Former Hejtman competes again

In the Czech districts (meaning "kraj", sometimes also translated as "region"), the regional representatives and thus indirectly also the respective Hejtman, i.e. the highest post, will be newly elected on September 20 and 21. In the Ústí district, there will definitely be a change in the hejtman, as the previous incumbent Jan Schiller from the ANO will not be standing again. He wants to become a senator. Instead, the ANO is sending the primátor (mayor) of Chomutov, Marek Hrabáč, into the race and is likely to have the best chance of winning the election.

There is a surprise on the left: on the one hand, the Communists (KSČM) and Social Democrats (ČSSD) are running together and, on the other, they are fielding a very familiar face in Oldřich Bubeníček (KSČM). He was Hejtman of the Ústí district from 2012 to 2020 and was very popular.

Celebrating 10 years of the national park railroad

On July 5, Dolní Poustevná and Sebnitz celebrated the 10th anniversary of the closing of the gap between the two towns and the National Park Railway, which has been running between Děčín and Rumburk via Bad Schandau ever since. To mark the occasion, the "Lužickohorský rychlík" train, which normally runs from Prague to Mikulášovice at weekends, was extended to Sebnitz. There was a varied program in Dolní Poustevna, including Ivan Mládek, who became famous in the 1970s with funny songs such as "Jožin z bažin" or "Prachovské skály".

Sculpture exhibition on July 27 in Řehlovice

This weekend, an international sculpture symposium will begin at the Řehlovice Cultural Center near Ústí nad Labem with the theme "Artificial intelligence - curse or blessing?" This year marks the 25th edition of the symposium. Around two dozen artists from the Czech Republic, Germany and around the world will express in sandstone how they perceive the influence of modern technologies on society.

The results will be presented to the public at the Řehlovice Cultural Center on 27 July. If you don't know the place yet, you should definitely go there(see this map).

Invitation to the vernissage (PDF)
 

Germany not so unpopular with the Czechs

The Czech opinion research institute STEM has been regularly investigating the attitudes of the Czech population towards selected countries for years. In this year's survey, Austria emerged as the winner for the first time, just ahead of Slovakia, which usually comes in first place. China, Russia and Palestine were at the bottom of the list by a wide margin.

Germany was rated 1 or 2 by 55% of respondents, placing it in the middle of the field. This is hardly a change compared to recent years, but a clear improvement compared to the 1990s (see chart). The average score of 2.4 is also in the - very broad - midfield.

Czech-speakers can find the results on the STEM website .

On our own behalf: Two-week break

Due to vacation and the usual summer break, the newsletter will now take a two-week break. We will be back in August and wish you a great summer until then!

 

 

---

 

If you would like to receive our weekly review regularly in your e-mail inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

To the newsletter registration

 

 

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

The schlösserlandKARTE gives you free entry to 40 palaces, castles, gardens, parks, monasteries etc. in Saxony, including many highlights such as Königstein, Moritzburg and Pillnitz.

The digital annual pass is currently available for just 48 euros (instead of 60). The promotion is valid until August 10, 2024 and is sponsored by Sachsenlotto.

1. The digital ticket requires the "Schlösserland erleben" app, which is available for Android or iOS.

2. You can buy a digital schlösserlandKARTE for 1 year in the app. If you enter the promotional code #Sachsenlotto in the field "Rabattcode eingeben" (enter promotion code) during the purchase process, the annual pass will appear as an additional offer for 48 euros.

3. The duration of the schlösserlandKARTE begins with the first visit. So you can buy it until August 10 and activate it later.

Two children up to and including the age of 16 accompany the cardholder free of charge. Events and guided tours are excluded.

Major step forward for the Ore Mountains conservation area

In a few weeks, the government will publish its plan to declare a protected landscape area (LSG) for large parts of the Ore Mountains on the Czech side. At 1,200 square kilometers, the area will be the largest of its kind in the Czech Republic. The Ministry of the Environment, which is in charge of the project, believes it is making good progress. In order to increase acceptance, negotiations have been held with municipalities in recent months. An agreement has now been signed with them. The towns include Jáchymov (Joachimsthal). The subject of the negotiations is a compromise that gives the towns and municipalities a free hand in the further development of the inner areas of the municipalities. The outer area, on the other hand, will be protected by the future LSG.

As soon as the process is set in motion with the publication of the plan to declare an LSG, a 90-day period for comments begins. A lot of headwind is expected, especially from the mountain village of Boží Dar. The municipality has been against a protected landscape area from the outset and could not be convinced during the negotiations. Jáchymov was also skeptical, especially as part of the town is already under UNESCO protection (mining region). However, they are now satisfied with the compromise that has been reached.

