Almost 57 percent of Czechs are planning to spend less this Christmas than they did last year, suggests a survey carried out by the STEM/MARK agency. Seven out of ten people said they would cover their Christmas expenditures from their regular monthly salary and select mainly cosmetics and books 57 per cent of respondents will spend less on Christmas presents this year, 15 per cent will wait for the post-Christmas sales while a tenth of respondents will not buy presents because of the rising prices and the unfavourable economic situation. Last year, 40 percent of people saved money on buying gifts. This year’s pre-Christmas survey, according to the authors, shows that people are more worried and will therefore cut back on Christmas. Forty-three per cent of respondents expect to spend up to CZK 5,000 on all Christmas presents, while 30 per cent want to buy gifts of up to CZK 10,000. While two years ago 34 per cent of people bought electronics for their loved ones, this year only 16 per cent of respondents want to buy them as Christmas presents. Traditionally, cosmetics and books or small gift items ranked first. The types of gifts that Czechs will buy this...
The weekend is expected to bring the first bout of cold winter weather to the Czech Republic with up to 15 centimeters of snow in places and day temperatures hovering around zero. Temperatures will drop to -7 degrees Celsius at night and drivers have been warned to expect icy conditions. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute has issued a warning about snowfall. It is expected in some regions of the country on November 18 and 19. A warning for low-level snowfall is in effect from 20:00 on Friday until 18:00 on Saturday for the Vysočina, Ústí, Karlovy Vary, Plzeň, Central Bohemia, South Bohemia and South Moravia regions. Between 5 and 15 centimetres of snow may fall there during this period. In addition, forecasters have warned that the night of Sunday, November 20, will be quite frosty. Depending on the region, overnight temperatures will range from -8 to -12°C. Drivers should expect snowdrifts and the fact that less frequented roads may be impassable. The current spell of cold and wet weather has already brought the season’s first snow to most of the country’s mountainous regions.
In Ostrava, huge piles of coal are stacked up ready to sell to eager buyers and smoke belches from coal-fired plants that are ramping up instead of winding down. The city has been working for decades to end its legacy as the most polluted area of the country, transitioning from an industrial working-class stronghold to a modern city with tourist sights. But Russia’s war in Ukraine has triggered an energy crisis in Europe that as paved the way for coal´s comeback, endangering climate goals and threatening health from increased pollution. Households and businesses are turning to the fuel once considered obsolete as they seek a cheaper option than natural gas, whose prices have surged as Russia slashed supplies to Europe. Demand for brown coal – the cheapest and most energy-inefficient form – used by Czech households jumped by almost 35% in the first nine months of 2022 over a year earlier. In the same period, production rose more than 20%, the first increase after an almost continuous, decadeslong decline, the Czech Industry and Trade Ministry said. Coal-fired power is not only disastrous for climate, it´s also a health hazard, releasing heavy particle emissions, nitrogen oxides and mercury, which contaminates fish in lakes and rivers. A 2021...
The Czech government plans to provide training to as many as 4,000 Ukrainian troops over the next year, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova said on Wednesday. The training would be done in five four-week cycles with up to 800 troops attending each, and cost 975 million crowns, the Defence Ministry said. NATO member Czech Republic has strongly backed Ukraine since Russia’s attack in February this year, and has sent it light and heavy weapons and ammunition. The training program would be started with the first batch of troops this year and eventually be folded under a planned European Union training scheme for Ukraine. European Union foreign ministers agreed to set up a mission to train some 15,000 Ukrainian troops and to provide an extra 500 million euros worth of funding for arms deliveries to Kyiv at a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. Ukraine has shown interest in training of mainly mechanised battalions and also medics, engineering and chemical troops, Cernochova said. The Czech Republic will also send 55 troops as instructors or members of command structures of the planned EU training mission in other EU member states. Both parts of the plan require parliamentary approval.
The Czech Republic is considering throwing its hat in the ring to host the U.N.’s COP29 climate summit in 2024, which would put it in contention with a handful of other countries for the massive international conference, its deputy environment minister told Reuters on Monday. “In our consideration of possible hosting, we take into account both logistical and financial challenges for the host country, but also our experience with energy transformation and decarbonisation,” Jan Dusik said in written comments. Dusik said the Czech Republic had not yet decided whether to bid, and would also consider making a joint bid with another country from eastern Europe. Bulgaria has already said it is willing to host the global climate talks. Dusik said several countries from the region have expressed interest in hosting or co-hosting the event. The annual COP meetings draw tens of thousands of delegates, and provide a setting where nearly all countries in the world negotiate joint efforts to avert disastrous climate change and assess their progress. Hosting the U.N. climate event can bring a degree of international prestige and tourist income, but also intense media scrutiny, costs, and logistical problems. The French-hosted COP in 2015 produced the landmark Paris...
By sticking masks on its forty vehicles, the Prague transport company is spreading awareness about men’s health again this year drawing attention to a dangerous disease and targeting prevention methods. At the beginning of this month, the Prague transport company’s cars with mustaches took to the streets of the capital. For the fifth time in a row, the carrier is one of thirteen carriers in eleven Czech cities that have joined the global awareness campaign for men’s health. “Twenty trams type 15T and twenty SOR buses have grown mustaches in Prague. Not only public transport fans have something to take pictures of,” said Aneta Rehkova, spokesperson for the company. However, according to many, this year the awareness of this preventive action in the capital is a little less “loud” than it was in the past. This is despite the fact that there are more windowed cars in Prague every year. It started with fifteen buses and the same number of trams. “We are trying to raise awareness, just like in previous years,” said Řehková, adding that there is information posted in the cars with a link to the transport company’s website, where everything is listed. “Our drivers are heavily dominated...
