News: Monday, June 24th, 2024

Lipavský opens gathering of economic diplomats in Prague

The Czech minister of foreign affairs, Jan Lipavský, opened an annual meeting of the country’s economic diplomats and representatives of the CzechTrade and CzechInvest agencies on Monday. The event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Czernin Palace HQ in Prague brought together 170 economic, agricultural and scientific diplomats from Czech embassies and representatives of CzechTrade and CzechInvest foreign offices.

Addressing the delegates, Mr. Lipavský said the threat of Russian imperialism and the deterioration of the international milieu in recent years had forced Czechia to rethink its economic interests. He said the country had to eliminate dependence on unreliable suppliers, diversify sources and deepen cooperation with democratic partners.

Prague’s Máj department store reopens after major overhaul

The Máj department store in downtown Prague reopened on Monday following a major overhaul. Across nine floors the well-known building on the corner of the streets Národní and Spálená offers shops, restaurants, entertainment and a rooftop terrace. It also contains a Tesco supermarket.

The renovation job on the 1970s building was launched in mid 2022 and cost CZK 4.5 billion.

Dagmar Havlová sells majority stake in Prague centre Lucerna Palace

Dagmar Havlová, who was the sister-in-law of the late Czech politician Václav Havel, has sold a majority stake in the Prague centre Lucerna Palace for almost CZK 1 billion, Forbes reported on Monday, citing both the seller and the buyer, the company BTL.

Mrs. Havlová is retaining a 25 percent stake in the Lucerna Palace, which was built by the grandfather of Václav Havel and her late husband Ivan Havel.

She said money raised in the sale would be put into renovating the building. It was declared a national cultural landmark in 2017.

Kolya co-producer Jan Jíra dies at 87

The well-known Czech film producer Jan Jíra has died at the age of 87. Jíra started out working in cinemas in the 1960s and became a producer in 1990. One of his biggest successes was as co-producer of Kolya, which won an Academy Award in 1997, while he also had a hand in such popular films as Loners in 2000.

Last year he received a Czech Lion award for his contribution to the country’s cinema.

Former javelin world champion Veselý retires

Former javelin world champion and two-time Olympic bronze medalist Vítězslav Veselý has ended his career at the age of 41, the Czech Athletics Federation announced on its website on Monday.

Veselý, who has not competed in two years, is due to make his final bow at the national athletics championships in Zlín next Sunday.

His Olympic medals came in 2012 and 2021, while he was crowned world champion in 2013 and European champion in 2012.

Schick in doubt for Euros game against Turkey with calf injury

The Czech footballer Patrik Schick sustained a calf muscle injury in a European Championships game against Georgia on Saturday, an MRI scan has revealed. Czech Television reported that the injury would rule the striker out of Wednesday’s crucial final group game against Turkey, though the team’s management has not confirmed this.

A spokesperson said that Schick, who scored in the Georgia game, remained with the rest of the Czech squad at their base in Germany.

David Pastrňák named Czech hockey player of year for seventh time

David Pastrňák has won the Golden Hockey Stick award for Czech ice hockey player of the year for the seventh time. The 28-year-old Boston Bruins forward is currently in the US and was not able to receive the prize in person in Prague on Sunday evening.

Pastrňák, who recently scored the decisive goal for Czechia in the final of the World Championships, was one of eight members of the Czech team to make the top 10 in the poll of sports journalists.

Goaltender Lukáš Dostál came second in the Golden Hockey Stick, ahead of forward Martin Nečas.

Weather forecast

It should be mainly sunny in Czechia on Tuesday, with an average high temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The following days are expected to be slightly warmer, but overcast.