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Today it is easy to forget that Prague’s Letná Park overlooking the city once served as a pedestal to the largest statue in the world of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Derisively referred to as ‘fronta na maso’ (queue for meat), the massive granite work featured the marshal followed by a line of anonymous ‘heroes of the proletariat’. Prague was freed of the sculptural monstrosity in 1962; now, thanks to a film crew shooting the story of sculptor Otakar Švec, Stalin will temporarily return.

One of the biggest trade issues to be addressed by the end of this year should be the status of China and whether it should be recognized as a full fledged functioning market economy. The Czech Republic appears to be taking a negative stance on the decision which needs to be taken along with other EU states. Prague’s main worry is the impact on jobs in sensitive industrial sectors.

The annual meeting of the Sudeten-German Landsmannschaft in Nuremberg over the weekend is perceived as a turning point in the reconciliation between Czechs and Sudeten Germans. For the first time ever the Czech government sent an official representative to the gathering –Culture Minister Daniel Herman - who addressed the assembly as “dear compatriots”, expressing regret over the injustices that had broken up long years of fruitful coexistence.

The Czech Republic is celebrating the 700th anniversary of the birth of Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, whom Czechs perceive as the “father of the Czech nation” and the greatest Czech that ever lived. The anniversary is being marked by a wide range of events including exhibitions, conferences, themed tours and street parties which will peak on the anniversary proper, Saturday May 14. I asked Kateřina Pavlitova of Prague City Tourism about the highlights of the celebration.

Czech head of state Miloš Zeman is known for his controversial statements that keep him in the public eye. And this week he stirred up a strong response after suggesting that public service television broadcaster Czech Television be nationalized because it is, he alleges, a mouthpiece for one political party alone. And the president appears willing to follow up his words with action.

Czech Agriculture Minister Marian Jurečka is heading a Czech business delegation to Nigeria and Senegal with the aim of further developing political and economic relations. His talks with top officials in Abuja revealed potential for cooperation in the fields of energy, infrastructure and security.

Gabriela Gunčíková will make history in Stockholm on Saturday night when she becomes the first Czech to take part in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. The Czechs have had a rather cool relationship to the competition and Gunčíková is only the country’s fifth entrant. So how has she succeeded where Kabát and others have failed? That’s a question I put to historian Dean Vuletic, a specialist in the Eurovision who previously lived in Prague and is currently in Stockholm.

One of Prague’s most popular tourist attractions, the Palace gardens on the southern slope of Prague castle, have to undergo a major renovation due to an alarming state of disrepair. The National Heritage Institute plans to launch the reconstruction of the Baroque gardens, which should amount to 45 million crowns, in 2017. It is expected to last for five years but the gardens should remain open to visitors throughout the reconstruction.

A Czech Hi-Tech and software engineering company known as Quanti together with the British firm Delion, have created a new virtual reality (VR) headset capable of rivalling existing products like the Oculus Rift, released earlier in 2016. Representatives unveiled the product in London this week, with Czech Radio reporting that consumer and investor interest was high.

As many visitors are no doubt aware, much of the Czech capital has been blighted by graffiti over the last two decades. Now one Prague district has announced a fresh approach to tackling the widespread defacement of buildings. But how will the new anti-graffiti drive work in practice?