The Ore Mountains are the only low mountain range in the Czech Republic without contiguous protection. In recent years, illegal felling of beech forests, for example, has caused criticism. A few years ago, similar beech forests in the Jizera Mountains were declared a World Heritage Site, the only one in the Czech Republic. Large wind power projects are also repeatedly criticized. The Ore Mountains have long been considered unattractive. Until the 1990s, the mountains suffered from heavy industrial emissions, especially in the Bohemian Basin. As the environmental situation has improved, the appeal of this long and sparsely populated mountain range on the Bohemian side has increased. Still an insider tip, it is already in the sights of investors who want to build vacation homes, condominiums or leisure parks here. In the last 15 years, there has been increased investment in winter sports areas and their year-round use.

Population decline in the Czech Republic

The Czech population fell by 41,000 people in the first quarter. According to the Czech Statistical Office, there were 10.86 million inhabitants in the Czech Republic at the end of March. This is also the fourth-highest figure in the history of the Czech Republic, which has been independent since 1993. At the end of 2023, the population had climbed above the 10.9 million mark for the first time.

Behind the decline is the return of many Ukrainian refugees to their homeland. Many of them had special protection status, which expired on March 1 of this year. In addition, the mortality rate was significantly higher than the birth rate. However, this is a common phenomenon for the first quarters, according to the statistics office.

The Czech population had grown steadily until the beginning of 2020, but suffered a painful decline of almost 200,000 people as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The resumption of growth from 2021 was given a strong boost by the refugees from Ukraine. By mid-2022, the coronavirus decline had been made up for and even exceeded. The Czech Republic is one of the countries that took in the most Ukrainian refugees. At times, up to 600,000 refugees found refuge in the country. At the same time, the country's already strong Ukrainian minority helped it to take in refugees.

The statisticians also determined the number of marriages. This fell by 800 to 3,200 in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. In contrast, the number of divorces rose by 100 to over 5,000 in the same period.

Krupka closes Kyšperk castle ruins

ins

The town of Krupka has closed the nearby Kyšperk castle ruins due to dilapidation. The measure was taken after stones came loose from the remains of the tower. The town assumes that other parts could come loose and has issued an urgent warning against entering the ruins. The town now hopes to receive funding for the restoration. The castle ruins are a popular excursion destination in the Ore Mountains.

Building permit in 30 days

A new building law has been in force in the Czech Republic since the beginning of July. The new legislation, which took years to prepare, is intended to make life easier for applicants. In future, only one office will process applications. Applicants will no longer be sent from office to office to obtain the necessary confirmations that are a prerequisite for planning permission. If, for example, the application is missing the necessary statements from the responsible bodies, the building authority will take care of this itself.

The digitalization of the administration is a prerequisite for faster processing of applications. However, as the processors have not yet been able to work with the new application, initial difficulties are expected. In addition, applications submitted before July 1 will still have to be processed in the old way.

After a transitional period, the Minister for Regional Development, Ivan Bartoš, whose area of responsibility includes digitization, is hoping for clearly positive effects for all sides. In future, it should therefore only take 30 days to obtain approval for the construction of a detached house. Approval for more complex construction projects is also to be reduced to 60 days. For a transitional period, authorities can still extend these deadlines by 60 days.

Until now, the average wait for a permit to build a detached house in the Czech Republic has been 3 to 6 months. For more complex projects, approval could take a year or longer.

The Sokol Congress celebrates in Prague

Up to 2,000 athletes on the pitch of Europe's largest stadium, performing up to 12 choreographies. This will be the highlight of this year's Sokol Congress at the weekend. After six years, members of the Sokol movement from home and abroad have gathered again in Prague for their congress.

The Sokol movement (Sokol = falcon) emerged from the gymnastics movement and was influenced by the German father of gymnastics, Jahn. The gymnastics movement was founded by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner. Both were originally Germans with German parents and German names: Fridericus Emanuel Tirsch the one and Heinrich Anton Fügner the other. Both later had their names Czechized. The Sokol movement is close to the national revivalist movement. Incidentally, Tirsch was born in Děčín, where the old Elbe bridge is still named after him today.

The Sokol movement grew with the founding of independent Czechoslovakia. It was banned during the period of the German protectorate, but continued to operate underground. Jozef Gabčík, one of the two successful assassins of the deputy Reich Protector Reinhard Heydrich, was a member of the Sokol movement. Together with Jan Kubiš, he was able to rely on a dense and loyal network of helpers.

