From the monthly archives:

November 2009

CBW: Decline in new residential construction slows down

November 30, 2009

New residential construction continued to decline in the third quarter of 2009, although at a slower pace, according to data released by the Czech Statistical Office (?SÚ).
 
In the third quarter, construction of new homes and apartments in the Czech Republic fell by 5.7 percent year on year to 11,234 dwellings, ?SÚ said. Although a [...]

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High expectations for new Czech film 3 Seasons in Hell

November 27, 2009

Just a few days after the Czech film Protektor took a prize at a festival in Denver, another ambitious project is just entering the cinemas across the country. The film 3 sezóny v pekle or 3 Seasons in Heli is a debut by Tomáš Mašín. A Czech, Slovak and German co-production has already received praise [...]

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Czech CSSD would win elections now

November 23, 2009

The Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) would win elections to the Chamber of Deputies, if held in November, with 29.1 percent of the vote, according to an election model the Factum Invenio polling agency presented today.
 
The Civic Democrats (ODS) would finish second with 26.7 percent, followed by the Communists (KSCM) and TOP 09 with 12.9 [...]

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Study: Czech Romanies’ situation not improve after revolution

November 18, 2009

The situation of Czech Romanies has not much improved even 20 years since the Velvet Revolution, according to a study the Romany Dzeno organisation has released.

The study points to the support of Romany culture and language as positive phenomena but says that housing and working conditions of Romanies have worsened and in addition, extremism [...]

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What do Czechs mean about audiobooks

November 16, 2009

The audiobook is enjoying record popularity around Europe at the moment - sales are thought to be rising by 15% on average each year. The growth of the medium might be slightly slower in the Czech Republic, but both publishers and booksellers there are getting in on the action.
One famous name that you’ll find on [...]

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Czechs celebrate the arrival of new St. Martin’s vintage

November 12, 2009

One of the better-known saints of the Catholic church, St. Martin is honored on November 11th in the Czech Republic with the Feast of St. Martin, a meal of duck, dumplings and red cabbage. The feast is accompanied with St. Martin’s wine, a popular wine that arrives at wine stores on that day.
St Martin’s [...]

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Award for Karel Gott stirs up controversy

November 11, 2009

On the 91st anniversary of the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak state President Vaclav Klaus presented state decorations to 23 individuals. Among them was singer Karel Gott, who received a Medal for Merit, 1st degree.
 
Some media analysts  have questioned giving an award to Gott’s due to his past closeness with the communist regime.
 
Viliam [...]

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Czech archaeologists uncover Europe’s largest rondel enclosures

November 9, 2009

Czech archaeologists have uncovered four prehistoric rondel enclosures, two of which are the largest in Europe, within an unprecedented extensive research accompanying the construction of a motorway bypass of Kolin, central Bohemia, chief researcher Radka Sumberova told CTK.
After examining 40 hectares on land, the experts gathered hundreds of thousands of finds. The most important [...]

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Czech PM to bring Lisbon treaty to Rome next Friday

November 6, 2009

Prime Minister Jan Fischer will take the Lisbon treaty to Rome next Friday, whereby the ratification process by the Czech Republic will be completed.
 
The treaty will take effect on December 1 as wished by the Swedish EU presidency.
Fischer will take the treaty to the depository at the Italian Foreign Ministry where EU treaties are preserved. [...]

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Large open-air exhibition in Prague

November 3, 2009

Descending the historic Old Castle Stairs on the way from Prague Castle to the left bank of the Vltava River, an unusual structure will catch your eye in the middle of a small park between the river and a busy road.
 
The five-and-a-half-metre tall wooden watchtower looks strangely out of place among the 19th-century urban [...]

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