Czech President Milos Zeman spoke out in favour of mandatory vaccinations against Covid-19 during his traditional Christmas address.
The Czech Republic will welcome in 2022 after the warmest New Year’s Eve on record, forecasters say. Temperatures are set to be “exceptionally mild” this week before hitting a balmy 15 degrees Celsius on Thursday and Friday – warmer than April, when the mercury hovers at an average of 14 degrees Celsius. On New Year’s weekend, the highs can reach up to 15 degrees Celsius. The beginning of the new year will also be warm and relatively dry, according to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI). “In the last two days of the year, the afternoon temperatures will reach record values from 10 to 15 degrees Celsius,” says CHMI. The first days of the new year are forecast to be warm, relatively dry, and sometimes sunny. “The weather has been pretty topsy-turvy. We’ve had a cold Christmas – and now we’re going to see it get warmer”. The New Year’s Eve weekend will contrast sharply with the Christmas weekend when temperatures dropped well below freezing. Areas in Northern Bohemia saw a steep drop in temperatures last night, reaching -10 degrees Celsius in most areas. A low of -26.8 degrees was registered in the Jizera Mountains. It was the lowest temperature this winter. The...
Next year, Prague residents will pay more for water, gas and waste collection. The price for water will rise by six percent while gas will increase by 7.3 percent. Waste collection will double for some costumers. Water payments will increase by six percent to 107.72 CZK per cubic meter. There will be a higher year-on-year increase in sewerage. It means that the water price increases by about 21 CZK per person per month, on average 252 CZK per person per year. The larger price increase will be reflected in the sewerage system, which will increase by 10.7 percent to 51.84 CZK per cubic meter. As of December 31 this year, gas customers in Prague will see their bills increase by 7.3 percent. For a household with an annual consumption of 0.4 MWh, the price will increase by CZK 16. A household with an annual consumption of 4 MWh will pay an additional CZK 39, while a household with an annual consumption of 11 MWh will pay CZK 136. By contrast, Pražská energetika (PRE) does not plan to raise prices from the New Year. It last increased its prices on the first of September this year; the jump was by 7...
As the new Czech government was sworn into office last week, a pressing question for Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s cabinet is whether to join a growing international boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Earlier this month, Fiala said he understood the reasons why officials from the United States, the United Kingdom and several other English-speaking countries will boycott the games that begin in February. He said his incoming top team would make a decision on the Czech response through a collective vote. The person likely to lead the campaign is Jan Lipavsky, the Czech Republic’s new foreign minister, who has publicly stated that he backs a diplomatic boycott, which will see politicians and official delegations shun the events in Beijing, even while Czech athletes still participate. Jakub Janda, director of the Prague-based European Values Center for Security Policy, says it is “highly probable” that Czech officials will boycott the games. It’s most likely that Lipavsky and other ministers won’t travel to Beijing for the Winter Olympics, but the second stage would be to declare an official diplomatic boycott of the Games, said Richard Q. Turcsanyi, a senior researcher at Palacky University Olomouc. European leaders were expected to discuss the boycott...
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. Economic growth in the Czech Republic is predicted to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2022, according to a new annual report released by the Czech Ministry of Finance and the analysis of experts contacted by CTK. According to a survey conducted by the European insurance company, ERV Evropská pojišťovna, 43% of Czechs plan to go to the mountains this winter season, a 13% increase from last year. Most people will choose domestic ski resorts. The Czech Finance Ministry has decided against extending the waiver on VAT for high-filter masks and respirators. The waiver will end on December 31. The European Investment Bank signed a green loan agreement worth CZK 3.6 billion with the state-owned Czech Transmission System Operator ČEPS. The investment seeks to modernise the country’s transmission network and strengthen its electricity infrastructure until 2025. The Prague police are investigating a carbon monoxide leak in a family house in Modřany. Over 30 people, including several children, were poisoned late Saturday night. The findings show that the gas boiler did not appear to have been...
Economic growth in the Czech Republic is predicted to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2022, according to a new annual report released by the Czech Ministry of Finance and the analysis of experts contacted by CTK. The Czech economy is expected to grow by 3.9% next year, up from 2.5% in 2021. Unemployment, on the other hand, will slightly fall while inflation will probably be the biggest problem next year. “Inflation will noticeably accelerate in 2022 and will be one of the main macroeconomic issues. Unless, for example, there is an extension of the waiver or a reduction in VAT on energy, we can expect a noticeable acceleration of annual price dynamics of more than eight percent at the beginning of the year. Single-digit inflation will still be a “positive result”, said Jakub Seidler, chief economist at the Czech Banking Association Association, said. Seidler estimates that an important inflation-boosting factor next year will be the rise in electricity and gas prices, which will gradually be reflected in the prices of other goods and services. Inflation is also being boosted by problems in global supply chains, which are pushing up the prices of many manufacturing inputs. Wage and salary growth are expected to remain above 5% in the...
