What makes one passport more powerful than another? The best-known passport ranking, from London-based investment migration consultancy Henley & Partners, focuses solely on visa-free travel. Essentially, the more countries a citizen can visit without a visa, the better. In that ranking, six nations—France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore and Spain—tie for the top position, with 194 visa-free destinations apiece. But Dubai-based immigration and tax consulting firm Nomad Capitalist believes evaluating passport strength is far more complicated. “While most indices—and most people—think of a passport only in terms of travel privileges, we understand that citizens of different countries deal with very different requirements to pay tax, live freely, comply with regulations, and avoid scrutiny when traveling,” according to the 2024 Nomad Capitalist Passport Index, which weighs five criteria: visa-free travel (50%), taxation of citizens (20%), global perception (10%), dual citizenship (10%) and personal freedom (10%). In Nomad Capitalist’s eighth annual ranking, all of the top five passports and eight of the top 10 belong to European nations. Switzerland jumped from No. 3 last year to take the top spot in 2024, with Nomad Capitalist noting the country’s “exceptionally high levels of liberty and privacy.” Furthermore, “the country’s neutrality ensures that Swiss nationals...
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on March 6 accused Prague of “endangering” Czech-Slovak relations by “supporting the war in Ukraine” while Bratislava “talks about peace.” Fico made the statement in reaction to Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s decision to postpone consultations between the two countries that were planned for April. Fiala justified this by “different opinions on key foreign policy issues.” “We acknowledge that the Czech government decided to endanger (our relations) because it wants to support the war in Ukraine, while the Slovak government openly talks about peace,” Fico said in a video published on his official Facebook page. Initially supporting Ukraine on military and political levels, Slovakia’s foreign policy took a sharp turn after populist leader Fico won the parliamentary elections last September while running on a Ukraine-skeptic platform. Under Fico’s leadership, Bratislava’s foreign policy took a more amicable position toward Russia, mirroring the stances of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban while growing further apart from other partners like Czechia. “Our partners on the other side of the world understand that Europe’s security affects the security of the whole world, which is why I’m sorry that our Slovak colleagues don’t share this perspective,” Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky...
The Czech Parliament’s upper house, the Senate followed the lower house on Wednesday to approve changes in the gun law that tighten requirements for owning a weapon following the worst mass killing in the nation’s history. The legislation now must be signed by President Petr Pavel before becoming law, which is expected. On Dec. 22, a lone shooter killed 14 people and wounded dozens before killing himself at a Charles University building in downtown Prague. The assailant was a 24-year-old student who had a proclivity for firearms and a license to own eight guns, including two long guns. Authorities said he had no criminal record and therefore did not attract the attention of the authorities. The lower house gave the green light to the new law on Jan 26. Under the new law, gun owners would have to undergo a medical check every five years, not every 10 years, as they do now. Businesses would be required to report suspicious purchases of guns and ammunition to the police, while doctors would gain access to databases to find out if their patients are gun owners. Parliamentary debate on the legislation had already begun before that shooting. Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said...
Prague 7 is considering naming a viewpoint after Alexei Navalny, the prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, died on February 16th while imprisoned in a Siberian penal colony. The Prague 7 administration is proposing to name the viewpoint near the Governor’s Summer Palace in Stromovka after the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The proposal will be sent to the municipality’s local history commission for approval. If approved by the commission, the recommendation will then need to be voted on by the city council. “Alexei Navalny’s death is a significant loss not only for Russian society but also for the global fight for democracy and human rights,” said Mayor Jan Čižinský (Praha 7 Sobě). “While a sign bearing his name was placed at the Governor’s Summer Palace in 2021, naming the viewpoint after him wasn’t possible at the time as Prague only allows naming public spaces after deceased individuals.” Several locations around the Russian embassy in Prague already bear the names of prominent figures who opposed the Russian government. Since 2020, the square in front of the embassy has been named after Boris Nemtsov, a murdered Russian opposition politician. The same year, the Stromovka promenade was named after Anna...
