Daily news summary
PM Babiš wants to divide ministerial portfolios with Social Democrats by end of next week
The acting Prime Minister Andrej Babiš would like to reach an agreement with the Social Democratic Party on the division of ministerial portfolios in a prospective coalition government by the end of next week. The ANO leader made the announcement on Sunday after meeting with president Miloš Zeman at the Lány Chateau.
Mr Babiš said that president Zeman acknowledged the fact that the leadership of ANO had decided to renew the possibility of cooperation in a future minority government with the Social Democrats, adding that there was no reason to protract the talks.
Talks between ANO and the Social Democrats collapsed last week after ANO refused to give up either the Finance Ministry or Interior Ministry portfolio. President Miloš Zeman subsequently recommended Andrej Babiš approach the communist party and Tomio Okamura’s Freedom and Direct Democracy Party to create a government. However, some ANO members have said they could not stomach a deal involving the anti-European and anti-migrant party.
Foreign Minister: US thanks Czech Republic for supporting Syria strikes
The United States have thanked the Czech Republic for supporting the strikes on Syria carried out by the US, Britain and France on Saturday night, the Foreign Ministry told the Czech News Agency on Sunday.
Foreign Minister Martin Stropnický on Saturday night spoke on the phone with US acting US Secretary of State John Sullivan, who informed him about the details of the attack. Mr Sullivan also told Mr Stropnický that considered the Czech Republic a reliable ally.
The US, UK and France have carried out air and missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack last Saturday.
Czech Republic claims debts worth 29.6 billion crowns abroad
The Czech Republic claims debts worth 29.6 billion crowns in foreign countries, the Czech News Agency reported on Sunday, citing figures released in a report by the Financial Ministry. Last year, that figure stood at 38.2 billion.
Communist Cuba is the biggest owner, with its debt from civilian loans including interest reaching seven billion crowns. The report will be presented to the government on Wednesday.
Czech mountain resorts to invest more than 30 million crowns in summer attractions
Czech mountain resorts plan to invest more than 30 million crowns this year into summer attractions, such as bike trails or treetop adventure parks, according to the Czech Association of Mountain Resorts. One of the biggest attraction, the world's largest mammoth model, is being built in Dolí Morava resort in northeast Bohemia.
The ski season in the Czech Republic's resorts, including Harrachov and Špindlerův Mlýn, wrapped up on Sunday. According to operators, it was one of the most successful seasons in years.
Bob Dylan plays first show in Brno
The US singer-songwriter Bob Dylan is scheduled to play a concert in Brno on Sunday night. The 76-year-old Nobel Prize-winner has performed in the Czech Republic repeatedly, but it is his first concert in the south Moravian city.
Dylan’s last concert in the capital was in July 2014, while he performed in Ostrava in 2008. According to organizers, Sunday’s concert in Brno’s Vodova City Hall has been sold-out completely.
Prague’s annual Matějská Fair comes to a close
Prague's biggest funfair Matějská pouť at the city’s Výstaviště exhibition grounds comes to a close on Sunday. The fair, which kicked off seven weeks ago, offered more than 110 attractions, from bumper cars, a roller coaster that runs over water to shooting galleries.
In the past years, the event attracted between 100,000 and 200,000 visitors annually. The highest attendance, over 215,000 visitors, was recorded in 2011.
Weather
Monday will be mostly overcast, with showers and storms expected across much of the country. Daytime highs will range between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius.
