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Ripping off insurance companies appears to be another one of the many ways that people made ends meet in the Czech Republic during 2020. According to Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP), 570 suspicious cases in 2020 were investigated equalling...

The hotel market in Prague has been the hardest hit in Europe since the coronavirus pandemic hit the continent, with a fall-off of 84.6 percent in revenues per room, according to a report published by consultants Cushman & Wakefield on...

The stores occupying more than 400 square meters will be required to sell the obligatory minimum of Czech-produced products, states the new proposal to the Food Act that was approved today by the Chamber of Deputies. Eight countries from the...

A new study ranks more than 800 European cities according to how toxic their air is. Jan 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) — Tens of thousands of European city dwellers die prematurely each year due to air pollution, researchers said on Wednesday...

When was the last time you sweetened your tea of coffee with a cube of sugar? Today we take the small compact units of sugar, the exact size of a teaspoon, for granted, but it was not until 1843 that the sugar cube first saw the light of day on...

The annual conference of the Aspen Institute Central Europe, The Shape of (Central) Europe, which we organized in cooperation with the Economia media house, took place online on 19 November 2020.

According to the Czech Statistical Office, the Czech Republic experienced the highest inflation rate seen in the last eight years. The raised prices on groceries and housing bills are some of the factors which influenced this year’s index...

By Guido Lanfranchi As part of the Geneva Lecture Series concepted and conducted by prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, United Nations University Rector and Undersecretary General of the UN, Dr. David M. Malone gave a highly mesmerizing and content...

We have finally left 2020 behind and as we slowly sail into the new year, hoping that we’ll have fewer colossal challenges to deal with, this year won’t be without its hardships. As a consequence of the pandemic, more companies have had to...

For the vast majority of Europe, the first groups to be given a COVID-19 vaccine have been the most vulnerable: the elderly or healthcare workers. But, in the Czech Republic, they have done things differently. In an apparent nod to the...

It will be recorded inthe history of international relations that all countries of the Balkans peninsula, starting from Slovenia to Bulgaria had or have officially applied for membership in the EU and NATO, except for Serbia which has declared...

EU proposed a hydrogen revolution The European Commission presented a Hydrogen Strategy on 8th July 2020. It sets, among other things, that from 2025 to 2030 hydrogen needs to become an intrinsic part of our integrated energy system with the...

MIRO Gallery would like to thank all those who contributed to the expulsion of „virus artists“ from the first depository of the gallery in the past months.

The Association for the Restoration of the Czech Kingdom has raised money to make a copy of the St. Wenceslas Crown for Charles Habsburg. The grandson of the last Austrian Emperor Charles I, who was also the king of Bohemia and Hungary, will...

As part of the Geneva Lecture Series concepted and conducted by prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, former Finance Minister of Greece, Professor Yanis Varoufakis centered his two-hour mesmerizing discussion on the pressing need for new international...

These days, many argue that our Covid (C-19) response is a planetary fiasco, whose size is yet to surface with its mounting disproportionate and enduring secondary effects, causing tremendous socio-economic, political and psychosomatic...

The original 1980's movie “Footloose” is generally regarded as a Romantic Comedy, however, I will highlight many things in the movie that show true entrepreneurial spirit, tenacity, and outside the box thinking. 

After nearly five years of negotiations, Britain and the European Union have reached an agreement on trade relations after Brexit. The announcement came on Christmas Eve, the traditional day when Czechs give each other presents. But was it a...

You finally got your driver’s license? Wow, congratulations! Now you’re a part of a family that counts billions of people all over the world.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the seventh local elections since the signing of the Dayton peace agreement were held on 15 November 2020. The elections brought about tectonic changes on the political scene and are a prelude to the announced...

An independent platform MDW named the gross salary that can be considered minimum decent wage – in Prague, it was at the value of 37 987 CZK, in the rest of the Czech Republic – at 32, 438 CZK. Such results were obtained by the researchers for...

As a business owner or entrepreneur, you are the leader of your company which means your team looks up to you. You are the one guiding them – not just being the boss and telling them what to do. Anda good leader is the one that shows their...

The highest priority is security, and the law and politics must be kept separate, say renowned lawyers

Expanding your business team is a big decision. No matter if you’re a single entrepreneur or a big-time boss with even bigger dreams of creating the next Amazon or Tesla company...

