- Title: Czech government approves state funeral for late singer Karel Gott - PM
- Date: 2nd October 2019
- Summary: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (OCTOBER 2, 2019) (REUTERS) CZECH PRIME MINISTER, ANDREJ BABIS, STANDING TO GIVE STATEMENT TO MEDIA CAMERA OPERATOR FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH PRIME MINISTER, ANDREJ BABIS, SAYING: "Firstly, the government approves a state funeral to pay tribute to Karel Gott in the case of consent from his family. As a priority we accept and are waiting for the approval of the family, if the family wishes it. Secondly, the government declares the day of Karel Gott's funeral will be a day of state grief. On this day the state flags will be flown at half-mast." PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PHOTOS BABIS THANKING MEDIA AND LEAVING VARIOUS OF JOURNALISTS STANDING OUTSIDE HOUSE OF DECEASED CZECH SINGER, KAREL GOTT, IN PRAGUE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LAYING FLOWERS AND BURNING CANDLES IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE FLOWERS LYING OUTSIDE HOUSE VARIOUS OF WOMAN AND CHILD LIGHTING CANDLE CANDLES (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) GOTT'S NEIGHBOUR, PAVEL CHRAMOSTA, SAYING: "He was a very nice man, I met him quite often since my childhood when we moved here in the neighborhood." WOMAN LIGHTING CANDLE JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CZECH MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, JAN BARTOSEK, SAYING: "Karel Gott is a great example of man who even if he reached such a worldwide or at least European success, stayed modest and pleasant."
- Embargoed: 16th October 2019 16:16
- Keywords: Czech singer Karel Gott Czech singer dies aged 80 Czechoslovakia Czech pop music
- Location: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- City: PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
- Country: Czech Republic
- Topics: Celebrities,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZEOTA1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Czech government approved a state funeral for singer Karel Gott, who died aged 80 on Tuesday (October 1), Prime Minister Andrej Babis told journalists on Wednesday (October 2).
Gott, who shot to stardom under Communism and remained popular after the 1989 Velvet Revolution, was dubbed the "Sinatra of the East" by the local press while on tour in Germany in 1967.
Babis said the government was seeking approval from Gott's family to hold a state funeral, and that it would be a day of national mourning.
Outside Gott's house in Prague, mourners gathered to lay flowers and candles.
Fifty-nine year-old mourner Ales Strnad said he had first heard Gott's 'Lady Carneval' while visiting his aunt's house during the suppression of the 1968 Prague Spring, inspiring a lifelong love of the song and Gott's music.
Gott's wife, Ivana, announced his death on Wednesday on the singer's official website. Gott had announced in September he was battling acute leukaemia.
(Production: Jiri Skacel, Lewis Macdonald) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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