Sokol was also a thorn in the side of the communist rulers who had been in power since 1948. They banned the organization, but tried to replace it with their own sports congresses. The Sokol movement then moved abroad, where regular Sokol congresses were held. Sokol was re-established in 1990.

 

The production of this newsletter is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon state parliament.

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)

Bezirk Ústí stimmt Schnellbahntrasse zu

Der Bau der Neubaustrecke Dresden-Prag hat in Tschechien eine wichtige Hürde genommen. Das Bezirksparlament in Ústí hat der Trassenführung zugestimmt. Diese sieht die Fortführung des Erzgebirgstunnels bis Chlumec (Kulm), einen weiteren Tunnel durch das Böhmische Mittelgebirge und ein neues Terminal in Ústí auf dem Gelände des heutigen Westbahnhofs (Ústí-západ) vor. Für den Trassenvorschlag stimmten 30 Abgeordnete, 13 waren dagegen, 8 enthielten sich.

Das Bezirksamt hatte sich zuvor mit mehr als 600 Stellungnahmen zu dem Trassenvorschlag auseinandersetzen müssen. Eine Zeit lang drohte sogar, dass die Entscheidung des Parlaments nicht mehr in der laufenden Legislaturperiode fallen könnte. Im September wird in den Bezirken gewählt.

Da der Trassenverlauf nun feststeht, kann der Investor, die staatliche Infrastrukturverwaltung Správa železnic, an der Vorbereitung der erforderlichen Genehmigungen arbeiten. Allerdings kann es rund um den Trassenverlauf noch zu Verzögerungen kommen. Vor allem der Tunnelausgang bei Chlumec, aber auch der Tunnelausgang südlich vom Böhmischen Mittelgebirge bei Hrobce werden vehement kritisiert. Beide Gemeinden konnten bis zum Schluss nicht überzeugt werden und kündigten nun Klagen an. Die Infrastrukturverwaltung hätte im Fall von Chlumec keine Alternativen vorgelegt, sondern von Beginn auf nur einer Variante bestanden.

Unstrittig ist dagegen der Streckenverlauf von Prag über Roudnice, wo ein Terminal entsteht, bis Lovosice/Litoměřice. Dort soll der Bau noch in den 2020er Jahren beginnen. In den 2030er Jahren soll der Bau durchs Erzgebirge beginnen. Als letzter Abschnitt wäre das Teilstück durch das Böhmische Mittelgebirge dran. Mit dessen Fertigstellung wird allerdings nicht vor 2045 gerechnet.

Neuer tschechischer Botschafter in Berlin

Tschechien entsendet Jiří Čistecký als neuen Botschafter nach Berlin. Čistecký hat bereits seine Bestätigung durch die Bundesregierung erhalten und löst den bisherigen Botschafter Tomáš Kafka ab. Er tritt sein Amt Anfang Oktober an.

Čistecký ist bereits seit 30 Jahren für das tschechische Außenministerium tätig und wirkte bereits an vielen Stationen im Ausland. 2019 bis 2023 führte er das Generalkonsulat in Istanbul. Danach leitete er bis zuletzt in Abwesenheit des regulären Botschafters die tschechische Botschaft in Moskau.

Der Wechsel in Berlin erfolgt fast zeitgleich mit einem Diplomatinnenwechsel in Dresden. Dort löst bereits ab September Ivona Valhová als neue Generalkonsulin Markéta Meissnerová ab. Valhová wechselt aus dem Au´ßenministerium nach Dresden. Dort leitete sie den Bereich Gemeinsame Internationale Sicherheitspolitik in der Europäischen Union. Zuvor war sie in verschiedenen Leitungspositionen tätig. Im Außenministerium arbeitet sie seit 2002. Neben Deutsch und Englisch spricht sie auch Französisch. Als eine der ersten Amtshandlungen wartet auf die neue Generalkonsulin die Eröffnung der Tschechisch-Deutschen Kulturtage am 24. Oktober in Dresden.

Stabile Brutzahlen bei Wanderfalken

Erfreuliche Nachrichten aus der Böhmischen Schweiz und dem Elbsandsteingebirge: Bei den Wanderfalken zeichnet sich eine gute Brutsaison ab. Vorläufigen Zählungen zufolge haben die Brutpaare in dieser Saison mindestens 19 Jungtiere aufgezogen. Das wäre ein Junges mehr als im letzten Jahr.

