Posts

The Top 20 Islands in Europe

Europe is a forever-favorite destination of T+L readers, and they often turn to the continent’s picturesque islands when searching for their ideal getaways. Case in point: This year, eight of the continent’s islands have been voted...

UNYP hosted a fourth public webinar on Women...

On Tuesday, November 2nd, the University of New York in Prague held its fourth public webinar. This time, UNYP has chosen a hybrid system, when there were guests physically at the seminar, as well as online on the ZOOM platform. The webinar...

2021 Local Elections in North Macedonia:...

On 17 October 2021, seventh local elections since its declaration of independence will be organized in North Macedonia. The second round of elections is scheduled to take place on 31 October 2021. The National Election Commission (DIK)...

The Czech Books You Must Read

Kafka, Čapek, Kundera and Havel, these are all world renowned names, but what about all the others? How well are Czech authors actually known abroad? Can you find a bookshop in Berlin, Madrid, Moscow, Paris or New York that aside from classics...

Office Design Trends That Are Shaping the...

Office design trends are changing every once in a while, and this year is no exception. Following the heels of the global call for sustainability, offices this year are characterized by more eco-friendly features, fluidity, modular elements...

THE STATUS QUO IN ASIA – POSPECTS FOR...

Following the famous argument of prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic ‘No Asian century without pan-Asian multilateral settings’ which was prolifically published as policy paper and thoroughly debated among practitioners and academia in over 40...

Defence ministry decorates exceptional...

As a part of the celebrations surrounding the 103rd anniversary of the establishment of independent Czechoslovakia, the Defence Minister Lubomír Metnar distributed a number of awards between exceptional individuals who’s devotion furthered the...

13 Affordable Places to Visit in Europe —...

If you have big dreams of jetting off to Europe, but worry that your bank account isn’t quite ready, don’t worry. For every expensive city, there are dozens of charming — and surprisingly affordable — places that offer all the...

Forgotten Czechs – Karel Čapek

After his death the gardener does not become a butterfly, intoxicated by the perfumes of the flowers, but a garden worm tasting all the dark, nitrogenous, and spicy delights of the soil. – Karel Čapek Karel Čapek is undoubtedly one of the most...

Alternatives continue to replace cigarettes

Recently, yet another cigarette alternative has appeared on the Czech market. On average, up to 30% of Czechs have admitted to smoking tobacco in 2020, and many more could be smoking without admitting it. With the long-term negatives of...

How to Keep Your Employees Happy

When you are running a modern business, employee retainment is very important. By ensuring that you have people who work well at your company staying as long as possible, you can make sure that your company will grow in a sustainable manner...

Prague Zoo celebrates 90 years

One of the most visited attractions in Prague was ceremoniously opened on September 28th in 1931. It was the first place in the city where the visitors could admire exotic animals that most of them had never seen before. Back then, the first...

New special gas plant opens in Prague

In Prague, Kyje, a new special gas plant has just started production. It belongs to the largest technical gas producer operating in the Czech Republic, Linde Gas. 24 new jobs have been generated by the 9.7 million crown investment into a new...

These Are the World’s 20 Most Tranquil...

There are several factors that go into choosing a new place to live. If affordability and an abundance of outdoor activities are top of mind, these small towns across the U.S. might do the trick, while others are willing to pay more for the...

2021 Local Elections in Kosovo: A sort of...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES[1]) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, the Balkans and around the world. On the occasion of local elections in Kosovo, scheduled to...

Street art now in Prague

On October 14th, the 9th annual Signal Festival will begin in Prague. A week prior to the spectacular event, visitors of Prague can already observe a number of interactive virtual installations. Thanks to a special app, beautiful works of art...

5 Gadgets Every Businessman Should Own

Being a businessman and being a successful businessman are two very different things. Only the latter can maximize their efforts and make the most of the time and energy they invest in their company. However, there’s another thing that defines...

Most Czech online stores break the law

Throughout this year’s Q2, the Czech trade inspection has uncovered that 4 out of 5 online stores in the Czech Republic are violating the law in some way. The mistakes most often concerned the rights of consumers and, in particular, the fact...

GLOBAL FEMALE LEADERS

THE ECONOMIC FORUM FOR FEMALE EXECUTIVES 9th – 10th May, 2022 | HOTEL ADLON KEMPINSKI, BERLIN | GERMANY Welcome, this moment calls on us, individually and collectively, to collaborate and accelerate bold approaches as we rebuild our post...

