Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III visited the Czech Republic, September 9, where he met with Czech Minister of Defense Jana Cernochova, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and President Milos Zeman. During the meetings, he discussed Czech Republic’s defense modernization work to enhance interoperability with NATO, opportunities for further defense cooperation, and the importance of continuing to provide support to Ukraine. He began his trip to Prague on Friday with a visit to the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius, where seven Czechoslovak paratroopers died in June 1942 in a gun battle with German troops after having assassinated high-ranking Nazi Reinhard Heydrich. The Secretary applauded the Czech Republic for its leadership in Europe and in the NATO Alliance, for ratifying the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO, and for its extraordinary support to Ukraine as it defends against Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war. Ms. Černochová described the United States as Czechia’s most important ally. The two countries want to speed up negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement, with the next meeting scheduled to take place in two weeks’ time. Secretary Austin also met with U.S. Marines at U.S. Embassy Prague and several U.S service members participating in the Czech...
Czech politicians have been expressing their condolences following the announcement that Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96. Eva Bouchalová – Head of Press & Public Affairs at the British Embassy in Prague – said several candles have already appeared in front of the building in Malá Strana. President Miloš Zeman said that he had received the news of the Queen’s death with great sorrow, adding that he admired her lifelong devotion to the British monarchy and the hard work and immense humility with which she served her nation. Zeman also said that she had been a symbol of stability. In honor of the monarch, the Petřín Tower shone in the colors of the British flag last night. The Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, said that he was deeply saddened by the death of Queen Elizabeth II and sent heartfelt and sincere condolences to the Royal family, the British people, and the people of the Commonwealth. Czech leaders and politicians commemorate the visit of the Queen to Prague in March 1996. Elizabeth II was the first monarch to visit the Czech Republic but not the first member of the British royal family. In 1991, Prince Charles and his...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. Jan Zizka, a film about 15-century Hussite warrior Jan Zizka directed by Petr Jakl in international co-production, which is the most expensive film in Czech cinematography history with a budget of almost 0.5 billion crowns, is released in cinemas in Czechia today. The international premiere for invited guests took place in Prague on Thursday with most foreign actors featuring in the film present. . Pressure on Turkey must be exerted over the rising number of Syrian refugees coming to the EU from this country in the past months, Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told reporters in the Chamber of Deputies today, adding that he wants to debate this issue with his EU counterparts. The Czech government has decided not to continue the legal dispute with the European Commission started by the previous government of Andrej Babiš over a blocked subsidy, news site irozhlas.cz reported on Thursday. Gas storage capacities in Czechia are continuing to be filled despite Russia halting its gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and have so far reached 85% capacity, Industry...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. General Petr Pavel, former Czech chief-of-staff and NATO Military Committee head, officially confirmed his presidential bid and introduced his election slogan “Let Us Return Order and Quiet to the Czech Republic today”. Pavel named an active foreign policy, innovative economy with higher VAT, an independent energy sector, education and sound environment as his priorities. . Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala received the Polish “Man of the Year” award for 2022 at the opening of the 31st Economic Forum in Karpacz late on Tuesday. “This is a great honour for me. I am aware of who received this award before — Lech Walesa, Vaclav Havel and John Paul II,” Fiala said in his acceptance speech. The Czech military will be able to deploy up to 1,200 soldiers at NATO’s eastern border to strengthen defence in the next two years under the plan of foreign missions until 2024 that the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Czech parliament, passed on Wednesday. In total, up to 1,362 soldiers could serve in foreign missions in 2023 and...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. Prime Minister Petr Fiala says a national strategy to combat high energy prices is being prepared which will either supplement or replace any European solution. He said on Tuesday that it would depend what agreement was reached at European level. . Year-on-year growth in industrial output in Czechia slowed to 0.8 percent in July from 2.7 percent in June, according to official data. Analysts believe this is evidence of an impending economic recession, the Czech News Agency reported. Petr Pavel has officially announced that he will stand in elections to the Czech presidency in January next year. Mr. Pavel is a former Czech Army general and was chairman of the NATO Military Committee for three years. The Czech EU Presidency is ready to start negotiations on the possible extension of temporary protection for Ukrainian refugees, Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said on Monday. The protection mechanism allows Ukrainians fleeing the war to access work, housing or education in all the EU countries. The EU agreed to introduce it annually for the first time...
Czech labour unions called on Monday for a mass demonstration against soaring energy and food prices while seeking sharp pay hikes to match, as pressure mounted on the centre-right government to do more to rein in a growing energy crisis. Europe is facing a difficult winter as falling gas supplies from Russia have spiked the price of the commodity, which in turn is boosting electricity prices and causing utility bills to surge severalfold. Food prices are also rising, and inflation is at a three-decade high and the fourth-highest in te European Union. The Czech government, like others, is scrambling to help vulnerable households and firms, but is facing mounting pressure to act quicker. On Saturday, around 70,000 attended a protest in Prague called by organisers from far-right or fringe political groups – a stark warning of how quickly political instability could rise. Union groups announced their own demonstration for Oct. 8, the first major action in a decade. “We are not happy with the current situation… We are not extremists, or anything like that; we are people that are afraid of the future for people,” Josef Stredula, head of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, said. “Come and let’s show...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. In the second quarter of 2022, the average gross monthly wage in the Czech Republic was CZK 40,086, an increase of 4.4% compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, according to data from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ). However, due to inflation, this represents a drop of 9.8% in real terms, the biggest decrease in the nation’s history. . US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin is due to arrive in Prague on Friday, September 9. The Pentagon chief will hold talks with Defence Minister Jana Černochová and Prime Minister Petr Fiala, focusing on aid to Ukraine and the current security situation. The Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, has congratulated Liz Truss on her new role as UK PM and leader of the Conservative Party. Mr. Fiala, who heads the right-wing Civic Democrats, said on Monday that he believed the UK would remain a valued ally of Czechia and the European Union. Union leaders have called a demonstration for Prague’s Wenceslas Square on Saturday October 8. At a meeting in the capital...
