The Czech Foreign Ministry said it filed a lawsuit against Russia for compensation of 53 million crowns over lease payments on land in Prague and other cities used by the country’s embassy. In May, the Czech centre-right government rescinded orders from the 1970s and 1980s, made by the country’s then Communist rulers, that granted Russia the use of dozens of plots of lands free of charge. Russia would henceforth have to pay leases on the plots, the foreign ministry said after the orders were cancelled in May. That decision move marked a further deterioration of bilateral diplomatic relations that have been frosty since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Wednesday the lawsuit, filed in a Prague court, was for “unjust enrichment” by Russia over the past three years. “We took this step because we did not receive any response (from Russian authorities) during pre-court calls,” he said in a statement, adding the ministry would not give further details. Czech European Affairs Minister Martin Dvorak said in May that unauthorised profits from the land could not be allowed to support the “occupation of Ukraine”. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that retroactive demands for rent looked “like a...
Zažít Město Jinak – or ‘Different City Experience’ – celebrates different neighborhoods of cities and their unique inhabitants and traditions. The festival is planned by actual residents of the featured districts and it is based upon the idea that public places should be shared. With the aid of mutual help and volunteers, the festival pops up in different neighborhoods around Prague and even beyond, letting you and others glimpse into different quarters of Prague, Brno, and more! This year’s edition will take place on September 16, as part of European Mobility Week. Several streets and areas in Prague, typically filled with cars, will be transformed into pedestrian zones featuring creative workshops, game tables, market stalls, and improvised terraces. Passersby will have the chance to enjoy coffee, snacks, fun activities, and socialize with fellow citizens. The festival will also present various cultural and sports events, including street theatre performances, a dance school, and exciting sports competitions. Supported by nearly all of Prague’s municipalities, each one has prepared its own accompanying program, which can be found on the official event website. The “European Mobility Week” is an international annual event taking place from 16 to 22 September, aimed at promoting environmental support....
The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused the Czech Republic of committing human rights violations in an extensive report titled “On the situation with human rights in individual countries.” The report examines the human rights situation in 43 countries, with a particular focus on the Czech Republic. According to the document’s authors, the Czech authorities have shown reluctance to address “chronic human rights problems” and instead appear to be adopting a “Russophobic course.” The report states: “The Czech Republic harbors ongoing issues that its authorities seem unwilling to resolve, as they actively engage in actions detrimental to foreign policy, particularly in their dealings with Russia. In recent years, Prague has notably taken a systematic slide towards a Russophobic stance, making human rights a key domestic and foreign policy priority. This slide has taken aggressive forms, including waging a ‘war’ against monuments commemorating Soviet soldiers, and whitewashing Nazi collaborators openly.” “Furthermore, there are increasing attempts to push the concept of ‘equal responsibility of totalitarian regimes’ for the outbreak of the Second World War in Czech socio-political discourse. This campaign seeks to equate symbols of the USSR and the Red Army with the Nazi swastika, leading to their prohibition, while also attempting to...
Niall Horan, the former member of the renowned boy band One Direction, released his third solo album, The Show, in June earlier this year. As part of the tour to support the album, he will grace the stage at the Sportovní hala Fortuna in Prague on March 17, 2024. “For me, there’s nothing better than witnessing the crowd sing along and connect each song to something significant in their own lives,” says the singer and songwriter. “It’s always the best outcome that can come from writing songs,” he adds. Horan has sold over 80 million records and has performed multiple times worldwide during his time with One Direction. His full-length solo debut, Flicker, topped the Billboard 200 chart in October 2017 and included the triple-platinum single Slow Hands and the double-platinum single “This Town.” The album reached the Top 10 in twenty countries, amassing over eight billion global streams and achieving platinum status in five countries, including the USA, and gold status in seven others. In 2020, he followed up with the album Heartbreak Weather, which topped the UK’s Official Albums chart and the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. “Performing live is my favorite thing to do.” says Niall Horan,...