Even Slivovice will get more expensive

The traditional Czech alcoholic drink Slivovice, a plum-based fruit liqueur, is likely one of the staples of a night out in Czechia for many. However, even this product could not escape the large scale increase of prices throughout retail. The...

No more leftovers

There are always at least some children in the school canteens that hesitate to finish their meal. The big pile of leftovers then just goes to waste. The schools themselves are in charge of collecting the gastro waste, usually as an additional...

Talibans – Reloaded (A New Force under...

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban, pre-negotiated with the US in Doha, Qatar, has launched yet another premeditated enterprise, as fruitless as the US effort to keep Afghanistan under its own control: so many IR scholars, pundits, and...

Intelligent Transformation – Becoming...

We are thrilled to cordially invite you to join our Virtual Fireside Chat with two incredible female leaders from our longtime partner and global leader SAP. Thursday 14th October 2021, at 12 noon (CEST) – via Zoom Intelligent...

Revealed: The Country With The Best Netflix...

Netflix subscribers in Japan have access to the best-reviewed and most awarded TV and film content in the world The Czech Republic is second, South Korea is third, the UK is fourth and Switzerland is fifth The United Kingdom comes top when...

The Czech government explained itself to the...

On Wednesday, the Ministry for Regional Development of the Czech Republic sent out its first reply to the EU regarding the audit that found problems in the way our government detects conflicts of interests. Much information about the contents...

Quarantined or hospitalized? No worries, you...

Many patients currently occupying hospital beds or those staying in quarantine may wonder whether they can still take part in deciding the future of this country by casting a vote. The answer is yes. Any Czech citizen who is unable to make it...

Germany and its Neo-imperial quest

In January 2021, eight months ago, when rumours about the possibility of appointment of Christian Schmidt as the High Representative in Bosnia occurred for the first time, I published the text under the title ‘Has Germany Lost Its NATO Compass...

5 Things Every Business Needs to Know About...

In today’s hypercompetitive digital marketing landscape, increasing brand visibility can be challenging. To put your website in front of the right audiences, you need to optimize it for search engines. Before you invest in SEO, it is vital to...

Unemployment numbers decrease

The unemployment rate in the Czech Republic has lowered to 3,6% during August 2021. At this time of the year in 2020, unemployment was reaching 3,8%. The statistics from the Czech department of Employment Matters show that the number of...

Prices in bakeries are about to rise like...

Throughout the fall of 2021, prices of all baked goods in Czech supermarkets and bakeries are expected to rise at least by a few percentage marks. There are a number of reasons for this trend, mainly the rising cost of flour, transport and...

How San Miguel Became Mexico’s Most...

Historical circumstance left this colorful city remarkably intact. Thanks to first-class restaurants, outstanding hotels, and beguiling architecture, it’s become popular with visitors, who arrive in search of its ineffable magic. With its...

Too many pensioners

As the population pyramid charts of 2nd world countries are starting to look less and less like pyramids, Czech Republic should start solving the many issues connected to this trend. Mainly, there should be an increased focus on pensioner...

Swap? A new trend, but also savings for the...

Weekly swap from 13th to 19th September in the Prague market in Holešovice Are your closets brimming over but you are still convinced you have nothing to wear? Don’t want to spend much money on clothes? If you like to be supertrendy but...

Sophie Lacoste-Dournel: „We should listen...

A family dispute cost Sophie Lacoste and her family the famous fashion company with the crocodile. But today she sees it in a positive light: together with her brother, she bought the ski brand Fusalp thanks to the Lacoste exit. In an interview...

Afghanistan 2021: China’s Reaction to...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES[1]) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, the Balkans and around the world. Dr Mohamad Zreik, PhD of International Relations prepared...

Cross-European Energy Shifts

Human progress has always gone hand in hand with our energy development. However, it is nowadays unequivocally considered that our energy development and particularly our energy consumption is gradually leading more and more to the phenomenon...

The end of an era for credit and debit cards

If you prefer to pay in stores by swiping the magnetic strip of your bank card through the machine, you will probably have to find a new way to pay pretty soon. One of the main producers of credit and debit cards, Mastercard, is planning to...

Learning from home was less effective

Before the new academic year managed to start, the Czech School Inspection released a report, focusing on the last year. That year of education was considerably affected by the pandemic, which forced students in and out of schools, while many...

Decentralized energy supply systems of the EU

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES[1]) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, the Balkans and around the world. Mak A. Bajrektarevic of the Vienna University of Economics...

