The number of Czechs believing that too many foreigners live in the Czech Republic increased by 5 percent to the current 40 percent as against last year, according to a poll conducted by the CVVM polling institute and released today. However, the views of foreigners’ long-term stay have not changed. Three-quarters of Czechs are of the opinion that foreigners should only stay in the Czech Republic on certain conditions, while one-sixth say long-term stay should not be allowed to them at all. Some 5 percent are ready to offer residence to foreigners without any limitations. Half of the Czech population considers the number of foreigners living in the Czech Republic to be reasonable. Czechs still consider study and practice (82 percent) and family reunification (61 percent) to be the most acceptable reason for their acceptance. Roughly the same number of people added that immigrants should be allowed to stay in the Czech Republic for business purposes. Compared to last year, the public’s view of adapting to foreigners in the Czech Republic has not changed either. According to three-quarters of Czechs, foreigners should adapt to them as much as possible. The opinion that they should be allowed to live in the...
The Czech Republic’s Ministry of Finance has announced plans to increase gambling taxes in the country, with bingo, live games, and lotteries set to be the hardest hit. Aside from gaming machines, which are taxed at 35% of gross gaming revenue (GGR), all gambling taxes in the country are currently at 23% of GGR. However, such rates would jump to 30% of GGR for lotteries, live games, and bingo operators, if the Ministry’s plans are approved. Other forms of gambling, such as fixed-odds betting, face a more modest increase from 23% to 25% of GGR, while the 35% rate for gaming machines would remain unchanged. The proposals, which would come into force in January 2020 if rubber-stamped later this year, also include tax hikes for the tobacco and alcohol sectors, with the Ministry insisting that the sole aim is to “increase the public budget”. The Ministry’s submission for the tax changes stated: “The proposed amendment to the gambling tax law divides the rate of gambling tax into three levels, according to the harmfulness of individual gambling in the same way as the government’s draft Gambling Tax Act of 2015.” However, the plans have drawn criticism from a number of politicians...
Located in the Old Town, just a few minutes from the tourists boulevards full of “Czech Drinking Team” hoodies and Soviet matryoshka salesmen, Hemingway Bar is a gem to be treasured. It’s a venue with an atmosphere, which is upscale, but not posh, classy yet unpretentious. For me, it’s a place to visit to reward myself and celebrate the little victories that need celebrating, even if sometimes they have to be made up simply to justify a visit to Hemingway. Perhaps it is this “occasionality” and “specialness” which make this cocktail bar so dear to me, although it could just as well be the combination of great drinks, attentive staff, and stylish surroundings. Inspired by the famous writer, the bar specializes on his favourite spirits – absinth, rum, and champagne. And much like the main character from Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris, you will be teleported to the past, with leather Freudian couches, dim candlelit atmosphere, and images of the old white-bearded man nodding approvingly from the framed photographs on the walls. My personal favorites are the cocktails, which are innovative both in its contents and packaging, whether it’s a Caipirinha in a massive glass jam jar with a lid...
These green jewels lie in the maze of the small Lesser Town streets, hidden behind the façades of palaces. The Vrtba (Vrtbovská), Ledebour (Ledeburská), Fürstenberg (Fürstenberská) and Kolovrat (Kolovratská) Gardens are considered to be some of Prague’s Baroque pearls. They each add a unique “relaxation zone” to the palaces bearing the same names. It is interesting to note that their terrace structure came about through necessity. There was very limited space below Prague Castle, which served as the royal residence, and the terrain was so steep that the garden designers had no other choice. The park located on Petřín Hill is very popular. During the winter months you will see bobsledders and on May Day young lovers make a point of visiting the statue of the Czech romantic poet Karel Hynek Mácha. There are also two picnic areas and a children’s playground. The Kinský Garden with its attractive summer palace often does not receive the attention it deserves. It is connected to the Petřín Gardens by passages built in the Hunger Wall (Hladová zeď), which was commissioned by Charles IV to protect the city. The Kinský Garden also houses one of Prague’s most interesting small churches; this all-wood Orthodox place of worship was moved to the Czech metropolis from Mukachevo, Ukraine. The gardens bordering Prague Castle on two sides...
