Czech News 27.04.2014 - 21.04.2014

CR: 27.04.2014

US vice president, PM Sobotka, discuss NATO and situation in Ukraine

American Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday spoke to the premiers of the Czech Republic and Hungary about developments in Ukraine, assuring them of the United States’ commitment to collective defense under NATO’s Article 5, which stipulates that an attack against one member of the alliance is an attack against all. The Czech News Agency reported that Mr Biden spoke for 45 minutes over the phone with Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, discussing new sanctions against Russia for failing to withdraw troops on Ukraine’s border and for failing to de-escalate tension in the area as agreed in talks in Geneva. The two also discussed the situation of OSCE observers - including a Czech national - being held captive by pro-Russian separatists. The Czech Foreign and Defence Ministries are working with partners to try and secure the observers’ release. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999; Article 5 was first invoked in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States.

Communists, other parties, plan May 1 events

The Communist Party and the Social Democrats are among the few parties planning traditional May 1st celebrations to mark International Workers’ Day, ČTK reports. According to the news agency, the Communists will hold a public meeting at the Výstaviště fair grounds, where they have staged events over the last few years instead of Letná Park. The Social Democrats will lay a wreath marking the holiday on April 30 at Střelecký ostrov (island) - a site in Prague where the workers’ holiday was first marked in 1890. Most parties are using May 1st as an opportunity to highlight candidates and issues ahead of the elections to the European Parliament later in the month. May 1 will mark ten years since the Czech Republic joined the European Union.

Man struck and killed by Pendolino

Transport on a train route from Prague to Ostrava was stopped for roughly an hour on Sunday after a fast-speed Pendolino train struck and killed a 68-year-old pedestrian on the track. It is unclear whether the man was caught off guard or had used the train to commit suicide. The fatal accident took place near the Sruby stop in the Ústí nad Orlicí area. An investigation is being conducted, a police spokeswoman confirmed.

Mystery Czech returns to get new documents

A mystery Czech who was rescued last December in Oslo suffering memory loss has returned home, according to the Norwegian media. The man, who has been going by the name of ‘John Smith’, allegedly returned to the Czech Republic to apply for new ID and travel documents. He said in the past that he had no intention of returning for good, fearing for his life after his alleged abduction and escape last year. In an interview for Norway’s NRK, he complained there was a campaign against him by some Czech media suggesting he had only faked his memory loss to avoid debts at home.

Robbie Williams performs in Prague

Forty-year-old op idol Robbie Williams performed for fans at a sold-out O2 Arena in Prague on Saturday, his first concert in Prague in 11 years. The show focussed not on Williams’ popular hits but on Swing, including covers of Sinatra and Duke Ellington classics and songs from his latest album Swing Both Ways. One pop hit, Angels, was included as an encore. The show was seen by 16,000 people.

Under-18 hockey squad faces United States in World Championship final

The Czech U-18 national hockey team will - for the first time in its history - play for gold at the World Championships. The squad faces the United States on Sunday evening. The Czech team fought hard in Finland to reach the final, edging Russia as well as defending champions Canada, to advance. Canada faces Sweden in the bronze medal match.

Football: Sparta win away from league title

A 4:1 win over Liberec has put domestic football league-leaders Sparta Prague in the driver’s seat, with the club needing only one win or two draws to secure this season’s league title. The club leads second-place Viktoria Plzeň by 10 points. The clubs coach, Vítezslav Lavička, was careful to keep emotions under wraps, telling news website iDnes the club “was close” but that nothing was definite yet.

26.04.2014

Czech prime minister and president call for release of OSCE observers

The Czech government headed by Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, as well as Czech President Miloš Zeman, have called for the release of a group of seven OSCE observers, including a Czech national, who were ‘seized’ by separatists in eastern Ukraine. The observers were travelling with members of the Ukrainian military; rebels charged that one of the Ukrainians was a spy. Prime Minister Sobotka said the incident had only escalated the situation in Ukraine. Both he and President Zeman insisted the OSCE observers needed to be released and be allowed to go about their work – monitoring developments on the ground.

Academician proposes Czech President Zeman for Nobel Peace Prize

President Miloš Zeman has told journalists he had no idea a Russian academician – Sergey Komkov – had proposed him as a nominee for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize. Mr Komkov, the chairman of the All-Russian Fund of Education, praised Mr Zeman for a balanced approach to the situation in Ukraine and for the offer that the Czech Republic could act as a mediator between Russia and Ukraine to try and solve the current crisis. Mr Zeman made the offer at the Eastern Partnership summit held in Prague on Thursday and Friday. Mr Zeman responded to journalists by saying that the peace prize was only awarded for “concrete results”.