Most expensive holidays in history

According to economist Štěpán Křeček, this year’s holidays will very likely be the most expensive ones in history for Czech families. Inflation is high, Chinese ports are on the verge of collapse, and shops are increasing their margins. Those...

Rohlík.cz in Germany

Together with the delivery of cooked meals, the industry of delivering separate ingredients for customers to cook themselves has grown massively throughout the last 17 months. Supermarkets were, are and probably will be considered one of the...

As Tourists Return, Prague Workers Struggle

Independent workers who rely on the tourism industry in Prague, like driver Valey, are struggling to recoup economic losses suffered during the pandemic, even as travellers slowly return to the city. The father of two chauffeurs visitors around...

The hidden gem in the heart of Prague: the...

In 1912 Czech Art Nouveau and cubist architect Emil Kralíček designed the Cubist Lantern during the rebuilding of Adam’s Pharmacy, whose facade overlooks Wenceslas Square. The one of a kind street-lamp is hidden on the secluded corner of...

Drastic changes in weather caused by…us?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization associated with the countries of the United Nations, just released a report that confirms that human actions are major contributors to climate change. Although it was only...

Long Covid, and what now? A spa, or hemp...

Have you or one of your loved ones suffered from Covid, and still don’t feel well? And, apart from a statement from doctors or those around you that you’re suffering form so-called “long Covid“, you haven’t received any care? Then read on. In...

5 Smart Steps You can Take to Improve Your...

The past year has been a difficult one for many small businesses around the world, but the effects of the COVID-19 crises have been felt by companies of all sizes. Business leaders have been hard at work throughout 2020 and 2021 to stabilize...

Czech scientists develop ‘drones with...

Fights and injuries occurring inside large groups of people could soon be easier to detect, thanks to a new Czech-developed crowd surveillance system that analyses drone footage via the use of neural networks. The innovative new system was...

Europe is entrapped

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, Balkans and also around the world. General Blagoje Grahovac is member of the IFIMES Advisory Board...

IFIMES Analysis of China’s “Belt and...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, Balkans and around the world. Dr Maria Smotrytska is research fellow at IFIMES/DeSSA, a senior...

7 Places to Celebrate a Big Birthday...

No matter your age or stage of life, every birthday can be celebrated with a big trip. Some exciting destinations are perfect for visiting in your 20s, like backpacking through Southeast Asia or road tripping the Pacific Coast Highway. Others...

Prague’s Liechtenstein Palace opens to the...

On 7-8 August, you can take part in guided tours and marvel at the palace’s interiors This weekend, residents and tourists in Czechia will have the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful buildings in Prague: the Liechtenstein Palace...

First UNESCO natural site in Czechia

“Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians & Other Regions of Europe”. This is the latest addition to the UNESCO natural world heritage locations list. One of the locations covered with this umbrella-term inscription lies...

Past century revisited

It is 100 years since we were supposedly getting over the war to end all wars, World War I, and forming the League of Nations with the purpose of preventing such a conflict and slaughter happening again. Regrettably, the only good that came out...

25 Things You Should Do Before Boarding a...

Air travel can be stressful, so we’ve rounded up 25 things you should do before your next flight so you can relax. Between making sure your suitcase isn’t an ounce over 50 pounds and rushing to your gate before the doors close, air...

The tool you need to have to know about the...

Lately, some would even go as far as to suggest that there is an overflow of statistics and data about Covid-19, but thanks to the Mobilní Rozhlas tool, it is now possible to find specific data about any location in the country. Thanks to the...

What have we learnt in the past century?

It is 100 years since we were supposedly getting over the war to end all wars, World War I, and forming the League of Nations with the purpose of preventing such a conflict and slaughter happening again. Regrettably, the only good that came out...

ARE WE GOING TO HAVE CREWMEMBER ON SpaceX´s...

As you might have heard already Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa is looking for eight crewmembers for a mission to the moon. Maezawa, a controversial entrepreneur, announced in March 2021 that his dearMoon project, which aims to fly the...

Afghanistan: No Peace without a Clear Vision

Peace is the absence of war, while war is the absence of peace! A negotiated peace in Afghanistan presents a number of challenges. The duration of the war over several decades has created a number of situations, that requires an in-depth...

Future Railway station in Brno

A new railway station in Brno has already been one of the city’s priorities for a long time. Now, the architectural plans for the building have been selected and their visualisations were shared. The company selected for the job is Benthem...