Over 1,400 shops, including stores owned by major chains, take part in the event in which people can donate non-perishable foodstuffs that will then be redistributed to those in need. “There has been a marked increase in the organisation’s clients this year due to a sharp rise in food and energy costs. Any food will help us,” said Helena Balabánová, Chairwoman of the Food Bank in Ostrava. The situation is reported to be worst in Prague and the northern regions, where an increasing number of people are asking for help in securing basic food supplies. The groceries and drug-store goods will be delivered to single mothers, seniors, asylum-seekers, and others in need. The annual wave of solidarity is also highlighted by volunteers who will help put the collection into life. In most shops goods are being collected by volunteers between 8 am and 6 pm. People can also donate products bought online. Citizens can donate food from the retail chains Albert, Billa, Globus, Kaufland, Lidl, Makro Cash & Carry, Tesco, and Rossmann. Rohlik.cz and Tesco Online stores will also join the National Food Collection. The National Food Collection is organized by BpS – the Business for Society in cooperation with...
Mexico, Indonesia, and Taiwan are the best places to live abroad in, according to findings in the Expat Insider survey. Global expat community InterNations conducts one of the biggest annual surveys on life abroad, Expat Insider. In 2022, close to 12,000 expats representing 177 nationalities took part. Covering key areas such as working abroad, the ease of settling in, quality of life, personal finances, and expat essentials, the findings are a must-read for anyone interested in living abroad. The Czech Republic ranked 20th, losing five places during the year. Expats praised the country for its high-quality working conditions, good career prospects and ample opportunities for a fulfilling family life. Respondents particularly praised the relatively low cost of raising a child, as well as the quality and accessibility of education. However, in the category “Ease of Integration”, the republic scored poorly – 42nd place out of a possible 52. The Winners Mexico was rated the best country for expats in 2022. Expats particularly appreciate their Personal Finances (2nd) and the Ease of Settling In (1st). “Mexicans are very friendly people and eager to help when you have a problem,” states an expat from Armenia. In fact, three-quarters of respondents (75%) agree that it easy to...
The Czech Republic will not adopt the euro in the current parliamentary term, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. He added, however, that the government wants to allow companies to keep their accounts in euros. The prime minister made the remarks in response to a question about Saturday’s statement by House Speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamová, who said at a program conference that she saw 2030 as a realistic year for adopting the euro “What will happen in 2030, we will see. I don’t look at this question, speaking for myself, ideologically. For me, it is really a question of what is beneficial for the Czech Republic and Czech citizens. Now the situation is such that during this term of office, and therefore during the term of the government I have the honour to head, the adoption of the euro will not be a topical issue,” the Prime Minister and ODS chairman said. He said that the government was taking steps to fulfill the Maastricht criteria, i.e. the conditions for adopting the euro. “But at the same time we have not agreed on adopting the euro because we do not consider it realistic at the moment and the Czech Republic will not...
November brought another increase in the price of beer. Budějovický Budvar joined the producers who increased the price for a pint, it can mean two crowns more. Energy prices have increased almost fourfold for the České Budějovice brewery. That is why it has increased beer prices by about ten percent since November. “The main reason for this is energy prices and prices of packaging material, prices of hops and prices of malt in particular, we expect them to go up again by tens of percent,” described the director of Budějovický Budvar Petr Dvořák. The price of a pint has risen by about two crowns, but in some pubs the increase may be even higher. They also plan to increase the price by other costs. “It is electricity, gas and other things that cannot be reflected in the two crowns. Pubs have to charge more. If they can go up at all, because the loss of guests is already rapid,” said Jan Dobiáš, owner of the Zlatá Hvězda restaurant. Even establishments that pour other beer brands into pints have had to increase their prices. The largest Czech brewery Plzeňský Prazdroj has also raised prices, by an average of CZK 1.7 per...
The Czech Republic is on the way to legalizing adult-use cannabis, and it aims to coordinate with Germany to share information and the best practices to regulate the legal industry. Following Germany’s announcement to legalize cannabis, the Czech Republic has just started to embark on the journey toward cannabis legalization, aiming to harmonize its legislation with Berlin. The Czech coalition government is drafting a bill to regulate the industry, which is expected to be presented in March 2023, while full legalization may be entered into effect by January 2024 In September, the government commissioned drug commissioner Jindřich Vobořil to draft a law to legalize adult-use cannabis. Vobořil announced that Czech officials are in contact with the German government to coordinate and consult each other over their proposals. “We are in contact with our German colleagues, and we have repeatedly confirmed that we want to coordinate by consulting each other on our proposals,” he said in a Facebook post. The Czech Republic is considered one of the most liberal countries regarding cannabis legislation. Although its recreational use is still illegal, it decriminalized cannabis possession for personal use in 2010 and legalized medical cannabis in 2013. In addition, the Czech Republic is one of...
Israir airline intends to take over Czech Smartwings for EUR 44 million. This emerges from a mandatory publication published on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Smartwings does not want to comment on this at the moment. Currently, the Czech carrier is majority-owned by Jiří Šimáň and Roman Vik. A company from China is also involved as a minority shareholder. The former subsidiary CSA has already been separated from the group and is now a sister company. It is currently still unclear whether Israir will take the offer. If it can be assumed that a construction must be created that formally guarantees EU majority ownership. Smartwings does not want to comment on the possible takeover by the carrier from Israel. Smartwings also owns Czech Airlines (CSA), the legacy carrier that is the flag carrier of the Czech Republic. Czech Airlines is not in a very good position at the moment: it is in administration and is being reorganized. The reorganization is going well so far because the administrator is selling off Czech Airlines’ emissions allowances to generate revenue to gradually cover its debts. Smartwings has subsidiaries in Eastern Europe The Smartwings Group also runs flight operations under the Smartwings brand in several countries outside of...
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