Politics & Economics

EU Commission Set out Plan to Save Your Summer Vacation

Today, the Commission presents a package of guidelines and recommendations to help Member States gradually lift travel restrictions and allow tourism businesses to reopen, after months of lockdown, while respecting necessary health precautions. The package also aims to help the EU tourism sector recover from the pandemic, by supporting businesses and ensuring that Europe continues to be the number one destination for visitors. On travel, the European Commission proposes an approach in phases which “starts by lifting restrictions between areas or Member States with sufficiently similar epidemiological situations.” So citizens of countries with similar levels of infections should be able to travel more freely. There should also be enough capacity in hospitals, as well as testing, surveillance, and contact tracing capacities in place for tourism to start again. The EU recommends buying tickets and doing check-ins online. Beyond this, the sanitising gel should be freely available during journeys. Food/drink should not be served aboard. The proposals say that in areas which would expect a big wave of tourists (such as island nations), that the areas have sufficient health system capacity “in place for local people and tourists so that in the event of a sudden increase in cases, primary care, hospital, and intensive care...

by Prague Morning May 15, 2020

VIDEO: Minister of Finance Clearly Doesn’t Like to Answer in English

Minister of Finance Alena Schillerová left without a word from an interview in English with CNN Prima. According to Schillerova, she never claimed to be “the best in the world” in English and she’s working hard to improve her skills. “Thanks to my great team, I manage my work in Brussels without any problems and I am therefore very sorry for this media hunt,” she added. “In Brussels, I speak essentially English, I do not use an interpreter. I attend the meetings of the Eurogroup and the Ecofin Council quite regularly,” Schillerová answered on Twitter. In her public CV on the website of the Office of the Government, the Minister of Finance shows knowledge of English, German and Russian. xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonfutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbetbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể...

by Prague Morning May 15, 2020

How Is COVID-19 Changing Czech Real Estate Market?

Since the COVID-19 spread at the beginning of March, many changes occurred in our daily life. Suddenly, cities had been empty, stores, cafés, and restaurants closed, and all of us were locked down at home going out only for essential things, remembering an apocalyptic scenario usually seen in Hollywood movies. Over time, we reset our mindset, relearned to live, the situation got better and now we are trying to return to the old “normal life”. However, definitely with these times emerges new challenges, and a lot of transformations are occurring in different economic markets. Real estate is no exception, and therefore we will expose to you some changes in this market in the Czech Republic and its regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Real Estate Supply & Demand At the moment, one of the main differences you can observe in the market compared to two months ago is the number of apartments to rent. Naturally, it is happening because once the borders had closed, tourism in the country stopped. As you know, in Prague a lot of apartments are rented through the Airbnb platform, and without tourism, the majority of the landlords are putting them on the market trying not...

by Prague Morning May 14, 2020

Czech Republic to Send 200 Million CZK to Countries Hit by Coronavirus

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs will earmark financial aid worth 200 million korunas (€7.3 million) for developing countries hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The money will be used for projects focused on improving the health and resilience of the population in the priority countries of Czech development cooperation, which includes countries in Asia and Africa, the foreign ministry stated in a press release. In particular, the aid is intended to provide health care, support hygiene, and nutrition. The ministry expects that Czech companies will also be involved as the countries could use the money to buy needed supplies from the Czech Republic. According to the foreign ministry, this should help Czech companies at a time of economic weakness caused by a pandemic. Czech companies could thus gain access to foreign markets or strengthen their position in them. The Foreign Ministry will disburse the money to six countries, namely Bosnia, Moldova, Georgia, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Zambia, which are among the priority countries of the Czech Republic’s development cooperation. The Czech Republic will also support projects in Africa in accordance with the joint activities of the European Union. “Specific attention will be paid to the wider area of the Sahel and...

by Prague Morning May 14, 2020

“By Opening the Borders, We Will Create Czechoslovakia Again,” Says Slovak PM

The border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia could be the first to reopen during the coronavirus crisis in what could end up looking a lot like former Czechoslovakia, said Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič. “About three weeks ago, I approached the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš about this issue, and as the situation has currently improved, we could be the first to open the borders,” said the Slovak prime minister in an interview with the pluska.sk. Matovič also referred to the “possibility of creating something like Czechoslovakia again so that the first borders that fall within Central Europe are between Slovakia and the Czech Republic.” At the same time, the Slovak prime minister admitted that he would like this to happen as soon as possible, but currently, there is a technical problem. “Czechs have a rule that if someone enters their territory and spends less than 24 hours there, they do not have to get tested. What might happen is that if someone wants to get to Slovakia, the individual could go through the Czech Republic and thus avoid quarantine and testing. That could cause disaster in Slovakia very quickly,” said Matovič. The Slovak prime minister explained that Slovaks...

by Prague Morning May 13, 2020

“State of Emergency Ends on May 17. Face Masks Could be Mandatory Only in Closed Public Spaces,” Says Babiš

