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A month ago CzechTourism, in cooperation with the Association of Master Chefs and Confectioners and other partners launched a new project called “Czech Specials” – promoting national and regional cuisine across the country. The aim is to boost gastro-tourism by making tourists aware just what goodies they are missing: everything from black soup in Prague to wild boar in the Krkonoše Mountains. Jan Velinger asked CzechTourism’s Filip Remenec to tell him more about the project.

The German Foreign Ministry wants to acquire Prague’s Lobkowicz Palace, the seat of the German embassy. For thousands of East Germans, the compound was the last stop on their way to freedom in August 1989, two months before the fall of the Berlin Wall. In exchange for the historic building, German authorities are offering the Czech Foreign Ministry a palace in Berlin.

The much-anticipated privatisation of the Czech Republic’s national carrier Czech Airlines (CSA) has hit turbulence, with Air France-KLM dropping out of the tender. That leaves only one bidder for the loss-making airline – and the Czech government likely to face a choice between getting a poor price for CSA or not selling it at all.

Czech Paralympic athlete Jana Fesslová has become the first wheelchair user to conquer one of the world’s highest motorable passes – the Himalayan Khardung La pass at 5,359 metres above sea level. During a three-week motorbike expedition around the region, Jana and her friends travelled some 2,300 kilometres along some of the world’s highest roads.

In view of the continuing economic crisis the Czech Republic’s two largest parties, and often bitter rivals, the Social Democrats and the Civic Democrats have expressed a willingness to cooperate on next year’s budget. Both indicated this week the need to find a consensus, after interim Finance Minister Eduard Janota announced that if strong measures weren’t taken to cut spending and raise revenues, the country would face a ballooning deficit of 230 billion crowns. Is this sudden show of goodwill for real and can it work?

For many Czechs it is difficult to imagine anyone other than Petr Fejk running the Prague Zoo, but soon that will be a reality. On Tuesday the hugely successful zoo director (the first non-zoologist in the post) confirmed that after 12 years he was stepping down as of October 31st. The man who transformed the zoo into one of the most exciting venues in the Czech capital - focussing on new services, modern pavilions and new acquisitions – will now be heading to New York, where he will run the Czech Republic’s National Bohemian Hall.

The sixth year of the Letní Letná or Summer Letná festival of new circus and avant garde theatre has just got underway at Prague’s Letná Park. Until the end of August, colourful tents raised among the greenery not far from Prague Castle will host troupes and ensembles from the Czech Republic and abroad.

The Czech Republic is one of the few countries in the EU not to have ratified the Lisbon treaty. Though both houses of parliament have approved ratification, the president is currently refusing to put his signature to it. Meanwhile, a group of Eurosceptic senators are also employing delaying tactics: they are going to send a freshly announced petition to the Czech Constitutional Court, ahead of a challenge to the document itself.

The Czech Republic has taken its first medal at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin – silver for Barbora Špotáková in the women’s javelin. Much was expected of the defending world champion, but in the end Špotáková says she is satisfied with second place.

The Czech Republic on Monday expelled two Russian diplomats for alleged espionage, provoking an angry reaction from Moscow. The move has put a further strain on bilateral relations already soured by US plans to build a radar base in the country as part of its missile defense shield.