• Ledecká makes podium in Super-G World Cup after long absence
    03/03/2024

    Czechia’s Ester Ledecká placed third in the super giant slalom World Cup in Kvitfjell, Norway on Sunday for her first appearance on the podium since returning from a collarbone injury sustained in 2022.

    The 2018 Super-G Olympic champion, who finished fourth at the same venue on Saturday, was last in the top three in a World Cup event nearly two years ago. Ledecká, who is 28,  is 11th overall in this year’s edition.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Analysts: Real wages fell for ninth consecutive quarter in late 2023
    03/03/2024

    Average wages in Czechia grew more slowly than consumer prices in the fourth quarter of last year, meaning that in real terms wages declined for the ninth consecutive quarter, according to economic analysts canvassed by the Czech News Agency. Wages also showed a real decline for the whole of 2023, they said.

    The Czech Statistics Office is due to publish official data on wage developments on Tuesday.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Survey: Almost half Czechs content with EU membership
    03/03/2024

    Some 47 percent of Czechs are satisfied with their country’s membership of the European Union, suggests a poll conducted by the Ipsos agency for the Czech News Agency.

    The survey, conducted in connection with June’s European Parliament elections, indicates that for Czechs, the most common reasons for dissatisfaction with the functioning of the EU are restrictions on the sovereignty of member states, EU migration policy and excessive regulation.

    Regarding the positives of membership, respondents most emphasised security and peace in the union, the protection of democratic values and the support and development of regions.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Media: Sokol chief under pressure to go
    03/03/2024

    The head of Czechia’s Sokol gymnastics organisation, Hana Moučková, is under pressure following a case of suspected large-scale fraud by her personal assistant, Novinky.cz reported on Sunday. The chiefs of Sokol branches across Czechia are demanding the resignation or dismissal of Ms. Moučková in connection with the matter, the news site said.

    It was reported in January that her assistant had carried out alleged credit fraud to the tune of tens of millions of crowns, before committing suicide at the Prague HQ of Sokol when this came to light.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Weather forecast
    03/03/2024

    Monday should be mainly sunny in Czechia, with an average high temperature of 13 degrees Celsius. Overcast skies are expected on the following days.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Prague concert celebrates 200th anniversary of Smetana’s birth
    03/03/2024

    A special concert was held at Prague’s National Theatre on Saturday evening celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the great Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. A programme lasting almost four hours featured music from all of Smetana’s operas and saw appearances by 17 soloists.

    The sold-out gala concert, which was attended by Prime Minister Petr Fiala, was also relayed live on a big screen on the plaza beside the theatre.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Flood defence system drill held at central Prague palace
    03/02/2024

    Volunteer fire officers in the city centre Prague 1 district carried out a flood defence system building drill on Saturday. The training took place at the grand Žofín Palace on the Slovanský Island, which is administered by Prague 1.

    The metal flood defence system for the protected building was acquired in 2005 and such drills are carried out roughly every two years.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Kupka: Motorway stamp price should rise again in January
    03/02/2024

    The price of an annual motorway stamp in Czechia should go up again from next January, with the rise being linked to inflation, the minister of transport, Martin Kupka, said on Czech Television. He said the precise figure would be announced in the second half of 2024.

    The price of the annual vignette increased on Friday, March 1, from CZK 1,500 to CZK 2,300.

    Mr. Kupka said Austria had tied the price of its motorway stamp to inflation and that this was common practice.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Ledecká fourth in Super-G World Cup event in best result since return
    03/02/2024

    Czechia’s Ester Ledecká placed fourth in a super giant slalom World Cup event in Kvitfjell, Norway on Saturday, recording her best result since returning from a collarbone injury sustained in 2022.

    The 2018 Super-G Olympic champion in recorded a virtually identical time to Germany’s Kira Weidle, and only 16 hundredths of a second separated her from the podium.

    The winner, Switzerland’s Lara Gutova-Behrami, finished 29 hundredths of a second ahead of Ledecká. The Czech is 13th overall after seven of 10 World Cup events.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

  • Stats: Czech income has risen from one-third to two-thirds of EU average
    03/02/2024

    The average annual net income in Czechia has risen from one-third to about two-thirds of the European Union average since the country joined the bloc in 2004, according to Eurostat data cited by the Czech News Agency on Saturday.

    In 2022 Czech average annual net income was the 10th lowest in the EU. However, Czechia has overtaken older member states Portugal and Greece on this metric.

    The Czech price level is gradually approaching the average price level in the 27. While 10 years ago it stood at 65 percent, two years ago it was 84 percent. People in Czechia had the 10th weakest purchasing power and could buy about a fifth less goods than the average EU resident.
    Author: Ian Willoughby

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