For the first time in its history, Czech Post has issued a flavored stamp. It is dedicated to Christmas and smells like a mixture of scents closely associated with this holiday – pine needles, cinnamon and gingerbread. The cost of the stamp is 19 CZK. It can be used to send letters weighing up to 50 grams. The design of the brand was created by Pavel Sivko, artist and illustrator of children’s books. The circulation of the novelty is 3.5 million pieces. You can buy it in all post offices. “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Although the volume of letters and cards has been declining for several years, the tradition of sending Christmas cards to loved ones and friends is still popular. Therefore, we decided to launch a flavored stamp and make this tradition even more special,” said the representative of the company Martin Goli. In November, the Czech Postal Service has presented another Christmas stamp. Collectors can obtain it by sending a letter to the post office in Boží Dar, which stamps hundreds of thousands of letters and postcards every Christmas. The 2021 stamp features circles, stars and the inscription God’s Gift, symbolizing open arms...
The Czech signaling manufacturer AŽD Praha presented what it claims to be the first public use of an autonomous train in the Czech Republic on December 15, when invited guests travelled on a single-car DMU on the Čížkovice – Most line in the Louny region. The demonstration included the train stopping at a crossing blocked by a broken car without any intervention from onboard staff. AŽD is working on the introduction of autonomous technology that would enable a regional train to operate without any crew, or for a driver to intervene only during specific parts of the journey. Mr. Zdeněk Chrdle, AŽD CEO, told local media that legislation needs to change to enable automated trains to operate in the country, but he expects automated operations to happen within two to three years. “We definitely do not work with a black-and-white vision of replacing drivers, but with a vision of a modern way of operating the railway, where a number of processes can still not be ensured other than the work of a professional operator,” Chrdle says. In 2022, AŽD will move its development and testing to the Kopidlno – Dolní Bousov line, which is currently without a regular passenger service...
Some of them will eject water into the Vltava River while others will hold fire torches. Prague’s beautiful architecture, its numerous bridges, and the Vltava river are some of the main attractions that make the Czech capital a popular tourist destination. These three attractions are interconnected as the city’s bridges have unique appearances and offer breathtaking views of the river. Taking a case in point, Prague’s Čech Bridge was built in the early twentieth century and is the only steel arch bridge in the city. Its architecture is distinctive, with the bridge having several bronze statues of female torchbearers and three-headed dragons on its four pillars. As TheMayor.eu reports, the City of Prague has revealed that the bridge will undergo a partial restoration of its architecture and statues. The restoration of Čech Bridge will include the reconstruction and fitting of lighting and effects systems. More specifically, the Technology Company of the Capital City of Prague (THMP) will modernise the 20th-century bridge, making its dragons spew water into the river at regular intervals. In addition to this, it will add flames to the torches of the female light-bearers. “From the surviving information, it seems that the fitting of water and gas...
Curfew at night, closed establishments, and deserted streets marked the arrival of 2021 in the Czech Republic. What can be expected this New Year’s Eve is yet unknown. It will depend on how the pandemic develops and whether the state of emergency is prolonged. What is certain is that major cities will not hold large-scale festivities. Restaurants with doors opened for customers, in particular, are hardly likely to be allowed. The Wenceslas Square in Prague, the heart of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Prague, was totally empty less than a year ago. Only certain rescuers and police officers were present. It is unclear whether the last day of 2021 will be similar or not and whether city streets will once again resemble war zones or not. Firefighters, cops, and rescues, on the other hand, are preparing as usual. They will erect a medical tent, and numerous rescue personnel will not be left behind. On the nearby historic Old Town Square, things will appear similar. Government officials have been sending clear messages for a while, telling people not to go to parties, to stay at home, spend New Year’s Eve with their loved ones, making sure those they care about are...
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 has officially called on Belarus to end repression, release all political prisoners and initiate dialogue with its citizens, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed via its website. At an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday, members of the ANO movement wanted to discuss amendments to the current energy crisis. They tried to address, among other things, the across-the-board reduction of VAT on electricity and gas to zero for the whole next year. The Czech and Slovak police are prosecuting several dozen persons and firms on suspicion of extensive VAT frauds committed in both countries. The gang has deprived both states of more than 6.5 million euros in the past three years at least. Říčany currently ranks as the city with the best quality of life in the Czech Republic, according to Deloitte, which uses data from users to evaluate various aspects of life in Czech cities. The project is called “Obce v date”. Czechs and Hungarians rank among the world’s hardest-working nations when it comes to learning a new language, according...
On Friday, President Miloš Zeman will appoint the government of incoming Prime Minister Petr Fiala, including the disputed nominee for foreign minister, Jan Lipavský. Fiala announced he would get all his nominees on Monday at a press conference after meeting with the president. However, according to Fiala, the president’s reservations about Lipavský persist. The new cabinet will be appointed on Friday, Dec. 17, at 11:00 a.m. at the Lány chateau, the residence of the president. The incoming government wants the confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies to take place in mid-January when it finishes its program statement. Last Friday, Zeman confirmed that he did not want to appoint Lipavský as the country’s foreign minister, citing his insufficient qualification and reserved stance towards Israel and the Visegrád Four. Lipavský and the head of state also share different views on relations with Russia and China, which Zeman did not mention in an official statement as the reason for his objections. The government coalition planned to fill in a competence lawsuit against the president over the dispute. Fiala called Zeman’s change of mind a “surprising end of the hour-long meeting.” “The government, including candidate Lipavský, will be appointed this Friday as proposed to...
