The Czech government extended its checks on the border with European Union neighbour Slovakia by another 20 days, seeking to control a spike in the flow of illegal migrants, Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said on Wednesday. Czech police started checks on the 252-km border on September 29, initially for 10 days. Within the first 24 hours of activating checks, the Czech police have detained 11 migrant traffickers and 247 illegal migrants in the South Moravian Region. Border checks across 17 crossings on the Czech-Slovak border were put in place in light of a rise in illegal migration to Europe, particularly from Syria. Before the checks, the Czech Republic had detained around 12,000 illegal migrants in 2022, a 12-fold increase from a year ago. The vast majority have been Syrians, mostly coming from Turkey, the government has said. They mainly continue to Germany and elsewhere. Slovakia has criticised the Czech border checks as being against the principles of the border check-free Schengen area within the EU. Rakusan also argued that Hungary was to blame for the problem as the country has stopped observing the readmission agreement of reciprocal acceptance of refugees. Rakusan also said he would like to discuss modifications to...
Stanislav Virdzek has a lot on his mind. He is the co-owner of La Donuteria in Spalena street. In addition, he and his business partner Lukas are also development managers in the Czech Republic and overseeing the growth and expansion in the country of the brand, which is one of the fastest-growing in the world and already has over 7 locations just in the country. Nonetheless, he still comes in almost every morning at 5 am to make the donuts. “You know, with the high standards that we have for ourselves and our product, we really take this seriously,” he says. Despite the hard work involved both in running the shop and in overseeing expansion to other locations – the newest branch opened a couple of months ago in Hradec Králové – he still enjoys the work. “It is really difficult sometimes, but what makes it rewarding is that people are coming back and are happy. The feeling and look on people’s faces is the best part,” he says to Prague Morning. Even famous Praguers can’t resist the delicious pull of La Donuteria. Pavel Hoftych, the famous football player and coach, comes with his family. Stanislav says that he comes...
The Czech government cleared the way on Wednesday to impose caps on electricity and gas prices for households, public institutions and small companies for 2023 as the country faces soaring prices pushed higher by the war in Ukraine. The Czech Republic, like others in the European Union, has sought to shield people from soaring energy costs as gas supplies from Russia fell, driving up market prices. The Czech caps, finalised by a government order approved on Wednesday, will be set at 6 crowns per kilowatt hour of electricity and 3 crowns for gas throughout 2023, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said. The caps, first agreed by the government last month, apply also to public institutions like hospitals or schools, are in line with the government’s previous announcements. Smaller businesses will also be covered. Last month, the government agreed larger companies would draw from a 30 billion crown package, and a further 30 billion should be made available for smaller companies within a framework proposed by the European Commission. EU governments have debated a gas price cap for weeks, without reaching agreement, and the topic will be up for talks when member states’ leaders meet on Thursday and Friday in Prague for...
Since the release of their gold-certified breakthrough album, 2016’s A/B, Icelandic rock band KALEO—led by frontman/songwriter JJ Julius Son—has taken their music around the world. The album spawned three hit singles – the GRAMMY-nominated “No Good,” the gold-selling “All The Pretty Girls” and the chart-topping, 2x Platinum-certified “Way Down We Go” which was used in over two dozen television shows from Grey’s Anatomy to Riverdale, leading the No. 1 single to top The Hollywood Reporter’s Top TV Songs chart. After amassing over 1 Billion global streams, 39 international certifications, and countless sold-out headline shows spanning from London to Moscow, KALEO has proven to be a worldwide phenomenon. Known for their electrifying live performances, KALEO completely sold out their first U.S. headline tour and was a standout at Coachella, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo and recently were hand-picked to open stadium dates for the Rolling Stones. Since KALEO wrapped a nearly non-stop 3-year touring schedule in support of A/B in October 2018, Julius Son was in the studio working on the band’s highly anticipated follow-up album. KALEO’s Fight or Flight Tour is set to begin in 2022. KALEO’s sophomore album – Surface Sounds – was released on April 23, 2021 on Elektra/Atlantic and...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. The Czech Republic will extend the checks at its border with Slovakia by another 20 days from the original 8 October deadline, until 28 October. The cabinet approved this proposal from Interior Minister Vit Rakusan today. On Thursday, the new European Political Community (EPC) will discuss security and peace, energy, climate issues, and the economic situation at its inaugural summit in Prague. Representatives of 44 countries were invited to attend the summit Czech President Miloš Zeman and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, signed an agreement on economic cooperation at a meeting at Prague Castle on Wednesday. They are also due to approve an agreement on investment protection. Renáta Kellnerová, widow of the late billionaire Petr Kellner, who died in a plane crash in the US last year, is the wealthiest Czech, according to an annual rich list published by Forbes on Wednesday. The market value of her assets is estimated at CZK 382.9 billion. The cabinet of Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) confirmed the price cap on electricity and gas. Citizens...