The Fair Work initiative

The Czech Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Jana Maláčová has personally visited a factory near Teplice. She also invited Matěj Stopnický, a member of a government coalition party to tag along during the visit. This visit took place as a...

Norwegian perspectives on Democracy and...

On May 25th, as part of the Geneva Lecture Series concepted and conducted by prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, a large number of international affairs specialists, faculty fellows, practitioners and diplomats gathered for a special session devoted...

Life without carbon emissions

The EU is trying to make Europe the first ‘carbon neutral continent’ since the industrial revolution. It is way ahead of the competition with the regulations already in place. USA, China and other world’s economies are apparently way behind us...

Czech Republic Records Seventh Fastest...

Increasing House Prices and Rents in the EU. Credit: Eurostat. According to Eurostat, house prices in the Czech Republic have risen over 70% between 2010 and 2021 – the seventh highest increase in the EU. Rents have also risen significantly...

COACHING in Women’s Leadership

Petra Novotná, Head of brand strategy and marketing communication in Slovak Telekom. Experienced manager forming one of the biggest brands in Slovakia with passion to help people to develop their own abilities and talent so they can become...

How to Change Your Bad Shopping Habits

Are you one of those people who simply love to shop and can’t save any money because of their shopping habits? If your answer is ‘yes’, welcome to the club – you aren’t the only one here! A lot of people want to change their bad shopping habits...

Prague Airbnb market recovering but still...

With the easing of travel restrictions, the demand for short-term accommodation through house-renting applications, such as Airbnb or Booking.com is slowly increasing. However, the number of Airbnb apartments offered for short-term rentals...

9 Once-in-a-lifetime Trips to Book for 2022

The inspiration you need to start planning an epic return to international travel. Looking ahead to 2022, one thing seems clear: It is the year of the bucket-list vacation. After a year and a half of canceled plans, topped with a hefty dose of...

Rate of Social Media Participation in Czech...

According to Eurostat, 57 percent of people aged 16-74 in the EU used social networks in 2020. In the Czech Republic, the figure was slightly above average at 59 percent. Social media use in the EU has risen significantly from 36 percent in...

Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro Dr...

Deputy Prime Minister of Montenegro Dr. Dritan Abazović received the director of the International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES[1]) Assist. Prof. Dr. Zijad Bećirović. Director of the Institute Dr. Bećirović presented to...

The 55th Karlovy Vary International Film...

The official selection of the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), which takes place from August 20th through the 28th, features 32 premieres. The films will make their bow in the fest’s two competitions and Special Screenings...

Modern-day Information Warfare and Hybrid...

Abstract Objective. A study of the latest practices (forms, methods, tools, and technologies) of information operations, specificities of their hybridization, as well as the newest forms and methods of counteroperation. Procedures and Methods...

2021 North Macedonia: Morally humiliated and...

At the EU summit in Thessaloniki in 2003, a clear message on the European perspective of Western Balkan countries was sent. Eighteen years after the EU summit in Thessaloniki, only the Republic of Croatia has been coopted into the EU, two...

The Best Islands to Retire, From the...

Editor’s Note: Travel might be complicated right now, but use our inspirational trip ideas to plan ahead for your next bucket list adventure. Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions...

Home working – Missing regulation...

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed one of the major deficiencies in Czech employment legislation: the almost non-existent regulation of home working. Due to this absence in legislation, employees working from home are theoretically subject to...

Love it or hate it: Czech Olympic outfit...

Designer Zuzana Osako scoured the folk traditions of her country and Japan’s for a common thread to weave into the Czech Republic’s Olympic team outfits for the Tokyo Games opening ceremony in July, turning heads but also drawing...

Persona non grata without single fact or...

Regarding the decision of May 19, 2021 of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for the designation persona ‘non grata’ of Sali Berisha, my wife Liri Berisha, my daughter Argita and my son Shkelzen, on grounds of significant corruption.

První ročník Akademie pro začínající...

13 týdnů studia v programu Arizonské státní univerzity, 39 studentek a jejich projektů, 7 finalistek v závěrečné soutěži AWE a 1 vítězka. Takový byl 1.ročník společného vzdělávacího projektu neziskové organizace Business & Professional...

Biden-Putin summit, surprising or long...

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, Balkans and also around the world. Ambassador Arben Cici is diplomat, researcher, professor and...

The 10 Best Cities to Live in Around the...

These are the best places to live in the world, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index. Auckland, New Zealand is the most livable city in the world, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2021...