One person from Islamic centre charged

One person, a 55-year-old Czech national, was detained by the police following a raid at the headquarters of the Islamic Foundation – a cultural centre near Wenceslas Square in Prague, on the suspicion of the illegal publishing and distribution of a book inciting racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia. On Saturday, a day after the raid, he was formally charged. Around 20 people were brought in for questioning; the foreigners police launched extradition proceedings against several of them, ČTK reported, citing the spokesman for the anti-organised crime squad.

Foreign Ministry warns travelers to exercise extra caution in Mexico

The Czech Foreign Ministry has issued a recommendation warning travelers to Mexico to avoid dangerous areas, namely eight states where drug-related violence continues to run high. According to the ministry, special care had to be taken even in Mexico City, where, it said, security was not comparable to that of European cities. The ministry is providing additional information about travel in Mexico at its website. Seven years ago former president Felipe Calderón intensified law enforcement operations against the Mexican drug cartels, often leading to retaliatory violence and murder: more than 80,000 people lost their lives.

Increased rainfall expected in coming weeks

The coming week will see mostly rainy weather, meteorologists report, with temperatures reaching around 17 degrees Celsius, not uncommon for the end of April. Rainfall will be higher than average until the end of May. Temperatures in roughly-mid May are expected to be around 20 or 21 degrees Celsius.

Czech hockey club Zlín win Extraliga title

Hockey club Zlín won the Extraliga title on Friday, defeating rivals Kometa Brno 5:3. It is the first time in 10 years that Zlín clinched the title. The newly-crowned champions only allowed Brno one win in the best-of-seven series.

Hockey club Lev Praha behind cue ball against Magnitogorsk

Prague hockey club Lev Praha lost 2:1 on Friday against Magnitogorsk in the KHL’s Gagarin Cup finals. The team was beaten in overtime – its second straight loss – putting Magnitogorsk a win away from the cup. The club leads the best-of-seven series 3:2. The next match takes place in Prague on Monday; Lev will have to win to force a deciding Game 7 back in Russia. No non-Russian team has ever won the Gagarin Cup.

25.04.2014

Eastern Partnership summit urges Russia to pull troops from Ukrainian border

Participants in a two-day Eastern Partnership summit in Prague have urged Russia to pull its troops from the Ukrainian border in order to prevent a further escalation of the conflict. In a joint proclamation they recommended a decentralization of Ukraine and offered to mediate talks between the two country’s officials. The meeting of EU representatives and six post-Soviet republics who are seeking to establish closer political and economic ties with the EU was dominated by the deepening crisis in Ukraine. The EU Commissioner for Expansion Štefan Fule told the gathering the crisis in Ukraine was the worst crisis in Europe since 1945 and a signal for the EU to give greater support to the EU’s Eastern Partnership Project. The Eastern Partnership was joined by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine during the Czech EU presidency in 2009.

Ukraine’s acting foreign minister says Kiev wants diplomatic solution, but ready to fight

Ukraine’s acting foreign minister Andrii Deshchytsia has said Ukraine wants a diplomatic solution to the crisis but is ready for military action against Russia should the need arise. Mr. Deshchytsia, who is attending the EU’s Eastern Partnership summit in Prague, said the Geneva agreement had paved the way for a solution to the crisis but Russia was further escalating tension by supporting radicals in eastern Ukraine. He said Ukrainian security forces had been told to firmly restore order while doing their utmost to avoid bloodshed.

Czech Army plans for worsening situation in Ukraine

The Czech Army has plans to move up to 1,200 soldiers to the border of the Czech Republic to help police protect it if the situation in Ukraine worsens significantly, the newspaper Hospodářské Noviny reported on Friday. Planned Czech reactions, including protection of key installations such as nuclear reactors, would amount to the biggest manoeuvres since 2001. Chief of the General Staff Petr Pavel told the paper that a wave of emigration could be sparked by conflict and problems could also occur with the large Ukrainian population resident in the Czech Republic. There are no plans for a direct NATO intervention in Ukraine, he added.

