved, significant changes for children of foreigners with long-term residence are brought, with insurance premiums for them being paid by their parents at the rate equal to minimum insurance contribution. “The approved amendment brings significant change for children with a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic, as it ensures their inclusion in the public health insurance system,” the statement of the EU Commission reads, welcoming the changes. As the Commission explains, until such a change entered into force, children of foreigners with long-term residence in Czechia had the possibility to be insured under the commercial insurance system. However, the insurance companies were not obliged to insure them. Consequently, some of the children, mainly those in poor health, became uninsurable, which was highly inconvenient for them. In addition, the limitations that were imposed on the reimbursement for health services were low in the system of commercial insurance, and for this reason, children were able only to use a limited number of facilities. The Migration Consortium was one of...
By Sarah Buser, Jessica Foshee, Ellie Millikan In Prague, the number of tourists rises every year. Local business owners and the tourist office predict this summer to be exceptional in terms of the number of visitors. Summer is in full swing, and more and more tourists are coming to the city. The number of tourists has reached 80 percent of the pre-pandemic level, says Barbora Scherf, spokeswoman for Prague City Tourism. Tourists from Asian countries have also returned. Almost six million tourists came to Prague in 2022, and this year, it is likely that even more visitors will arrive in the city with cobblestone streets. The tourists are catching up. Michal Dziendziura confirms what the statistics show. He works as a tour guide in Prague and is the owner of Prague Free Tour Company. He started his business eight years ago, and through the years he has seen tourism grow. His business project has been a great success, and now his tours attract about 40,000 people every year. Since he started to work as a tour guide in 2015, every year, the effective number of tourists visiting Prague has been higher than the predictions, apart from the pandemic years 2020 and 2021, Dziendziura says. This is good for his business....
In April, the recently deceased writer transferred his personal archive to the Moravian Library Milan Kundera is no longer with us. The globally acclaimed Czech writer, and author of the Unbearable Lightness of Being, passed away on 11 July in Paris at the age of 94. The news was first reported by the Moravian Regional Library of Brno. That institution is also now linked to the great author’s legacy after back in April of this year, he decided to transfer his own personal archive consisting of some 4000 books and 25 boxes of handwritten notes. The donation served as the basis of the creation of the Milan Kundera Library, which is part of the Moravian Library of Brno. And the city was chosen as the host of this important legacy because it was the birthplace of Mr Kundera. Brno’s famous son Milan Kundera was born in the Moravian region’s main city – Brno – in 1929 in the family of a musicologist. graduated from the Grammar School in his hometown, after which he went to study in Prague. He then became famous in the Czech capital as a writer, with his first novel The Joke being made into a movie only two years...
According to a new survey conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Research (CVVM), Czech citizens’ trust in various international organizations has experienced a decline. The poll revealed a drop in confidence in the European Union (EU) from 58% to 46% compared to the previous year, alongside significant decreases in trust for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN), down to 56% and 52% respectively. The survey, carried out by CVVM between late March and late May of this year, highlighted the interconnected nature of trust in these organizations. Individuals who expressed trust in one of these bodies were more likely to trust the other two as well, although the link between trust in the EU and the UN appeared slightly weaker compared to the connection between NATO and the EU. This year’s survey revealed a prevailing sense of distrust in the EU, with half of the respondents expressing negative sentiments towards the organization. Another 4% of participants indicated that they were unsure. Additionally, 36% expressed mistrust in NATO, while 37% lacked trust in the UN. These figures represented an 11-percentage-point decrease from the previous year, which saw 67% of Czechs placing their trust in NATO...
There will be no shortage of shared scooters in Prague and Brno. In the first half of July, a new Czech company, Antees, will enter Prague and Brno, operating shared electric scooters. A large part of the fleet consists of scooters from BeRider, active in Prague until the end of May. In Prague, the company will start with 100 scooters at first and increase the number to 200 during the summer. In Brno, 100 scooters will start operating by the end of July. “We are deeply convinced that shared mobility makes sense, especially in larger cities. Over the last three years, we have confirmed that there is great demand for our service, so we decided to come up with our own new brand and technologically improved scooters to offer people an even better way of transport than before,” explains Jan Kanta, co-owner of Antees. Antees focuses mainly on B2B, i.e., for example, couriers of delivery companies, but also logistics companies in the last mile delivery area. “We bring these companies a smart solution without having to own a fleet of scooters. We provide them with infrastructure as a service,” says Jakub Kavánek, co-owner of the company. “The name comes from...
