Compact archive January 2, 2007

The new law, which bans smoking in restaurants and other public places in the Czech republic, doesn´t work. It says, that it is forbidden to smoke in a restaurant, unless it has a special room for smokers. However, people continue with smoking in all spaces.

The law is valid for a year now. Not only it is ambiguous, but it is also not extorted enough by the police. Policemen usually inflict only a symbolic fine. Another problem is, that owners of the restaurants usually understand the law in different ways.

It is also explicitly banned to smoke at concerts or sports matches, but this is frequently violated too. The only places, where smoking was relatively reduced, are stations of public transport.

This is why an amendment of the law is being prepared at the moment and it depends on the future Czech government, if it will be realized. It should effectively protect non-smokers from passive smoking.

Winter is extraordinarily warm this year in Prague. Another temperature record was broken: the New Year´s Day 2007 was the warmest 1st January recorded in Clementinum, where the climate is measured continually since the 18th century.

It was 12.5 degrees centigrade at 2 pm. It is one tenth of a degree more, than the previous maximum from 1860 and 1921. According to meteorologists, the warm weather will continue for the whole first week in January. The whole first month will be rather warm.

Unfortunately, there won´t be a lot of snow in the mountains, because of the high temperatures and low precipitation.

A popular Prague music club, “007” on Strahov, is threatened with closure. It is because of unsatisfactory noise elimination. The club needs fundamental reconstruction and that´s why a benefit event is organized to collect money for it.

The event is called “A Week for 007” (Tyden pro 007), and you can see some of the best Czech bands play there. For example, music groups such as Ecstasy of Saint Theresa (11.1.), Moimir Papalescu and the Nihilists (10.1.), Peneri Strycka Homeboye (13.1.) or Clou (12.1.)will perform during the week.

The Week for 007 takes place between 9.1. and 14.1.2007. You can find the club in Chaloupeckeho street 7, in the area of Technical University campus, block number 7. The entrance fee is 150,-CZK and all of the money will go on the reconstruction. Come support the music club and enjoy the great music!

Many important things, such as water, electricity or rent, will be more expensive in the Czech republic in 2007. There will be also higher salaries at the same time.

Czech citizens have to expect higher prices on things of everyday use. Water will be 6% more expensive and electricity 7,9% more expensive. Also people, who live in flats with regulated rents, will pay more: the rents will be up to 19% higher. A packet of cigarettes will cost about 6,-CZK more and the new road-toll for buses and trucks will make also travelling by bus more expensive.

Are there any good news, then? Fortunately, there are: gas will be 4,2% cheaper and parental benefits will be twice as high as they were so far. Also pensions will grow.

About 150 000 people came to Prague to celebrate the new year 2007 in this city. The most lively celebrations took place at the Wenceslas Square. According to Prague rescue workers, it was the most “busy” New Year´s Eve for them in the last five years.

There were reportedly around 20 000 people celebrating at the Wenceslas Square. A big show took place in the upper part, while in the lower part of the square people fired their own fireworks.

Rescue workers had to treat 273 people, which is five times more than in an ordinary day. Also Prague firemen had a lot to do: probably the most serious case was a fire in Prague 4, caused by a flare, which flew into somebody´s balcony and inflamed the whole flat.

On the other hand, Prague policemen didn´t face up any serious incident. Celebrating tourists mostly asked them, if they can have a picture with them.