Talking Point | All stories

In this week’s Talking Point we examine the future of shortwave broadcasting. Shortwave has undoubtedly been on the retreat in developed countries, forced to share its former primacy with upstart mediums such as the internet and satellite radio. But are its days numbered even in the developing world?

The number of HIV cases in the Czech Republic has been steadily rising, and 2009 could see the biggest jump in HIV infection in the country’s history. The Czech health authorities say that the surge is fuelled by ignorance and complacency within high-risk groups. But critics point out that following a recent overhaul of the government’s HIV/AIDS prevention programme, the situation has fast deteriorated.

The Czech education system has taken many strides in the last 20 years since the fall of Communism but still shows some of the scars. Recent governments and the Ministry of Education have stressed education as the best route for helping the country compete in the future. But they have been accused of paying just lip service to the required reforms.

This month, Czechs celebrate 20 years since the Velvet Revolution that overthrew the communist regime in their country. The fall of communism changed practically all aspects of life, including health care. Radio Prague finds out about the improvement and challenges of the Czech health care system two decades after the fall of communism.

The small patch of green outside Malostranská metro station in the centre of Prague has been hosting a bizarre outdoor display this month. Besides a monument to Czech WWII resistance fighters that was installed there in 2006, two new temporary memorials have been added recently to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. A wooden watchtower from a communist-era labour camp was raised there a couple of weeks ago and this past Sunday saw the unveiling of a most bizarre sculpture...

No landmark in Prague is more famous than the 14th century Charles Bridge, which has undergone major renovation over the last two years - a project that has come under unparalleled scrutiny and also criticism. On one side, representatives of the city as well as the firm conducting the repairs say the project is slowly but surely nearing successful completion; on the other, activists - including a newly-founded civic association - say critical mistakes were made, resulting in damages to the historic bridge. One thing is certain: when it comes to

How are countries of central and Eastern Europe coping with their communist legacies? Have their societies done well in the transition to democracy over the last two decades? And why do so many people in this region feel nostalgic towards the totalitarian past? And in what ways is the Czech Republic different from other ex-communist states countries in the region? These and other issues were the focus of an international conference “20 Years After” that took place in Prague last week.

Czech political parties have one thing going for them: that is the generous system of state funding for their activities. But that system has come under attack for its cost, the flaws in the party financing rules and the policing of those rules. In this week’s Talking Point, party financing is put under the spotlight.

The Czech budget deficit and overall public debt have been thrust into the spotlight. Caretaker Prime Minister Jan Fischer repeated this week he would only stay on until the middle of next year if a tax raising and cost cutting budget is passed. But while headlines warning of a ballooning budget deficit and meltdown in international confidence abound, not everyone agrees about the nature of the threat and urgency needed to tackle it.

Driving on busy dual-carriageways such as this in the centre of Prague can be a hairy experience, and those who have tried it often come away with a rather jaded view of Czech drivers. Indeed, the Czech Republic has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in all of Europe; last year, nearly 1,100 people died on Czech roads.