Šumava National Park head sacked

Environment Minister Richard Brabec has dismissed the head of the Šumava National Park Jiří Mánek in a drawn-out controversy over the future of the nature reserve. The head of the nature reserve was sacked shortly after producing a long-term strategy for the park’s development which failed to respect scientific recommendations for its protection. Mr. Manek himself had repeatedly come under fire from nature conservationists and environment activists for allegedly giving way to the ruthless interests of loggers and developers. A group of Czech scientists recently threatened to take legal action against the Czech Republic over its alleged failure to adequately protect the nature reserve.

Police raid Islamic center over anti-Semitic publication

The police’s organized crime squad raided several Prague sites on Friday, including the headquarters of the Islamic Foundation, a cultural centre near Wenceslas Square, on suspicion of the illegal publishing and distribution of a book inciting racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia, a spokesman for the organized crime squad said on Friday. One of the raids took place in the Islamic Foundation’s house of prayer, disrupting the religious gathering. One of the people present, the first secretary of the Indonesian Embassy, told the ctk news agency the police stormed the premises telling people to lie down face of the floor as they searched the grounds. Five people were arrested. The police did not specify what publication they were looking for.

Czech defense minister visits Czech contingent in Mali

Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnický on Friday visited the Czech contingent in Mali deployed there within the EU military training mission in the country. The Czech military has 34 soldiers in Bamak and four more specialists at the military base in Kati. They are helping train the Mali Armed Forces. The government is expected to decide in the coming days whether to extend the mission’s mandate and expand the number of troops to 50.

MP Běhounek will not follow party recommendation

The governor of the Vysočina region and lower house deputy Jiří Běhounek has said he will ignore a party recommendation for him to give up one of his posts. Governor Běhounek, an MP for the Social Democrats, said he had no trouble fulfilling his duties both as MP and governor and argued that his presence in the lower house made it easier for him to communicate the region’s needs to colleague MPs and cabinet ministers. The move was criticized by party leader and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka who has fought against the practice of politicians holding several important posts each of which is time consuming.

Czech president wins 2013 Oil Guzzler Award

Czech President Miloš Zeman was elected winner of the 2013 Oil Guzzler award, a mock prize established by environmental groups to highlight the worst anti-environmental stance, decision or project in any given year. Mr. Zeman received the award for promoting the 380km-long Danube-Oder-Elbe water corridor project. Critics say that if built, the project would destroy the remnants of the natural ecosystems of Central Europe and it would only benefit construction firms. Mr. Zeman discussed the project with his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer at the EU´s Eastern Partnership summit in Prague on Friday, arguing that it would create thousands of new jobs and prevent disastrous floods.

Trams re-routed due to maintenance work in city centre

The Prague Transport authority has warned passengers that four tram lines cutting across Wenceslas Square in the centre of Prague will be re-routed for a period of two months for maintenance work. The planned fall-out between Lazarská and Jindřišská streets will come into effect this Saturday and last until June 28th. People covering this stretch will either have to use the metro or walk. The scheduled repair work on tram lines is also expected to complicate car traffic in the city centre.

Lev Praha allow Magnitogorsk to draw KHL finals series

In ice hockey, Lev Praha failed to take a decisive lead in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) finals with defensive errors in the third period allowing Magnitogorsk to take the match 5:3 and tie the best of seven series 2:2. The game had been drawn at 3:3 going into the final period. In spite of late pressure, Lev failed to claw back any goals. The series now moves to Russia with game five scheduled for Saturday. A Czech record KHL audience of just over 17,000 watched the match.

24.04.2014

Eastern Partnership conference convenes in Prague

Czech president Miloš Zeman is hosting a two day conference in Prague starting Thursday on the European Union’s relations with states from the former Soviet Union, the so-called Eastern Partnership. At least nine presidents are scheduled to take part, including those of Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Ukraine’s acting foreign minister Andrii Deshchytsia is also expected to attend. The Eastern Partnership was created five years ago with the then Czech presidency of the European Council a major impulse behind the move.

President Zeman suggests possible mediation in Ukraine crisis

In his opening speech Eastern Partnership conference speech, President Zeman called on representatives to consider what sort of offer as intermediaries they could make in the current tension between Ukraine and Russia. The situation there could escalate into either invasion or civil war, and perhaps both, he warned. It would be too late for meaningful mediation if there were thousands of dead on each side it, Zeman said. The Eastern Partnership was a long term process which, while not laying down the foundation for EU membership, did seek to ensure that the EU had good neighbours on its borders, the Czech president added.

