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Czech school workers’ unions have declared strike alert over their dissatisfaction with next year’s pay increase offered to them by the state, union leader Frantisek Dobsik said today, while Education Minister Robert Plaga (ANO) called the unions’ reaction destructive.

The unions demanded a 15% increase in teachers’ pay. They eventually lowered their demand to a 10% increase on condition that all additional money be added to teachers’ base pay, while the education ministry proposed the monthly base wage of all teachers be raised by 2,250 CZK, and monthly bonuses worth an average 1,400 CZK for a teacher.

Teachers’ wages are raised by a government regulation. The cabinet is to discuss the relevant draft regulation for 2020 soon. The trade unions will decide on a strike on the basis of the government’s decision on this directive.

The cabinet previously promised to gradually raise teachers’ wages so that they reach an average 45,000 CZK in 2021, which is 150 percent of the sum they earned in 2017. The unions, however, demanded a steeper increase.

Hundreds of restaurants from the Czech Republic have started to offer unsold food in mobile apps, where everyone can order them with a discount. According to the Save Food Organization, about 27,000 tons are thrown away every year, even though it is edible.

“If I want to buy some food, it’s simple. I will click for an offer, such as a Dutch schnitzel with boiled potatoes in butter”, shows the founder of the application Nesnězeno, Jakub Henni, about how to order the remaining food from a restaurant in Prague via mobile phone. “I already have a card, so I just click ‘confirm and pay’, and then I have the food purchased” explains.

You must pick the food directly at the restaurant. Nesnězeno is an app that has been running for less than a year, but more and more businesses are offering unsold food, 255 in total. The first ones were in Brno, and then more restaurants were gradually added in Olomouc, Ostrava, or Prague among others.

For example, Kolkovna Olympia adds offers about twice a week. “We even have a regular customer there. One lady regularly takes two soups and two main meals”, says the manager Zuzana Dostálová.

Restaurants’ interest in not having to throw away excess food also proves that such services are more active on the market. Another app is Jídlov. “One evening, we sat in a cafe with a bakery and wondered if the food was going to be thrown. Our conversation was heard by the owner who told us that she would throw away food worth 1500 crowns”, says founder Matěj Káňa.

Food waste apps are running for a short time. For example, in Prague, so far the demand is lower than in Moravian cities, where services started. Approximately 200 portions are sold daily. Unlike supermarket chains, restaurants do not have to donate the remaining food to food banks.

“In a year, about 1125 tons of food were donated to the food bank. 177 out of 190 stores donate, and by the end of the year it should be all 190” explains Václav Koukolíček about the plans of Tesco.

Last year, more than 300 tons of food ended up at the food banks, claimed Jiří Mareček, from Albert. “Through the engagement of other certified organizations and the food donation system, we believe that we will be able to double our food donations by the end of the year”, he says.

According to the executive director of the Czech federation of food banks, Veronika Láchová, extending the obligation to donate food to banks by restaurants would be difficult. “To be able to redistribute food in a safe form for at least 24 hours is problematic” admits.

As stated by Greenpeace, more than 800,000 tons of food is thrown away every year in the Czech Republic from restaurants, shops and households.

You can find a restaurant mobile app complete guide for 2020 here

In the last eight years, there have been few new cycling routes in the capital. In older route sections, people on bicycles still encounter the same flaws. But the condition of Prague’s cycling infrastructure could improve in the foreseeable future. The number of cyclists in the metropolis is increasing and existing major routes require expansion.

“We have earmarked 130 million CZK for the development of cycle paths. That’s a hundred million more than before. In the high level of preparation, the Vršovice Railway Promenade—between Vyšehrad and Skalka—will leave after the construction of the SŽDC railway corridor, ” says Pavel Polák, the Prague Cyclo-Coordinator.

Polák worked in a similar position already during the time of Mayor Pavel Bém (ODS). He was dismissed in 2012 despite criticism of this decision by the professional public. Mayor Pavel perceives him as a competent person all the time.

“As part of the renewal of the track between Prague and Kladno, a cycle path for Kladno cyclists will be created. Its eastern part will be located in Prague. These projects are also supported by the State Fund for Transport Infrastructure, ”explains Polák. Building routes using the original railway route is economically very advantageous.