The MIRO Gallery moves on, but the Picasso Remains in the Strahov Monastery. What Is the Story of Its Owner?

Solar power is starting to dominate the renewable energy market according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), but wind power is also experiencing a boom. Experts from the Czech Academy of Sciences believe that it could produce up to a...

Next time you book a vacation, make sure you do all your due diligence first. A group of South Moravian vacationers lost 1.5 million Kč getting caught up in a fake advertisement for an alpine getaway in the Austrian Alps. The demand for...

As the present world order weakens, the mega confrontations have appeared more likely: On its post-Soviet revival quest, Russia becomes increasingly assertive in Euro-MED theatre and beyond. The Sino-American relations are increasingly...

On the occasion of the Icelandic Sovereignty Day, December 1, 2020, the Honorary Consulate of Iceland in Prague officially opened. The Honorary Consul is Klára Dvořáková, attorney at Holubová advokáti. Though she is the only official...

The Czech Republic said on Wednesday it would add a diplomatic presence to its Jerusalem office next year in what the foreign ministry called a move to boost services for Czech citizens in Israel and not a new embassy, Reuters reports. The...

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the elections of local authorities were held on 15 November 2020. The results of the local elections are a prelude into tectonic changes on the political scene of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The wave of political changes...

For over 17 years, fugitive oligarch Viktor Kožený has been evading Czech and American authorities in the Bahamas for allegedly defrauding investors of billions of crowns. During the massive transfers of Czech wealth in the early 90s following...

Driving is a relatively straightforward activity. You need to follow the rules and keep track of changes happening on the road, especially on highways. However, you need to know all the rules in a specific county, and in some parts of the...

A False Sense of Security in the Private Sector as a Warning Sign and Means to Assess the Effectiveness of Cyber Security Awareness Measures In today’s world, no organization or enterprise is completely safe from cyber-attacks or their possible...

Tourism has been one of the hardest-hit industries by the coronavirus crisis. In the Czech Republic, which is a popular tourist destination, the tourist sector employs a quarter of a million people and brings significant revenues to state...

As we all sat home reeling this spring, videos began making the rounds: a rooftop DJ in Rome and a balcony accordionist in Sicily, nonnas teaching pasta-making from their small towns and widows in Siena starting singalongs from their windows...

COVID-19 pandemic shows a negative effect on the Czechs’ physical and mental health. Citizens started gaining weight, smoking and getting more depressed, the results of the November survey by Mutumut insurance and EMA Data with 500...

The number of mortgages taken out in the Czech Republic has reached record levels due to falling interest rates. October 2020 was the second-most successful month since 1993, when the Czech Republic was established – a record year in...

The coronavirus pandemic may have shut Czech theatres for now but some Prague residents hungry for entertainment have found that watching a live performance can be as easy as grabbing a takeaway. Prague troupe Cirk La Putyka has opened a...

Being married to someone you love and cherish can be an adventure of a lifetime. Some journeys, however, aren’t meant to last that lifetime, so it’s much healthier for all parties involved to go their separate ways. Yes, the decision to file...

A school in a deprived area earns accolades for breaking down traditional barriers between educators, parents, and pupils. “Where’s your mommy?” a school assistant asks two blond pupils in a school hallway. “She’s out partying,” a disheveled...

Political corruption in Lebanon traces its roots to the re-assembling in the post-civil war era, which entrenched a realm of politics dominated by war lords and militia-like mentalities operating through a sectarian discourse. The waste...

Honourable Donald J. Johnston The title of these comments is inspired by my personal experience in important areas of public policy both as a politician beginning in the 1970s and more recently as Secretary General of the OECD from 1996 until...

Despite the economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis, Czechs are borrowing record amounts for housing. During the first nine months of the year, Czech banks provided mortgages for CZK 172, setting a record for that period. “This year’s...

Door-to-door candy collection may be canceled this year, but you can still get into the Halloween spirit for charity. The current government measures that prohibit public gatherings in the Czech Republic don’t bode well for ghosts and witches...

For the first time in history, the coveted title of Czech ‘Tree of the Year’ has gone to one bearing fruit: a humble apple tree in the courtyard of a village inn near the Polish border. The U Lidmanů inn in the village of Machovská Lhota, in a...

How many sad stories of people being forced to leave their positions in a manner that is far from being correct have you heard recently? Outplacement program can help both individuals and companies. It saves relationship and reputation. Linda...

