Current Affairs | All stories

A Prague court has delivered verdicts concerning one of the most controversial sell-offs of state assets in modern Czech history. But the marathon court case will certainly not draw much of a line under the arguments.

Experts from Europe and the US met in Prague this week to discuss the hybrid war threat and ways of countering disinformation campaigns against Western countries. In an interview for Czech Radio the head of NATO’s Military Committee, General Petr Pavel, said the Czech Republic underestimates the dangers of the hybrid war waged by Russia.

Many Czechs are likely to be glued to their tv screens over the next two weeks during the ice hockey world championships. A Czech squad with many new faces and a lot of uncertainty who will take to the ice is looking to end a five year medal drought.

The City of Prague Museum has published the results of two unique archaeological digs carried out in the centre of the city. Among the discoveries are everyday objects from Wenceslas Square dating to back to Medieval Times which shed light on everyday life. They also include a rare statuette of a Madonna.

World Press Freedom Day, marked on May 3rd, is perceived as a change to evaluate press freedom around the world and to defend the media from attacks on their independence. In the Czech Republic it serves as a reminder that all is not well in this field – the country slipped 11 places on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index this year. I spoke to Adam Černý, chairman of the Czech Syndicate of Journalists about what’s hurting press freedom in the country.

Many people who have spent time in the Czech outdoors the last few days have been struck by the unusually high amount of pollen in the air. Nature reserves are thick with particles descending on meandering streams and pathways full of hikers and cyclists.

The European Commission is due to unveil its long term proposal about how big EU funds should be, where they are directed, and which countries will turn out to be the biggest beneficiaries and paymasters. All indications are that dramatic changes are in the pipeline, something that the Czech Republic appears to have reservations about.

The legendary Czech experimental theatre revolution, Laterna Magika, is marking its 60th anniversary. Combining black light theatre, film and dance, the revolutionary concept premiered at the Expo 1968 exhibition in Brussels has since performed all around the world, including New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Summer Olympics in Athens.

An anti-corruption watchdog has accused Prague city council leaders of rushing into a multi-billion crown joint venture connected with a new metro line without public discussion and explanations of what is involved. Transparency International warns that in the wake of previous big budget city scandals, it could another case of act in haste and regret at leisure.

Burning witches on April 30-May 1 is an ancient pagan tradition which developed in various European countries including the Czech Republic. People believed witches were especially active on that night and that they flew above people’s heads and later trampled all the crops sown in the fields. That’s the reason why fires were lit with the express aim of burning the witches.