For the 15th year in a row, Prague is hosting a ‘free sports week’ from December 25th until December 31st. The purpose of this event is to offer everyone a chance to try out a new sport or explore new sports venues. It will be possible to make reservations to certain locations from December 23rd. During the last week of the year, residents and visitors of the Czech capital will have the opportunity to try out new sports and disciplines as badminton, squash, beach volley, floorball, martial arts and bowling. “This year, we again prepared a small Christmas present for all sports enthusiasts with a free week in all kinds of sports venues. This popular event is an ideal opportunity to try out a new sport, do something for your health and get back in shape after the Christmas feast,” says the City Councillor Vít Šimral. At the moment, more than 30 sports venues have registered for Free Sport Week, but more are still open for applications. Last year, 47 sports venues signed up and citizens could try 60 different sports. For some sports venues, due to their capacity, telephone or online reservations are required. There is a limited access during...
Everybody in the Czech Republic knows about this custom: who fasts on Christmas Eve will see a golden pig in the evening. But what are its origins? Adherence to traditions belongs to Christmas. With them, the holidays gain their charm. Perhaps every Czech knows the Christmas custom of the apparition of the Golden Pig. What does the Golden Pig symbolize? The origin of this symbol of Christmas has been shown back to pre-Christian times when pagans celebrated the winter solstice instead of this Christmas. Typical symbols of the solar cult included a pig, which people connected with abundance and prosperity. The golden colour is a symbol of the departure of winter and the rule of the Sun. Only those who fasted all day long can view the Golden Pig on Christmas Eve. The pig usually appears with the first star in the sky, when the family is also to sit down for Christmas dinner. Before dinner, parents usually show children a piggy bank using reflections of light from a mirror. The Golden Pig is a Christmas classic, even in the form of Christmas decorations. It is mostly children who try to not eat anything all day long and wait impatiently for that moment when they finally see the Golden Pig. On the other hand, adults usually give up the attempts and...
Eurowings has been connecting Prague non-stop with European metropolises and holiday regions for a year now. Starting with four destinations for the winter flight schedule 21/22, travelers could already choose from 14 different destinations in the summer of 2022. The Lufthansa Group airline quickly established itself in the Czech market and met with great customer interest right from the start. Eurowings CEO satisfied with the first year “Prague and Eurowings are a match. We dared to take the step to the Czech Republic in a still very uncertain situation, but it is becoming more and more clear that people all over Europe now want to travel again after the Corona restrictions,” says Jens Bischof, CEO of Eurowings. “Our concept as a value airline is also working: Czechs like to fly cheaply, but they also value our additional services such as flexible rebooking up to 40 minutes before departure or our Priority Service.” Jaroslav Filip, Director of Aviation Business at Prague Airport, also welcomes the Lufthansa subsidiary’s commitment. “In the summer, Eurowings brought many guests to popular destinations and also expanded the offer in the winter. After the first year, it is clear that this is a successful cooperation, which we...
It’s been almost a year since Russian troops invaded Ukraine, began missile, drone and artillery attacks, hitting major cities like Kiev, and displaced millions of innocent civilians. Since their attack, which began on February 24, Russian forces have focussed their attention on striking Ukrainian power facilities, fuel storage depots and water works – one of the country’s most vital infrastructures. This winter, it’s now estimated that more than 10 million people will be forced to live without electricity, heat, and water. Worse still, temperatures are expected to fall to a bitter and frightening –20C degrees. Today, Wednesday, December 21, will mark the darkest day of the year around the world. And, to show support to Ukraine, organisations such as UNITED24, the global creative network 1 Granary, the alternative media organisation War Against War, and several members of the Parliament of Ukraine, are coming together to participate in the #LightUpUkraine appeal. The appeal invites people to come together in a symbolic act of support for Ukraine and turn off their Christmas lights for an hour. Supporters are also invited to encourage city landmarks (e.g. museums, theatres and, city halls) to join in and turn off non-essential lights, and spread awareness about the...