The economic forum for female executives will take place March 15th – 16th 2021. Download the full program here.

On September 24 and 25, the Human Rights Foundation hosted our first-ever virtual Oslo Freedom Forum, an impactful and high-caliber conference that brought together activists, policymakers, journalists, philanthropists, technologists, and human...

After a century, the world population faced a new pandemic that fast spread globally, affecting individuals both physically and mentally. Covid-19 started in late 2019 in Asia, spreading so fast that despite the global connectivity and highly...

Czech mountain resorts invested some 750 million crowns into their development this year, the Czech Association of Mountain Resorts said at a press conference on Wednesday. Originally, ski resort operators planned to invest a record one billion...

Summary: The political balance within the EU at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic has clearly indicated a direction of significant changes. Initially it seemed that solidarity of some seemingly very friendly countries is simply not to be...

Owning a car is one of the best and most liberating feelings in the world, but it’s also a huge responsibility. Owning and maintaining a car has to be done regularly to prevent dangerous situations and potential breakdowns when you’re on the...

The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic has increased by 0.7% since the beginning of this year, which puts it at the overall 2.8%. These statistics were presented by The Czech Statistical Office (CZSO) and showcase August figures for...

The strong conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the autonomous Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh/Artsakh, which is under the control of Armenia, was renewed recently. The latest conflict between the two countries has escalated and...

The conference named “75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System”, which took place on the 1st of July at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, brought together experts related to the reality of the Old Continent and its Union...

Medicine and technology have united on numerous fronts, but uniquely so in the battle against cancer. For many patients, this is a battle against time, and the sooner we are able to deliver smarter, more personalized treatment options, the...

I am often asked in interviews and by people in general how I came up with the lyrics of The Asean Way. It ́s actually quite challenging to find a way to unite 10 different nations of very diverse characteristics and qualities with one song. It...

Possible Implications of China’s Involvement in Nuclear Arms Talks Alexander G. Savelyev In December 2019, the United States officially invited China to enter into a strategic security dialogue. The White House said it hoped Beijing’s consent...

One of Prague’s largest Baroque monuments, the Invalidovna in the city’s district of Karlín, is set to undergo major renovations. The Czech National Heritage Institute, which administers the building, has just unveiled plans that include...

Every business’s goal is to reach more customers and grow. Making people know who you are and what you offer is one of the most important steps of growing a business and generating more profit. Investing in expanding your brand presence...

Vice-President of the EU Commission Margaritis Shinas was a keynote speaker at this summer’s Diplomatic Conference in Vienna organised by the International Institute IFIMES, Media Platform Modern Diplomacy and their partners. High dignitary of...

In several days, the Czech police will start distributing flyers to foreign drivers. According to the statistics, last year they caused 7689 accidents on roads with 48 lethal outcomes. It accounts for nine percent of all victims of the road...

The Eastern Mediterranean region is currently experiencing a new cycle of tensions between Turkey and Greece, which belong to the same system and are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO. While the dispute revolves around...

Kraig’s family has a long history of barbering beginning with his grandfather back in 1914. He grew up around his grandfather’s and father’s barbershops in Kentucky training with them from an early age, then completing his training at some of...

The Czech Republic is increasingly becoming a target for illegal dumping of waste from across the border, the website iDnes.cz reported on Wednesday. Czechs have been dealing with illegal waste imports for many years now, but recently the...

Parliamentary elections in Montenegro are scheduled to take place on 30 August 2020. The electoral roll contains the names of 541,232 eligible voters. The ballots include 12 election lists (six coalitions and six parties). Montenegro has a...

By Nora Wolf Early summer days of 2020 in Vienna sow marking the anniversary of Nuremberg Trials with the conference “From the Victory Day to Corona Disarray: 75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System – Legacy of...

The Czech National Agency for International Education (DZS) released results of a research conducted among foreign university students in the Czech Republic. It was focused on evaluation of life and study quality in the Czech Republic. A...

In a follow up report on the Czech Republic, the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering body MONEYVAL concludes that the country has improved measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing, but still needs to make progress in...

In the Republic of Belarus, presidential elections were held on 9 August 2020. The current President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko is the winner of the presidential elections at which he won 80.23% of the votes. The turnout at the elections...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, Balkans and also around the world. Guido Lanfranchi isan international affairs specialist based...

