Daily news summary
CT: Social Democrats to nominate Tomáš Petříček for foreign minister
The Social Democrats are to nominate Tomáš Petříček for the post of foreign minister, Czech Television reported. The junior party in the coalition government had previously put forward Miroslav Poche for the position but President Miloš Zeman refused to appoint him.
The head of the Social Democrats, Minister of the Interior Jan Hamáček, is currently serving as the country’s diplomatic chief in a caretaker capacity. Mr. Petříček is at present deputy minister of foreign affairs.
TOP 09 to submit resolution on accepting orphan refugees
The opposition TOP 09 party plan to submit a resolution calling on the government to take in 50 Syrian orphans from refugee camps. They will put the matter to the lower house on Wednesday. The party’s Markéta Pekarová Adamová said a civilised country should be capable of making such a symbolic humanitarian gesture.
The move comes after Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said he was not prepared to take in any such orphans, arguing that children should be helped in the places they come from. Mr. Babiš recently said he would not accept “a single refugee”.
Judge Mazanec to head Supreme Administrative Court
President Miloš Zeman will name Michal Mazanec President of the Supreme Administrative Court on Tuesday.
The 67-year-old judge is a recognized specialist in administrative law and was actively involved in reforming this branch of the judiciary post-1989.
Mazanec has served as vice-chairman of the Supreme Administrative Court since 2003. He will replace Josef Baxa in the top post.
Architect Jiřičná honoured with lifetime achievement medal
Czech-born architect Eva Jiřičná was presented with a lifetime achievement medal at the London Design Festival on Monday.
Jiřičná, who has been based in London for 50 years, was honoured for a career portfolio that includes the interior design of the Lloyds of London building, the home of fashion designer Joseph Ettedgui, as well as many of his Joseph stores, and a convention centre in the Moravian city of Zlín.
US-based rocker Ivan Král set for Prague concert
Czech-born musician Ivan Král is set to play a sold-out concert at Prague’s Lucerna Music Bar on Tuesday evening. The singer and guitar player, who has been living in the US since the 1960s, is promoting his latest LP, Colors.
Ivan Král was a member of the Patti Smith Group in the 1970s and collaborated with Iggy Pop. In the 1990s he produced a number of Czech groups.
Šilhavý appointed Czech national soccer team boss
Jaroslav Šilhavý has been appointed coach of the Czech international football team. He replaces Karel Jarolím, who was recently fired after two years in the job following a humiliating defeat to Russia.
Šilhavý, who is 56, will lead the Czechs for the first time next month, when they take on Slovakia and Ukraine in the Nations League, a competition in which they lost their opening game. The new manager helmed Slavia Prague to the domestic league title the season before last.
Weather forecast
It should be sunny in the Czech Republic on Wednesday, with temperatures of up to 27 degrees Celsius. The following days should be similarly warm, though overcast skies and some rain are expected.
