Next week, the ministry will set the conditions for vaccinating foreigners; innoculation may also be made accessible to self-payers. Next week, the Ministry of Health will set the conditions and enable vaccination for foreigners in the Czech Republic against Covid-19. It could also be possible for self-payers, Minister of Health Petr Arenberger (for ANO) told deputies. “Members of the diplomatic corps are vaccinated in the same way. They only pay for the application and have the vaccine for free,” the minister said. Self-payers will also pay for the vaccine. “The vaccination centers that are selected will pay the vaccine back to the state,” the minister added. The minister has not yet said when foreigners could be vaccinated. Ministry of Health spokeswoman, Jana Schillerová, said that the office is preparing the possibility of registering foreigners who do not have public health insurance in the Czech Republic or other EU countries in the Central Registration System. “This will be mainly Czech citizens who do not have public health insurance, foreigners from the EU, and foreigners from other countries who have a long-term residence in the Czech Republic,” she mentioned. Foreigners with public health insurance from EU countries, the European Economic Area, Switzerland,...
A Czech town has launched a scheme whereby residents are being given money to spend in shops and cafes badly hit by COVID-19 lockdowns, in the form of digital vouchers being marketed as a special local currency. Up to 2,000 residents of Kyjov are each being given CZK 400 worth of “corrents”, a name blending the words for “coronavirus” and “currency”, to spend at 40 businesses including shoe shops, a pharmacy, and a burger joint. When they make a purchase under the scheme, participants pay for half of it with corrents and the other half with their own money. “It is good to support people to come and buy a nice burger and support us as well,” said Verka Vaskova, who works at a fast-food outlet near Kyjov’s main square. The Kyjov scheme is being funded to the tune of CZK 800,000 by a private individual who does not wish to be named, and administered by Pepe Rafaj, who came up with the idea. Rafaj refers to the corrents as “drone money”, as a way of comparing it to the much-discussed concept of “helicopter money”, the idea that central banks could transfer cash directly to citizens as a form of...
Data Autotrans, a local bus operator, is launching a new bus service. The company offers a direct connection from Prague to Šumava, or ‘Bohemian Forest’. It is the only bus thus far to provide a direct connection to the scenic destination. The journey will take passengers from Prague via Mirovice, Blatna, Horažďovice, Rabí, Sušici, Kašpersky Mountains, Kvilda, Modrava, Srní and on to Prášily. It is a long-distance journey, and Data Autotrans reportedly wants to let the service run on Saturdays, Sundays, and on public holidays. The bus leaves Prague at 8 am on Saturdays from Florenc station. At the Kašpersky Mountains stop and all of the stops beyond it, the bus service is only accessible by calling, ie by phone at least one hour in advance. The bus returns back to Prague from Prášily at 5 pm, and at 5:30 pm on Sundays. Tickets are quite affordable, for example, a ticket from Prague to Kašpersky Mountains costs CZK 169. For a better idea of what the schedule is like, you can find the full timetable here. Data Autotrans returned to a more regular schedule of its service in March this year. The carrier was heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic...
During the European Council summit in Porto, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to try to get additional Covid-19 vaccines for June. “That’s the most important thing for us now,” he said. According to him, Europe should also launch a joint campaign to promote vaccination. According to Babiš, the Czech Republic will reach a stage in July or even earlier when it will have to start a campaign promoting vaccination. “I told colleagues to ask the European Commission to run a Europe-wide campaign. It seems that the lower the age, the lower the interest in vaccinations,“ added Babiš. “People need to understand that vaccines are safe, that this will allow them to enter everywhere without any problems. While those who are not vaccinated will have to be tested, and it will complicate their lives,“ the prime minister said. He also expressed the Czech Republic’s position on the possible release of patents for Covid-19 vaccines. “The European Union stands is to discuss any proposal that addresses this crisis effectively and pragmatically. (…) We call on all countries producing vaccines to allow exports and to avoid anything that could disrupt supply chains,“ said von der...
