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...
Czechia continues to have the lowest unemployment rate in the whole of the European Union, according to newly released data by the European statistics agency Eurostat. Unemployment rate dropped to 2.2 percent in September, compared to 2.4 percent in August. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Czech lower house described the current Russian regime as terrorist. In a resolution passed on Thursday, the committee condemned the large-scale attacks on Ukrainian civilians and key infrastructure and refused to recognise the referendums on annexation of the four Ukrainian regions to Russia. President Miloš Zeman vetoed an amendment to this year’s budget on Thursday, arguing that the revenues are lower than they could have been had an amendment to the Income Tax Act been adopted first. The Czech Republic will from now on present itself as “Czechia” for the purposes of international sports, according to a decision by the executive committee of the Czech Olympic Committee (COV) yesterday. Czechia plans to close its embassy in Mali and its consulate general in China’s Chengdu, the Foreign Ministry’s state secretary Radek Rubeš said at a meeting of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee on Thursday.
This year Korzo Národní brings solidarity celebrations on 17 November. Already now a new installation on Václav Havel Square (National Theatre piazzetta) gives a voice to people in need. November 17, 1989 November 17th, 1989 set in motion the Velvet Revolution which led to the peaceful overthrow of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Following a brutal police crack-down on an unarmed student demonstration in Prague on that day, thousands of people took to the streets, asserting their desire for change. A week after the fall of the Berlin Wall, with East Germany, Poland and Hungary already firmly set on the road to democracy, it was clear that the Eastern Bloc was crumbling. The fall of the Iron Curtain ended nearly half a century of a divided Europe, changing the political map of the Old Continent and indeed the world. It marked the beginning of a new era for millions of people. Korzo Národní 2022 Korzo Národní is already presenting itself in public space. On Václav Havel Square there is a charity booth revealing stories from socially vulnerable groups. Just pick a number from the list, pick up a handset and listen to the stories of ordinary people in distress. With...
According to an analysis by Sodexo Benefity, lunch in a restaurant in September cost CZK 172 on average, CZK 5 more than in August and CZK 15 more than in January. People spent the most money on a lunch meal in a restaurant in Prague, at CZK 195. On the other hand, the cheapest price, on average CZK 153, was paid in establishments in the Olomouc region. “Given that the annual inflation rate reached 18 percent in September, and experts expect it to fall below the 10 percent mark by the middle of next year at the earliest, it is certain that people in Prague will pay an average of CZK 200 for lunch later this year. And with a high degree of probability, Central Bohemians will join them,” said Jan Michelfeit of Sodexo Benefity. At the beginning of this year, the average lunch cost CZK 157. The cheapest in September was in the Olomouc Region (CZK 152.6) and the Vysočina Region (CZK 154), the analysis showed. “Lunch prices have been rising continuously for the twelfth month in a row. They headed upwards in autumn last year, shortly after all covid restrictions were relaxed,” Michelfeit pointed out. The price is...
On the occasion of Czechoslovak Independence Day, President Zeman presented high state distinctions to 78 outstanding personalities from different walks of life, 32 of them were awarded in memoriam. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received the Order of the White Lion, the highest state honour in the Czech Republic, in absentia. A representative from the Ukrainian embassy in Prague accepted the award on behalf of Zelenskiy. Zeman noted that Zelenskyy “showed courage and bravery. And, although the United States offered him an evacuation, he remained in the capital of his country, where he manages its defense.” The Order of the White Lion (Czech: Řád Bílého lva) is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia had no civilian decoration for its citizens in the 1920s and 1930s). It was inspired by the Czech Nobility Cross created in 1814 by the Emperor and King Francis I and awarded to 37 Bohemian noblemen. The state awards ceremony takes place every year on October 28. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021. The Order of the White Lion was also awarded to Josef Mašín, a member of the Czechoslovak Legions in Russia and later a member of...
In 2021, the Czech Ministry of Health received 196 applications for gender reassignment. This is a record number in the history of the country. Of the 196 applications submitted, the vast majority (131) were from women who had decided to become men. Czech law has allowed for gender reassignment since 2012. Initially, there were fewer than 50 applications a year but last year the figure reached almost 200, Czech Television said. Experts attribute this growth to the influence of social media, improved sexual education and growing tolerance in society. The costs of the surgery itself and the examinations are covered by state health insurance. Patients themselves pay only for some hormones and cosmetic improvements, such as hair removal or breast implants. The operation, open for people aged 18 or more, “requires a positive opinion from a Ministry of Health expert committee and, if the patient does not have full legal capacity, the approval of a court.” Anyone embarking on gender reassignment treatment in Czechia must be single, divorced, widowed, or, if a civil partner, their partnership must have been dissolved. If an individual is married or in a registered partnership, the registry office informs them that, if they do not...
The scientific research department at Masaryk University has spoken out about rising energy costs and the impact it has on work while asking the government for assistance. Scientific institutions across Europe are struggling with high prices, with some turning to their governments for assistance, as the research might be a highly energy-intensive activity. “For example, in the case of our institute, CEITEC at Masaryk University, the operation of instruments and technologies needed for science accounts for about 90% of the energy consumption in a given year. The energy crisis is, therefore a phenomenon that significantly affects us as scientific institutions,” said Nantl, in the letter. According to Nantl, governments should provide more sustainable funding for research institutions as these bodies are crucial in tackling global challenges, such as pandemics. In the Czech Republic, funding for research infrastructures from the Ministry of Education and Youth for 2020 to 2022 amounts to €80 million, with a further €120 million from EU funds. As Signe Ratso, acting Director of the European Commission’s DG for Research and Innovation, said at the ICRI 2022 conference organised in the Czech Republic on 19-21 October, the impact of the energy crisis on research infrastructures is one of the topics...
October 28 is Independent Czechoslovak State Day, and most large stores over 200 square meters will close due to the law passed in 2016. Pharmacies, gas stations, and stores in airports, hospitals and train stations are not included in the law. Stores under 200 square meters, such as local grocery stores, can also remain open. Violators of the law can face fines up to Kč 1 million, and some fines have been levied in the past. This year is the 104th anniversary of the establishment of the First Republic of Czechoslovakia in 1918. There are a few celebrations planned, such as a ceremony at the National Monument in Vítkov at 10 am. Independent Czechoslovak State Day marks when the newly created Czechoslovakia broke away from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the closing days of World War I. Bohemia and Moravia had been ruled by Austrian while Slovakia was controlled from Hungary. Nationalist movements began in the middle of the 18th century. Despite some cultural and linguistic differences, Bohemia, Moravia and Slovakia decided to join together. Secret talks to create the country took place with the support of the Allied forces in the US, Britain and France. The Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence was drafted in October...
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