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Emotions are running high following Tuesday’ anti-Islamic demonstration at Prague’s Albertov, held on the 26th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. Academics from Charles University have strongly criticized the fact that students were denied access to the historic site because of a political gathering.

People around the country marked the 26th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution amid heightened security on Tuesday. Overshadowed by the terrorist attacks in Paris and the migrant crisis in Europe the anniversary of the country’s return to democracy and European values took on new meaning in light of present day attitudes to migrants.

Life in the Czech metropolis came to a standstill at mid-day on Monday as Czechs joined millions of Europeans in observing a minute of silence for the victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris. In addition to widespread condemnation of the monstrous attacks against innocent civilians Czech officials have stressed the need for stronger coordinated action on the part of the EU.

On Friday, it became clear that Burma’s National League for Democracy, headed by Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, had secured a parliamentary majority and is heading for a landslide victory that will allow it to select the president. But the election victory has not totally sidelined the former military rulers. Chris Johnstone talked with Igor Blaževič who has just returned to Prague after several years helping the political opposition prepare for power.

One of the Czech Republic’s biggest music awards – the annual Český Slavík or Czech Nightingale competition, voted on by members of the public – looks like it has become embroiled in a controversy over immigration. According to the preliminary poll results, the highly controversial band Ortel is currently the front-runner in the race to be the most popular band.

The situation at the Drahonice detention centre for migrants, where a refugee protest reached a head on Wednesday, is gradually calming down. However several dozen migrants remain on hunger strike in protest of their lengthy detention and the authorities are on alert for further possible problems.

The Czech Republic’s women’s tennis team are looking to end the season on a high in Prague this weekend when Petra Kvitová and Co. hope to lift their fourth Fed Cup title in five years. Meanwhile the presence of superstar Maria Sharapova has increased interest in their opponents, Russia.

The coalition of ANO, the Social Democrats and the Three Coalition governing Prague has definitively collapsed, the Social Democrats confirmed on Tuesday, saying they had lost faith in the Three Coalition after it voted with the opposition on a policy previously agreed. The strongest party ANO as well as other potential partners will now be looking to strike a new agreement.

Relations at the top of the Czech administration dealing with energy policy appear to have gone into meltdown. The situation is so bad that the Minister of Industry and Trade and the head of the country’s independent energy regulator are trading verbal blows in public over the Internet over procedures for clearing billions of crowns in state support for renewables.

The Czech Republic will accept no new migrants this year under EU plans, Interior Minister Milan Chovanec said on Monday in Brussels. Mr Chovanec criticised the EU’s hot spot system which has so far seen only a small number from tens of thousands of refugees in Italy and Greece relocated to other parts of the EU.