Hundreds of police officers will be on the capital's streets during the New Year's Eve celebrations to monitor safety.
At midnight on 31 December 1992, a state disappeared from the map. Czechoslovakia, which had been forged in the aftermath of World War I, divided.
In a bid to amend the limitations of the current citizenship law, a group of members of the Czech Republic parliament (MPs) proposed changes that would allow additional categories of people to gain citizenship. MPs said that great-grandchildren of Czechoslovaks, which represent the fourth generation, should be eligible for citizenship through declaration. The proposal, which also covers descendants of compatriots who did not lose citizenship, received a favourable opinion from the government at a meeting held earlier this month. According to Česká Justice, the existing law on Czech citizenship acquisition through declaration has faced criticism for its time limit and restrictions, allowing only two generations of descendants to apply for citizenship. Thus, by making such a proposal, MPs want to address the shortcomings by extending eligibility for citizenship to the fourth generation, encompassing “descendants in direct descent.” Under the proposed changes, the one-year preclusion period, which, according to MPs, has caused practical difficulties for some applicants, will be eliminated. Czech MPs argued that the requirement for citizenship applicants to prove their descent from a former Czechoslovak citizen, even when their ancestors did not lose their citizenship, creates a very challenging evidentiary situation. In addition, the one-year effective period resulted in...
The New Year is celebrated in the Czech Republic similar to traditions we see around the world – with friends, and relatives, at pubs, concerts, and restaurants. You can watch the countdown on major TV networks and it is traditionally followed by the Czech national anthem. In the Czech Republic, New Year’s Eve is called Silvestr, for the anniversary of the consecration of Pope Sylvester I, a saint who served as Pope of the Western Church from 314 to 335. Since the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582, the December 31st feast date has coincided with New Year’s Eve. Czechs often gather around to watch the President’s New Years Speech (1p.m) – where he evaluates the previous year, and announces his predictions and expectations for the coming year. These days, pork is eaten on New Year’s Day with a side of lentils (čočka) topped with a fried egg (eating anything with wings is also said to make your luck fly away!). The dish is eaten for prosperity — and it makes for a pretty good hangover cure as well, as celebrations include a healthy share of Pilsner or Bohemia Sekt, the most well-known šampaňské in the Czech Republic and,...
Ukrainian refugees who could work in the health sector and social services, two sectors facing long-standing labour shortage issues, are being sought out by the Czech Labour Ministry, Labour Minister Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) said on Thursday. Jurečka (KDU-ČSL) assessed the success of refugee integration in the country at a press conference following this week’s government meeting, Czech News Agency reported. He said the Czech Republic is “the most successful country” in integrating newcomers, noting that of the 373,000 Ukrainian refugees (including children and pensioners) the Czech Republic has taken in, 123,000 people on protection visas are now employed. “Social services, like other fields, are in a situation where there is a lack of human resources… We are working on one of the possible solutions and trying to target and reach out to people from among Ukrainian refugees who could work in health and social services. We see this as the biggest reservoir of people today who could fill the gaps quite quickly,” Jurečka said. “Of course, we are also faced with the problem of education, or the question of its recognition, as well as the language barrier. We are also trying to work on this,” he added. According to the...
Czech fans can already anticipate the arrival of big stars in 2024 as concert tours and summer festivals bring them to stage. On January 13, the renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli will kick off the list of great musical names. Performing at Prague’s O2 Arena, he will showcase opera arias and popular melodies accompanied by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra. He was nominated for the Grammy Award six times throughout his career and also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has performed for four American presidents, three Popes and the Royal Family, as well as the Olympic Games and World Cup Opening ceremonies. Depeche Mode continues to tour for “Memento Mori,” the album released in the aftermath of the passing of founding member and keyboardist Andrew Fletcher. Having sold more than 100 million records and played to more than 35 million fans worldwide, Depeche Mode remains an ever-evolving and singularly influential musical force. In Prague, the synth-rock band will perform two concerts on February 22 and 24. The British guitar quartet, The 1975, will bring their pan-European tour “Still… At Their Very Best” to the Fortuna sports hall in Prague. Described as an “anxious,...
2024 will offer Czech citizens several “long weekends” with public holidays falling on a Friday or Monday. January 1st coincides with New Year’s Day and the commemoration of the Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State. This Monday celebration, coupled with the preceding weekend, grants us a delightful three-day break. Looking ahead, the next long weekend in 2024 aligns with the Easter holidays, starting on Good Friday, March 29. State Holidays Calendar for 2024: Mark Your Long Weekends January 1: Day of the Restoration of the Independent Czech State (Monday) May 8: Victory Day (Wednesday) July 5: Day of the Slavic Saints Cyril and Methodius (Friday) July 6: Jan Hus day (Saturday) September 28: Czech Statehood Day (Saturday) October 28: Statehood Day (Monday) November 17: Day of the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy (Sunday) Much like the Easter holidays, Labour Day, falling on a Wednesday according to the calendar, offers a day of rest. A week later, Czechia comes together to celebrate Victory Day as a national holiday. The third long weekend of the year unfolds during the summer holidays. On July 5, Czechs honor the arrival of Cyril and Methodius, followed by the remembrance of Jan Hus’s day. Days of...
