• 11/20/2023

    Education Minister Mikuláš Bek wants to seek additional funds for his sector at a meeting with coalition partners on Tuesday, the ctk news agency reported. The minister wants to discuss proposals that would bring an additional five billion crowns to the ministry’s budget, which would avert looming nationwide strike action. School unions have announced a daylong strike of primary and secondary schools and kindergartens  on Monday, November 27. Many schools fear that the funds earmarked for next year will not allow them to maintain the present quality of education, since they will be forced to lay off both teachers and assistants in order to maintain the present level of salaries.

  • 11/20/2023

    Max Švabinský's oil painting “The Fusion of Souls” was sold at auction in the Municipal House in Prague on Sunday for CZK 15.872 million, including the auction surcharge. It is a record sum for a painting by Švabinský in a domestic auction, according to Miloš Svoboda from European Arts Investments which organized the auction. The starting price was CZK 10 million. The painting from 1901 is considered by experts to be a key work of Czech Symbolism.

  • 11/20/2023

    The minister of labour and social affairs, Marian Jurečka, spoke to pre-1989 dissident Jiří Gruntorád outside the Office of the Government, where the latter is holding a hunger strike, on Sunday evening, Novinky.cz reported. Mr. Gruntorád is calling for Mr. Jurečka’s resignation over the fact that opponents of the pre-1989 Communist regime are today often on relatively low old-age pensions.

    Mr. Gruntorád refused to speak to the minister on Sunday, saying he would only talk to his eventual replacement.

    Mr. Jurečka said in spring that his officials would look into the matter. Individuals who stood up to the Communists have low pensions for reasons such as imprisonment, forced emigration or not being allowed to work in their chosen professions; many were only allowed to do menial jobs.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/20/2023

    The three most valuable Czech firms are ČEZ, the EPH group and Agrofert, according to a list published on Monday by the news site Seznam Zprávy. ČEZ is a state-controlled energy company, EPH belongs to billionaire Daniel Křetínský and ANO was founded by ANO chairman and former prime minister Andrej Babiš.

    The ranking of the 100 most valuable companies in Czechia controlled by domestic owners, which was co-created by consultants Deloitte, is based on an estimate of the price at which they could be sold or bought at present.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/19/2023

    A one-time dissident, Jiří Gruntorád, has gone on hunger strike outside the Office of the Government in Prague, demanding the resignation of the minister of labour and social affairs, Marian Jurečka. Mr. Gruntorád is protesting against the fact that people who actively resisted the Communist regime are today on low old age pensions. He began his protest on Friday and says he is ready to keep up the protest for three months.

    Mr. Jurečka said in spring that his officials would look into the matter.

    Those who opposed the Communists have low pensions for reasons such as imprisonment, forced emigration or not being allowed to work in their chosen professions; many were only allowed to do menial jobs.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/19/2023

    The Czech healthcare system is set for major changes, a deputy minister of health, Václav Pláteník, said on a Czech Television debate show on Sunday. Mr. Pláteník said there would be overhaul of both the country’s network of hospitals and the forms of care provided. He said the planned changes had been sped up due to protests by young doctors against overtime.

    Speaking on the same programme, Jan Přáda, vice-president of the Czech Medical Chamber and head of its young doctors’ section, said that some of the steps would be unpopular and would also impact doctors. Mr. Přáda specifically referred to a reduction in specialisations at hospitals and round-the-clock operation.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/19/2023

    Three players have been sent home from the Czech national soccer squad, one day before a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier. The Czech FA said on social media on Sunday that Jakub Brabec, Vladimír Coufal and Jan Kuchta had left the group after a gross breach of internal rules, without specifying what they had done.

    The news comes before a game against Moldova in Olomouc on Monday that the Czechs must either win or draw in order to qualify for next year’s European Championship.

    All three players sent home were in the starting line-up for the Czechs’ last game against Poland on Friday.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/19/2023

    The Febiofest film festival, which took place annually in Prague and other Czech cities and towns, is now in a state of bankruptcy, Czech Radio reported on Sunday. The founder of the cinema showcase, Fero Fenič, filed bankruptcy proceedings against the company which now owns it, saying he did not receive payment after selling the festival and is owed CZK 4.5 million.

    Czech Radio said it was trying to contact the head of the company that owns Febiofest.

    The festival, which was created in 1993, did not take place this year.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/19/2023

    It is unclear whether Czechia will next year be able to fulfil its NATO commitment to spending 2 percent of its GDP on defence, Czech Television reported. The minister of defence, Jana Černochová, told the station that the country could have an issue with proven defence spending of 2 percent.

    While a record CZK 160 billion will go on defence under the 2024 budget, over CZK 8.5 billion of that amount is earmarked for institutions such as the Administration of State Material Reserves and the National Office for Cyber and Information Security.

    Czech MPs voted in April to increase defence spending to 2 percent of GDP – in line with a NATO guideline – from next year.

    Author: Ian Willoughby
  • 11/19/2023

    It should be mainly overcast in Czechia on Monday, with an average high temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. Temperatures are expected to fall to as low as 0 degrees Celsius by the middle of the week.

    Author: Ian Willoughby

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