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Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has hailed the hard-won EU recovery deal as an important signal for the future of the alliance. The head of government, who pushed to downsize the grants part of the aid package and change the criteria according to which the money will be distributed, said the outcome would benefit the Czech Republic both directly and indirectly –by helping to revitalize the European economy.

Necessity is the mother of invention, as the old adage goes. When theatres and cinemas were obliged to close to help slow the spread of Covid-19, director, screenwriter and playwright Viktor Tauš started looking for a new way to bring his art to audiences. The result is Filmy Naživo (Live Films), a new theatrical film summer project staged outdoors.

From Monday people in a long-term relationship with – but not married to – a Czech can come to the Czech Republic from places not on the government’s list of relatively safe states with regard to Covid-19. However, a number of conditions apply for such stays, which can be of up to 90 days. I discussed how applicants qualify for this exemption with Petra Trousilová, who has been crusading for divided couples to be reunited within the international campaign “Love is not tourism”.

What is the typical Czech dish? Is it schnitzel, goulash, svíčková (marinated sirloin), or buchty (buns)? What are the defining traits of Czech culinary heritage? And can Czech cuisine offer something to world gastronomy? A project underway at the National Museum of Agriculture examines the history of Czech cuisine.

The wooden Corpus Christi church in the village of Třinec-Guty, nestled in the Cieszyn Silesia region that today borders Poland, stood on the site for more than 450 years. The beloved national cultural monument, a site of pilgrimage for believers and nature-lovers alike, was burnt to the ground one August night three years ago, in a deliberate act of arson. While the diocese immediately vowed to rebuild, getting the necessary permits proved difficult. Only now is a replica of the 16th century house of worship rising, like a proverbial phoenix from the ashes.

Prague is home to many museums. But only one, the Museum of Miniatures, requires visitors to use a microscope or magnifying glass to view its exhibits, which belong to the micro miniature art genre.

The popular Czech play Society of Owners (Společenství vlastníků) was successfully adopted into a domestic film last year, drawing nearly 300,000 viewers and wining Czech lion awards. Now it seems to be also breaking through abroad, with the Och-Teatr in Warsaw staging its own theatre version of the play. The country, has just been through a divisive election, and the authors of the Polish adaptation say it may be the perfect place for the comedy that pokes jokes at groups unwilling to compromise.

A new project is helping Czech seniors enjoy the experience of cycling again – even if they are largely immobile. Within Cycling Without Age, volunteers pilot electric tricycles with the elderly sitting in front, helping them to not just to get out and about but also to make fresh connections. I discussed the project with Roman Meliška, who has introduced the originally Danish concept to this country.

Miloš Jakeš, the last Communist Party general secretary of Czechoslovakia, has died at the age of 97, it was announced on Tuesday. For many, the tin-eared Jakeš came to symbolise Normalisation-era politics and the disconnect between party officials and the public. Many of his phrases have since been ingrained in Czech humour.

Some 24 percent of Czech voters would favour a strong leader, according to a report from Bratislava think tank Globsec. The study Voices of Central Europe, which looked at 10 states in the region, also found that fewer than half of Czechs were satisfied with the workings of democracy in their country. I spoke to Globsec’s Dominika Hajdu and Katarína Klingová, and began by asking the former about some Czechs’ evident fondness for autocratic leaders.