In his traditional Christmas message to the nation, President Miloš Zeman praised the activities of the former government of Andrej Babiš (ANO), supporting compulsory vaccination, and criticizing the Green Deal. Zeman called the parliamentary elections, which led to the new government of Spolu (ODS, KDU-ČSL, TOP 09) and Pirates with STAN, “undoubtedly the most important event in the Czech Republic in the last year”. “I would like to appreciate the relatively correct course of the election campaign,” he said. He also praised the former Babiš government. “It has done a lot of good,”. He wished the deputies and members of the government many successes. “We have to respect the majority opinion of the population. Those who are not satisfied with the result of the election and at the same time did not vote, can only blame themselves,” he added. The cabinet has to deal with covid, energy and budget Zeman justified his opposition to Lipavsky (read more here) by his low qualifications or his views on relations with Israel and the Visegrad Four. However, in agreement with PM Fiala, he later appointed him. “I was told that it is important that (members of the government) are primarily politicians,” Zeman said...
Dozens of hardy swimmers took a very cold Christmas dip in Prague’s Vltava river on Sunday. It was the 75th edition of the event which commemorates the life of Alfred Nikodém, who was a goldsmith and a promoter of the Spartan lifestyle. The water and air temperatures were 3.5 and -1 degrees Celsius. The swim took place under tight anti-virus measures, with swimmers getting tested for Covid-19 and having to wear masks when not swimming. Swimmers from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Britain, Austria, the USA and Russia took part in the competition. The competition takes place between two islands, the Slovanský and Strelecky islands. Along the entire route specialists observe the race and are ready to act if they detect hypothermia in participants. As participants completed the races, they dried off on the Slavonic Island where the prize ceremony took place in the Renaissance Zofin Palace. Last year, the race took place despite anti-pandemic measures. The water was 5.8 degrees a year ago, the air temperature was 1.8 degrees. Also this year, only those who have recovered from Covid-19, who are vaccinated or, have submitted a negative PCR test, could participate. Winter swimming was first seen in Prague...
At its first cabinet meeting, the new government headed by Petr Fiala decided not to ask the lower house to extend the Covid-related state of emergency in the country introduced on November 25 for a period of 30 days. Therefore, today at 23:59, the quarantine measures introduced will automatically expire. From tomorrow, December 26, restaurants, bars, clubs, and casinos will be able to remain open after 22:00, including on New Year’s Eve. The ban on drinking alcohol on the streets and in other public places will also expire. However, from December 29 to January 2, additional restrictions will apply. The measure is aimed at limiting the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant during New Year’s celebrations. – in restaurants, a maximum of four people can sit at one table (instead of the current six people). An exception is made only for members of one household, who will be allowed to sit at the table without limitations; – a maximum of 50 people will be allowed at indoor events, parties and New Year’s celebrations with only four people at one table.; – Cultural events will still be limited to 1,000 people but events, where people mingle, must not exceed 100 participants....
Police officers in Pardubice received a phone call from a local fast food on Thursday morning. Employees said they found a live carp in the toilet bowl. The carp were brought to the restaurant by a 28-year-old customer. The man bought the animal for the traditional Christmas dinner, but for some reason decided to place the carp in the toilet while he was waiting for his breakfast. “He probably didn’t come up with any better idea,” said police spokesman Jiří Sejkora. Before the arrival of the police, two employees took out the carp, placed it in a bucket of clean water, and then returned it to the owner. Carp and Christmas Carp for Christmas is not as strange as it seems. In Christianity fish have religious symbolism. Christ fed 5,000 with two fish and five loaves. He called his disciples ‘fishers of men.’ Fish should be eaten on fasting days. Christmas Eve is a fasting evening so carp is on the menu. One carp is enough for the whole family as there is sufficient meat between the bones to feed all. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, you’ll find massive tanks full of carp outside every single supermarket, ready...
129,440 new flats are now being built in the capital. However, less than 50,000 have entered the approval process. More than half of the flats will be built in Prague 9, 5 and 4, where there are a large number of brownfields. In Prague 9, the prices are the lowest thanks to a larger offer and competition. Compared to the previous half of the year, the number of new flats in preparation increased by more than six thousand and more than 50 percent compared to five years ago. In the last 10 years, only 2,900 flats in apartment buildings have passed through the permitting network every year. This year, the authorities have approved a record 5,952 flats, the highest since 2007. However, in order to improve the availability of housing, it is necessary to permit at least 10,000 flats a year. “Currently, the total value of all prepared projects reaches almost 1.2 million crowns. If they got the green light, the state would have at least CZK 155 billion in VAT alone. Accelerating the permit would therefore not only help solve the current housing crisis, but it is also in the great economic interest of the state,” says Central Group...
Manifesto Anděl will sparkle on the last night of this year with a diverse and glamorous program for visitors called Glam & Bubbles New Year’s Eve. Set up in the heated and decorated area under the covering, guests can kick off their evening at the beauty parlor with a private make-up artist invited for the occasion, to get a radiant look with glitter cosmetics. Throughout the evening, guests can enjoy a special, super photogenic Prosecco-based cocktail with a puff of cotton candy and a sweet cherry on top. DJ Giacomo, accompanied live by a saxophonist, will contribute to festive vibes from 5:30 pm. After 6:30 pm, visitors can look into their bright future thanks to the tarot cards fortune teller Andrea. As the closing time of Manifesto is 10 pm, guests will not experience the countdown till midnight during the evening program, yet their whole evening is an occasion to say a euphoric goodbye to the current year approaching its last moments. Attendance is subject to the same pandemic rules as visiting restaurants and guests are advised to make a reservation through the Manifesto e-shop. Program: Glam & Bubbles New Year’s Eve | 5 pm–10 pm 5: 30–9: 30pm |...
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