Foreign minister says reset of China relations does not mean climb down over human rights

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek has insisted that Czech moves to reset relations with China does not mean that it has abandoned its defence of human rights. Defence of human rights remained once of the country’s fundamental principles of foreign policy according to the minister, the Czech News Agency reported. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said Wednesday that Prague could not recognise the sovereignty and unity of China within its current borders and at the same time recognise the exiled government of Tibet. The Czech Republic should not intervene in China’s internal affairs, he added. The government agreed that Zaorálek would make a three day official trip to Beijing at the start of next week, the first by a Czech foreign minister in 15 years. Former foreign minister and leader of the TOP 09 party Karel Schwarzenberg said human rights were violated in Tibet and the across the rest of China.

Michal Hašek to give up parliamentary seat and remain regional chief

Top Social Democrat Michal Hašek has decided to give up his seat in the lower house of parliament and continue as the head of the South Moravian Region. Hašek was forced to choose between the functions by party instructions preventing politicians from occupying more than one significant post at the same time. Hašek, who is also the chairman of the Association of Regions, has seen his position in the parliamentary party plummet following a failed bid to oust party leader Bohuslav Sobotka after last October’s parliamentary elections. Several other members of the lower house must also choose whether to keep their seats or drop other functions within the next days.

Karlovy Vary regional boss says will defy party instructions over multiple posts

Meanwhile the head of the Karlovy Vary region and member of parliament Josef Novotný has said he will hang onto both posts in defiance of the Social Democrat Party instructions. Novotný said it is a plus for the region that he is also a member of parliament since it gave him access to other elected members and ministers. He added that the party’s position was discriminatory and that there is nothing in the Czech constitution preventing the accumulation of different political functions.

Czech-Slovak government meeting seeks targets defence, transport, and tax cooperation

A joint meeting of Czech and Slovak governments on Thursday in Slovakia has resulted in agreements to step up cooperation in the fight against tax evasion, transport links, and joint defence. The two countries will create a coordinator who will look at ways how the countries can better fight tax evasion. They have also set the target of filling out plans for common defence of their airspace by the end of the year. This could include the joint purchase of some equipment. As well as the meeting between Czech prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico, bilateral meetings between nearly all government ministers took place. The next meeting should take place in 2015, probably in Moravia.

Police seek to bring Opencard cases to court

Police have called for charges to be pressed against members of Prague city council’s executive body over the so-called Opencard scandal. The scandal concerns dubious public tenders and work carried out to develop a multipurpose data card for the city. Current Prague mayor Tomáš Hudeček and former mayor Bohuslav Svoboda as well as council members are suspected of breaking fair competition rules and abuse of public office. All those implicated say they are innocent. Prague’s public prosecutors’ office must now decide if the case goes to court, the office’s spokeswoman said.

Overall economic confidence higher in April thanks to consumers

Economic confidence in the Czech Republic firmed slightly in April compared with March according to a survey by the Czech Statistics Office. The composite economic confidence index advanced by 0.2 percentage points to 92.6 points. Consumer confidence showed the biggest jump of 1.7 points to 98.4 points whereas business confidence slipped by 0.1 point to 91.5 points.

Excavations take place a site of possible execution following WWII

Excavations are continuing at a village near the north eastern town of Trutnov where the remains of three bodies have already been uncovered. The bodies are believed to be those of ethnic Germans executed at the village of Rudník in June 1945 for illegal possession of weapons. Czech police are investigating the case as possible murder. Bones were discovered during work on a cycle path and sports area.

Viral success for spoof report aimed at encouraging Czechs to vote in Euro elections

A spoof television report aimed at encouraging young Czechs to vote in May’s upcoming European elections has become a viral hit viewed by more than 200,000 people. The report tells the fictional tale about how the Czech Republic lost out on the chance to claim 1o kilometres of Croatian coastline because members of the European Parliament failed to take part in a vote. The message is that Czech borders now extend to the EU’s frontiers and that there are a sea of reasons to take part in the elections. The video was put together by the Open Society Foundation’s Prague branch.

23.04.2014

Zaorálek: All steps must be taken to prevent split of Ukraine

The Czech foreign minister, Lubomír Zaorálek, says all possible action must be taken to prevent the possible breakup of Ukraine. Mr. Zaorálek told Czech Television that the only legitimate force in the country was its parliament. It voted to dismiss President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled the capital Kiev after opposition forces gained the upper hand. Speaking on TV Prima, Mr. Zaorálek said if Ukraine split into a pro-Western part and a part oriented towards Russia it would create a dividing line between individual spheres of influence.