The railway line between Prague’s Smíchov and Řepy is rightly considered the most beautiful on the capital territory. The trains have run since 1872, and because of its profile and the surrounding natural sceneries, the railway soon earned the sign of Prague Semmering, according to the Austrian mountain railways registered on the UNESCO list. Leading it to be protected as a cultural monument. You can either ride between the Praha-Smíchov and Hostivice stations or enjoy a sightseeing tour from Smíchov to Smíchov on April 6, May 11, June 2 and October 19. From the Smíchov railway station, the train goes to the Prokop Valley. The canyon in it reaches depths of up to 70 meters and it was created by erosion during the last million of years. Up to the station of Rudná u Prahy, we go on the track nicknamed “Humpbacked”. From Hostivice to Smíchov, the train runs along the route of the former Buštěhrad line which exceeds altitude difference of 150 meters. Thanks to its profile, the surrounding natural scenery, and two historical viaducts, the track has earned the name “Prague Semmering” according to the well-known Austrian mountain railway. The final section of the journey allows you to admire the legendary...
The Czech Finance Ministry plans to raise the excise tax on tobacco and cigarettes by 10 percent in 2020, aiming to raise up to an additional 7.7 billion crowns in state budget revenue, it said in a proposal on the government’s website on Friday. The tax rise is expected to increase budget revenue more in 2021, by up to 9.2 billion crowns, the proposal said, as effects of pre-stocking of lower-taxed products wane. The ministry also proposed higher taxes on spirits and gambling, which should boost budget revenue by 1.3 billion crowns in 2020, it said. The proposal must win the parliament’s backing to take effect. The government has been seeking to boost revenue to fund hikes in pensions and public sector wages as economic growth cools down. Author: red
On April 6 the 21st edition of the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, will feature the strongest field of professional runners and the largest field of amateur entrants in its storied history. When the Prague half marathon started on March 13, 1999, it probably seemed unlikely to anyone other than Carlo Capalbo, the President of the RunCzech organizing committee, that the race would grow into an event that would attract thousands of runners from all over the world and produce World Record performances. The race starts at 10 am CET from Jan Palach Square and will be broadcast live and is expected to last three hours. The fastest runners are expected to finish in an hour and a half. The capacity of the 20th Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon has been filled since the end of January. The registrations for other RunCzech races 2018, including the Volkswagen Prague Marathon are still available at www.runczech.com Because the international Sportisimo ½ Marathon Prague 2019 is taking place on Saturday, the 6th of April 2019, the operation of trams and buses in the central part of Prague undergoes a certain number of restrictions. Transport in the centre is mainly provided by metro lines, the operation of which may be increased in accordance with transportation demands. Here you can find all the information. Author: red
CENTRAL GROUP company announced an open call for participation in a workshop for the residence complex New Žižkov Centre. The aim of the announcer is to create a residential complex of approximately 1,200-1,300 dwellings with variable commercial spaces in the parterre in the streets of Olšanská and Jan Želivský and further, according to the concluded contract with Prague 3, the establishment of kindergarten, which subsequently the investor free of charge transfers into the ownership of the city district. The announcer emphasizes the creation of a valuable public space with greenery next to the intersection of the Olšanská and Jan Želivský streets and park green in the street of Jan Želivský and on the south side of the site (towards the cemetery). Together with other foreign and domestic architects, they are competing for the design of buildings that will be the on the site of the former headquarters of Telecom in Žižkov. The winner will be announced this spring. “We want to create harmony and contrasts, linking tradition with the future, and nature with architecture,” Japanese architect Fujimoto describing his project. Two weeks ago he received the Mipim Awards at the Cannes Real Estate Fair for his design of the Thousand Trees Complex,...