The state of emergency in the Czech Republic is likely to end on May 17, as the government will not request its further extension, said PM Andrej Babiš in an interview with Prima Television on Sunday. On Monday, the government will discuss further changes in the wearing of face masks. According to the Minister of the Interior, Jan Hamáček, they could be obligatory only in closed public spaces, such as shops, offices, or public transport. “It’s important to understand that the virus will still be here and we can tighten the measures again,” stated Hamáček. According to the Prime Minister, the Czech Republic has managed to prevent the uncontrolled spread of the COVID-19 disease. “We were the first country to suspend flights to Italy and other countries and introduce the mandatory wearing of face masks. Moreover, we are the second country that is relaxing emergency measures,” Babiš pointed out. According to Hamáček and Babiš, face masks could be mandatory only indoors: “It is necessary to discuss how to proceed with the face masks. They could be mandatory indoors, ie in shops, cinemas, and public transport. Outdoor, the government will only recommend continuing wearing them,” Hamáček added. From Monday, May 11,...

by Prague Morning May 10, 2020

“Store the Food in the Fridge for Two Days Before Eating It,” Suggests Deputy Health Minister

Can you catch the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from food? How should I do laundry now? Mundane household tasks have turned into a source of uncertainty and anxiety as families grapple with getting the basics done all while keeping their loved ones safe and healthy. Widespread misinformation about the virus puts everyone at risk and adds to the stress of having to filter fact from fiction. While research into the COVID-19 virus is ongoing, we know the virus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (through coughing and sneezing), and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. The virus may survive on surfaces for a few hours up to several days. The Deputy Health Minister, Roman Prymula suggests that “you should store the disinfected food in the fridge for two days before eating it, and when the two days have passed, do everything you can to avoid touching the food packaging,” he added. Prymula points out that “the most important thing is to avoid contact with the surface of the package so that I don’t really touch something that I then bring into the mouth – like a spoon -, because it can be contaminated,” he explains....

by Prague Morning May 08, 2020

“Mandatory Wearing of Face Mask to End in Mid-June,” Said Health Minister

The Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch during today’s press conference said that “if the situation continues to develop favorably, the obligatory wearing of face masks will be lifted in mid-June.” Masks use will be compulsory only in closed spaces, public transport, and shopping malls. The wearing of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic has received varying recommendations from different public health agencies and governments. The topic has been a subject of debate, with various public health agencies and governments disagreeing on a protocol for wearing face masks. As of early May, 88% of the world’s population lives in countries that recommend or mandate the usage of masks in public and 75+ countries have mandated the use of masks. From March 19th in the entire Czech Republic until further notice, it is mandatory to wear face/surgical masks (or at least scarves or bandannas) fully covering the nose and mouth when going out in public. The Czech Republic had 7,979 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection by Thursday morning. So far 4,214 people have recovered and 263 people have died. dir=”ltr”>V případě zachování příznivé epidemiologické situace bychom mohli roušky ve venkovních prostorech odložit od poloviny června. Shodl se na tom náš tým epidemiologů pro řízené uvolňování karantény. Povinnost...

by Prague Morning May 07, 2020

“Wearing Face Masks Will Not be Compulsory After May 17,” Says Crisis Staff

The Central Crisis Staff agreed that the end of the state of emergency on May 17 will also mean the end of widespread wearing of face masks in public. The president of the Czech Dental Chamber, Roman Šmucler, released an interview with iDNES.cz on Wednesday. However, face masks will be still mandatory in closed spaces and public transport. “We agreed that after the end of the state of emergency, masks use will be compulsory only in closed spaces, and public transport. We will follow the German model,” said Šmucler. According to the Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch, “wearing face masks is not tied to an emergency. This is one of the most important measures we have taken. At a time when measures are being relaxed, when people are starting to meet more, masks are even more important,” he added. According to him, “this decision cannot be rushed”. The Central Crisis Staff consists of thirty experts. xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonfutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbetbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng...

by Prague Morning May 06, 2020

Czech Economy Will Contract by 6.2 Percent in 2020

Czech’s economy is set to suffer a strong hit from the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, as external demand drops and lockdown measures disrupt economic activity.

by Prague Morning May 06, 2020

Prague Mayor: “Red Army Entered Prague When It Was Practically Liberated”

The Red Army entered Prague on May 9, 1945, when the city was “virtually liberated”. Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib made this statement this morning, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Prague Uprising. According to Hřib, “no one can question the role of the Soviets in ending the Second World War, but at the same time, they were one of the main architects of that conflict.” He recalled his words last year that the victims of the Prague Uprising “commit themselves to reconciling people with totalitarianism, authoritarianism, or oppression.” “Now, the Czech Republic is facing strong pressure from Russian propaganda, trying to distort history,” he added. “We must never forget the memory of those Czech citizens who were not afraid to take their destiny, and the destiny of the city into their own hands,” he said. “Thanks to them, the Nazi resistance on Czech territory was broken and the nation could quickly regain its honor and pride.” “It is necessary to remember that the Red Army arrived in Prague only after the Germans surrendered to the Czech National Council on May 8.” “The Soviets entered in a city that was virtually free and did not bear the main...

by Prague Morning May 05, 2020

EU Approves 5.2 bln Euro Czech Loan Guarantee Scheme for Exporters

The European Commission approved on Tuesday 5.2 billion euro (CZK 142 billion) Czech loan guarantee scheme for large companies with export activities

by Prague Morning May 05, 2020

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