Um den Vögeln Ruhe für die Aufzucht zu gewähren, werden jedes Jahr Wanderwege außerhalb der Ruhezone in der Nähe von Nestern vorübergehend gesperrt. Die Sperrung für Wanderfalken und Uhu dauert noch bis Sonntag. Außerdem sind vier Gebiete gesperrt, in denen der Schwarzstorch brütet. Hier gilt die Sperrung noch bis Ende Juli.

Bis 2020 lag die Zahl der Wanderfalkenjungen in Nationalpark und Landschaftsschutzgebiet Elbsandsteingebirge teils deutlich über 20 Jungtieren. 2020 kam es zu einem tieferen Einschnitt. Damals brachten Wanderfalken nur 15 Junge zur Welt. Beim Schwarzstorch war der Rückgang sogar noch deutlicher. Statt 17 Jungen im Jahr 2019 wurden nur noch 7 Jungtiere gezählt. Seitdem stieg die Zahl der Wanderfalkenjungen langsam wieder an. Allerdings scheinen die umfangreichen Wegesperrungen infolge des Waldbrands 2022 keinen entscheidenden Einfluss auf die Wanderfalkenpopulation zu haben.

Umfrage: Mehrheit für Dosenpfand

Noch im Juli möchte die tschechische Regierung einen Entwurf für eine Ausweitung der Pfandregelung vorlegen. In Tschechien gilt die Pfandregelung nur für Bierflaschen. Vor allem PET-Flaschen und Dosen sind in unserem Nachbarland bisher vom Pfand befreit. Zwar hat Tschechien inzwischen ein ausgefeiltes Mülltrennsystem. Sogar PET-Flaschen, aber auch Tetrapacks werden extra gesammelt.

Doch von einer Pfandregelung verspricht sich die Regierung noch mehr Müllvermeidung. Geht es nach einer Umfrage, macht die Regierung alles richtig. Laut der Agentur Ipsos sprachen sich drei Viertel der Befragten für einen Pfand aus. Am höchsten ist die Zustimmung im Bezirk Ústí an der Grenze zu Sachsen mit 84 Prozent. Ob das am guten Vorbild in Sachsen liegt?

Der Gesetzesentwurf schlägt 4 Kronen (16 Cent) Pfand vor und damit etwas weniger als in Deutschland. Auf Bierflaschen gibt es 3 Kronen (12 Cent) und damit mehr als bei uns. Das hat bereits gelegentlich zu Pfandtourismus geführt.

Über den Wenzelsplatz fährt künftig wieder die Tram

Am Samstag beginnen in Prag die Arbeiten zum Bau von Straßenbahnschienen auf dem Wenzelsplatz. Geht alles nach Plan, sollen im oberen Teilstück des berühmten Platzes in drei Jahren wieder Straßenbahnen fahren. Die waren nach dem Bau der Metro 1980 verschwunden. Doch die Stadtverwaltung sieht einen Bedarf, die Tram auf den Platz zurückzuholen. Zwar gibt es eine Metroverbindung zwischen oberem ("Muzeum") und unterem Ende ("Můstek") des Platzes. Doch die Strecke mit der Metro zu fahren lohnt sich nicht. Zu weit ist der Weg in den Untergrund und wieder zurück. Außerdem verbessert sich mit der neuen Straßenbahn die Anbindung an das Stadtviertel Vinohrady, durch das momentan die Linie 11 fährt. Diese Strecke erhält dann eine Direktverbindung über den Wenzelsplatz. Im unteren Teil werden die Gleise an die bestehende Strecke durch die kreuzenden Straßen Vodičkova und Jindřišská angebunden.

Gleichzeitig wird der Wenzelsplatz grüner und autofreier. Es wird eine neue Baumreihe angepflanzt und die Fußwege werden auf Kosten der Straße verbreitert. Diese Bauarbeiten dauern bis Ende September dieses Jahres.

 

---

 

Wenn Sie unseren Wochenrückblick regelmäßig in Ihr Email-Postfach bekommen möchten, melden Sie sich für unseren Newsletter an.

Zur Newsletter-Anmeldung

 

Die Erstellung dieses Newsletters wird mitfinanziert durch Steuermittel auf der Grundlage des vom Sächsischen Landtag beschlossenen Haushalts.

The Assembly of Members of the Labe Euroregion is the supreme body of the Euroregion. The exclusive responsibilities of the Assembly of Members of the Labe Euroregion include, among others

reviewing and approving the Council's annual report on the activities of the EL, approving the EL budget for the coming year and determining the amount of regular membership fees

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)