The Czech Senate has ruled against the proposal of the Regional Court to amend current legislation that prevents same-sex partners who are registered abroad to adopt Czech children. Adopting children is not possible for same-sex couples in the Czech Republic and the court stated that this move should prevent the bypassing of the rule by using foreign legislation. According to critics, the amendment to private international law would be an interference with the Civil Code. Václav Láska (Senator 21), the author of the proposal, promised to submit a comprehensive amendment to Czech law by the spring of next year. According to Láska, the change could also help unmarried heterosexual couples who adopt a child abroad. It would affect several dozen couples a year. According to the senator, the current form of the law is in conflict with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms. Same-sex couples can marry in 14 of the European Union’s 27 countries, according to advocacy group ILGA-World. Since 2006, the Czech Republic has allowed registered partnerships for same-sex couples, which grant several rights of marriage, including inheritance and hospital visitation rights, but not joint adoption, spouse’s pension, or joint...
No matter what the occasion, sparkling wine always fits the bill. Whether brunching with friends, giving a holiday gift, or simply enjoying a glass at home after a long day at work, sometimes, a bottle of bubbly is all you need. In the past, sparkling was considered a wine defect. The involuntary “eruption” of one bottle in the cellar often gave rise to a chain reaction. Many wineries have lost up to 20% of their wine reserves due to such incidents. When champagne was first produced, the pressure of the sparkling wine was maintained by wooden plugs sealed with oil cloth and wax. This method proved inconsistent either from leaking or blowing out of the stopper and a method of restraining the corks using cord was developed. In 1844, Adolphe Jacquesson invented the more secure method involving steel wire, however, the early muselets were not easy to install and proved somewhat inconvenient to open. Further developments led to the modern muselet which is made of steel wire twisted to add strength and with a small loop of wire twisted into the lower ring which can be untwisted to release the pressure of the muselet and give access to the cork....
The future Minister of Health Vlastimil Válek has stated that extending the state of emergency will be a priority subject of discussion of the incoming government, which is set to be officially named on Friday. As Seznam Zprávy reports, some politicians of the ruling coalition Together and PirSTAN do not expect an extension of the state of emergency. Only a further growth in the number of patients with coronavirus could change that decision. Válek added that the matter “it’s still under discussion and solution phase”. This could mean that bars, pubs, and restaurants would remain open during the night-time New Year’s Eve celebrations. “My personal opinion is that now it seems that an extension will not be necessary,” said deputy chairman Jakub Michálek. “Unless the epidemic situation worsens significantly, I do not consider the extension of the state of emergency to be the right step,” added Vít Kaňkovský, vice-chairman KDU-ČSL. On November 25, 2021, the Czech government declared a nationwide 30-days state of emergency aimed at countering the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Restaurants and pubs have to close at 10 pm. A maximum of 1,000 spectators with valid vaccination certificates or proof of having recovered from COVID-19 within the...
Quick commerce startup Grovy has finalized a €3 million financing round led by Lighthouse Ventures. The funds will be used for further expansion across Central and Eastern Europe, with offices already running in Prague and Bucharest. The startup has already established traction in the crowded German market by focusing on customer service, a positive and fair work culture, and sustainability. The rise of same-day (and same-hour) grocery delivery in Europe has been rapid and not without teething problems. First, many players in the space still rely on significant mark-ups, which can be as high as 20%. Second, many delivery companies depend on gig workers, who are often underpaid and overworked. Lastly, supply chain inefficiencies and food waste have plagued the grocery industry for decades, leaving plenty of room for improvement in sustainability. Grovy is looking to improve retail grocery in all three of these areas. Grovy leverages a network of strategically located dark warehouses to bring supermarket products to people within 10 minutes. While a 15-20% markup from supermarket prices is normal in grocery delivery, Grovy has pledged to never go beyond a 5% markup. Now, Grovy sets its sights on Central and Eastern Europe, where the startup envisions to...
For anyone looking to leave the mean streets of Prague behind for a suburban idyll, a handy new tool will help you determine the best place for you. Říčany currently ranks as the city with the best quality of life in the Czech Republic, according to Deloitte, which uses data from users to evaluate various aspects of life in Czech cities. The project is called “Obce v date”. The town of Vrchlabí improved the most year-on-year, advancing 64 places to 73rd position. The ranking ranks over 200 Czech municipalities according to a number of criteria (health, environment, work, education, services, safety, transport, leisure, housing, etc.). According to Deloitte manager Filip Neterda, “our major goal is to actually help the cities to get their strategic priorities right, to better target the areas into which public investment is required […] We would be really happy if it could serve as a tool for public investment at the level of a city”. Here are the top 10 best places to live in the Czech Republic, according to the index: Říčany – Central Bohemia Prague – Prague Brandýs nad Labem – Central Bohemia Černošice – Central Bohemia Brno – South Moravia Slavkov u Brna – South Moravia Beroun – Central Bohemia...
It now takes the equivalent of 16 years’ average salary to buy a new 70-meter flat in Prague, according to data published by property developers of Central Group. That is six years more than in 2014, evidence that salaries are not rising along with housing costs in the Czech capital. According to Central Group, in Bratislava, it takes 12.5 years’ salary to buy a comparable flat, in Munich, 12.3 years’, in Berlin, 8.7 years, and in Vienna, 8.3 years. Apartment prices have risen by 90 percent in the last five years, but wages have risen by only 33 percent. Therefore, they consider the availability of housing to be the worst in the entire period of monitoring the CG-Index. According to Head and Founder of Central Group Dušan Kunovský, the way out of the crisis is to support new construction and achieve a sufficient supply of new apartments while maintaining market conditions with competition from development companies and mortgage banks. “Since 2015, the prices of new flats in Prague have more than doubled, and the growth rate is also accelerating again. In the last year, a sharp rise in the price of construction work and materials has also contributed to this, but...
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