There are ten plus cycling routes in the project preparation. Yet, usually three to five years pass from study to implementation. However, some new stretches might allow people to ride soon.
“We are currently completing the cycling path under Čuprová along Rokytka, and by next spring there will be ready cycling paths between Cholupice and Dolní Břežany, the Jarov cycling route or the Sedlec – Suchdol connection,” says the cyclo coordinator. The Čuprov trail, according to the deputy mayor for transport, will open twice. Moreover, Scheinherr is exploring other possibilities for cycling.

Dangerous Sections

The problem with Prague cycling transport is the shortcomings on the existing paths. For example, the A22 cycle path between Kunratice Forest and Barrandov Bridge. At one point, the bend is driven on a metal bridge that is slippery when wet. A little further towards the river beyond the baseball field, large puddles and muddy sand form. Even further, at the so-called sandpit and the exit from Jižní spojka to Braník, the cycle path leads along a narrow sidewalk, in the middle part of which is also a lamp.

It is unavoidable; the clutter adds to the place that it is cornering. Two-wheelers, who step on the pedals properly, can be in trouble. “[Issue] could be removed sometime between 2020 and 2021,” explains Polák (from the Cyclo-Coordinator).

Other problems with cycle paths are pointed out by the civic association AutoMat, which has been dealing with this issue for many years. It points out that cycling trails are constantly increasing. “The main problems are cycle paths with trails, i.e. where cycle paths or other solutions allowing safe driving are missing,” says Vratislav Filler for the Laboratory of Sustainable Urbanism of the AutoMat Association.

According to Filler, the biggest problem for cyclists is the lack of passage through the center. “But the solution here is not simple, it is a way of partial adjustments, in the end, it can only solve the complex modification of the whole waterfront along the lines of London Cycle highways,” adds AutoMat expert.

Overall, Polák sees the possibilities of cycling development more in the peripheral parts of the metropolis. An area where more space allows place for better renovation and paths for everyday-cyclist.

The Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) has selected the team that will give Mariánské náměstí a new look. The designers will be Studio Xtopix in Prague.

The temporary design will redirect traffic and transform nearly the entire square into a park. It will remain this way until the beginning of next year when the study is expected to be completed.

“As well as City Hall, Mariánské náměstí is home to several important Prague institutions such as the Municipal and National libraries, but at present is rather poorly arranged and functions more as a parking lot than a square. I am pleased that the transformation will be handled by a multi-disciplinary team of architects, transportation engineers, water management specialists and landscape architects,” said First Deputy Mayor of Prague Petr Hlaváček.

Until reconstruction commences, the square will temporarily be a pedestrian zone furnished with Prague City tables and chairs, art installations and other attractions.

The winning studio will also be accepting input from residents about the new appearance of the square. From September 21^st to October 1^st, the IPR will place an information box at the square to collect suggestions and ideas on how the square should be transformed in the future.

Mariánské náměstí was originally a settlement called Na Louži, with a Church of the Virgin Mary and courtyard from the mid-twelfth century located here. Despite the many changes in the surroundings, the square continues to be named after the church to this day. The Na Louži settlement was on a busy road leading from the Old Town Square market to the Vltava River. A major change occurred when the most dominant building in the area, the new Town Hall, was built in 1908 to 1911. Prague plans to complete reconstruction of the square within five years.

Sometimes you are just too lazy to think of what to cook and what to watch especially with this cold weather outside. The Dutch Pub at Narodni Trida is meant to be the place you would love to hang out with your friends and family or your significant one. Come and enjoy homemade burgers, tv with over 500 channels, and even live music.

“Homeburgers” that is how they called here, are made with a unique recipe and include only fresh meat. Lunch menu would cost you 130 CZK with soup, main dish, and lemonade. The favorite beer here is Krusovice which comes directly from the tank. The kitchen is open so you can see the cooking process and maybe learn how to cook (joking). Also, it is possible to order fresh fish such as sea bass, shrimps and so on.

