A Prague court on Monday acquitted former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš of fraud charges in a $2 million case involving European Union subsidies. A prosecutor requested a three-year suspended sentence and a fine of CZK 10 million for the populist billionaire. The prosecution still can appeal. Babiš pleaded not guilty and repeatedly said the charges against him were politically motivated. He wasn’t present at Prague’s Municipal Court on Monday. His former associate, Jana Nagyova, who signed the subsidy request, was also acquitted. A man in the audience tried to disrupt the verdict by shouting that he had an objection and had to be escorted from the courtroom by guards. Babiš had also clashed with the European Commission over concerns of conflict of interest concerning his businesses, which receive the bloc’s funds, during his term as premier. The trial follows a seven-year investigation and is at the centre of media attention, especially in light of the fact that Mr. Babiš is one of the frontrunners in the presidential race. Babis is considered a front-runner in Friday’s election, along with retired army Gen. Petr Pavel, former chairman of NATO’s military committee, and former university rector Danuse Nerudova.
From Monday 9 January 2023, the voice of actor and dubber Jan Vondráček will accompany passengers on all tram lines in Prague. Vondráček replaces the well-known radio host Dagmar Hazdrová, whose voice has been heard on Prague buses and trams for 30 years. Due to her advanced age (89), she has refused to continue cooperation with transport operators, and recording of announcements is required continuously, also due to new stops and various repair works. Prague authorities decided to find a new announcer and re-record the old announcements. Vondráček won by a large margin (62%) in an online popular vote. He started work last autumn and voiced almost 2,000 stop names and information announcements for trams. A recording with his voice is available here. The second phase will begin in the coming weeks, when 1,315 separate recordings will be made for Prague buses. Passengers will hear them in the spring. The last and biggest stage will be the recording of 7,256 stop names and announcements for commuter buses. In the metro, the announcers’ voices will remain the same. “Ms. Hazdrová’s professional voice, has accompanied us on Prague’s public transport for almost 30 years. I thank her very much for her work for...
Dylan Moran, “The Oscar Wilde of Comedy” is back with his brand-new tour. We Got This is the brand new show from BAFTA and Perrier award-winning comedian Dylan Moran. It promises to be a joyously furious romp through the frustration and folly of modern-day life. Dylan Moran is arriving back in Czechia after seven long years. His three shows in November 2015 were sold out within a few days. This Irish comedian, actor, and screenwriter is most known locally for the role of Bernard Black, the bookseller from the cult series Black Books. We Got This Dylan has plenty to get off his chest – about life, about comedy, about the world. “I’ve got lots to say. It’s still coming together though. I mean, I’ve got masses and masses of material…it’s just a river of stuff.” That stuff promises to be a joyously furious romp through the frustration and folly of modern-day life. In the show, Dylan will examine the dynamics of families, and how a person lives within it – sometimes as an individual, at other times an equal, and at different times, just a part of a larger whole. He will ask, how can it be that you...
The Czech Republic is set to elect its next president by the end of January 2023 in only the third direct presidential election in the country’s history. Although the powers of the president are limited compared to those of the prime minister, the elections are still significant. Not only do they mark the end of the decade-long presidency of Miloš Zeman, but they also bring the possibility of welcoming the country’s first female president to Prague Castle. With the deeply polarising figure of Andrej Babiš in the race, however, most voters will be forced to settle on a candidate who is acceptable at best. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the need for a new president has become ever more pressing. Despite his condemnation of Putin’s aggression, Miloš Zeman and his inner circle have long had a suspiciously positive relationship with the Russian state and Vladimir Putin himself. Zeman’s economic advisor, Martin Nejedlý, was the founder of Lukoil Aviation Czech, a now-liquidated subsidiary of the second-largest Russian oil company Lukoil. His love for the Russian president was put on display when, in 2018, he revealed his mobile phone case with Putin’s face on it. Both Zeman and Nejedlý also travelled to Moscow in 2015...
Analysts expect December’s inflation figure to be between 15.8 and 17.2 percent, the ctk news agency reported. A drop in the price of fuel depressed inflation in December, but the continued rise in food prices worked in the opposite direction. November’s inflation figure was 16.2 percent. The Health Ministry will rename the mobile app Tečka to EZ (e-health) card. It wants to keep Tečka in operation and transform it into a more general application within the process of digitizing healthcare information. People who are in isolation with Covid, will be able to cast their vote in the presidential elections as of Wednesday, i.e. two days before polling stations open for the general public. People with Covid will be able to vote at special drive-ins. Construction output in the Czech Republic fell by 0.8 percent year-on-year in November after rising by 1 percent in October. Both segments, civil and civil engineering construction, showed almost the same development. Czech President Milos Zeman told Petr Hladik (KDU-CSL) that he had reservations about his nomination for environment minister and was not ready to appoint him for now, Hladik told journalists yesterday after meeting Zeman at Prague Castle.