Enjoy the true Czech Easter! The traditional markets in cities, castles and châteaux will take you back a few centuries and the festive Easter dishes will expand your gastronomical horizons. In short, the program for this year’s Easter festivities is quite rich again. Come to Easter Market the Old Town Square in Prague. At the market, you can see painted eggs, rattles, whips, and there are also cultural events on a stage with folk songs and dances. The Republic Square in Plzeň will also come to life with an Easter market. The square will be filled with painted eggs and hand-woven whips full of ribbons, as well as stands with a selection of sausages, stuffing, cheeses, and mead. Brno has also prepared the traditional Easter market. You can look forward to forty stands with the most diverse products, such as wicker baskets, whips, pottery, jewelry, decorations or Easter-painted eggs. This year’s program will be rich in cultural events full of dance and singing, performed by Moravian folklore groups and bands. In South Bohemia, in Český Krumlov, the local farmers and artisans will offer stylish products, Easter whips or painted eggs. You can admire wooden products or fur sheep, as well...
French President Emmanuel Macron and his Czech counterpart Petr Pavel agree to send support to Ukraine, but rule out sending combat troups. The Czech and French presidents said Tuesday their countries remain united in their support of Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression and are ready to look for new ways of helping the Ukrainians succeed. “We agree that the only option for us is to continue supporting Ukraine,” Czech President Petr Pavel said. “We’ve agreed that Europe has to play a bigger role in helping Ukraine.” Pavel said that all options had to be considered but ruled out deploying combat troops in Ukraine, an idea French President Emmanuel Macron floated last week, prompting an outcry from other European leaders. Later, French officials sought to clarify Macron’s remarks and tamp down criticism while insisting on the need to send a clear signal to Russia that it cannot win in Ukraine. “We haven’t talked about it at all,” Pavel said. “We’re talking about various forms of assistance.” He suggested the training of Ukrainian soldiers may take place in their home country despite the ongoing conflict. “Russia must not win the war,” Macron said in Prague. “We must all be aware that this...
A new index compiled by the Accident Portal has revealed the most dangerous intersection in the Czech Republic Prague drivers, take note! I. P. Pavlova Square at the intersection of Legerova and Jugoslávská is the most dangerous in the entire Czech Republic. Over the past two years, this complex junction has witnessed a staggering 103 traffic accidents, resulting in 13 injuries and exceeding CZK 15 million in damages. So, what exactly makes this intersection such a hazard? The primary culprit seems to be confusion. The multitude of lanes leaves drivers unsure of which lane to enter and how to proceed, often leading to accidental lane changes and collisions. Pavel Greiner, operations manager at the King Driving School, sheds light on the issue: “The main source of confusion lies in the multiple lanes branching out from the intersection. Drivers struggle to determine which lane to enter, remain in, and ultimately exit towards their intended destination. This confusion is further amplified by the left turn onto Žitná Street, where lane markings become particularly unclear.” Greiner emphasizes the importance of experience and familiarity with the specific traffic situation. He recommends practicing navigating the intersection during off-peak hours, like weekend mornings, to become comfortable...
Despite an increase in the average wage in the Czech Republic at the end of last year, consumer prices rose even more in the fourth quarter of 2023, resulting in a continued decline in real wages for the ninth consecutive quarter, Novinky.cz writes. Analysts warn that wages are failing to keep up with inflation with data from the Czech Statistical Office (ČSÚ) expected to shed more light on the situation next week. Jakub Seidler, chief economist of the Czech Banking Association, noted that year-on-year growth in wages slowed down in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 6.5 percent from 7.4 percent in the previous quarter. While wages saw rapid growth in certain sectors, such as real estate activities, others, like agriculture, experienced minimal growth, exacerbating the overall decline in real wages. Vít Hradil, chief economist at Cyrrus, estimates that nominal wage growth reached 6.6 percent for the entire economy, falling short of covering inflation, leading to a 0.9 percent decrease in real wages year-on-year. This trend of declining real wages has persisted for the second consecutive year, with Martin Gürtler, an analyst at Komerční banka, highlighting a significant decrease in purchasing power over the past two years. Looking ahead, analysts...