Rapid calming of situation in Ukraine paramount, says Zeman

The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, says the rapid calming of the situation in Ukraine is of key importance. In a statement issued via his spokesperson on Sunday, Mr. Zeman said he awaited the formation of a new government and regarded the preservation of the country’s territorial territory as paramount. The Czech head of state’s invitation to Mr. Yanukovych to visit Prague in April now applies to the country’s highest representative, not directly to Mr. Yanukovych himself, the spokesperson said.

Ukrainians hold anti-Yanukovych gathering in Prague

Hundreds of Ukrainians living in the Czech Republic held a mass for the victims of the recent killings in their country at the top of Prague’s Wenceslas Square on Sunday. The crowd carried signs reading Stop Yanukovych and heard speeches condemning the actions of his now ousted government. Also on Sunday a concert in support of Ukraine was held on the Prague’s Náměstí Republiky; the event was free but attendees could send financial support by SMS to the NGO People in Need, which is organising aid for the strife-torn state.

Priest tortured over “miracle” remembered ahead of anniversary of death

Around 200 people in the village of Číhošť in the Vysočina region held a ceremony on Sunday marking the anniversary of the death of local priest Josef Toufar on February 25 1950. Toufar was accused of faking a miracle in the form of a moving cross in his church in late 1949. The Communist secret police forced him into a confession and he died as a consequence of the torture he experienced.

Exhibition recalls self-immolation of Jan Zajíc

A new exhibition dedicated to Jan Zajíc is set to mark the 45th anniversary of his self-immolation in response to the occupation of Czechoslovakia by Soviet-led troops and the “normalization” period that followed. Entitled The Story of Jan Zajíc, it will open at Prague’s Carolinum on Monday as part of the Mene Tekel festival, before moving to the town of Šumperk, whose grammar school students put the exhibition together. Aged 19, Zajíc set himself on fire on 25 February 1969 as he felt a similar move by Jan Palach had failed to shake the indifference and apathy of Czechoslovak society.

Burning Bush sweeps boards at Czech Lions

Burning Bush, Agnieszka Holland’s depiction of the aftermath of the self-immolation of Jan Palach, swept the boards at the Czech Lion film awards in Prague on Saturday night. The movie, originally a TV mini-series, picked up a record 11 prizes, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Zdeněk Tyc’s Like Never Before picked up the two main acting prizes, Clownwise by Viktor Tauš took Best Supporting Actor and Crooks by Sylvie Dymáková was named Best Documentary.

Netherlands toughest opponents in Czech group for Euro 2016

The Czech Republic have drawn the Netherlands, who will be favourites to come first, Turkey, Latvia, Iceland and Kazakhstan in their qualifying group for soccer’s European Championship in France in 2016. The first two teams in each group will reach the competition automatically, as will the best of the third placed teams. The Czechs failed to reach this year’s World Cup but have since acquired a new manager in Pavel Vrba.

22.04.2014

All those charged in money laundering case at Prague public transport firm are released from custody

A court in Prague on Saturday ordered the release of three people charged in a money laundering case linked to Prague public transport company. Another two men who face the same charges were released on Friday, including controversial businessman and lobbyist Ivo Rittig. The men were placed in police custody earlier this week as prosecution feared they could flee the country to avoid trial; however, the court decided in favour of those detained. Ivo Ritting and his associates allegedly siphoned money from the public transport company in Prague; if convicted, they would face up to eight years in jail.

UAE drops visa requirements for Czech citizens

The United Arab Emirates has dropped visa requirements for Czech nationals. As of Saturday, the citizens of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and several other eastern European countries can travel to the Emirates without visas, saving around 2,000 crowns in fees. The move, announced earlier this month, comes in a reaction to the decision by the European Parliament to drop visa requirements for UAE citizens travelling to the EU’s Schengen zone. Around 50,000 Czechs travel to the UAE each year, according to the country’s travel agencies; some 20,000 of them travel through Dubai to other destinations.

Health minister returns from Israel cannabis mission

Health Minister Svatopluk Němeček spent four days in Israel to learn about their system of medical marihuana cultivation and distribution, Czech TV reported on Saturday. After returning to Prague, Mr Němeček said the Israeli system was an inspiration for the Czech Republic which allows the use of cannabis in the treatment of some diseases. However, medical marihuana cannot be grown in the country, and so far only one Czech firm won a license to import it.

