News

Prague to Host Mayor NATO Meeting This May

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to attend an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Prague in May, Seznam Zprávy reported. The news site said the size of the event was reflected in the CZK 100 million budget that had been set aside for it. The gathering will be the biggest NATO event in Prague since a summit in 2002 and comes as Czechia marks 25 years of membership and the alliance marks 75 years of existence. The foreign, defense, and interior ministries are set to contribute financially to the event. “We are operating with a budget of CZK 100 million, although the final amount is yet to be determined,” stated Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mariana Wernerová to Seznam Zprávy. The Czech Foreign Ministry highlighted the nation’s commitment to NATO’s political cohesion, emphasizing the meeting’s symbolic importance in today’s global security context. “The decision to join the Euro-Atlantic structures and the subsequent anchoring of the Czech Republic in NATO represents one of the most historically important steps in the Czech Republic’s independent history. Its significance is truly appreciated today,” the ministry noted. The meetings will take place at the Czernin Palace, the Foreign Ministry’s seat, and at Prague...

 by Prague Morning Feb 07, 2024

Prague City Allocates Additional CZK 20 Million to Support Ukrainian Integration Efforts

At Monday’s meeting, the City Council approved the “Program of Support for Activities of Integration of Foreign Nationals in the City of Prague” (PCH) for 2024, specifically targeting Ukraine. A total of CZK 20 million is allocated to the program, available for application by non-profit organizations and other entities. The program aims to bolster the social sector, housing, outreach services, and awareness-raising initiatives. The various programs aimed at aiding refugees from Ukraine focus on enhancing conditions for their integration into Prague’s community, including educational opportunities. They also seek to foster communication between foreigners and local residents, increase cultural, artistic, social, and educational activities, and improve mutual coexistence. “We can address a significant portion of the Ukrainian refugee agenda within the capital using our own resources. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we have collaborated with the professional non-profit sector to alleviate the challenges associated with their temporary residence. With these funds, we can sustain our efforts in adaptation, integration, and social cohesion,” stated Jiří Pospíšil (TOP 09), Deputy Mayor of Prague for Culture. Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda (ODS) emphasized, “The safety of residents and visitors in the metropolis is a top priority for the Prague administration, regardless of nationality. Hence, we...

 by Prague Morning Feb 06, 2024

Exploring SAPA: Prague’s Vibrant Vietnamese District

Have you heard about the Vietnamese district in Prague called SAPA or Prague’s “Little Hanoi”? It is a genuinely different world with authentic Vietnamese food, Buddhist temple, and street vendors. Let’s explore more what this place can offer to one-day visitors. What is SAPA in Prague You might already notice that we don’t have any cultural districts in Prague, referring to inhabitants from different countries. The only exception is the Vietnamese district on the outskirts of Prague. Vietnamese are the third-largest minority of foreigners in Prague, just after Ukrainians and Slovakians. Vietnamese came to former communist Czechoslovakia for work and studies. With the fall of communism in 1989, the majority of them decided to stay and made the Czech Republic their permanent home. SAPA became a cultural and trading district of the Vietnamese community in Prague around 2000 when the former poultry farm closed and the whole compound became available. It is not particularly nice, but it is an interesting place to visit. SAPA is called by media as “city inside the city,” where you can find many authentic Vietnamese restaurants, food stands, specialized grocery stores, but also schools, places for various social events and weddings, and of course, the...

 by Cara McErlean Feb 05, 2024

Czechia to Boost Fight Against Cancer with EU Recovery Funding

Czechia is making significant strides in the fight against cancer, leveraging the EU’s recovery funding to enhance its oncology infrastructure. In January, representatives of the Czech government, regional authorities and the healthcare community inaugurated the construction of the two new buildings at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (MMCI) in Brno. In the autumn of 2023, the construction of a new oncology centre was also launched in Prague’s Motol University Hospital (MUH). Both projects are supported by the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, an instrument created at the EU level to help the member states with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on national economies. “I see only positives in the new buildings. It will allow us to relocate and expand our existing cancer prevention, genetics, and patient education facilities and create new space for supportive care and clinical research,” said Marek Svoboda, Director of the MMCI. Within the National Recovery Plan framework, which unlocks the country’s access to the Facility, around €340 million has been allocated for oncology, including the construction of new centres in Prague and Brno. New centres in MMCI in Brno will focus on effective cancer prevention. Construction works are planned until December 2025; the following year,...

