Compact archive January 9, 2008

The Prime mister, even when he was heard not speaking positively about the idea of Olympic Games in Prague, after a debate with Prague mayor Pavel Bem he said the government guarantees the Prague candidacy for 2016.

Even when ODS supports the Olympics, support of the whole government is not so clear. The KDU-CSL are definitely against, and possibly even the Green Party, so if the Olympics are to be put through, the ODS would have to do it themselves.

Most of the other parties are afraid of the financial costs of the enormous event. The Prime minister Mirek Topolanek however suggest, the promised support is not monetary, but juridical.

The second edition of Sensation White in the Czech Republic is going to take place. What is it? A chance to get to a massive, religious-like house dancing event of your lives.

Sensation is a Dutch (Amsterdam) indoor dance-event. The first edition of Sensation was in 2000, and every year in may cities ever since.

Sensation White is mostly a trance and house event. All the attendees are required to wear white and the Arenas themselves are decorated to match. Sensation White’s slogan is “Be Part Of The Night – Dress in White”. Every event has around 40,000-45,000 tickets available. The Amsterdam ArenA event takes place every year on the first Saturday in July.

Notable DJ’s that have appeared at Sensation White include André Tanneberger, Armin van Buuren, Darren Emerson (one of the Underworld members), David Guetta, Erick E, Erick Morillo, Ferry Corsten, Marco V, Paul van Dyk, Johan Gielen, Sander Kleinenberg, Steve Angello, Tiësto, Fedde Le Grand and Mason.

The regular Ticket sale for this event will go through the Sazka Ticket network. The ticket sale starts Friday 21 December 2008 at 01.15 hrs at all 7.000 Ticket sale points. The tickets will be sold in three steps.

– First bulk of 3.000 tickets: CZK 1.090,00 (40,00 Euro)

- Second bulk of tickets: CZK 1.375,00 ( 50,00 Euro)

- Third bulk of tickets: CZK 1.650,00 (60,00 Euro)

Online Ticket sale starts 22 December 2008 and reservations can be made on http://www.sazkaticket.cz/

Golden tickets for the event can be purchased through kribalova@best.sazka.cz and will be sold for CZK 4.490,00 (160,00 Euro). A Golden Ticket gives you access to the main Floor and luxury Club Floor. Free Club Floor VIP catering is included in the Ticket price.

31 May 2008, Sazka Arena in Prague

As there is total ban on smoking in restaurants in Germany from January 2008, the Germans living close to border travel to the Czech Republic to be able to smoke after their meal. “The first thing they ask for, is if they can smoke in here, and when they are seated, they ask for an ashtray immediately.” says a member of staff.

The same situation is with shopping for cigarettes in the Czech Republic. The prizes are low: Marlboro 76 CZK (2,64 €), Lucky Strike 64 CZK (2,3 €), Czech cigarettes Sparta, Petra and others 50-60 CZK (1,8 € – 2,14€) so cigarettes here are really cheap. Now, when the Czech Republic entered the Schengen space, there is no limit for transport.

However, there is a new anti-smoking law being prepared, which should make smoker’s life harder in Czechia, but now, even foreigners know Czech smokers can smoke free.

4th January 2008: the Czech Prime minister for ODS, Miroslav Topolanek said in an interview for Hospodarske Noviny: “Czechs usually see everything negatively, and when anything happens, they make a mess in their pants.”

The statement immediately alerted those, who haven’t yet lost faith in Czechs, the most significant of them is the mayor of Czech city Cerhenice Karel Semerad, who appealed to Topolanek to apologize for his words, or he is prepared to institute legal proceedings: “The whole thing is much worse, than you, as an author, have one of the most responsible seats in the Czech Republic. How can you represent a nation, you have so low opinion about?” Semerad writes. His original profession is a historian.

Topolanek reacted in a way we got used to from the side of politicians: “I’m not going to apologize, I am ready to sue” He is known for his direct speaking.

Karel Semerad: “Do you know at least some of the thousands of fates of our national resistance, who fighted the Nazi tyranny?” How dare you spit on Czech heroes?”

Young National Democrats’ Party, well known for their neo-nazi marches, have already announced Topolanek committed a crime of seditious libel, defamation of nation and slander.

Prague wants to have a special unit of the municipal police, that would increase repression towards the homeless. “The homeless should leave the territory of Prague, or integrate into the society” The vice-mayor of Prague Jiri Janecek said to press.

Janecek at the same time emphasized , that every homeless, who wants to get a job, gets a job. “We have fee spots at the city organizations, like the MHD (Prague Public Transport). We don’t want to support the homeless to the prejudice of the other Prague Citizens”

There is a ‘homeless boat’ in Prague, where the needy can go. It works as a center, where these people get a bed, medical treatment, and it is possible to get information about work offers.