The Irish fast-fashion retailer Primark has started recruiting staff for its three-floor store on Wenceslas Square against the background of the reopening of retail shops in the Czech Republic. Primark’s Prague branch will become the first one in the country, marking the company’s expansion into the Czech market. In the new Flow Building, Primark will offer a full range of cheap women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories, cosmetics, as well as household goods and confectionery on a total area of 4,700 square meters. Salespeople are invited to start working in the second half of May. Besides, Czech is gradually appearing on the official website of Primark. For example, this page informs viewers of the Prague branch opening soon and provides some information about the company. “With the opening of retail, we can finally move forward with our plans to open the first branch in the Czech Republic. We believe that the COVID-19 pandemic will not cause further delays,” said Kateřina Outlá from Grayling Prague, which represents Primark. However, she did not specify the precise opening date. Primark operates in 12 European countries and the United States, where it has over 380 stores. Last year, the chain entered the...
According to the so-called “Nanny State Index” of 2021, residents of the Czech Republic face one of the fewest restrictions when it comes to eating, drinking and smoking, compared with other EU countries. The think tank deems this worthy of praise, but health experts have their concerns. The 2021 Nanny State Index Since March 2016, the Nanny State Index has been ranking the European Union’s 28 member states according to how easy they make it to eat, drink, smoke and vape. The ranking considers the extent to which the government in any given country attempts to deter consumption of legal products, for instance by restricting trading hours and advertisements, levying taxes, or imposing outright bans. From the point of view of the authors of the study, these kinds of paternalistic policies are not an expression of state welfare but questionable and counterproductive measures that negatively impact the quality of life. There is little evidence, they argue, that countries that impose such restrictive policies enjoy greater health or longevity. There is, for example, no correlation between greater tobacco control and lower smoking rates. Perhaps surprisingly for a country generally regarded as overly-fond of rules and restrictions, Germany came out on top in the...
As restaurants and pubs prepare to reopen their doors for outside seating next week, the government has mandated that WiFi and music not be provided to guests. Minister of Trade and Industry Karel Havlíček announced on CNN Prima News that restaurants and pubs will not be allowed to offer WiFi or music to their guests so that people do not gather publically for long periods of time. “Music and basically wifi are forbidden in the gardens because it is not the goal for young people, in particular, to meet, have a beer and sit there for four hours,” Havlíček said. Restaurant gardens and patios are scheduled to reopen on May 17 with the condition that guests show proof of vaccination, negative PCR tests, or antigen test results. Government officials have not made it clear how this would work out logistically. On Thursday, the government is set to announce specific instructions for how businesses are meant to handle the verification of customer’s documents. Havlíček also stated, “In principle, the customer will have to prove himself – whether to the hygiene or to the restaurant operator – either by vaccination, a test or by having Covid.” In order to make the handling...
Czech rail infrastructure manager SŽ has selected the consortium Sudop Praha and Olomouc-based engineering consultancy Moravia Consult to undertake the feasibility study into the planned Prague – Hradec Králové – Wrocław high-speed line. The contract is worth CZK 12.6m with final reports due by November 2022. SŽ presented its overall plans for the new high-speed network in April. Planning for the new lines is taking place in three phases: the first strategic phase was undertaken between 2014 and 2018 and confirmed the need for and basic outline of the new routes. The current pre-investment phase, which will conclude around 2023, includes detailed feasibility studies. Once feasibility work is complete this will lead to outline planning approval enabling the final construction management planning to take place in 2023-25, leading to the issue of building permits for construction to begin from 2025 onwards. The proposed RS5 Praha – Hradec Králové – Wrocław line will branch from the planned RS1 Prague – Brno – Břeclav route serving the city of Hradec Králové with a branch to Pardubice on the existing Prague – Olomouc main line. The feasibility study will design the route of the future high-speed line and its connections, as well as assess...