Some 28 percent of Czech households can only afford basic foodstuffs, suggests a study by the company KRUK, which administers debt claims for financial institutions and corporate clients, cited by the Czech News Agency. The last ministerial meeting held under the Czech EU Presidency took place in Brussels on Tuesday. Jurečka symbolically handed over the presidency to Sweden, after Czechia’s six month stint at the helm of the EU during which time it completed negotiations on a number of proposals from the EU climate package. Two-thirds of Czechs are reducing how much they spend on cultural pursuits due to the economic situation, and are now spending around CZK 430 on culture monthly on average, according to the Culture Index survey conducted by the Creative Europe Desk. Demolition work on a former pig farm at Lety in South Bohemia, built on the site of a concentration camp for Romanies during World War II, has been completed. The Czech state purchased the pig farm in 2018 following years of discussion on the subject. The Czech army received the first of 15 older Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany on Tuesday, to make up for those which Czechia sent to...
Many of the millions of Ukrainian refugees in central and eastern Europe plan to mark Christmas early this year in solidarity with their hosts, learning carols in new languages to generate holiday cheer despite fears for relatives back home. Ukrainians generally celebrate Christmas on January 7 in common with Russians, but the country’s Orthodox church has gradually shifted from Moscow’s orbit in recent years. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine this year, the church has said congregations can now also celebrate on Dec. 25 — something many refugees said they would embrace. Vasil, 45, and Marina, 36, Khymyshynets who fled their village near Kyiv in March with their two children after a missile or artillery round exploded near their house, now live in a two-room flat in Prague. The family — who could not afford a tree because they were saving to send gifts to relatives in Ukraine — baked Christmas cookies and taped pine branches and Christmas lights on the wall while the children practiced singing carols in Czech. “We decided to just use some pine branches for the decoration so that it looks good and makes the children happy,” Khymyshynets, who was allowed to leave Ukraine after the military...
The salaries of senior Czech politicians will increase by approximately 12.7% from January, according to a decision by the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry that has been published in the Law Digest. These salaries have been frozen for three years; the salaries remained unchanged in 2021, and in early 2022, a planned rise of about 6% was cancelled as part of cuts in government spending at a time of high inflation and an energy crisis. The monthly gross salary of a member of parliament, either deputy or senator, will go up by CZK 11,600 to CZK 102,400. The president will receive a salary of CZK 341,200 per month, an increase of CZK 38,500. The prime minister and the heads of both houses of parliament will earn CZK 274,800 a month each (up CZK 31,000). The deputy heads of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will have a monthly salary of CZK 195,300 (up CZK 22,100). A deputy prime minister will get CZK 236,000 per month (up CZK 26,600), MPs who chair parliamentary committees, commissions or delegations will get CZK 144,100 (up CZK 16,300), and deputy chairs will get CZK 123,200 (up CZK 13,900). The financial compensation that politicians receive...
According to the State Veterinary Administration spokesman Petr Vorlíček, about 3000 points of sale have been registered in the Czech Republic. Compared to last year the number has slightly increased. There are approximately 210 points in Prague. The country’s largest fish farms in South Bohemia have raised prices for Christmas carp by an average of CZK 10-30. It is a forced measure associated with an increase in production costs amid high inflation. The industry leader, Rybářství Třeboň, has recommended its wholesale customers to set the retail price at CZK 140 per kilo (CZK 20 more than last year). The company published a list of addresses of certified retailers. You can find it here. For the first time, supermarket chain Lidl is not selling this year live carps in front of its stores for “humane reasons”. The tradition of eating carp for Christmas is particularly alive and well in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. But some families in Hungary, Austria, Germany and Croatia may also be fond of it and indulge in that delicacy at Christmas time. According to most, this tradition dates back to the Middle Ages. “Fish became popular for Christmas Eve dinner during the 13th century, because Catholics considered fish as...