These Are The EU States With The Lowest...

The economic innovation driven by the 27 member states of the European Union has helped advance previously tarnished economies, and help build the platform for solvent democracies. In the last few years, economic changes regarding corporation...

New internal and external challenges

Facing Covid-19 pandemic – mission of saving human lives In its response to the Covid-19 pandemic the Republic of Serbia introduced state of emergency on 15 March 2020 and then terminated it on 6 May 2020. From the start of 2020 until the...

Investing in Whiskey and Watches Soars In...

With the reality of growing inflation increasingly on our minds, making small investments in things like whiskey and watches is becoming more and more common. Novinky reports that some Czechs are deciding that rather than dumping millions of...

Czech businesses prepare for Council...

In the second half of 2022, the Czech Republic will hold the Presidency to the Council of the EU and to some extent, it will set the agenda for negotiations in this key institution. The founders of CEBRE prepared recommendations for the...

Prague is the only EU capital to keep an...

Syrian President Bashar Assad claimed to have won 95.1% of the vote in elections held last month, as a joint statement from France, Italy, the US and Britain branded the electoral process “illegitimate”. One nation not to comment on the...

EU matters business

Did you know that? Commission intensifies fight against disinformation The European Commission issued guidelines on a code of practice to fight against disinformation, which should help Member States make effective use of this tool. E…...

Risks of implementing LinkedIn Sales in...

This article is a second part of the previous issue’s edition. The first part of the article described in detail the risks you will experience while implementing LinkedIn (LI) sales in large sales departments. This second part is about exact...

CEZ plans to cut coal-fired output, raise...

Czech utility CEZ (CEZP.PR) said it aims to shut most of its coal-fired power plants by 2030, cutting the proportion of coal in its energy production mix to 12.5% from 36% last year. The country’s main power utility said on Thursday it...

Prague is 8th most sustainable city in the...

The absolute winner was Australia’s Canberra, where 88.6 percent of the transport infrastructure is ecological Prague is the eighth most sustainable metropolis in the world, according to a study commissioned by the British comparison...

Mediterranean: Fragile but Pivotal...

On May 19th, as part of the Geneva Lecture Series concepted and conducted by prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, numerous international affairs specialists, faculty fellows, practitioners and diplomats gathered for an event on the hard and soft...

Prague unveils a free public closet for...

Prague Market Hall now houses a “Closet for Single Parent Families” To mark Children’s Day (1 June) in the Czech Republic, Prague opened a “Closet for Single Parent Families” at the Prague Market Hall. There, the community can donate items for...

Protecting your brand in the Czech Republic:...

The most recent listing of the world’s top brands provided by Forbes (2020) listed 5 tech companies at the top (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Facebook) with Coca Cola in the 6th position as the first consumer goods company. Coke’s value...

EU Travel Certificate Program Will Launch...

Under the agreement, European travelers won’t face additional testing or quarantine requirements unless implemented by the local government. It’s about to get easier to travel across Europe, at least for many Europeans. Beginning...

Inflation in EU accelerates, Czech prices...

On the contrary, deflation has been observed in Greece and Portugal The average annual inflation in the European Union accelerated to 2 percent in April from 1.7 percent in March, the European Statistical Office announced on Wednesday...

Czech Labour Minister Pushes For 4-Day Work...

Jana Maláčová, Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, is proposing enforcing a 4 day work week in the Czech Republic, without reducing wages. She suggests a 35 hour, Monday-to-Thursday work week, with the goal of increasing productivity, upping...

Nord Stream 2: To Gain or to Refrain? Why...

The chances of the sanctions war around Nord Stream 2 to rage on after the construction of the pipeline is finally over seem to be high. That said, we have to admit, with regret or with joy, that it will be completed, and for the following...

Food Prices Rise In Czech Republic...

As expected, inflation is bumping up food prices in the Czech Republic, forcing manufacturers to get creative so consumers don’t notice, Yookie reports. According to Lukáš Kovanda, chief economist at Trinity Bank, food and non-alcoholic...

Energetically Marching in to the Wrong Side...

By: Tomislav Jakić The first half of May in Croatia is marked by the anniversaries of two events from the end of the Second World War. With one democratic Croatia, which, if we believe its Constitution, is built on the foundations of anti...

Sustainable Future: Impact Journey

Everyone is very welcome to the next online event of Startup Disrupt UK where we will explore the sustainable future topics. Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. Therefore, let us take you on a journey with us with exciting panelist...