According to the National Center for the Study of Public Opinion, the most popular among those who are going to get vaccinated was the drug produced by Pfizer and BioNTech. Russian Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine inspires confidence among 14% of residents of the Czech Republic planning to vaccinate, according to the results of a population survey conducted by the National Center for the Study of Public Opinion, Czech Radio reported on Wednesday. According to the survey, 59% of the country’s population of 10.702 mln people intend to be vaccinated. The most popular among those who are going to get vaccinated was the drug produced by Pfizer and BioNTech – 58%, followed by the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson (17%). Sputnik V took third place in this rating, followed by vaccines from Moderna (12%), AstraZeneca (7%), and Chinese Sinopharm (1%). Vaccination against coronavirus began in the Czech Republic on December 27, 2020. So far, 2,738,433 residents were vaccinated, and 1,058,360 people underwent a full cycle of vaccination. During the pandemic, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country amounted to 1,648,667, 1,586,400 people recovered, and 29,787 residents died. Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine has already been registered by regulators in about...
On Monday, Moody’s rating agency warned that Czech public finances might not be sustainable in the long run. According to the agency, the government’s budget plans for the medium term do not include any significant consolidation objectives, which has a negative effect on the assessment of creditworthiness. According to Moody’s, the consolidation of the state budget will be a task for the next government, which will be formed after the parliamentary elections scheduled for October. The rating agency pointed out that creating a strategy for reducing budget deficits and stabilizing or reducing the government’s debt will be key to Czechia’s future creditworthiness. At the beginning of February, Moody’s confirmed the Czech Republic’s credit rating at Aa3 with a stable outlook. A credit rating is an important guide for investors, as it shows them the likelihood that loans will be repaid, which has a significant effect on the willingness of creditors to provide loans to the state or other entities. It also affects the terms of the loan, such as the interest rate. The higher the rating, the better creditors perceive the borrower and the more likely they will accede to cheaper loans. “Moody’s warning is the first shot, fiscal consolidation was...
How did the first strip clubs in Prague appear? What were the sexual toys produced in Czechoslovakia? An exhibition Decadent Prague (“Praha dekadentní”), which teeters on the edge of decency, provides uncensored answers to such questions. The exhibition will run in the Dancing House Gallery until March 31st next year and is only open to individuals over 18 years of age. According to the organizers, this is the most controversial exhibition to date, which, as they promise, will outrage but also educate visitors. “We made this exhibition censorship-free so that visitors could see what was really happening in Prague during the 20th century. No covered naked bodies, no censorship,” said Robert Vůjtek, Dancing House Gallery director, adding that for some visitors the exhibition might prove too bold. Decadent Prague will take visitors to brothels of the First Republic, show the beginnings of striptease in the 1960s in the country or the history of erotic images that were created outside the supervision of state censorship. “We also have a rarity here – medical books of prostitutes, which were preserved in Czechoslovakia in only two copies; we borrowed them from the Police Museum,” added Vůjtek. In addition to themes related to prostitution,...
Located not far from the banks of the Vltava in the trendy Karlín neighborhood, this establishment looks to reinvigorate the Beer Garden experience in Prague. Run by the Hilton, Beer Garden Karlín will officially reopen on May 17, with a special offer for the opening week: get any large beer on tap for the price of a small one! Beer Garden Karlín has six beers on tap including familiar 10- and 11-degree options and more specialized beers like a wheat beer. The grill features OTB burgers, Prague ham, grilled halloumi, and much more. Beer Garden Karlín offers also a selection of cocktails (Aperol Spritz, G&T, Hugo, Lillet Rosé), summer Sangria and home-made lemonade. Is it expensive? Here’s some more good news. While keeping the quality levels high, they’re also offering great prices on both food and drink. You can get a small beer for 30 CZK, and a half-liter of 11-degree Staropramen will cost you 40 CZK. If you’re cycling or skating nearby, this spot makes a great exercise pit stop. The garden is also dog and child-friendly. With a total capacity of 450 people, flexible set up of beer benches, lounge furniture, dining tables, and standing cocktail tables, we will create...
Don’t have an account? Register
[swpm_registration_form level=”6″]
Already have an account? Log In
How Would You Like to Promote Your Business? PR ArticleDisplay bannersVideo productionNewsletter adsJob ListingsInfluencer Marketing
Your Email
We will come back to you within 24 hours with our proporsal