On Christmas Eve, Prague airport experienced a remarkable event as the largest Boeing 747-8F freighter, known as the Queen of the Skies, touched down in the city. The moment drew the attention of aviation enthusiasts, commonly referred to as “planespotters”, as well as numerous families who seized the opportunity to gather on the afternoon preceding Santa Claus’s visit. The aircraft, operating on a regular flight route connecting the Qatari capital Doha, Budapest, and Prague, landed on runway 24 at Prague Airport. However, the landing was not without its share of suspense, with a delay of nearly two hours, ant took place at 4.08 pm. A significant milestone in the cooperation between the Qatari carrier and Václav Havel Airport in Prague was the recent 1000th landing of a cargo aircraft, which took place on 8 June this year. “We wanted to bring the iconic Jumbo Jet to Prague this year because this particular plane with A7-BGA registration will be handed over to a new carrier in January after six years of service with our company due to the modernisation of our fleet. It is a great pleasure for me that we were able to secure it on Christmas Eve and parents...
Based on frequently asked questions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic presents the following recommendations to use the short name “Česko/Czechia” in international context. In this text, we explain when to use the short form “Czechia” when presenting the Czech Republic abroad. 1. Distinction between short and formal country names First of all, it is important to remember that both the short (geographical) name and the formal (political) name serve as official names of the given country. In the case of the Czech state, the formal name is “the Czech Republic” (“Česká republika” in Czech) and the short form Czechia (“Česko” in Czech) stands as its equivalent. Both names are listed in the relevant UN databases. 2. Legal basis for a country’s short name The basis for the recognition of short forms of country names in the international community is a completed process of their national standardisation under the applicable laws of the country in question. Pursuant to Section 4 of Act No. 200/1994 Coll. (the Surveying Act), the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and the Land Registry (CUZK), with its expert Nomenclature Committee is the authority competent to standardise the names of geographical objects (settlements and natural landmarks). The one-word name “Česko” and its language mutations (including the English...
Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan (STAN) urges restraint on New Year’s Eve fireworks following the recent mass shooting at a Prague university. In a letter to mayors, Rakušan emphasizes the need to avoid escalating trauma in the wake of these incidents. Mr. Rakušan also called on members of the public limit their use of pyrotechnics this year, extending the plea through social media on the X network. Olomouc town hall aligns with this sentiment, canceling its New Year’s Eve fireworks display due to the tragic event and the city’s hydrological situation. In a parallel appeal, experts, including Adam Suchý, a clinical psychologist and representative of the Czech Republic in the Global Psychology Alliance, petition Prime Minister Petr Fiala to curtail pyrotechnics at the national level this year. Suchý underscores the psychological impact, particularly on survivors and the bereaved, as these explosive sounds may trigger symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Obejděme se letos na Silvestra bez ohňostrojů a zábavní pyrotechniky. Požádal jsem o to dnes dopisem všechny starosty a starostky, ale obracím se s osobní prosbou i na vás. Před pár dny jsme zažili dva násilné činy spojené se střelbou. To nejmenší, co můžeme udělat pro ty, koho… —...
The rail station in Smíchov will undergo a transformation to make it into a 21st-century transportation hub. The project should begin at the start of next year and cost over CZK 4 billion, a spokesperson for the Railway Administration said on Wednesday. All the station’s tracks and platforms will be renovated, while underpasses will be rebuilt and extended beneath the entire station, officials said. New lifts will also be installed. When completed, it will connect with an intercity bus terminal as well as the existing Smíchovské nádraží metro stop and tram lines. The nearby intercity bus terminal at Na Knížecí is already being phased out. The impact on train travel will be minimal during the planned work. The reconstruction of Smíchov station is divided into several stages. The first phase, which has already begun, will include the laying of part of the tracks and the footbridge over the entire track. The second stage, for which a construction contractor is now being looked, includes a complete reconstruction of the track, the restoration of three existing platforms and the construction of a new fourth platform, which will be used mainly by trains on the so-called Prague Semmering route, i.e. in the direction...
Czech police are currently investigating more than 50 reported crimes or misdemeanours by various people in connection with Thursday’s shooting at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts in Prague, a police spokesperson told the Czech News Agency on Wednesday. These messages are primarily found on social media platforms, comprising posts and comments. “We are currently addressing over five dozen distinct posts across the country, mostly on social media. They typically involve the dissemination of disturbing messages, threats, or endorsement of criminal offenses. On December 25 alone, Prague’s criminal investigators documented seven new cases of threats (‘now it’s my turn’ and similar expressions) or approval of the shooting at the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University. ‘The vast majority of these individuals have already been identified,” the police stated. One person posted an image of a rifle on social media with the caption “Now it’s my turn.” When confronted by the police – who charged him with violating the law against ‘violence against a group of persons’ – he promptly issued an apology post. He claimed it was merely a misguided joke and clarified that the rifle was not real. However, the act of “re-posting” did not absolve him. “Such ‘humor’ is...
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