The capacity here is also reasonable – 180 people, the pub also has 2 sections: the first one is a bar area and the second one is more a restaurant section. Thus, you can choose according to your mood which area you go to today.

“It is not like a job for me, this place is like my child,” says Gabriela Košťálová the Dutch pub manager. The staff here is trying to connect special bonds with customers. “Customers for us are like friends, we like to have this friendly environment,” notes Košťálová. That is why some of the customers even spend the whole day here, ordering breakfast, lunch, and dinner and watching tv.

But that is not only the case, the staff also helped people if they lost the documents or needed any kind of help. “We are everything: google maps, nurses, lawyers, police,” she laughs.

You may have funny stories here and go a little bit wild at weekends and still come back without being embarrassed. “What happens in the Dutch pub, stays in the Dutch pub,” says Košťálová mysteriously

The number of office schemes built in Prague this year is the highest in the last five years: a total of 17 new buildings providing office space will have opened by the end of the year. The last time the market reached such a high figure was in 2014 – at the time, it was 18 schemes. In the meantime, the number was one-third lower, about 11 buildings on average.

Out of the total 17 schemes to be commissioned this year (both completed and slated for completion by the end of the year), six are refurbishment projects and 11 are completely new builds. Again, this is the highest figure in recent years, and again, the last year when there were more new buildings completed was 2014, with 12 schemes.

Karlín and Smíchov remain firm favourites

The highest number of office schemes – three each – are currently being completed in Prague 5 (ČSOB HQ. II in Radlice, SmichOFF and Green Point near Anděl), Prague 7 (Centrum Stromovka in Letná, Argentinská Office Building and Riveroff Office House in Holešovice) and Prague 8 (DOCK IN THREE in Libeň, Rustonka R3 and Praga Studios in Karlín). With the exception of one project, these are all newly built developments, for which the city districts still have room.

By contrast, no building is being developed or refurbished in Prague 3 this year; the district has been one of the least sought-after office locations for a long time. Other than that, there are one or two schemes in each of Prague’s districts. For instance, the ARA Palace, originally a department store dating back to the 1930s, and the building at Na Poříčí 5 close to the Palladium shopping centre, have been completed in the historic centre of Prague 1.

Sustainability as the principal trend

Both new development and refurbishment place great emphasis on environmental aspects, sustainable operation and energy efficiency. Compliance with all environmental standards is a matter of course; many buildings boast certificates such as LEED and BREEAM. New buildings often include features such as cooling beams, energy recuperation lifts, smart LED lighting, ingenious façades and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and other elements that reduce electricity and water consumption.

Market boom aids development

The favourable economic situation and steadily declining vacancy rates are the factors that developers have been trying to use as much as they can. Their speculations for quick earnings fell through in 2009 because the economic crisis affected the period from the commencement to the completion of projects, with a major negative impact on demand. At the same time, it has to be said that developers in Prague cannot really plan the launch of their projects due to the complex, unclear and, most importantly, protracted permission process.

Older buildings are refurbished because it is necessary to respond to the competition and to the changing requirements for office space among employees.

207,000 sq m of new space, two-thirds of which already occupied

Overall, 2019 will bring almost 207,000 sq m of new space. The greatest area (30,000 sq m) is attributable to the ČSOB HQ. II project, which will be fully occupied by the bank. The Harfa Office Center will have a similar floor area – and it is also 100% occupied now; the ARA Palace boasts being fully occupied as well.

The demand for new office space is huge: 61% of the aggregate floor area in all 17 schemes of 2019, including those in progress, has already been taken up. Considering only projects under construction, the take-up (pre-lease) figure is not small by any means: it is 50 per cent in aggregate.

Rustonka is one example of a project that was occupied quite quickly and successfully: its third building was only completed in the last quarter, but as of now only 250 sq m remains vacant – less than two per cent of the total floor area.

More new projects in the pipeline

Radka Novak, Head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Office Agency Team, says: “It seems that this year will be a peak in terms of the number of projects completed, though next year should be very active too. It might break another record if all the projects slated for completion in 2020 are actually completed.”