Olga Hepnarová, the last woman to ever be executed by the Czechoslovakian government, was put to death for killing 8 people with a truck on July 10th, 1973. Background Olga Hepnarová was born on June 30, 1951, to a middle-class family in Prague. Her father was a bank clerk, her mother a dentist. She did quite well at school but as she grew older she found it hard to communicate with her parents and classmates. Later she claimed that she could hardly approach people and that the world was her enemy. In 1964, at the age of 13, she attempted suicide by taking an overdose and spent a year in a psychiatric hospital. The rest of her teens passed without incident, but, as a young adult, she became obsessed by feelings of hatred for both her family and society as a whole, and was reported to have heard voices, according to several sources. The crime. Prior to the murder, on June 7th, 1973, Olga had sent a letter to two newspapers explaining her action as revenge for all the perceived hatred against her by her family and the world. But due to the slowness of the postal system, the letter...
The Czech Republic will go to the polls on 13 January in the first round of presidential elections, with a second round run-off due two weeks later. The result will say a lot about Czechs’ vision for their future, as well as their relationship with a troubled past. Three candidates stand out as favourites, and each embodies different notions of Czech identity. Polls show former prime minister Andrej Babiš, retired army chief Petr Pavel, and former university head Danuše Nerudová closely-tied for the first round, predicted to get around 25 percent of the vote each. Many Czechs see Babiš, the best-known of the candidates, as uniquely unfit to take up office in Prague Castle. Babiš has spent recent months on trial, accused of assisting in EU subsidy fraud before entering politics. A verdict is imminent, and some, including Czech prime minister Petr Fiala, claim the ANO party leader is only running for president because winning would grant him immunity. Yet such interpretations don’t do justice to the loyalty to Babiš felt in parts of the country, especially in rural areas. As he drives across the Czech Republic in a camper van to meet voters, Babiš supporters see him as an everyman figure...
Travellers from China planning to enter the Czech Republic will not be subject to mandatory Coronavirus test for the time being, the Czech Health Ministry announced. Its spokesman said this was not considered necessary for the time being since there is no direct air link from China, but the decision could be reviewed in the future. On January 4th, the European Union countries agreed to recommend that EU countries introduce a pre-departure testing for all those arriving from China and random testing on-arrival as a preventive measure, following the surge in the number of COVID-19 infections in China. EU countries are also advised to recommend travellers on flights to China and vice versa to wear face masks and also issue advice regarding health measures and personal hygiene. The current epidemiological situation in China has sparked controversies among European countries, while some European countries have decided to introduce travel measures, others do not consider such a decision necessary. Recently authorities in Greece and Switzerland confirmed that they would not impose restrictions for citizens of China despite the surge in the number of COVID-19 infections. On the other hand, authorities in France, Spain and Italy, announced that all arrivals from China are subject to compulsory...
Sportrelax Monínec, a year-round sports and recreation complex, lies south of Prague, not far from the town of Sedlec-Prčice.
Part of Prague’s allure is its varied history—the city has been the center of countries and wars. But Prague’s other standout feature is its beauty: short white buildings with red roofs, sky-high ancient church spires, green trees dotting the landscape, and a river lined with bridges. From hundreds of years ago until now, the truly breathtaking sights of Prague have made it a favorite city of people from all backgrounds. Here, 10 visual reasons why. The pictures are credited to Zikmund Reach, photographer, and antiquarian book store owner.
6 January – Procession of the Three Kings. A celebration of the Feast of the Three Kings and at the same time a thank you to the public, which, through the Three Kings Collection, contributes to helping those who find themselves in need. Admission is free. Start at 14:30 from the Malostranskénáměstí 7 January – Tribute to World Legends: Ella Fitzgerald. Listen to the marvellous tribute paid to Ella Fitzgerald, sang by the mistress of classical jazz and scat – Elena Sonenshine. She will play together with her great and experienced quartet of jazz professionals. Admission: 395 czk When: 19:00 Where: Reduta Jazz Club, Národní 20, Prague 1 ⠀ 9 January – Literary and musical evening in Slavia cafe. The evening will be accompanied by Hasan Zahirović, an expert on the work of the Čapek brothers, accompanied by actors Stela Chmelová and Marek Zeman. Admission is free Where: Národní 1, Prague 1 When: 19:00 ⠀ 11 January – Silent EAT IN Kino! The Majestic Special movie nights where you can enjoy tasty meals and drinks in front of the screen in silence – through headphones. Entrance fee: 150 czk online, 125 czk on spot. Language: English with Czech subtitles When:...
The Czech economy is facing a recession this year caused by the energy crisis and inflation, with GDP expected to fall by 1.1 % , Deloitte predicts in its latest report. According to the study, real wages will fall again this year, but unemployment should remain at its current level. Close to 700 company bankruptcies were declared in Czechia last year, 41 fewer than the year before, according to data provided by CRIF – Czech Credit Bureau. The number of bankruptcies in 2021 was the highest number since 2017, which is related to the Covid pandemic. The Czech government has approved a bill aimed at bringing defense spending to the required NATO goal of 2% of GDP. Although Czechia will spend only 1.52% of GDP on defense this year, the 2% target should be reached in 2024. Public prosecutor Jaroslav Saroch today proposed that Czech opposition leader and former prime minister Andrej Babis (ANO) be given a three-year suspended sentence with five-year probation and a fine of CZK 10 million in the Capi Hnizdo (Stork’s Nest) subsidy fraud case. Czech President Milos Zeman told Petr Hladik (KDU-CSL) that he had reservations about his nomination for environment...
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