Hundreds of tractors are expected to arrive in Prague for a protest ride on Thursday, March 7th. Organizers emphasize their intention to avoid blocking the city’s main streets, focusing the route primarily along the embankment in Prague 7, Milady Horáková Street, and culminating in a demonstration in front of the Straka Academy, the seat of the Government of the Czech Republic “We’ve chosen a route that primarily targets government buildings,” explained Jan Doležal, president of the Czech Chamber of Agriculture. “This won’t be a blockade, but rather a movement of agricultural equipment around Prague.” Specific details regarding the protest and the route haven’t been disclosed yet. “We urge all farmers, regardless of their operation size or production focus, to join us,” Doležal added. “We also kindly request patience from Prague residents and those in other major cities. Our goal isn’t to cause inconvenience, but to bring attention to the long-standing issues faced by the agricultural sector.” On March 1st, Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný (KDU-ČSL) proposed certain measures to address the farmers’ concerns, but they were deemed insufficient. While acknowledging the right to protest, Výborný expressed his willingness to continue negotiations but stressed his opposition to negotiating under ultimatums. According to...
The Czech Republic will have a brand-new free-to-air TV channel next month as Warner TV launches on 2 April. It will be managed as part of the local Czech linear Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio. Vaclav Palecek, Distribution and Business Development at Warner Bros. Discovery in the Czech Republic & Slovakia, said: “Starting April, Czech viewers will be able to enjoy the wide range of content, including movies and series, on Warner TV. We are close to launching our first free-to-air channel in the market and we will bring a great content library on-air for all the viewers, from classical films to popular series.” Warner TV’s television signal will be distributed by Ceské Radiokomunikace. In the Czech Republic, Warner Bros. Discovery operates 18 pay-TV linear channels (Discovery, Eurosport 1, Eurosport 2, Eurosport 4K, HGTV, TLC, Travel Channel, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, CNN, Food Network, Animal Planet, HBO & HBO 2 & HBO 3, Cinemax & Cinemax 2) and the HBO Max streaming platform. Last March, Radiokomunikace started broadcasting the AMC channel and later the domestic channel A11. In December they launched Hit TV and Sporty TV. Currently, České Radiokomunikace operates over three dozen TV channels.
Czech banks are urging customers to think twice before using Euronet ATMs, citing concerns over unclear fees charged for displaying account balances. Reporter Janek Rubes has been raising concerns about Euronet’s practices for some time, and recently highlighted a new fee that some customers may be unknowingly paying. Several banks are advising against using Euronet ATMs due to a fee charged for displaying account balances, even if the customer doesn’t request it. Ondřej Kozák, director of Euronet ČR, claims the banks themselves set these fees, and Euronet has no control over them. However, the banks argue that Euronet’s service is not transparent to their customers. In a recent video, Rubes pointed out that Euronet ATMs charge customers for balance information without displaying it after they enter their PIN. Customers are presented with two options: “Cash & Balance” and “Other.” Selecting “Cash & Balance” under the assumption it simply displays the balance triggers a fee before any money is withdrawn. “We introduced this feature in good faith, believing it would be convenient for customers to see their balance along with their withdrawal,” said Kozak. “Euronet doesn’t charge for this service. Fees are always determined by the customer’s bank, and in...
A woman tragically lost her life on Monday afternoon after being struck by a tram in Prague’s Smichov district. The accident occurred on Plzeňská Street shortly after 3:30 PM. According to police spokesperson Jan Rybanský, “The pedestrian was hit by a tram and thrown onto the roadway, where she was subsequently struck by a passing car. Unfortunately, the driver of the car fled the scene, and police are currently searching for him.” The incident caused significant traffic disruptions, with authorities closing the Motol-Anděl section in both directions. Replacement buses are currently operating, while tram lines 9, 10, 15, and 16 are affected. Inbound trams are terminating at the Anděl stop, while outbound trams are operating normally on the Sídliště Řepy-Motol route. The transport company restored regular traffic flow by around 5:00 pm, although they caution that this timeframe may be extended.
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