As of now, there are a total of 12 projects, including nine new ones, in progress and slated for completion next year. There are six more buildings (three new ones and three refurbished ones) that should be completed by the end of 2020, although the actual construction has not started yet. If everything goes as planned, there will be a total of 18 schemes, including 12 new ones.

This is a crazy special treat. Hamerský sklípek used to be known under the name of “Fajna ďura” which is actually a Northern Moravian language (not used so much in Prague) and the name of this place means literally “nice den”. And moreover, this place looks somehow like a South Moravian wine cellar. And it is a nice den.

At this place, I like not only sitting by the pond and looking at the islands and ducks and herons and coots and all the green or white, as you can enjoy this place both in summer and in winter, I also like the way you get here a lot.

I feel amazed by the surroundings of this quiet place as there is a tram terminal station in an industrial area about 500m from here in one direction, and a big train yard and a sports area in other directions, and you still have no idea and you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. (Unless you look a bit to the right where the prefab houses are visible behind the cute little church.)

Hamerský sklípek is actually a wine cellar (which is the meaning of the Czech word “sklípek”) with quite a nice selection of white, red and rosé wines, beers from two craft breweries, some soft drinks of course and a basic offer of food. Don’t expect anything fancy though.

The inside space can take up to about 30 people but there’s no need to stay inside. And they are organizing special events, just check their FB page.

Author: Janina Michlová. You can find the original article here

Spotted by Locals Prague is a blog (and iPhone & Android app) by locals who live & love their city.

Within the European Mobility Days, the Car Free Day will take place on Saturday 21 September in four Prague locations. In the City centre on Mariánské náměstí in Prague 1 and in the districts of Kbely, Dolní Měcholupy, and Újezd. The motto of this year is “Walk with us”!

The European Mobility Week 2019 program in Prague offers a range of events and accompanying activities. On Monday, September 16, there was the Day without Road Death – EDWARD. The purpose of the event was to make road users think about their traffic behaviour.

On Tuesday there was a discussion on Micromobility as a transport solution in cities. Wednesday offered Traffic Education Day for Children. Thursday belonged to the discussion The Threat of MAMATAXI – aimed at parents who drive their kids to and from school. On Friday, September 20, the second year of the Educational Day without Barriers at the European House in Jungmannova Street was organized.

This EUROPEAN MOBILITY WEEK puts the spotlight on safe walking and cycling and the benefits it can have for our health and environment. Active transport modes such as walking and cycling are emission-free.

The motto of the European Mobility Week highlights walking this year and pedestrians are slowly taking back Prague streets. Mariánské square, once a parking lot, will become on Saturday 21 September a car-free zone with plans to turn it into a cultural hotspot. This day the Mariánské square will be enlivened with live music, theatre performances, dances and workshops for children.

Intended to highlight alternative methods of transportation throughout major European cities, European Mobility Week has been held since 2002.

International Car Free Day, or World Car Free Day, has been developed for decades but gained traction in the 2000s and now coincides with European Mobility Week. Last year, Prague celebrated its first official Car Free Day.

Prague has been discussing how to improve public transport to the airport for many years. Passengers who do not drive their own vehicles can now use buses of line 119, or taxi.

There has been much talk about the construction of the railroad track right up to the terminals or the extension of the metro, but overall everything is overtaken by another means of transport. The City of Prague announced that the 119 buses will be replaced the large-capacity electric buses in 2023.

They should relieve the current onslaught as they offer much greater capacity, as well as relieve the environment.

“The priority for us is still the fast-track to the airport, which is an investment of the Railway Infrastructure Administration and we are working intensively on it. However, due to the size of the building, this is the first solution for 2028. We decided to make it easier for passengers as soon as possible,” said Deputy Mayor of Transport Adam Scheinherr.

The result should be the electrification of route 119, for which Prague plans to purchase a total of 20 large-capacity three-cell battery-electric buses. “They will be 25 meters in length, which will greatly improve passenger comfort, make transportation easier by avoiding the adding of more bus connections while reducing exhaust emissions to zero,” adds Scheinherr.