 by Prague Morning Feb 05, 2024

Prague Airport Warns of Fraudulent Accounts on Facebook

Fraudulent profiles pretending to be Prague Airport are appearing with increased frequency on Facebook. Fake sites offer lost baggage for sale. Prague Airport has been monitoring and actively reporting these profiles for a long time. Unfortunately, the company Meta, on whose side it remains to take further steps, does not respond. We recommend everyone to pay attention to their activity on the Internet and verify the authenticity of visited profiles. Under no circumstances should they share their personal or credit card details. An unclaimed suitcase is a very rare occurrence at Václav Havel Airport Prague. If this happens, the handling company transfers it to the airline’s headquarters within three to four days after it is found. Prague Airport hereby declares that it does not sell any lost baggage. Most European airports have been dealing with the same or similar problems of fraudulent accounts on social networks for several months. Prague Airport confirms that it has official profiles on social networks, a list of which is provided below: Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube Linkedin

 by Prague Morning Feb 05, 2024

Czechia Takes a Step Closer to Euro Adoption with New Euro Commissioner

Czech Minister for European Affairs, Martin Dvořák (STAN), has appointed economist Petr Zahradník as the national commissioner for joining the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) and adopting the euro.  Renewing the position of the national coordinator for the euro has been under discussion within various government parties, spurred by President Petr Pavel’s New Year’s speech regarding the potential adoption of the common European currency. While the ruling parties – STAN, KDU-ČSL, TOP 09, and Pirates – are supportive, the Civic Democrats hold a negative stance. Zahradník, a specialized economist and analyst focusing on the European Union, has been appointed to encourage a public debate on the benefits and risks of adopting the euro, according to Dvořák’s press release. The new commissioner’s primary responsibilities include engaging in expert discussions on meeting the Maastricht criteria, monitoring and analyzing economic aspects of eurozone entry, and providing expert support to Dvořák. The minister’s press office states that the position is established for an indefinite period without additional financial costs, as Petr Zahradník already serves as an adviser to the minister. Dvořák expressed optimism, stating, “I believe that thanks to the new commissioner, we will be able to address main objections from the professional...

 by Prague Morning Feb 05, 2024

OMD is Back to Form with a New Album and Show in Prague

OMD is among the best of the post-punk British synth-pop groups that arose in the late 70s-early 80s. Their 1980 debut is packed with tracks considered classics of the era including “Electricity,” and “Messages” while their second album includes their first hugely popular success in the US, “Enola Gay.” This First Wave of British synth-pop is still influential as it embraced electronica for a danceable pop music unafraid of experimentation and with intelligent lyrics, setting a high standard at that time among other groups like the Human League, New Order, Ultravox, Simple Minds and Visage. OMD at its core was and is still the lead voice of Andy McCluskey (also on bass guitar) and Paul Humphreys (keyboards, vocals). This English duo unfortunately parted ways at the end of the 80s as McClusky carried on with a new OMD. However, none of the albums sans Humphreys match the OMD’s original heyday era, essentially their first four albums: “Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark” (1980); “Organisation” (1980); “Architecture & Morality” (1981), and “Dazzle Ships” (1983). “Architecture & Morality” should be considered their masterpiece with a combination of pop radio hits such as “Souvenir” or “Georgia” and sonically aggressive, edgier tracks as the opener...

 by Tony O. Feb 05, 2024

Thousands of Flats Priced Below Average to Hit Prague Market This Year.

Developers are set to complete thousands of flats in Prague this year, all at prices below the city’s average. According to Deloitte data, the average price per square meter in the fourth quarter of last year was CZK 152,600, but the completed flats are expected to be around ten percent cheaper. Central Group, the largest Czech residential developer, plans to finish 1,100 flats this year across projects in Prague 3, Prague 8, Prague 9, and Prague 10. An additional 1,500 apartments may be included in the sale, contingent on permitting processes. Skanska is in a similar position, completing 208 apartments this year in projects in Kbely and Modřany. Renata Vildomcová, a spokeswoman for the company, shared that over 73 percent of flats in the Albatros Kbely project have been sold, with an average price of CZK 123,000 per square meter. Developer Finep plans to complete 500 flats this year in fully sold-out projects with prices starting from CZK 82,000. Finep spokesman Tomáš Heček explained that the lower prices are due to selling most of the apartments before completion, reflecting a different economic situation. Looking ahead, Finep aims to start construction on 26 apartment buildings and 2,150 flats in various projects...

