Radio Prague International - latest articles

More than 2,000 children in the Czech Republic are still threatened with a distraint order over unpaid debts, despite a new amendment to the Civil Code that prevents minors from falling into debt. Psychologists warn that it can have a serious impact on their mental development.

After being cancelled last year, Prague’s Signal festival of light, which begins on Thursday, is promising highly novel experiences for visitors this time out: For the first time, the four-day event will include “non-existent” installations that can be viewed via the display of a mobile phone. On the eve of Signal, I spoke to its founder, Martin Pošta.

The City of Prague has launched a pilot project which enables residents to use shared bikes for free. All they need is an electronic prepaid fare for the Prague public transport on the Lítačka travel card. I discussed the project and its benefits with Deputy Mayor for Transport Adam Scheinherr:

Prague City Tourism has unveiled a new marketing concept with which it wants to present the Czech capital to domestic and foreign tourists. The city is also aiming to rebrand its image around three key-word pillars. To find out more about how Prague is seeking to rebrand itself as an attractive destination, I spoke to Prague City Tourism board member Jana Adamcová.

The Czech Republic is this year’s main guest country at the annual Lakes International Comic Art Festival, which gets underway on Friday in the English town of Kendal. As part of the programme, the festival is presenting five leading Czech comics artists, including Štěpánka Jislová, the latest Muriel Award Winner for best Czech graphic novel.

The Czech political landscape has been shaken up by the weekend’s general elections. Andrej Babiš’s ANO were pipped to first place by the three-party Together group, who have agreed to form a government with another electoral coalition, the Pirates and Mayors. But can the five parties form a workable coalition? And what happens to ANO now? I discussed the outcome of the elections with political scientist Dr. Sean Hanley of University College London.

For the first time since the foundation of the Czech Republic, neither the Social Democrats nor the Communist Party have passed the 5-percent threshold needed to enter the lower house. Many analysts have long said that both parties have been steadily losing voters, mainly to Andrej Babiš’s ANO. I asked Daniela Vašátková, a political scientist from the left-wing Masaryk Democratic Academy, if this is the only reason for the defeat of the traditional left.

The Painter and the Thief, a documentary about how an artist befriends the troubled man who stole her paintings, won an award at the Sundance Festival and has earned glowing reviews. Though the film is set in Norway, the female protagonist, Barbora Kysilková, is a Czech artist who produces large-scale, hyperrealistic works. I spoke to Kysilková just ahead of the Czech premiere of the powerful documentary last week.

A two-day election to the Czech Chamber of Deputies has just got underway. A total of 22 parties and coalitions are vying for votes in an election that will decide whether Prime Minister Andrej Babiš stays in power.

Dozens of Czechs resident overseas gathered in Prague on Thursday for the annual Conference for Czechs Living Abroad, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. One of the main issues addressed was postal voting, which still hasn’t been approved in the Czech Republic. As a result, many Czechs abroad are not able to cast their ballots in the current general elections.