Note legal paragraphs, sabres that curl, pay heed dear Havel, dear Havel, muse well! Note legal paragraphs, sabres that curl, pay heed dear Havel, dear Havel, muse well! This chorus from a song by Jaroslav Hutka used to get sung around Prague with an air of mystery. That was before the Velvet Revolution of 1989. At that time Václav Havel’s name was far less known than it is today. Back then, Václav Havel was ‘merely’ a persecuted Czech dissident, a co-writer of the Charter 77 protest in Czechoslovakia, an author of little-known plays, which were only ever performed abroad. It didn’t take long, and the life story of Václav Havel changed immensely. Today, Václav Havel is a world-renowned persona. Yet few of those arriving from abroad have any inkling about his life and family background. Havel’s family history is a rather interesting perspective on the 20th century, however. October 5th marks the 85th birthday of Václav Havel, the last president of Czechoslovakia (from 1989 to 1992) and the first president of the Czech Republic (from 1993 to 2003). Aside from that, Havel was a poet, playwright and filmmaker. His absurdist plays, which were critical of communism, led him to be blacklisted after the 1968 Soviet-led...
The Czech Republic is a very friendly and laid-back place to stay. Before the country joined the European Union in 2004 and it had its own currency, local prices were shockingly low. You could have a lunch for two at a restaurant serving local food and pay only $6 for the both of you. Times have changed and so have prices. Now those who live or visit the country must choose where to go, where to buy food, and generally which products to buy very carefully to make their money last longer. Where to live If you are a student, living in your university’s dormitory is a much cheaper choice. If your university’s accommodations are fully booked or you want to look into other dormitories, these will most likely be more expensive. Prices vary depending on the neighbour where the dormitory is situated and how far or close it is to Prague’s city centre. Whichever one you choose, it is unlikely to cost less than $4 per day. For those looking to rent an apartment in Prague, monthly rent is unlikely to be below $400 and even if an apartment can be found at a lower price it will probably...
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Signal Festival, organizers have prepared a big surprise for you. After many years, they are returning to their iconic location – náměstí Míru! This year, the facade of St. Ludmila Basilica will be revived by the French pioneering collective AV Extended in collaboration with the Czech music producer Aid Kid. We can’t wait. You can experience the premiere screening the day before the festival on Wednesday 12.10. from 7 to 10 pm. “We will light up the Basilica on the occasion of the celebration of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union within the Light for Europe project,” say the organizers. Starting on Thursday, beat the long wait for the video mapping with an interactive game with Mercedes-Benz. Download the signalmb.cz app, choose your favorite Mercedes car and send it to the facade of the Basilica! Premiere In Vršovice This year, for the first time, Signal will light up Vršovice in four locations. The interactive Cloud by the Canadian duo Brown & Garrett will shine over the Vršovice Chateau. Herold Gardens will be set in motion by Flux, a kinetic installation consisting of rotating propellers that create a graceful choreography directed by the French collective Collectif Scale. The last stop on the Vršovice route will be a spectacular projection by...