Thirteen placed in custody in tax evasion case

Thirteen people charged in a massive tax evasion case have been placed in police custody, the news website lidovky.cz reported. Among those detained is Iranian-born businessman with a Czech passport Shahram Abduallah Zadi. Another two people, charged in the case, have been released. They face charges of tax evasion worth 2.3 billion crowns they allegedly committed in oil trading; they could land up to 13 years in prison if found guilty.

Over 200 fire beacons take part in 5th edition of “Celtic Telegraph”

Over 200 fire beacons are taking party in the 5th edition of “Celtic Telegraph”, sending light signals across the Czech Republic. The event kicks off with the lighting of a beacon at Velká Javořina on the Czech-Slovak border; from there, the light signal will be handed over through several routes to other parts of the country as well as Slovakia. The event, held in homage to Celtic tribes which once inhabited Bohemia and Moravia, has however come under scrutiny by environmentalists and firefighters who warn no fire making in nature reserves will be tolerated.

In hockey, Lev Praha loses to Donetsk in second game of KHL’s quarterfinal series

The Prague-based KHL club Lev Praha lost 4:3 to Donbass Donetsk in the second game of their quarterfinal series, in the league’s longest came on record. The decision came in 127th minute when Donetsk’s Konev scored the winning goal. The series is tied 1-1; the next game will be played on Sunday in the Slovak capital Bratislava where Donetsk play their home games due to the crisis in Ukraine.

21.04.2014

Ministry rejects proposal to downgrade Šumava National Park

The Czech Environment Ministry has rejected a proposal by the management of the Šumava National Park to downgrade it from category II of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to category IV, the news agency ČTK reported on Monday. The management pushed for the downgrade to be able to extend logging areas within the park. However, the ministry also plans to limit the park’s non-intervention zones from the current 30 percent of its area to 23 percent. While environmentalists welcome the ministry’s rejection of the downgrading proposal, they said the plan to decrease the park’s non-intervention zone was shocking.

Prague police report major drop in number of offences last year

Prague’s municipal police dealt with over 836,000 offences last year, which was more than 22 percent less than in 2012, according to the force’s annual report released by Prague City Hall. A spokeswoman for the municipal police said the drop was due to changes in traffic legislation that came into force last year; officers also provided assistance during floods which hit the capital last august, and also focused primarily on combatting more serious offences and crimes. Traffic offences were by far the most frequent offences processed by Prague municipal police last year.

Five people die in Easter road crashes

Five people have died in car accidents on Czech roads since Friday, the second lowest number of casualties in 15 years. Four victims died on Friday, two of them in a single crash near Teplice. On Monday, several serious accidents occurred; five people were injured after a car crashed into a bus near Hodonín, in south Moravia. The lowest number of road casualties in the last 15 years was recorded in 2003 when three people died over the Easter weekend.

Traditional customs observed on Easter Monday, Czech public holiday

Traditional folk customs are observed on Easter Monday, a public holiday in the Czech Republic. In a popular custom known as pomlázka, male carollers whip women and girls get with braided willow sticks decorated with ribbons. In return, they give men painted eggs. The custom has pre-Christian roots in pagan fertility rites. Legend has it that women that go whipped on Easter Monday will remain healthy and fertile for the entire year.

Prague’s biggest funfair Matějská pouť draws bigger crowds

Some 157,000 people have visited Matějská pouť, the biggest funfair in the capital, since it opened on March 1, organizers told the news agency ČTK. Another 3,000 people are expected before the funfair closes on Monday night. Last year, a total of 117,000 visitors arrived at the fair, mainly due to poor weather. Matějská pout was originally a pilgrimage to St Mathew’s church in Dejvice, first recorded in late 16th century. It is now however a secular event held each years at Prague’s exhibition grounds in Holešovice.

Hockey: Czech U-18 team book spot at world championships’ quarter-finals

The Czech Under-18 national hockey team defeated hosts Finland 4:3 on penalty shootings at the World Championships in Finland on Sunday to book a spot in the event’s quarter-finals. The Czech goals came from Vrána, Smejkal and Karabáček; Vrána also scored the decisive penalty. The Czech team is ranked third in Group B at the championships, trailing Finland and the US.

Football: Sparta closes in on league title

Sparta Prague defeated city rival Dukla 3:1 in the Gambrinus liga’s round 25 on Sunday, and increased their lead at the top of the table to 13 points ahead of defending champions Viktoria Plzeň. Sparta’s Hušbauer scored twice in the game, another goal came from Kadeřábek. Plzeň play their match later on Monday but Sparta could celebrate the first title in four years as soon as next weekend.