Politics & Economics

70% of Companies in Czech Republic Saw a Drop in Orders in May

The economic situation of Czech companies is deteriorating as an impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, with 70% reporting a drop in orders in May and June, twice as many as in April shows a survey carried out by the Confederation of Industry and Transport of the Czech Republic among 242 companies in May. Most of them would appreciate the government Antivirus employment support programme to be extended until the end of August, while they say tax relief packages have not yet had any positive impact. “The nature of the coronavirus crisis is unprecedented. Many companies lost a large part or all of their sales overnight and had to increase expenses on protective equipment, hygiene measures, logistics and higher stocks. Companies suddenly lost some of their employees who stayed at home with their children or could not travel from the neighbouring countries,” commented the president of the confederation Jaroslav Hanak. “[The companies] are losing contracts and a source of future income. In such a situation, it is essential that the state gives companies the certainty that support from approved programmes will continue to come in. This will give them space for a faster recovery and return to normal,” he added. The...

by Prague Morning May 27, 2020

Collapse of Smartwings Could Cost 60,000 Jobs

A representative of the Smartwings Group, which owns Czech Airlines, says its collapse could threaten up to 60,000 jobs.

by Prague Morning May 27, 2020

Turkish Ambassador to Czech Republic Responds to Armenian Counterpart Comment

Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to the Czech Republic Egemen Bağış released a statement following Armenian Ambassador’s comments published on Prague Morning on 25 May 2020. “As Ambassador’s comments contain serious accusations against Turkey, we kindly request you to publish below statement in Prague Morning for the sake of fairness and objectivity,” says Mr. Bağış. “The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey strongly condemns the Armenian Ambassador’s statement published on Prague Morning on 25 May 2020. The United Nations deplores the hate speech as well as inciting hatred against individuals or groups based on race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, gender, and age. What was done by the Armenian Ambassador is a publicly announced incitement to hostility. These efforts aiming at spreading prejudice and baseless fear among the people against certain people, be it Turks and other nation, are prohibited by international rules, norms, and standards. The comments amount to a flagrant violation of our common responsibility to promote tolerant societies and reveal a clear sample of online hate speech. We strongly denounce the efforts to try to smear Turkish people with unfounded claims and 18th-century stories,” says the Ambassador. “Turkey strongly rejects the accusations such as those of...

by Prague Morning May 26, 2020

Armenian Ambassador to Czech Republic Comments On Turkish Statement

Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Czech Republic H.E. Mr. Ashot Hovakimian released a comment on the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey regarding the resolution passed by the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, condemning the Armenian Genocide. “This is neither the first nor the last official response of Turkey to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey resorts to yet another step at denying justice, thereby deepening the gap between itself and universal values. Denialism has no future regardless of the wrapping it comes in. The more efforts the Turkish authorities employ in denying the truth, the more the truth finds its way out, constituting public knowledge,” says the Ambassador. “On the famous Charles Bridge in Prague you can find statuary sculpted by Ferdinand Maxmilián Brokoff in 1714, honoring three sanctified knights, who saved Christian captives from the hands of the Ottomans in the Middle Ages. Below the statues of the knights one can find the statue of a Turk with a yataghan blade, guarding the imprisoned and suffering Christians. This statue has become the figure of many Prague legends and stories, whereas tourists are cautioned to pass by...

by Prague Morning May 25, 2020

Borders Between Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary Could Open Completely in Mid-June

The borders between Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary could open completely in mid-June.

by Prague Morning May 25, 2020

Czech Republic Resumes Issue of Work Visas to Ukrainians

Czech diplomatic missions in Ukraine have resumed work of consular departments to issue work visas to Ukrainians.

by Prague Morning May 25, 2020

Turkey Condemns Czech Parlament Resolution on Armenian Genocide

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has called the Czech Senate resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide “null and void.” “The fact that the decision was taken in an environment with few members in the Senate at a time when the whole world was struggling with the coronavirus pandemic reveals the insidious mentality behind it,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry said, “it is not possible to impose more than a historical discussion on the events of 1915, as determined by Articles 173 and 231 of the 2015 judgment of the European Court of Human Rights, which was repeated by the second decision in 2017.” “Attempts to define a historical issue in the interests of politics and certain groups are unacceptable,” it said. “We call on those who want to present a one-sided view of history to consider President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s letter that expresses an understanding of sharing the common grief sent to Turkey’s Armenian Patriarch on the occasion of April 24. “We invite the Czech Parliament to respect the provisions of the Lausanne Peace Treaty, international court decisions and the historical and current sources of international law,” it said. It noted that Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek...