Do you try to build a work team in your company? To have your own team is one thing but build a successful and effective team is another one. It is a sensitive matter and while doing so you must take into consideration many aspects. Read the...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East and the Balkans. IFIMES has analyzed the current developments in Montenegro with respect to the...

We are on the 1st of July 2020; post-first wave of coronavirus across the globe, and already Vienna is holding a 3-panelled diplomatic forum with over 20 guest speakers. In fact, neither reflections on human rights enhancement, nor those on the...

Sam Shank, cofounder and CEO of top-rated booking app HotelTonight, is here to help make sure you never make these common mistakes upon hotel check-in or checkout. Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES[1]) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East and the Balkans. General (Rtd) Corneliu Pivariu is a member of IFIMES Advisory Board and founder...

On July 1st, 2020, the Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), Dr. Nasser Kamel, participated in an international conference discussing the future of Europe. The event under the name FROM VICTORY DAY TO CORONA DISARRAY: 75...

The oldest restaurant in the world has served both Mozart and Clint Eastwood. Every year there’s some new food trend that seems to sweep the internet. Remember when cupcakes were all the rage? Rainbow grilled cheeses? How about the cronut? But...

When defining anything as “the best,” retirement destinations included, it’s necessary to understand the criteria along with considerations of personal needs and tastes. To some, the best is the most luxurious and indulgent regardless of price...

We are pleased to share with you this special message for the 20th Anniversary of Humanitas Afrika and coronavirus pandemic fundraising campaign video.This is the first time we are coming out openly and officially to ask for your kind voluntary...

As the government’s temporary measures adopted to limit the negative impacts of the coronavirus crisis draw to a close, an increasing number of Czechs are starting to face serious financial difficulties. Indeed, debt advisory centres around the...

I have lived in Prague for 26 years and since my first visit, I have been photographing life in the city. The Lockdown period was a unique opportunity to walk and photograph the city as it really is. For the first time it was possible to...

Czech castles and chateaux saw the best July attendance in years, despite few foreign tourists Domestic tourism of Czech historical landmarks is up due to the coronavirus, but the increase won’t be enough to cover the losses caused by the...

June retail sales slightly disappointing Czech retail sales, excluding cars in June surprised on the downside after more encouraging May figures (these were also revised downwards from -0.7% to -1.9 year-on-year). As such, June retail sales...

Even though the Czech Republic probably isn’t the first destination that comes to your mind when talking about summer camping, you’d be surprised to learn how many campers actually go there every single year. Camping enthusiasts from around the...

Individuals should and need to feel like they have the right to want. That is the message that artist Anastasia Lemberg-Lvova is continuously expressing through her artwork. Exemplifying socially-engaged art, Lemberg-Lvova aims to be a part of...

Today’s guest is Cyril Klepek, an innovative economist who’s helping many companies transition into the circular economy. He’s also interested in waste management and is the founder of the secondary resource platform Cyrkl. Many believe that...

On 1 July 2020, the first real-time conference in Europe past the early-spring lockdown took place at the Diplomatic Academy Vienna. This highly anticipated event, entitled From the Victory Day to Corona Disarray 75 years of Europe’s Collective...

A conference whose theme was “From the Victory Day to Corona Disarray: 75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System (Legacy of antifascism for the common pan-European future)” was held on July 1 at the Diplomatic Academy in...

Imagine waking up, opening your curtains, and looking out at the Eiffel Tower. What about the gleaming white tiles of the Sydney Opera House or the sun-drenched Giza Pyramids? For many, visiting the world’s most iconic landmarks is a catalyst...

Interest rates and mortgages have dropped, but still outpace Germany, Austria, and Slovakia While mortgage interest rates have been dropping in the Czech Republic, they are still almost twice as high as in neighboring countries. Record real...

In 2019, a record number of Czechs, over 80%, could afford to go on vacation for a week, compared to a European average of just 70%. Though this continues an upward trend in the Czech Republic, the figure is likely to drop in 2020. Fewer than...

Small Intro to the big Challenge We live in rapidly changing times, especially for businesses. In a single generation, businesses have had to adapt to entirely new marketing channels (web and social). It is needed to be predictable, good at...

An interview with Dr. Zeno Leoni on a side of Vienna Process Conference

Paraphrasing Jorge Amado, a famous Brazilian literary writer of the twentieth century, in his popular novel ‘The country of carnival’: “… Sometimes we understand that something is missing in our lives. What is missing? We don’t know.” Today...