In a bold move, the Czech government is set to allow drivers to reach speeds of up to 150 km/h on specific stretches of its highways. The decision, slated to take effect within the next two years, will initially be limited to a few carefully chosen sections, each spanning several dozen kilometers. Safety experts may advise against raising the speed limit, but surprisingly, there are few opponents among the senators. This marks a significant departure from eight years ago when the same proposal was flatly rejected by the Senate. In Europe, the prevailing trend leans towards reducing highway speed limits to address safety, emissions, and noise concerns. The forthcoming weeks will see Senators engaging in discussions about the new law, which will also entail modifications to the point system, fines, and regulations regarding 17-year-olds with mentors and driver’s licenses. The selected high-speed segments of the highway will be subjected to stringent safety standards and equipped with variable traffic signs to adjust speeds when necessary. While the Czech Republic is not the pioneer in increasing highway speed limits, it joins Germany, where drivers are permitted to reach up to 130 km/h on the autobahn, and Poland and Slovakia, with speed limits...
Fifteen years after the recognition of Kosovo’s independence, the Czech Republic is appointing an ambassador to Kosovo for the first time. Namely, Bohumil Mazánek, a career diplomat, former ambassador to Lithuania, consul general in Shanghai and Katowice, and chargé d’affaires in Thailand will be the first Czech ambassador to Kosovo. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in a press release. The President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, at the proposal of the Government, has appointed 26 new ambassadors of the Czech Republic to the world, including Bohumil Mazánek in Kosovo, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. “The Ministry wants diplomatic relations with Kosovo to be at the highest level because it is necessary to correct the absurd issue that the Czech Republic recognizes the independence of Kosovo, has an embassy in the country but does not have an ambassador”, said the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Daniel Drake. Until now, the Czech Republic only had a charge d’affaires at its embassy in Kosovo, because presidents Vaclav Klaus and then Miloš Zeman were opponents of the decision of the government of the...
In response to DPP Director Petr Witowski’s statement to Hospodářské noviny, in which he called the current public transport fares “unaffordable in the long term”, Deputy Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Piráti) clarified that the pricing decisions for Prague’s public transport do not lie with the transport company (DPP) director but with the city’s management. Hřib previously stated that the municipality has no intentions to increase fares. However, Finance Councillor Zdeněk Kovářík (ODS) countered this stance, arguing that considering the substantial financial support the city provides to DPP, a debate on fare levels would be necessary. Notably, the last increase in individual ticket prices in Prague occurred in 2021, and the cost of an annual voucher has remained unchanged since 2015 when the previous city administration lowered it to CZK 3,650. In the previous year, DPP amassed approximately CZK 3.5 billion in fare revenues, while the city contributed CZK 16.2 billion to support the company’s operations. In an interview with Hospodářské noviny, Director Witowski acknowledged that politicians set the fares, but he emphasized that the portion of costs covered by DPP from fare sales is remarkably low even when compared internationally. Before the pandemic, the company’s fare revenue covered about 21 percent...
The moment Nicholas Winton comes face to face with just a few of the Jewish children he saved from the Nazis on That’s Life, in 1988, is one of the most iconic clips in British television history. Now the first photographs from an eagerly awaited film about the story leading up to that moment have been released. Starring Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn as older and younger versions of Winton, the man who saved 669 Jewish children from the Nazis through the Kindertransport project, and Helena Bonham Carter as his mother Babi, One Life will cement the Jewish stockbroker’s reputation as one of the heroes of the war effort. Billed as the ‘British Schindler’, the descendants of the Jewish children he saved are believed to number as high as 6000. The stockbroker had been on his way to a skiing holiday when a friend, Martin Blake, called him from Prague in December 1938 and asked for his help to get Jewish refugees out of the country. Winton became a key member of the Kindertransport story – eventually giving up his job to help in the effort to get desperate Jews out of occupied Europe – but, as the film shows,...