Nearly three decades after Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two states, Czechs are still looking for a proper name in English for their country. “The Czech Republic” has been widely used, though the shorter “Czechia” has slowly been catching on since its official registration by the United Nations in 2016. Today the European Union and NATO member’s current stint at the helm of the rotating EU presidency offers an opportunity for a breakthrough. “We are seeking to unify the presentation of our country abroad and at home after a long 30 years,” Deputy Foreign Minister Martin Dvorak, an advocate of “Czechia”, told AFP. “It is absurd to have 27 EU members and 29 NATO members using their short names and Czechia as the only member country stating its political status,” as a republic, he added. The foreign ministry promotes the shorter name, while Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s office has largely used “the Czech Republic” on its website and social networks. To make matters worse, at times the two names show up in tandem. When it took over the EU presidency on July 1, the government rolled out a website hailing the “natural beauty of Czechia” in one sentence and the cultural...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. Prague saw the fifth hottest summer since records began back in 1775, the Czech Hydro-Meteorological Institute reported on Thursday. Between the start of July and end of August, the oldest Czech meteorological station at Prague’s Clementinum recorded an average temperature of 22.2 degrees Celsius, the fifth highest in the past 245 years. . US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin is due to arrive in Prague next Friday, September 9, the Czech Ministry of Defence said on Thursday. The Pentagon chief will hold talks with Defence Minister Jana Černochová and Prime Minister Petr Fiala, focusing on aid to Ukraine and the current security situation. The Forum 2000 International Award for Courage and Responsibility was presented in Prague on Thursday to Chinese citizen journalist and activist Zhang Zhan, who was imprisoned by the Chinese government for reporting the truth about the Covid epidemic in Wuhan. The Czech and Polish Air Force started to patrol Slovak airspace on Thursday after the NATO member stopped using Russian-made MiG fighter airplanes. Slovakia will rely on the help of...
Almost one in five Czech companies will look at cutting staff this year as they struggle with rising costs and high energy prices, the country’s Chamber of Commerce said on Wednesday. In a survey of 493 companies, the group found 18% expected employee numbers to drop in the second half of the year, while 72% said they expected staffing to stay unchanged. “By the end of the year, almost a fifth of companies will cut their employee levels… driven by rising prices and especially high energy prices,” the chamber said in a release. Firms have been demanding help as high energy prices cut into their business, with some producers already reporting operations are becoming loss-making. Czech unemployment is the lowest in the European Union, and some surveys until recently have shown hiring still strong. In June, jobs agency Manpower’s country survey saw more companies hiring than firing in the third quarter. But companies are struggling more and seeking ways to save as energy costs surge, with a spike in gas prices amid concerns over Russian supplies driving up electricity prices to record highs. Governments are racing to help households and firms. The Czech government last week approved a discount electricity...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. Czech President Milos Zeman signed the ratification documents on the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO. The lower and upper houses of Czech parliament approved the NATO enlargement by the two countries in the past weeks. Both Nordic countries filed their request for NATO accession in early July due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, thus deciding to end their neutrality. . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has bestowed the Order of Princess Olga, 2nd class, on Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova for her contribution to enhancing interstate cooperation and support for the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Zelenskiy also bestowed the Order of Merit, 1st class, on Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky. Czech politicians have hailed former Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in Moscow late on Tuesday aged 91, as one of the key figures of the 20th century who contributed to the collapse of communism. Gorbachev was inspired by the Prague Spring communist reform movement from 1968. He gave the hope of freedom to people in the Soviet Union,...
Food self-sufficiency is unrealistic for Czechia due to the world’s interconnectedness. Czechia, therefore, needs to focus on food security, such as maintaining adequate stocks of key foodstuffs, said Prime Minister Petr Fiala at the beginning of the agricultural fair Země živitelka in České Budějovice. According to Fiala, the effects of the war in Ukraine on Czech agriculture can only be estimated. The prices of inputs are increasing. At the same time, the demand from abroad is growing, and thus does the value of goods. In Fiala’s view, Czechia will have to deal with the risks arising from the conflict for a long time. Grain flows from Ukraine not only affect the European continent but also Africa, which especially depends on it. According to the prime minister, Czechia cannot be independent when it comes to food. The customer is not ready to pay for it, and products from abroad bring more choices and lower prices. “Customers vote by choosing goods,” Fiala said. Czechia is self-sufficient in only three food groups According to the latest data from the Czech Statistical Office for the year 2020, the Czech Republic was fully self-sufficient in only three food groups: beef, milk and milk products, and sugar....
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