Some 28 percent of Czech households can only afford basic foodstuffs, suggests a study by the company KRUK, which administers debt claims for financial institutions and corporate clients, cited by the Czech News Agency. Presidential candidate Senator Marek Hilšer has rejected calls for him to withdraw from the presidential race and support either Petr Pavel or Danuše Nerudová in order to boost their chances of beating Andrej Babis in the first round of the presidential elections. Czech President Miloš Zeman says he would like to visit Serbia in January or February and would like to open a Czech House in Belgrade during the trip. The head of state, whose term ends in March, made the comment on CNN Prima News on Sunday. To mark the first anniversary of his five-party coalition cabinet, PM Petr Fiala (ODS) took to social media to acknowledge that the past year was not easy for anyone, and the difficult situation would continue into the next months, though he promised that the government was doing its utmost to cope with the situation. The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, says that Vítězslav Pivoňka will remain the country’s ambassador to Russia. Speaking...
The Czech EU Council Presidency would like energy ministers from across the Union to agree to cap gas at €188 per megawatt-hour (MWh) in Brussels on Monday. Negotiations over a maximum price to cap the sale of gas to help households with skyrocketing energy bills have long been on the table, and following a recent back-and-forth, 15 EU states now want to set the market correction mechanism at €160 per MWh. But Germany “wants a price gap that would be unworkable,” said a senior EU diplomat so to reach a compromise, the Czech EU presidency is aiming for a cap at around €188 per MWh. To adopt an EU gas price cap, qualified majority voting is possible, though consensus is preferred. Also under discussion are the gas price cap’s activation and deactivation conditions. In its latest proposal, the Czech EU presidency also strengthens rules for the mechanism’s automatic termination, which would be triggered if gas consumption rises, an emergency situation in an EU country or a massive interruption of LNG imports to Europe. “Everybody knows that we need an emergency brake,” an EU senior diplomat said. Together with the market correction mechanism, cross-border solidarity principles and a faster-permitting process for renewable energy...
The Museum of Senses is a one-of-a-kind experience. Located in the heart of Prague, within walking distance from Wenceslas Square, offers over 50 exhibitions that are intriguing to all generations from 3 to 90 years old! The idea of the museum is to awaken and play with your senses. Some of the exhibitions are illusion-based, but technology is not always required as the expertise in setting exhibitions is the main factor in providing such unique experiences. There are exhibitions for every sense: sight, smell, hearing, balance, and touch. Each exhibition has a different intention: stimulate or relax your senses. The Museum of Senses can also be seen in Bucharest, Romania, and soon in Valencia, Spain. Because there are three locations, each location has special features as an omen to the home country. The museum in Prague has one exhibition that is dedicated to sounds. A video of Golem plays on a big screen while you are required to make the sounds that animate the video. Several, non-technological features create the sounds of wind, thunder, horse hoofs, a fly buzzing, and many more. The idea is to not only animate the video but also to have fun. It is an interesting...
Some 28 percent of Czech households can only afford basic foodstuffs, suggests a study by the company KRUK, which administers debt claims for financial institutions and corporate clients, cited by the Czech News Agency. Pojistovna VZP’s monopoly on the provision of health insurance for foreigners in the Czech Republic remain in place now, despite a proposal from the Senate, as on Friday it was blocked in the Chamber of Deputies by the opposition ANO party, which pushed through the monopoly in the previous election term. Slovak President Zuzana Caputova today dismissed the government of Prime Minister Eduard Heger (OLaNO), after the Slovak parliament passed a motion of no confidence on Thursday. Under the constitution, Heger’s cabinet will remain in office until a new government is appointed, but with limited powers. The Austrian National Council yesterday unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the Czech Republic’s plans for the construction of small modular reactors (SMRs), announced Martin Litschauer, the anti-nuclear spokesman for the Austrian Green Party, quoted by the APA news agency. Czech President Miloš Zeman says he would like to visit Serbia in January or February and would like to open a Czech House in Belgrade during the...
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