• Czech expats meet in Prague for two-day conference
    08/01/2019

    Czech expats from all around the world will gather in Prague on Thursday for a two-day conference on maintaining their native language skills. The event is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Czech Schools without Borders, a non-profit organisation established in the 1930s with a mission to teach Czech language and culture to Czech children living abroad.

    Part of the event, held at the ministry’s Tuscany Palace, will be a Czech Diaspora Day marking the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • International Organ Festival kicks off in Prague
    08/01/2019

    The 24th International Festival of Organ Music gets underway in Prague on Thursday. The opening performance at St. James’ Basilica in Prague will be given by US organist Mark Steinbach, who will play a repertoire including Philip Glass and Johann Sebastian Bach. The festival continues until September 19.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Fifty-four people die in traffic accidents on Czech roads in July
    07/31/2019

    Fifty-four people have died on roads in the Czech Republic in July, which is three more than in the previous year, according to preliminary police statistics quoted by the Czech News Agency. July 29 was the worst day of the month for traffic accidents, with five deaths.

    July is traditionally one of the most tragic months on Czech roads with many people travelling for summer vacations. The most recent accident happened on Wednesday in the central-Bohemian town of Humpolec, when a car hit a pram, killing one child and injuring another.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Culture minister announces selection process for National Gallery head
    07/31/2019

    Culture Minister Antonín Staněk has announced a selection process for the post of the head of Prague’s National Gallery. The new director of the National Gallery should be appointed by the end of February 2020. Mr Staněk made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday, on his last day in office.

    Mr Staněk sacked the head of the National Gallery in Prague, Jiří Fajt, as well as the head of Olomouc’s Museum of Arts, Michal Soukoup, in mid-April, accusing them of improper management. The sacking of Mr. Fajt caused a huge wave of criticism from the domestic art scene, forcing the minister to step down a month later.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Forty percent of Czechs happy with state of democracy in their country
    07/31/2019

    Some 40 percent of Czech citizens are happy with the way democracy is working in the country, according to a poll conducted by the STEM agency. Sixteen percent of those polled said they were seriously discontent with the state of democracy, while 44 percent thought democracy wasn’t functioning well.

    According to STEM, the numbers have been improving in recent years. The worst result was recorded between the years 2011 to 2013, under the government of Petr Nečas, with only 26 percent being content with the state of democracy at the time.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Weather
    07/31/2019

    Thursday is expected to be partly cloudy to overcast with occasional showers. Day-time highs will range between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Norwegian rescuers fail to retrieve bodies of two Czech climbers
    07/31/2019

    Rescuers in Norway have so far failed to retrieve the bodies of two Czech mountaineers who died while climbing the Trollvegen or Troll Wall in the south-west of the country. The climbers were found at the bottom of the mountain-side on Monday afternoon after being reported missing earlier in the day.

    The Czechs, both allegedly experienced climbers, set out on their journey on Thursday last week. The Troll Wall is the tallest vertical rock face in Europe, measuring 1,100 meters from its base to the summit of its highest point.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Ziggy Marley to perform in Prague’s Archa Theatre
    07/31/2019

    Jamaican singer Ziggy Marley is set to perform at Prague’s Archa Theatre on Wednesday evening. The eight-time Grammy award winner and the oldest son of Bob Marley will perform in Prague for the first time, following up on his appearance at the Colours of Ostrava music festival last year. The reggae star will present his latest Grammy-nominated studio album called Rebellion Rises.
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Social Democrat ministries lacking 20 billion crowns
    07/31/2019

    The Social Democrats cannot support the proposed draft state-budget for 2020, party leader Jan Hamáček told reporters on Wednesday. According to Mr. Hamáček, the five Social Democrat-led ministries, including the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Social Affairs, would fall short of 20 billion crowns.

    Mr Hamáček says the proposed state budget would not allow the government to fulfil its promises, as stated in its policy program. While the Social Democrats don’t want to increase the proposed 40 billion crown deficit, they argue that the state budget income is undervalued.

    Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said the budget negotiations, led by Finance Minister Alena Schillerová, would continue until the end of September
    Author: Ruth Fraňková

  • Deputy minister René Schreier to head arts ministry in interim capacity
    07/31/2019

    Deputy minister René Schreier is to be named as interim minister of culture. His appointment was announced by outgoing department head Antonín Staněk and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš on Wednesday, Mr. Staněk’s last day in office.

    Mr. Babiš said Mr. Schreier will hold the reins at the ministry until President Miloš Zeman decides on whether to appoint the Social Democrats’ nominee Michal Šmarda. The party have threatened to quit the government if Mr. Zeman rejects their candidate.

    Legal expert Jan Kysela told Novinky.cz that the absence of a minister was in contravention of the constitution and the Competence Act. Though deputy ministers have taken over at government departments in the past it is still wrong, Mr. Kysela said.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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