Prague is set to embrace the spirit of inclusivity and support the LGBTQ+ community by flying rainbow flags on prominent city buildings during the upcoming Prague Pride festival. The New Town Hall on Mariánské náměstí and Škodovo Palace on Jungmannova Street will proudly display the colorful emblem from 7 to 13 August, as approved by the city council on Monday. The annual Prague Pride festival, dedicated to celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals, will also receive financial backing from the city, as has been the tradition in previous years. Organizers, however, had voiced their concerns when the city initially indicated no plans for street flag displays and illuminating the Petřín Tower in rainbow colors. Addressing these concerns, Councillor Adam Zábranský (Pirates) revealed that the council’s approval ensures the support will remain on par with previous editions. Under the auspices of the metropolitan authority, the Prague Pride event has been bolstered by a contribution of CZK 700,000 from the municipality. An additional CZK 123,000 was allocated for the Fun&Run charity run, which supports the fight against homophobia and HIV prevention, according to Prague spokesman Tadeáš Provazník. Despite some recent criticism about the level of support from the capital city,...
A Czech police officer in Ústí nad Labem region was engaged in illicit drug activities. The General Inspectorate of Security Forces (GIBS) received reliable information that suggested the officer was trafficking cocaine. This led to a thorough investigation, which revealed that he was selling cocaine with the help of someone from the Ústí region. The investigation revealed that the implicated dealer purchased a total of 128 grams of cocaine in three separate transactions between November 2021 and April of the following year. He then distributed the drug to various individuals and even provided it for free on occasions. The police officer was found to have facilitated these sales and even consumed the illegal substance himself. In April of last year, a joint operation led to the apprehension of both the police officer and the civilian. The search of the dealer’s residence yielded substantial evidence, including CZK 90,000 and EUR 7,800 in cash, as well as around five grams of cocaine. The severity of their actions prompted the GIBS to initiate criminal proceedings against both individuals, charging them with illegal production, distribution, and handling of narcotic and psychotropic substances and poisons. The police officer’s alleged offense mainly focuses on drug possession...
The Brazilians and the English are slowly packing their bags to come over to Prague, the Czech teams are addressing the last question-marks in the composition of their teams. There is only one week left until the kick-off of the eleventh edition of the CEE Cup, the most important domestic youth tournament for under-19 footballers. The first match on Friday, July 28, at 15:00 at Sparta’s Strahov Training Centre will offer a spicy fight between the home team and West Ham United, with which it is connected by common ownership ties. All teams will stay at the Don Giovanni hotel on the border between Žižkov and Vinohrady, and in between matches they will train at the Sparta and Slavia training centres. “We don’t organize any accompanying program for them, but on their free day, they usually go to the city centre for dinner. Meetings with representatives of the various Embassies are also planned,” says the tournament director, Roberto De Blasio. From Prague, Flamengo will continue on to the next tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, Palmeiras will head to Obendorf, Germany. Scouts of Juventus, Manchester United or Manchester City and other foreign clubs have signed up to come for the Prague-based tournament....
The Czech Government is expected to take a neutral stance on proposed changes to gay partnerships. The People’s Party has suggested an amendment to the Registered Partnership Act, aiming to grant homosexual partners similar property and social rights as married couples. However, the amendment does not address parental rights, which is a concern raised in the government’s preliminary opinion. Government legislators see the amendment as a step towards equality for LGBT+ individuals, but they believe it falls short as it doesn’t fully equate marriage and civil partnerships. The Pirate Minister’s drafted opinion highlights the differentiation between the two institutions. The Pirates advocate for same-sex couples to have the option to marry. The People’s Party amendment fails to address certain mutual rights and obligations shared by spouses and does not encompass all necessary changes to other laws for equalizing partnership and marriage. However, the drafters argue that the changes would significantly strengthen the rights of cohabiting partners and institutionalize same-sex unions. Under the proposed amendment, same-sex couples would enter into a civil partnership, similar to a civil marriage, with amendments to various laws to address property and social rights. These changes include joint insolvency proceedings, joint membership in a housing cooperative,...
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