by Prague Morning May 23, 2020

Czech Senate Adopts Resolution Condemning Armenian Genocide

The Czech Senate condemned the crimes against humanity committed by Nazis during WW2 and the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire 105 years ago in a resolution on Wednesday, Ceske Noviny reports. “At its plenary session on May 20, the Senate of the Czech Republic unanimously adopted a resolution on the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and the atrocities committed against humanity during the two world wars, including the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide,” the statement noted. The resolution was presented by Senate Vice-President Milan Štěch. In April 2017 the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament approved a resolution, condemning the genocide of Armenians and other religious and national minorities in the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. About the Armenian Genocide The Armenian Genocide (also known as the Armenian Holocaust) was the systematic mass murder and expulsion of 1.5 million ethnic Armenians carried out in Turkey and adjoining regions by the Ottoman government between 1914 and 1923. The starting date is conventionally held to be 24 April 1915, the day that Ottoman authorities rounded up, arrested, and deported from Constantinople (now Istanbul) to the region of Angora (Ankara), 235 to 270 Armenian intellectuals and community leaders, the majority of whom were eventually murdered....

by Prague Morning May 21, 2020

Coronavirus: The Air Bridge With China Cost 708 Million CZK

The Czech Ministry of the Interior paid 708 million CZK to the Chinese company Eastern Air Logistics for 49 flights transporting protective equipment during the state of emergency. Facing an acute shortage of protective gear for medical staff in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, the government reached a deal to buy masks and other equipment from China, where the virus first emerged. The data was provided by the Ministry of the Interior on the basis of the Act on Free Access to Information, Zdopravy.cz wrote today. The total amount does not include the Ruslan cargo and the transport of material from China by Smartwings and CSA. The Ministry of the Interior also paid for the last Antonov An-124 cargo plane with medical supplies from Shenzhen to Pardubice. The state paid 18.9 million CZK to Volga Dnepr. Since March 20, aircraft have carried around 2,000 tons of respirators and other materials from China to the Czech Republic. On May 4, the Czech Interior Minister and Central Crisis Staff head Jan Hamáček thanked all those who participated in the mission, especially the firefighters and police officers who helped unload and distribute the materials. xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng...

by Prague Morning May 20, 2020

Minister of Foreign Affairs: There’s an Agreement With Austria on Opening Borders Without Tests

The border with Austria could be opened to tourists by mid-June without the need for a negative COVID-19 test or quarantine. “The Czech government is discussing a similar agreement with Slovakia,” said Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček (ČSSD)on Tuesday after a video conference with the foreign ministers of both countries. “With Austria, we have confirmed our interest in opening our borders to our citizens and for travel by mid-June, especially for tourists,” said Petříček. “Borders with all neighbouring states – Poland, Germany, Austria and Slovakia – could be open by mid-June,” added Petříček. Health Minister Adam Vojtech “had proposed that as of June 8, travel to and from a list of risky countries – to be determined but currently likely to include Spain, Italy or France – would be subject to the current requirements while others deemed safe – such as Austria, Slovakia or Croatia – would be exempt.” Austria, Slovakia, and Croatia, for example, would be among the non-risk countries; Greece and Bulgaria should be also added to this list. Vojtech said the list of risky countries would be updated continuously. With Greece, the Czech Republic is negotiating a variant of traveling without the need for a negative COVID-19 test....

by Prague Morning May 19, 2020

Border Controls to be Relaxed From May 26 May

From 26 May, it will be possible to cross borders and controls will only be random.

by Prague Morning May 18, 2020

Austria to Open Borders With the Czech Republic From Tomorrow

“Austria will open all borders with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary from midnight on Saturday, May 16,” said today the Austrian Ministry of the Interior. The full opening of the borders is planned on June 15, the APA agency reported. At the same time, Austria has struck the same border-opening agreement with Switzerland and Liechtenstein as the one it previously announced with Germany, to fully allow travel from June 15. “Inspections by health authorities and the police will be less frequent and only random,” the ministry said in a statement. “Our goal is to try to give as much freedom and as little restriction as possible. This is another small step towards normality, especially for people in border areas,” added the ministry. ——- On May 12, the Swiss government announced it would reopen 15 border crossings with Austria, France, and Italy, in eight cantons, in its second phase of the partial easing of the COVID-19 temporary restrictions. The French Minister of Interior has agreed with his German counterpart Interior Minister Horst Seehofer to reopen the common borders by June 15, which restrictions have been put in place in a bid to contain the flow of the COVID-19. Estonia, Lithuania,...

by Prague Morning May 16, 2020

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