 by Jody Druce Feb 04, 2024

Czech Koruna at Lowest Point in 20 Months Against Euro

At the close of trading on Friday, February 2, the Czech koruna weakened against the euro by 14 halers, reaching 24.97 crowns per euro, marking the lowest level since May 2022. Senior Czech central banker Jan Frait said he was prepared to back at least a 50-basis-point cut next week and may favour an even larger move, raising the prospect of the bank discussing bolder monetary easing than market predictions. Analysts highlight that the koruna’s decline is attributed to the overall instability in global financial markets and the news of a Czech economic recession. This downward trend commenced at the end of November last year, accumulating a loss of 71 halers over two months. It’s worth noting that the Czech crown reached its peak strength against the euro in July 2008, with an exchange rate of 22.86 crowns per euro. Its lowest point was in April 1999 when one euro was equivalent to 38.46 crowns.

 by Shadia Oseni Feb 04, 2024

Prague City Hall Considers Doubling Annual Public Transport Pass Rates

Prague city council is currently in talks about a potential increase in public transport fares. One of the suggestions on the table is doubling the price of the annual voucher, currently priced at CZK 3,650. The price has not increased since 2015. As the Prague coalition parties deliberate on adjusting public transport fares, there is still no consensus on the extent of the increase. Several options are being considered, and negotiations are ongoing. Deputy Mayor for Transport Zdeněk Hřib from the Pirate Party told Deník N he did not agree with the proposal, saying he wanted public transport to remain affordable for the residents of Prague. In recent years, Prague has been grappling with how to ensure the financial sustainability of the city transport company, which suffered especially hard during the coronavirus crisis. Before 2020, passenger fares covered roughly 21 percent of the transport company’s costs, while now it is only around 15 percent, with Prague covering the remaining 85 percent from its spending budget. In most other countries the share is closer to 50-50. Current prices of public transport tickets for Prague: CZK 30 for a 30-minute ticket CZK 40 for a 90-minute ticket CZK 31 for a 30-minute...

 by Prague Morning Feb 04, 2024

New Bill Proposes at Least One-Third of Women in Large Companies Boards

In a move to enhance gender representation in the Czech Republic’s corporate sector, the government has unveiled a draft law advocating a minimum of one-third female participation in the management of large companies. The legislation emphasizes transparency and clear criteria in the selection process for board members, aiming to address the current disparity. The proposed law targets five major companies and banks. On average, women hold 32.2 percent of leadership positions across the EU, while in Czechia, it is only 21 percent. It ranks 20th out of the 27 EU member states when it comes to representation of women in upper management and has long been criticised for failure to do anything to improve the situation. The legislation aligns with the European directive from the previous year, compelling the Czech Republic to adopt regulations by December 28. To meet the criteria, companies must have at least 40% women on supervisory and management boards or a combined 33% on boards and management boards. The law specifically names major companies like ČEZ, Komerční banka, Moneta Money Bank, Philip Morris ČR, and Kofola Československo as subject to these regulations. The proposed law sets a deadline for companies to achieve gender balance by mid-2026,...

 by Cara Stevenson Feb 04, 2024

Prague Aims for Over 1,000 Electric Car Charging Lamp Posts in Three Years

The number of electric vehicles in Czechia is growing and according to official estimates, their number could reach 180,000 by 2030. Most of them will be in the capital city. Prague has therefore decided to increase the number of charging stations available. This year’s plan includes doubling this number, reaching over 1,000 by 2026 and 4,500 by 2030. The ongoing transformation of lampposts into EVR masts with charging capabilities is progressing in residential areas such as Kobylisy, Bohnice, Dvorce, Vršovice, Vinohrady, and Velká Ohrada. Charging stations on these EVR lamps can provide up to 2×22 kW of power. A pilot project in Vinohrady, Prague 2, saw the installation of 13 charging stations with 25 locations at the end of 2022, specifically in Moravská, Korunní, Chodská, Kladská, Slezská, and Slovenská streets. The previous year saw a total of 55 EVR lamps introduced in Prague, not only in Vinohrady but also in Prosek, Vokovice, Kamýk, Háje, and Černý Most. Jan Recman, Prague 2 Deputy Mayor for Environment, Construction, and Territorial Development, emphasized the city’s commitment to building a network for charging electric vehicles in collaboration with the Prague Energy Company. Approximately CZK 219.1 million will be allocated by the Prague City Council...

 by Prague Morning Feb 03, 2024

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