The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has extended the previously announced severe heat warning. Now it is valid until late evening (until 21:00) on Monday, July 10. Forecasters expect the air in the country to warm above 31°C on Monday, while in the South Moravian region the temperature will reach 34°C. Doctors recommend residents to drink plenty of fluids (without sugar and caffeine), avoid alcohol and fatty foods, not to spend a long time outdoors, limit physical activity, choose clothing made of light natural materials. Older people and children are particularly at risk. Saturday broke temperature records for July 8 at 9 of the 160 monitoring stations around the country. The highest temperature for that day was registered in Plzen where it reached 34 degrees Celsius. In view of the dry and extremely hot weather there is a ban on lighting fires outdoors and mounted police are patrolling the Bohemian Switzerland National Park which was ravaged by a devastating fire last year.
A recent study conducted in the Czech Republic has shed light on intriguing patterns in the sexual preferences of men and women. The research findings demonstrate that a considerable proportion of men, approximately 31%, possess extraordinary or unconventional sexual preferences. Similarly, the study reveals that approximately 14% of women also exhibit such preferences, albeit to a lesser extent. The study’s outcomes illuminate the complexity and diversity within human sexuality. The findings provide valuable insights into the unique desires and preferences individuals may possess, underscoring the importance of acknowledging and respecting the varied nature of human sexual expression. Kateřina Klapilova, the head of the NUDZ Sexual Health and Intervention Center, has defined “paraphilia” as individuals with unconventional sexual preferences that may involve non-consensual or violent elements. While the causes of paraphilias are not fully understood, experts believe that some individuals may have an inherent inclination towards these preferences. Data from NUDZ reveals that a small percentage of the Czech population experiences pedophilia or hebephilia, while others have preferences for restraining their partner or engaging in pathological sexual aggression. Paraphilias can also manifest as exhibitionism or sexual sadism and can affect both men and women. Many individuals with paraphilias do not engage...
The piggery, a giant industrial operation, stood on the remnants of the Nazi-era Roma concentration camp near Lety, about 80 kilometers south of Prague, and was built in the early 1970s after the Communist regime rejected a proposal to build a Romani Holocaust memorial there. It took 50 years for the country to recognize the farm was a disgrace to the memory of those held in the camp and to flatten it. The demolition started last summer and is now nearly finished – with a memorial to be opened on the site next year. But to many Roma people, the saga remains a symbol of the racism, discrimination and prejudice they still face on daily basis. They believe the farm was allowed to be built because the prisoners were Roma, a group that remains the most marginalized community in the Czech Republic. The Lety camp was one of two “Gypsy camps” operating in the German-occupied Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia during World War Two. Roughly 1,300 Czech and Moravian Roma and Sinti men, women and children were held there from August 1942 to August 1943, according to historical records. Sinti people are a specific subgroup of Roma people who came...
Watching movies outside is an integral part of enjoying the warmer summer weather. Below are the most beautiful, interesting places that offer a movie-going experience, with a twist. Sunset Cinema, Na Pankráci 86, Prague 4 – Nusle Enjoy the true summer atmosphere of the big city and watch the cinema from the roof of the Pankrák department store. There are comfortable chairs, drinks, popcorn and a selection of popular movies. Look forward to Hollywood blockbusters, romance, action and fairy tales. With headphones, showings continue even after 10 PM. Expect English-language films with Czech subtitles. Za Sokolovnou, Trstěnická 982, Litomyšl Litomyšl is a mecca of culture, so there is no shortage of open-air film screenings here either – there are two separate locations. The traditional summer cinema on Smetana Square will screen the first week of August (August 2 to 6). Behind Sokolovna, you can see films throughout all summer. Look forward to titles for kids and adults alike. There are new movies galore, like the newest Bond movie. In addition, you can watch the films from the covered areas in case of rain or extreme heat, and there is plenty food and drink. Summer cinema Pernštejn, Hradecká,...
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