Related articles

Over 870 soldiers have taken a simultaneous oath of service in a ceremony that marked the Czechoslovak Independence Day. The ceremony took place at Prague's Hradčanské Square and was attended by the Czech president Miloš Zeman and defence minister Martin Stropnický and other dignitaries. On the same day, president Zeman promoted several soldiers and other officials, including Prague fire corps head Roman Hlinovský, head of Foreign Intelligence Service Jiří Šašek and head of counter-intelligence Security Information Service Jiří Lang.

Wednesday, October 28, marks the 97th anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia, with several events being held across the country. President Miloš Zeman laid wreaths at the National Monument at Prague’s Vítkov hill, along with PM Bohuslav Sobotka, the Archbishop of Prague, Dominik Duka, and several other government ministers and officials. On Wednesday evening, President Zeman is set to hand out state honours at a ceremony at Prague Castle. The expected recipients include former Czech football international Pavel Nedvěd, the founder of the babybox system in the Czech Republic Ludvík Hess and pop singer and former actor Václav Neckář. Several university rectors have refused to attend the ceremony in solidarity with two of their colleagues who had not been invited over disputes with the president.

The Czech Rectors Conference has said its members will not attend the ceremony at Prague Castle marking Czechoslovakia Independence Day on October 28th. The academic boycott of the celebrations is a show of protest over the president’s decision not to invite two university rectors to Prague Castle over past disagreements. For the third year now the rectors of Brno’s Masaryk University and the South Bohemian University in České Budějovice have not been included on the guest list as a result of personal disputes with the head of state. The Rectors Conference says this is undignified and has accused Mr. Zeman of appropriating the public holiday.

Czech President Miloš Zeman bestowed state decorations on more than 30 personalities on Tuesday, on the occasion of Czechoslovakia Independence Day. Among the recipients of the awards were Sir Nicholas Winton, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and former Austrian chancellor Franz Vranitzky as well as five Czech soldiers killed in Afghanistan. But the president has come under criticism over some names on his list.

The Czech Republic commemorates the 96th anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia, a national holiday, on Tuesday. Several events are being held to mark the occasion, including a ceremony at the National Memorial at Prague’s Vítkov Hill, and the presentation of state honours by President Miloš Zeman at Prague Castle. The expected recipients include Sir Nicholas Winton, who saved hundreds of Jewish children on the eve of WWII, and Catholic priest Josef Toufar who was tortured to death by Communist investigators in 1950.

President Miloš Zeman has defended his decision not to invite two university rectors to a Prague Castle ceremony marking Czechoslovakia Independence Day on October 28, the most important Czech public holiday. Just like last year, Mr Zeman’s office omitted the rectors of Brno’s Masaryk University and the South Bohemian University in České Budějovice from the guest list over past disagreements. On Sunday, Mr Zeman defended his decision and said he was defending the prestige of the head of state and the “interests of all presidents” that would come after him. Mr Zeman’s decision has been criticized by universities and some politicians who said the president was “appropriating” the holiday, and wasn’t able to overcome petty disagreements. Several other university rectors said they would boycott the ceremony in solidary with their colleagues.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is among those set to receive Czech state decoration on October 28, the country’s Independence Day, the daily Mladá fronta dnes reported. Mr Fico will be decorated for his contribution to friendship between the Czech and Slovak nations, the paper said, adding that Mr Zeman and Mr Fico are personal friends. The president’s office has not released the list of people set to receive the state honours on Tuesday but according to media reports, the president will among others decorate Sir Nicholas Winton who saved hundreds of Jewish children from the Holocaust, and filmmaker Robert Sedláček who made a documentary about Mr Zeman before he became president.

Monday, October 28, marks the 95th anniversary of the foundation of Czechoslovakia, with commemorative events held across the country. In Prague, the main event takes place at the Vítkov national memorial, with attendance by top Czech officials including President Miloš Zeman. On Monday evening, President Zeman is set hand out state decorating at a ceremony at Prague Castle. This year, the event has been marked by several controversies; over 20 Czech university rectors have refused to attend in solidarity with two of their colleagues who had not been invited over disputes with the president.

Welcome to our special extended programme marking the October 28th national holiday in the Czech Republic. Ninety-five years ago today, Czechoslovakia declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, becoming an independent state. The so-called First Republic thus came into being, at first under much celebrated president Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, and subsequently Edvard Beneš, who would witness the country’s dismemberment in 1938 under the Munich Agreement. Although Czechoslovakia was peacefully dissolved into the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Politicians, cultural figures and church dignitaries gathered in the Vladislav Hall at Prague Castle on Sunday to celebrate the 94th anniversary of the birth of independent Czechoslovakia. On the occasion, President Václav Klaus presented high state distinctions to war veterans, scientists, cultural figures and sportspeople.