If your day doesn’t start until you’re up to speed on the latest headlines, then let us introduce you to our new morning fix. The Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, will hold talks with his British counterpart, Liz Truss, at his official Kramář Villa residence in Prague on Thursday, Czech government officials said on Tuesday. Twenty-five large companies based in the Czech Republic have launched Rethink, a new project seeking carbon neutrality and energy security, signing a joint declaration to present the project. The founders of the project include Czech Railways (CD), Czech Post (CP), the CEZ energy utility, the Ostrava Public Transport Company, IKEA, Komercni banka, Metrostav and Skoda Auto. The governing Czech coalition SPOLU, comprising the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and TOP 09, will not nominate its own candidate for the January presidential election, in order to not split the vote, Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) told journalists today. The Czech government will extend current border controls with Slovakia due to “unprecedented” irregular immigration and wants the European Commission to devise a solution as the problem concerns multipe EU countries. River flows in three Czech regions have been below average every month...
Over the past several days, Czech social media users have been sharing humorous tweets, and tweaked maps showing that the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad is, in fact, historically Czech and that a referendum should be held to decide the date of the problematic 220-square-kilometer region. As reported by iDnes on Monday, Czech MEP Tomasz Zdechovsky shared a satirical joke on his Twitter about the distribution of the Russian Kaliningrad region between Poland and the Czech Republic. In particular, the politician reposted a tweet from an anonymous author from Poland. “The time has come to divide Kaliningrad so that our Czech brothers finally have access to the sea,” the original note says. In Russia, this joke has already been called a “revanchist statement.” Zdekhovsky replied that Russia should be prepared for the fact that if it tries to annex foreign territory on the basis of fake referendums, this could provoke discussions about whether it should leave Kaliningrad. “I believe that the debate is legitimate and that Russia should really consider its future international moves,” he stressed. “Je čas rozdělit Kaliningrad, aby naši čeští bratři měli konečně přístup k moři” A pak nemilujte Polaky 😄 https://t.co/hLhyBDZQJm — Tomáš Zdechovský (@TomasZdechovsky) September 29,...
The Czech state-owned brewery, Budějovický Budvar, will raise prices for all brands of its beer, from November. The increase will average 10%. It comes after the company said its prices will rise because of “vicious” cost pressures: electricity, gas, hops, malt and packaging materials. Budějovický Budvar’s chief executive Petr Dvorak said: “These kinds of price increases and inflation, I think we have not seen in a generation.” He added that putting up prices could lead to “softer beer consumption” as drinkers reined in their spending due to soaring living costs. “Electricity has risen in price by 300%, which means tens of millions of crowns per year. The same applies to the prices of cans, bottles, cardboard boxes, packaging materials and gas. For example, we expect a larger increase in the price of malt, which is our most important expense. Reports from hop factories show a catastrophic harvest. “Although we have long-term three-year contracts, I expect that they will not be fulfilled because hops simply do not exist. Raw materials and packaging have already increased in price by more than 10%,” he added. Budějovický Budvar increased its net profit by some 10% for the second straight year as it saw record...
On Thursday 6 and Friday 7 October, the heads of state of the 27 EU Member States and the leaders of 17 European countries outside the EU will attend two meetings hosted by the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU in Prague. The first-ever meeting of the European Political Community will take place on Thursday, followed by an informal meeting of the members of the European Council on Friday. The aim of the European Political Community is to provide a policy coordination platform for countries across the European continent. Its inaugural meeting will be held at the level of heads of state or government. The agenda for the meeting will include thematic roundtable discussions in small groups focusing on security and stability, the economy, energy and climate, in addition to the opening and closing sessions. Along with the heads of state or government of the 27 EU Member States, the meeting will be attended by the leaders of 17 European countries outside the EU. Representatives from the following non-EU countries have been invited to attend: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom....
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