The electrified line will, therefore, be built on the route from Nádraží Veleslavín to Václav Havel Airport, however, the trolleys that will be powered by the electric buses will not be all the way. Partial trolleybuses should be deployed, which can run part of the route without trolley lines only on batteries.

The total investment in electrification is expected to cost almost 900 million crowns, with the most going to battery buses.

In addition, Prague wants to take advantage of the synergies within the tram power network when constructing the electrified line. Although electric buses should not only be a temporary solution before the railway line is built at the airport, it will also find use elsewhere.

The infrastructure will also be used to extend the tram line from Divoká Šárka to Dědina, and Prague plans to deploy electric buses on the overloaded 112 line.

Within the next phase, the new trolleybuses are intended to relieve passengers primarily from the airport (because the line 119 today runs every 3-5 minutes, and the total number of connections in one direction is up to 250 daily, which at times it is overloaded). Since it makes no sense to further shorten the interval, Prague decided to invest in larger electric buses.

A 27-year-old woman with a transplanted womb gave birth in Prague’s Motol hospital in August and her child is thus the first baby born that way in the Czech Republic.

The woman had undergone a womb transplant in 2017. The boy was born by Caesarean section on August 29.

“This is the first such case in the Czech Republic when we were able to hold the pregnancy in a womb transplant patient all the way up to birth,” the hospital’s spokeswoman Pavlina Dankova said.

He was delivered by Caesarean section in the 35th week of the pregnancy of the mother, who is 27 years old.

Doctors said the mother would keep the transplanted womb in case she wishes to have a second child.

The Czech Republic is launching a competition for towns and municipalities to test 5G technologies, following a national strategy approved in May.

“5G technologies are crucial to the development of local governments,” commented the Czech deputy prime minister and minister of industry and trade, Karel Havlíček. “As a result, municipalities will be able to work more closely with companies and universities on new systems such as smart transportation, security and digital applications for citizens. All in the spirit of making the Czech Republic a country of the future.”

One of the main goals of the auction is to promote increased competition within the Czech market and to attract new market entrant(s). It is hoped that this will help to reduce the current high costs of mobile services in the Czech Republic. To this end, block allocation of the 2×10 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz frequency band will be reserved exclusively for new operators.

The competition will show both municipalities and citizens how new technologies can help to improve the quality of life.

“Our aim is to promote the competitiveness of regions using smart approaches while avoiding regional disparities,” added Minister for Regional Development Klára Dostálová.

The Czech Telecommunication Office plans to kick-off an auction of 5G-suitable frequencies in early November, seeking to attract bids from a new fourth mobile network operator to tackle the long-standing problem of high mobile rates in the country.

Within three years of the auction, the current operators will have to cover 95% of all municipalities that presently lack high-speed internet coverage.

As part of its ongoing plans to introduce fifth-generation technology, O2 Czech Republic has activated in June its 5G network, running in a live environment, covering the city of Koline in the Central Bohemian Region (55km east of Prague).

On Saturday, September 28, you can visit the Lobkovický palác, usually closed to tourists, for free.

From 14:00 to 19:00, guests will be able to explore the interior of the Baroque palace, built in 1702.

The event will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and is called the “Path to Freedom”. The German embassy organizes an exhibition and talks with witnesses of those events.

A detailed program can be found here.

Lobkowicz Palace is one of the most important High-Baroque buildings in Prague. It was projected by famous Baroque architect Giovanni Battista Alliprandi and there is a large decorative garden behind it.

It has been a seat of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Prague since 1973. It became an important place in 1989: thousands of citizens of the former GDR could move to the FRG from this palace at the time.

The palace was planned with two facades: those of street side and the more impressive garden front. The Lobkowicz family acquired the palace in 1753, and it was given its Late-baroque appearance by Ignác Johann Palliardi in 1769. The garden (partly open to the public), which stretch the Petín Hill, was restyled in the manner of English “natural” landscaping in 1793 by J. Skalník, who had been responsible for the landscaping of Marienbad Spa.

In the palace gardens, you’ll find a sculpture by David Cerný of a golden Trabant that pay tribute to the thousands of East Germans who slipped into West Germany via the German Embassy in Prague, leaving behind their East German cars.

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