Czech morning news in brief: top stories for Feb. 16, 2021

The government approved Monday a draft of a new law on the compensation bonus, Minister of Finance Alena Schillerová announced on Twitter. The contribution will no longer be linked to the state of emergency and support will be focused on companies and entrepreneurs whose sales fell by 50 percent or more during the relevant time period. The law increases the daily allowance for entrepreneurs and partners of small companies from CZK 500 to CZK 1000; employees will receive CZK 500 per day. Once approved by parliament, the law should apply retroactively from Feb. 1.

Former Czech Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch is likely to become the next Czech ambassador to Finland. According to the SeznamZprávy news server, his nomination was approved by the government last week. President Miloš Zeman has yet to agree to send Vojtěch to a diplomatic post in Helsinki. Vojtěch headed the Ministry of Health from December 2017 until last September, when he resigned.

The Czech currency is again the strongest against the euro since the coronavirus epidemic began last March. Monday it strengthened to 25.66 CZK/EUR. The Czech currency also improved to CZK 21.16/USD against the dollar, making the exchange rate the most favorable for the crown since April 2018. The data comes from the Patria Online server. The Prague Stock Exchange started the week with growth, the PX index strengthened by 1.05 percent to 1,071.51 points. The entire financial sector, as well as Avast shares, prospered.

A 40-meter-tall ice wall made its debut in the Czech village of Vír in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the deep valley of the Svratka River this weekend. The artificially created structure functions as the training terrain of the Czech Mountaineering Association. Every year, members of the mountaineering association pour water over the rock wall to create challenging climbing conditions. This year, due to coronavirus measures, the icefall is operating as an outdoor sports ground; those interested in climbing can book their date via the Ledové stěny Vír Facebook page.

Prague will see its first Museum of Literature. Located in Bubeneč on Pelléova Street in one of the former Petschek villas, the Museum of Literature will offer visitors ten halls of permanent exhibitions with an exhibition area of ​​almost 1,000 square meters, a museum café, and a large garden, where literary events will take place. The memorial is at no. 44, which was built in Bubeneč in the years 1923-1930. If reconstruction goes according to plan, exhibits could open as early as the latter half of this year.