The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) will install terminals for payment of the ticket by card in all its buses. On Friday the company started installing terminals in trams where they had not yet been. They will start working by the end of April. A selection procedure shall be issued for the operation of terminals on DPP buses. The card can now be used in Prague in trams on lines 18 and 22. “We want to introduce contactless payment into all DPP buses. I assume that we will announce a contract for this service this year,” said Petr Witowski, CEO of the company. At the end of last year, the company introduced a non-cash payment of the fare on suburban bus lines it operates. By the end of April, all the trams will be equipped with payment terminals. Contactless payment will be possible at the middle door. On tram models 14T, known colloquially as Porsche, there will be two devices since the tram does not have a middle door. The device will print a ticket for the passenger, which like other transit tickets can be used on other public transport links up until its time limit expires. Last year, the company...
The Czech vocabulary-building app Vocabulary Miner by Czech SKOUMAL Studio helps you memorize vocabulary that you really need. The new Word lists labeled as #speakmoreapp are tailored to the needs of expats and travelers specifically and are available in 12 languages. Users can effectively learn Czech, Serbian, German, English, and other languages through Flashcards. Zuzana Pápayová, the project coordinator, explains the rationale behind the idea of focusing on expats and travelers: “Anyone who has ever been to a foreign country knows how confusing it can be without knowing a single word of the local language. You want to say more but you just cannot. Learning just basic vocabulary already helps overcome the fear of speaking and prevents misunderstandings. You´ll easily fill in forms, explain the pain at the doctor’s, and you’ll be free from shopping with Google Translate.” An issue that is quite familiar and common for many foreigners living in Prague. Just recently in our Prague Morning ‘Expats in Prague’ Community, a lot of users expressed frustration at what more could be done to make public services/offices more accessible to expats. Though this isn’t a direct solution, it is a direct method in taking better control and action of...
On Sunday, March 31, 2019, the summer schedule comes into effect at Václav Havel Airport Prague. For the duration of the season, a total of 69 airlines will be operating regular scheduled direct flights from Prague, heading to 162 destinations in 54 countries. There will also be direct flights to 16 long-haul destinations, which is the largest number in the airport’s modern history. “As part of the summer timetable, a total of four new airlines will be launching services from Václav Havel Airport Prague, two of them on long-haul routes. This proves our long-term success in motivating an ever-increasing number of airlines to open new routes from Prague, which ultimately means a wider choice of flights for our passengers,” says Vaclav Rehor, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Prague Airport. In comparison with the previous summer season, the total number of airlines running direct flights from Prague this summer will increase by two. Four new airlines, Air Arabia, SCAT Airlines, SunExpress, and United Airlines, will be operating their flights from Prague for the first time. “The forthcoming summer timetable also confirms our long-term success in implementing a strategy to develop long-haul routes. During the summer, direct flights will be available from...
Have you ever wondered what lies behind the walls of Tyršův dům? Do you want to see Nádraží Praha-Bubny from a different angle? Are you up for an adventure in the middle of the city you thought you knew? Then Prague Open House festival is for you! Open House Prague festival will open the gates of 80 buildings. During the weekend of May 18–19, 2019, people will be able to see architecturally valuable spaces of historic palaces and representative villas, feast their eyes on office spaces designed in a modern style, or enjoy unforgettable views over the city offered by the rooftops of high buildings, all for free. The aim of the festival is to give the lay public some insight into the different historical eras of Prague’s architecture. “Exploring buildings, their architecture, and stories, is the first step for us to evoke people’s interest in the city and its public space,” says Andrea Šenkyříková, director of the festival. The event is being held with the help of over 300 volunteers. Regular and new participating buildings Aside from buildings that have participated in the past and have become very popular among visitors (e.g. Invalidovna, Hotel International, or the Central Telecommunication Building), 38 buildings will...
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