Radio Prague International - latest articles

The Czech lower house has approved the highest deficit in public finances ever – a gap of 500 billion crowns. The prime minister argues that money used to sustain jobs and boost investment will get the economy back on track, but the opposition claims the astronomical sum has not been properly justified and will hurt future generations.

According to the World Health Organization, snakebites claim more lives

each year than do all other “neglected tropical diseases” combined.

This month, Doctors without Borders starts using a mobile application

co-developed by a Czech researcher to identify deadly snake species on the

spot.

Exactly 30 years ago, on June 8 and 9, 1990, the first free elections to

Czechoslovakia’s Federal Assembly in over four decades were held.

Following extremely high turnout, the Civic Forum, which had led the Velvet

Revolution, received 53 percent of the vote. Trailing far behind was the

Communist Party, on 15 percent. Jan Urban was the leader of the Civic

Forum’s candidate list at that time. I asked him if it was a result he

had expected.

Thirty years ago, in early June 1990, singer-songwriter Billy Bragg, R.E.M.

frontman Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs performed at

the summer cinema in Olomouc. The concert and surrounding tour – which

took place against the backdrop of the first free elections in decades and

could only really have happened at that specific moment in history – are

still remembered with great fondness by many who were involved.

Borders between the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary opened up at noon

on Friday, adding a further three countries to the already existing free

movement arrangements which have been in place with Slovakia since

Thursday. Travel restrictions from the Czech side with Germany have also

been partly lifted.

Decidedly off the well-trod Prague tourist path, the massive early 18th

century Baroque complex Invalidovna is nonetheless one of the city’s

architectural gems. In fact, you have likely seen it – the former home

for war veterans has served as a backdrop for many films, from the Miloš

Forman classic Amadeus to the Hollywood superhero film Hellboy, and most

recently for the miniseries Einstein and Freud.

A replica of a controversial 17th century Marian column was re-erected on

Prague’s Old Town Square on Thursday, more than a century after the

original was torn down by an angry mob. Its restoration has highlighted the

history of the first Baroque statue in the Czech lands and the years of

controversy surrounding it.

The Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra (Symfonický orchestr Českého

rozhlasu) has presented its program for the upcoming season. The opening

premium concert will pay tribute to those affected by the coronavirus

pandemic through symbolic compositions. Collaborations with a multitude of

leading international musicians are planned throughout the season. Aside

from performances in the Czech Republic, the orchestra will also be

performing in Japan, Warsaw, Vienna and Dresden.

The concept of international work camps is 100 years old. Every year

several hundred foreign nationals come to the Czech Republic to participate

in interesting projects in the field of renovation, environmental

protection or community work, and hundreds of Czechs go abroad for the same

purpose. I spoke to Zuzana Pitková from the NGO INEX which organizes

international work camps in the Czech Republic about what they offer and in

what way this year is different.

The Czech Republic currently has the highest inflation rate in the entire

European Union, with foodstuffs among the items that are shooting up in

price. However, the governor of the central bank says the level of

inflation is not a major cause for concern.