Czech architects and designers are trying to keep foreign competition out of their ranks by requiring them to speak Czech. Idnes.cz reports that a high level of knowledge of Czech or Slovak is a requirement to be accredited by the Czech Chamber of Authorized Engineers and Technicians needed for work in the construction sector. Foreign engineers failed to have the requirement removed through a formal complaint. This is becoming an ever greater problem for them as state investors are making Czech accreditation a condition of more and more tenders. Accreditation can only be granted if the candidate passes a test that’s held in Czech without the aid of a translator.
